Fog Bound!

 07.15 abandoned at 08.30 due to fog from the sea watch hide with OL:
Shelduck: 1 up
Shoveler: 2 up
Garganey: 1 up
Common Scoter: 4 up
Velvet Scoter: 2 up
Red-throated Diver: 11 up
Gannet: 57 up
Oystercatcher: 2 up   6 down
Kittiwake: 2 up
Sandwich tern: 38 up
Swallow: 1 up

Brambling in the trapping area

A walk around the area saw and heard several each of Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps, 4 Black Redstarts, 2 Firecrests, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Brambling, a female Bullfinch but it was generally quiet in the dense fog that lasted all morning.

Early afternoon a very elusive Ring Ouzel in an otherwise empty Dengemarsh Gully, Galloways was open to today, apart from a couple of pairs of Stonechats there was little there to be seen.

Early evening on the reserve A Little Ringed Plover, a Green Sandpiper and 2 Mediterranean gulls on Burrowes also a Peregrine and Raven over.

Little-ringed Plover

Green Sandpiper

Hawfinch at Last!

At last I have finally caught up with a Hawfinch at Dungeness. With Hawfinches being seen in large numbers all around the country this winter there will probably never be a better chance in my lifetime to see on at Dungeness, so I was very excited to get a call from Owen to say that one was flying around the top end of the Long Pits, at the time Owen called me I had just arrived at the observatory having been watching The Patch, I quickly got back in the car, as I drew up a couple minutes later I could see the bird perched high in bush with 8 Fieldfare. As I stopped it flew off before I could get out the car back to the top end again. I met Owen who saw roughly where it went, a couple of minutes later it flew over me and landed deep in the bushes allowing me take a quick snap before it flew out the back. Also seen around there were 14 Redwing, 16 Fieldfare, 2 Brambling, 5 Song Thrushes, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and 2 Swallows. Many thanks to Owen for the quick call.

Rubbish image of my first Hawfinch at Dungeness 

 juvenile Glaucous Gull at The Patch

Visibility at The Patch today was very poor, the few Gulls that were there were on the beach did include the Glaucous Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull along with several colour ringed ones which were all readable, so not too bad there in 2 visits. Behind the hide my first female Wheatear of the year, a Black Redstart, a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler.

3w Yellow-legged Gull at The Patch

female Wheatear at The Patch

 Brambling in the trapping area

Firecrest in the lighthouse garden

There were still several Firecrests around today, with at least 3 in the lighthouse garden along with a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap.

Black-winged Stilt at Rye Harbour this afternoon

With the weather deteriorating this afternoon I went to Rye Harbour with JTM & RW to see the newly arrived Black-winged Stilts. The Stilts were still present though rather distant, also there Mediterranean Gulls seemingly calling all around, numerous Avocets and Sandwich Terns, a Knot, Black-tailed Godwits, 14 Brent Geese, 3 Whimbrel over, even another Brambling of note. On Flat Beach a male Peregrine was tearing what looked like a Black-headed Gull apart being totally ignored by the 100s of other birds around them.

Scotney & Woodlark in The Desert!

A some what damp and quiet morning at The Point, the conditions seemed good for migrants but they were sadly lacking apart from a few Firecrests and Chiffchaffs. The smart male Black Redstart was still opposite the lifeboat station

 Black-headed & Mediterranean Gulls on the sward

A brief visit to Scotney this morning found 4+ Mediterranean Gulls on the sward with 10 Brent Geese, the feral flock of Barnacle Geese and a couple of Curlews.

 Yellow Wagtail

Another visit to Scotney and the fields at the back of the farm this afternoon in brighter conditions, found 2 Black Redstarts still around the farm along with the Little Owl and Mallard still on its nest on the hay bales. A party of 22 Yellow Wagtails just beyond the cottage brightened up a dull day, also 4 Corn Buntings and 6 Pied Wagtails there.

On the back lake 6 Avocet but no LRP, a Marsh Harrier and a Common Buzzard flew over.

A bathing Yellow Wagtail

 c100 Linnets and a Corn Bunting

Out towards the wind turbines plenty of Skylarks singing more Corn Buntings a flock of c100 Linnets and at least 8 Tree Sparrows. In a tiny patch of Sallows a Firecrest (a first for me out there) also a Chiffchaff and a belligerent Mute Swan on its nest. 

 Firecrest

 Tree Sparrows 

 Woodlark

Late afternoon/early evening I managed to catch up with the Woodlark that Jacques found, a scarce bird at Dungeness.

Crecy, Saile Braie & Le Crotoy!

