All at Sea!

With heavy Rain and strong Northerly winds this morning I was pleasantly surprised by the number of birds moving off shore today.
08.00-11.00 from The Point with DW.
                                           Up Channel       Down Channel
Brent Goose:                          9                               112
Shelduck:                             17
Wigeon:                                23                               17
Teal:                                       1                                58
Gadwall:                                4
Common Scoter:                                                      62
Long-tailed Duck:                                                    3
Red-Breasted Merganser:      1                                  1
Great-crested Grebe:             3 around
Red-throated Diver:              5   + 1 on
Gannet:                              331                                 36
Heron:                                    2 in
Merlin:                                   1 in
Turnstone:                              3 on beach
Dunlin:                                  7
Bar-tailed Godwit:                1
Great Skua:                           2
Pomarine Skua:                                                       3
Kittiwake:                            11
Mediterranean Gull:          127
Guillemot:                           35                                   3
Razorbill:                              7                                   1
Auk Sp:                               12                                   7
Starling:                            278 in
Chaffinch:                           20  in
Grey Seal:                             1+
Harbour Porpoise:                1+

2 Spoonbills among the Egrets from Dennis's Hide late morning

Goosanders past the fishing boats this afternoon

13.25-16.00 from the fishing boats joined by RW & MH
                                    Up Channel      Down channel
Brent Goose:                      96                    70
Shelduck:                             3
Wigeon:                               4                     13
Teal:                                     2
Mallard:                               1
Goldeneye:                          2
Common Scoter:                23                      7
Eider:                                                           1
Red-breasted merganser:                             1
Goosander:    1 + 8             9
Great-crested Grebe:            7 around
Red-throated Diver:             5
Gannet:                             223                   43
Dunlin:                               16
Knot:                                   23
Turnstone:                            4 around
Lapwing:                            18 out
Great Skua:                                                  1
Kittiwake:                           42
Mediterranean Gull:           17
Guillemot:                          17
Starling:                              12 in
Grey Seal:                             2
Harbour Porpoise:                 2+

Truly awful heavily cropped image of the Long-tailed Ducks

So that was Autumn!

My plod this morning from the observatory across The Desert to the Lifeboat Station, back along the beach through the sea containers and the fishing boats to the Old lighthouse back to the Observatory was notable in the fact that not one notable bird was seen or heard, indeed I barely saw a Robin or Wren! All the sites I visited today were just as disappointing, apart from late afternoon at the fishing boats where joining Mick and Richard I arrived moments after a 2w Caspian Gull turned up, later an adult bird came in.

Other news around The Peninsular the Cattle Egret still at Boulderwall, Great White Egrets all around. Goosander on Burrowes, Jack Snipe ARC and Burrowes, Black Redstarts at the power station and a couple of late Swallows.

 2w Caspian Gull

 The adult Caspian Gulls little beady eye shows well in this image. 

6 years ago today MH found this gem at Dengemarsh

Quiet Times!

First thing this morning at The Point in the company of SG & MH where the overhead migration was Zero. The sea was also very quiet with nothing apparently moving though SG did have a total of 690 Cormorants coming off the reserve to feed. As the sun broke through clouds the sea became impossible to watch from The point so we retired to the observatory for a cup of tea. News at the observatory was that the area was also devoid of avian life. 

I made a quick visit to the reserve where the Cattle Egret was still at Boulderwall but very distant. From Dennis's Hide 4 Great White Egrets and a Goldeneye among the Pochard and Tufties.

From Firth hide another Great White Egret, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Dunlin and the usual wildfowl.

 Male Sparrowhawk on my garden fence taken through the patio windows 

While at home having a Full English and watching the garden bird feeders, the Goldfinches, Greenfinches  and Chaffinches all scattered in alarm as a male Sparrowhawk swooped in and alighted on the fence, 2 Wood Pigeons also on the fence stayed put taking no notice of the hawk.

This afternoon at the fishing boats with Mick and Richard no Caspian Gulls today, but an adult Yellow-legged Gull came in and some of the c20 Mediterranean Gulls that were off shore, little else was off shore.  

 Adult Mediterranean Gull coming in for popcorn

2w Mediterranean Gull battling for its share of the popcorn

This evening at the ARC roost the Cattle Egret came in as did 17 Great White Egrets and 19 Little Egrets.

07.00-11.00 from the fishing boats with SG,MH & DW

Brent Goose: 15E  24W

Shelduck: 3W

Teal: 2E   7W

Wigeon: 20W       5E

Pintail: 1W

Common Scoter: 41E          82W

Great-crested Grebe: 3 around

Red-throated Diver: 2E       19W    1 on

Great Northern Diver: 1E   2W

Manx Shearwater: 1E

Sooty Shearwater: 1E

Gannet: 204E    36W

Cormorant: 32E        157W

Turnstone: 2 around

Kittiwake: 57E       24W

Mediterranean Gull: 54E    13W

Guillemot: 15E   2W       4 on

Razorbill: 9E      2W          2 on

Auk sp: 631E      88W

Starling: 12 in

Harbour Porpoise: 3+

Grey Seal: 1

Late morning crossing the causeway 5 Great White Egrets & 7 Little Egrets lined up waiting for the squadrons of Cormorants to chase fish into the shallows.

 Little Owl at Scotney

Lunchtime at Scotney, the feral Barnacle Geese flock on the sward, the Little Owl on its usual perch, at the back of the farm c1,000 Golden Plover, less welcome c1,000 Greylag Geese, c200 Canada Geese, 7 Egyptian Geese, also a Great White Egret. 

 Starlings bathing at Scotney

 Guillemot at the fishing boats

As the started I went back to the fishing boats for an hour seeing a few more Auks, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Mediterranean Gulls including 11 on the beach, a couple of Guillemots were feeding on the whitebait close inshore. 

 Mediterranean Gulls on beach by the fishing boats

 1w Caspian Gull from Firth

A tweet from DW who was sheltering in Firth hide saying he had a couple of colour ringed Caspian Gulls in front the hide but was unable to read the rings, gave me a good reason to abandon the fishing boats for the relative comfort of Firth Hide. The colour ringed birds had flown but I did see 2 adult, a slightly oiled 2w bird and 1w bird, also 4 Yellow-legged Gulls, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, a Goosander, 2 Jack Snipe and 3+ Great White Egrets.  

 Black-tailed Godwit from Firth

2 Jack Snipe in the downpour

Common Redpolls!

07.40-09.10 from The Point with SG and MH

Brent Goose: 34E       169W

Shelduck: 4E             4W

Pintail: 11W

Wigeon: 109W

Teal: 3W

Common Scoter: 45E       78W

Red-breasted Merganser: 1E    2W

Great-crested Grebe: 5W

Red-throated Diver: 3E     4W     1on

Great Northern Diver: 1E

Gannet: 45E

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 3E

Turnstone: 1 on beach

Kittiwake: 9 around

Mediterranean Gull: 4 around

Auk sp: 20E    27W

Alba Wagtail: 4 in

Meadow Pipit: 1 in

Goldfinch: 12E

Linnet: 2 over

Chaffinch: 1 over

Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Our sea watch was cut short by a call from DW to say he had caught a Common Redpoll. 

 Common Redpolls

 Common Redpolls

 Common Redpoll in The Moat

Little Auk at The Patch

As I was leaving the Observatory PT called with news that he found a Little Auk at The Patch, minutes later I arrived with Auk still present but always distant, it eventually drifted east along the scum line. Also there another 31 Brent Geese passed west.

Early afternoon at the ARC from Hanson, a Bittern flew to the tower pits, a Water Rail in the reeds in front the hide, the usual wildfowl, a Marsh Harrier and a Great White Egret. In the Willow Trail a Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest.

As I was leaving the hide a message from AK about the return of the Cattle Egret which was  still performing when I arrived a couple of minutes later.

 Cattle Egret doing what they do!

Cattle Egret

I joined some locals at The Point this afternoon unfortunately after most of the movement had occurred.

14.20-15.30

Brent Goose: 1E     64W

Common Scoter: 1W

Red-throated Diver: 1E         2W

Sooty Shearwater: 2E

Gannet: c20 around

Dunlin: 2W

Kittiwake: 25+ around

Mediterranean Gull: 12+ around

Guillemot: 34E    2W

Razorbill: 52E      1W  

Auk sp: 346E       7W

Yellowhammer 1st of the year!

This morning at The Point SG flushed a Bunting which turned out to be a Yellowhammer, my first sighting on the peninsular this year. A Merlin was also flushed taking its prey with it. Overhead very small numbers of Skylark, Redpoll, Goldfinch, Linnet and Meadow Pipit. On the sea c45 Kittiwakes, c25 Mediterranean Gulls, 18 Wigeon E & 4W, 14 Brent Geese E & 7W, a Curlew over and 8 Gannets E.  

 Hen Harrier

Walking out from the Observatory to get views of a hunting Hen Harrier a Woodcock came out of The Moat and 2 more were flushed in The Desert. While watching the Hen Harrier a Buzzard was over the Trapping area, also a Marsh Harrier there with 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Kestrels and a Peregrine which was over the power station. The Dartford Warbler was again keeping with the company of 2 Stonechats. A Ring Ouzel was still in residence in The Moat. 

 Hen Harrier

Dartford Warbler

A short visit to the fishing boats this afternoon saw Kittiwake party had grown to c100 and still c25 Mediterranean Gulls, a Guillemot was on the sea and 17 Auks flew West.

From the VC car park a Goosander flew towards the New Diggings, the usual Great White Egrets were still around the reserve.