Stunning Garganey

Thursday last week I joined Mark H and Chris P on a day trip to Northern France. We arrived at a cloudy drizzly  Crecy Forest around 07.30, more or less the first bird we saw was a Hawfinch which flew up from the side of the road, the forest was full of singing Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and a few Willow Warblers. The track side bushes were full of Bullfinches, Yellowhammers, Chaffinches, Thrushes and the odd Brambling, Nuthatches were calling all around, Short-toed Treecreepers, Firecrests, Goldcrests, Blue, Great, Long-tailed and Marsh Tits, Great-spotted and Green Woodpeckers were seen, a pair of Middle-spotted Woodpeckers were watched leaving there nest hole and showed superbly well high in the Beech trees,  and a Woodlark flew over, a bizarre sight of 2 Shelducks feeding on a track in the middle of the forest with a Nuthatch and 2 Bullfinches in attendance, Common Buzzards wheeled overhead and a Sparrowhawk dashed across the road.

female Garganey

Our next stop was Sailly Braie, on arrival a few Swallows and House Martins were flying around, several Song Thrushes were feeding in the field, a Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzards were over the reed bed and a Black Kite drifted over distantly. 4+ White Storks were feeding there with 3 Great White Egrets, a Bluethroat was singing and flicking his tail in a bush on the marsh also a gorgeous Rubicola Stonechat, as we approached a small hunting pool 2 Glossy Ibises came out, in the pool were 5 Spoonbills, 14 Avocets, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler and a Little Ringed Plover.

Spoonbills

 Little Gulls at Le Crotoy

Next stop was Le Crotoy Pools where 4+ Little Gulls were giving a tremendous fly catching display. More Spoonbills were there, along with a cattle Egret and more White Storks and 2 very confiding Garganey. At Le Crotoy harbour we saw 100s of Oystercatchers and Shelducks as well as many Redshank and Dunlin. A short stop at Marquantere car park provided excellent views of Crested Tits before we made our way back to the chunnel. An excellent day out with great company and all the birds seen were within 60 miles as the Crow flies of Dungeness!

White Stork

Excellent Day Sea Watching!

Another very good day sea watching from the sea watch hide. Oddly Skua's were notable by there complete absence
06.30-17.30 joined at various times by BB, JC, CP, JTM,OL, PT et al:
Brent Goose: 36 up
Shelduck: 9 up
Shoveler: 56 up
Teal: 28 up
Garganey: 5 up
Pintail: 4 up
Mallard: 4 up
Gadwall: 5 up
Scaup: 3 up
Common Scoter: 3,124 up
Velvet Scoter: 12 up
Red-breasted Merganser: 14 up
Red-throated Diver: 67 up
Black-throated Diver: 4 up
Small Grebe sp: 2 up distant seen by SM (probably Black-necked as timing fit birds past Splash & Beachy)
Great-crested Grebe: 432 around
Fulmar: 13 up   3 down
Gannet: 543 up
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 21 up
Curlew: 1 up
Dunlin: 10 up
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 2 down
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Glaucous Gull: 1 the regular juvenile flew towards The Patch this afternoon
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull present n/c
Little Gull: 89 up
Kittiwake: 204 up
Sandwich Tern: 1,327 up
Common Tern: 649 up
Little Tern: 2 up first of the year
Guillemot: 23 up
Razorbill: 19 up
Auk sp: 193 up       14 down
Sand Martin: 3 in
Crow: 1 out
Linnet: 2 in
Harbour Porpoise:  6+ around

Elsewhere the Hoopoe was still on Walland Marsh around Midley Barns, the first redstart of the year was by the Long Pits, Wiilow Warblers and Sedge Warblers were reported.

Brent Geese moving over The Patch

There were still good numbers of birds moving East past Dungeness today. I let others take down the numbers today while enjoyed watching the birds. Again today there were 4 figure numbers of Common Scoter and Brent Geese, also good numbers of Sandwich and Common Terns, Red-throated Divers and Little Gulls, another Black-throated Diver,  a Red-necked Grebe and a flock of drake Eiders this afternoon which were probably the same group that flew past Portland nearly 7 hours earlier. Full details will be on the DBO web site HERE

JC036 at The Patch

Gull scarer at The Patch

Mallard on nest in the hay bales at the back of Scotney Farm

In a few hours away from the sea I came across 8 Black Redstarts, 3 at Scotney Farm, 4 at Dengemarsh Gully and another opposite Wraxhalls. A quick look at Burrowes from Dennis's hide saw the juvenile Glaucous Gull roosting on one of the islands.

1 of 3 Black Redstarts at Scotney Farm 

Ther back end of the flock of drake Eiders

Submarine passing The Point this afternoon

A day at the seaside!

With lots of imagination you can see a drake Garganey among the Brent Geese

06.45-17.00 from the sea watch hide:
Brent Goose: 2,483 up     3 down
Shelduck: 5 up
Shoveler: 2 up
Pintail: 2 up
Wigeon: 2 up
Garganey: 1 up
Eider: 7 up
Common Scoter: 2,088 up
Red-breasted Merganser: 2 up
Red-throated Diver: 391 up   11 down
Black-throated Diver: 3 up
Great-crested Grebe: Around
Fulmar: 1 up   2 down
Gannet: 87 up  23 down
Cormorant: present n/c
Shag: 1 up
Oystercatcher: 2 up   1 down
Great Skua: 1 up
Arctic Skua: 20 up
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 36 up (including single flock of 24)
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull present n/c
Little Gull: 34 up
Kittiwake: 129 up
Sandwich Tern: 483 up
Common Tern: 35 up
Guillemot: 9 up
Auk sp: 43 up     8 down
Harbour Porpoise: 4+

Sea Watching!

4 Avocets moving east

07.00-10.15 & 13.00-17.00 JTM, OL, DW, MH,

Brent Goose: 996 up
Shelduck: 15 up.   1 down
Shoveler: 12 up
Garganey: 3 up
Pintail: 22 up
Common Scoter: 1,815 up      9 down
Red-breasted Merganser: 8 up   1 down
Red-throated Diver: 200 up    8 down
Great-crested Grebe: 78 around
Fulmar: 2 up      7 down
Gannet: 315 up
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 4 up
Avocet: 4 up
Great Skua: 1 up
Arctic Skua: 4 up
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 3 up
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull present n/c
Little Gull: 72 up
Kittiwake: 14 up   3 down
Sandwich Tern: 490 up
Common Tern: 36 up
Guillemot: 13 up 30 around
Razorbill: 5 around
Auk sp: 51 up
Harbour Porpoise: 4+

Plenty of Chiffchaffs were reported around the area, along 3 Wheatears, a Willow Warbler a singing Blackcap and a few each of Firecrest and Goldcrest. The regular juvenile Glaucous Gull was on the reserve this afternoon. Brambling could be found around the feeders in the trapping area and the visitor centre feeders.

 1w Caspian Gull

At The Patch this morning nothing moving offshore, just a handful of Gannets feeding, a 1w Caspian Gull on the beach and a Peregrine over.  

A walk around the point found a Black Redstart, a Firecrest and another Peregrine, also 4 Reed Buntings, 8 Meadow Pipits and Brown Hare.

While having a coffee at home mid morning this Siskin dropped into the garden, a garden tick. While I was in the back garden a Raven flew over with beak full of food, presumably on its way to its nest at the power station.

13.45-15.15 thanks to Paul & Liz for sending me these numbers.

Brent Goose: 159 up
Common Scoter: 12 up
Red-breasted Merganser: 1 up
Red-throated Diver: 33 up
Great Skua: 1 up
Arctic Skua: 1 up
Sandwich Tern: 175 up

 Stoat by hayfield 3

This afternoon I walked from round the hay fields hoping to find a scarcer Pipit or Garganey but drew a blank on both, a Common Buzzard drifted high north over Dengemarsh, a poor substitute for the Osprey that went through this morning per MH & RW. A Stoat made a brief appearance by hay field 3. The summer plumage Slavonian Grebe was at Christmas Dell but little else there. on Burrowes the juvenile Glaucous Gull was showing nicely in front of Firth Hide. Several Chiffchaffs were feeding along the bank in front the hides.  

 Chiffchaffs from Makepiece

 juvenile Glaucous Gull from Firth hide this afternoon

One of five Firecrests in Dengemarsh Gully late afternoon, also 6 Chiffchaffs and a couple of Goldcrests there.

This morning at the sea watch hide just a trickle of birds which dried up completely as the showers moved in.
07.45-09.45 with RW &DW,

Brent Goose: 17 up
Common Scoter: 305 up
Velvet Scoter: 1 up
Red-breasted Merganser:
Red-throated Diver: 15 up  7 down
Great-crested Grebe: 23 around
Fulmar: 11 down
Gannet: 143 up
Cormorant: present n/c
Great Skua: 1 up
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull present n/c
Little Gull: 5 up
Kittiwake: c25 around
Sandwich Tern: 86 up
Common Tern: 2 up.  1 down
Guillemot: 2 up   6 down    8 around
Auk sp: 67 down
Harbour Porpoise: 1+

A long wander around the back of Scotney GPs was a disappointment, the highlights being Little Owl, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harriers, 3 Corn Buntings and 3 Grey Plover.
Early evening I added Black Redstart and Wheatear to the from the garden list year list.