A cooler foggy start this morning on the peninsular but no change in the lack of birds. In 2 walks taking in the lighthouses, the station, Lloyds, West Beach, The Moat and The Desert  just a handful each of Siskin, Redpoll, Reed Buntings and Meadow Pipits over, while on the ground a party of 8 Great Tits that quickly departed west over the power station, a few Blackbirds and Robins.   

2 x 1w Scaup on Dengemarsh

A call from MH telling me he had found a couple of Scaup on Dengemarsh a very scarce bird here now, saved me from another fruitless plod around The point.

While I was at Dengemarsh the Scaup spent most of the time resting and fairly distant. Also there 2 each of Marsh Harrier and Great White Egret of note. Nearby a Bittern flew over the track towards Boulderwall.

Midday at The ARC a walk around the Willow Trail saw just a Robin and a Wren. From Hanson 4 Common Snipe and a Dunlin on the islands were the only waders, not even a Lapwing! Wigeon numbers have increased, apart from another Great White Egret little was seen.  

Common Scoter past the fishing boats

Sea watch from the fishing boats 13.15-15.30 joined by SG and MH
Brent Goose: 10E      7W
Wigeon: 77W
Shoveler: 1W
Common Scoter: 3E   42W
Great-crested Grebe: 1W
Black-necked Grebe: 1 on sea drifted to the point
Red-throated Diver: 1E
Gannet: 23W    12E
Cormorant: Present
Grey Plover: 2E
Turnstone: 2 on beach
Kittiwake: c20 around
Mediterranean Gull: c20 around
Black-headed Gull: Present
Herring Gull: Present
Great Black Backed Gull: Present
Guillemot: 10W   3 on sea
Razorbill: 9W       7E
Auk sp: 27W    16E
Alba Wagtail: 3 in
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Caspian Gull!

Once again despite reasonable conditions on the peninsular migrants were non existent. I started by looking around the lighthouse area where 6 Skylark, a couple of Redpoll and Siskin over were the highlight and a Chiffchaff in the Heligoland trap. 

Another walk around The Desert, the beach area and the trapping area in the company of Steve Gale   (northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.co.uk) was very pleasant in the warm sunshine but completely bird less.

Mid afternoon I joined Mick and Richard at the fishing boats shortly after a superb adult Caspian Gull had dropped in giving excellent views.

 Adult Caspian Gull

 Adult Caspian Gull

 Adult Caspian Gull

Expensive Bird Table

First thing this morning at The Point conditions seemed perfect for some grounded and overhead migrants, so it was very disappointing to see just 3 Fieldfares, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest and a few Blackbirds in a wander around the bushes and then drizzle started in earnest. 

North Thames CR Herring Gull on the beach this afternoon.

As the sea was flat calm I was a little surprised when AJG called me to say there was some movement off shore. I quickly joined him in the sea watch hide.

Numbers collated by AJG.

10.45-13.15

Brent Goose: 291W
Shelduck: 1 in
Wigeon: 12W
Teal: 1W
Red-breasted Merganser: 6W
Common Scoter: 76W
Great-crested Grebe: 4W
Sooty Shearwater: 1W
Red-throated Diver: 1E
Black-throated Diver: 1W
Great Northern Diver: 1W
Great Skua: 5W
Arctic Skua: 1W
Mediterranean Gull: 38 down
Kittiwake: 164W
Guillemot: 5 around
Razorbill: 8 around
Auk sp: 19E
Skylark: 16 in
Starling: 167 in

Sea Watch Surprise!

For a change first thing this morning I went to a cold windswept Dengemarsh Gully, where the virtually the only bird I saw was a Swallow heading towards the power station, the gully apart from a Robin and a Wren was an avian free zone.

At Dengemarsh the Linnet flock was still in the Sunflower field, 2 Marsh Harriers quartered the reed bed and a Great White Egret was in the shallows.

 Black Redstart 

I joined AJG in walk around The point which was also very disappointing, a single Black Redstart in the lighthouse garden, 2 Stonechats by the Britannia, a couple of Siskins and Redpolls over, a Redwing, a Green Woodpecker and a couple of Chiffchaffs. We arrived back at the observatory just as Great Spotted Woodpecker was about to be released, which was also the highlight of the meagre total of birds ringed there today. 

At Scotney nothing of note unless you include Egyptian Geese,
A surprising sea watch in the company of AJG this afternoon from the fishing boats. In benign weather we recorded a totally unexpected 668 Mediterranean Gulls, which is the highest count I have had at Dungeness.
13.40-16.10
Common Scoter: 3E
Great-crested Grebe: 6 around
Gannet: 49E   12W
Cormormant: present n/c
Oystercatcher:  5W   1E
Grey Plover: 3 on beach then E
Turnstone: 4 around
Dunlin: 33 on beach then E
Arctic Skua: 1 chasing off shore then W
Kittiwake: 506W
Mediterranean Gull: 668W
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Blck-backed Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 23W    2E
Guillemot: 8 around
Razorbill: 2 around
Auk: 15E    7W
Harbour Porpoise: 2+
Common Seal: 1