Crecy 26/02/2019!

Back in the heat wave of late February 4 old guys from Romney Marsh went on an early spring day trip to Crecy and the surrounds. Mark, Tony and myself are grateful to Chris who seems to know the area better than the French locals, did all the driving and woke me up when necessary. Our first stop was some arable fields just outside the forest, unlike the barren fields of Romney/Walland Marsh, these were full of birds, 100+ each of Skylarks and Reed Buntings, were joined by Yellowhammers, Chaffinches, Stock Doves and Wood Pigeons, even a couple each of Grey Partridge and Mistle Thrush, best of all was a flock of 14 Woodlark, a late afternoon visit added 2 Hen Harriers.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

A couple of Kilometres further on we were in the Crecy Forest, within minutes we had located the first of at least 4 Middle Spotted Woodpeckers seen there, Short-toed Treecreepers and Nuthatches seemed to be all around us, also Marsh, Great and Blue Tits, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and both Crests. Several stops around Crecy Forest saw much the same lots of birds.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Grey Partridge at Saille Bray, pity about the heat shimmer in February!

A slow drive along Saille Bray saw more Grey Partridges, Great White, Cattle and Little Egrets, Spoonbills, Stonechats, more Larks and Buntings and some Boxing Hares.

 One of the White Storks at Saille Bray

Hares through the heat shimmer

 Crested Tit at Marquanterre

A brief visit to Marquanterre before we headed back to Calais, as usual the car park was packed, but we still saw Crested Tits, more Storks and Egrets, also a calling Tawny Owl and plenty of Brimstones. 

Another excellent day trip to Northern France, many thanks to Chris for doing the driving.

Lots of Brimstones were on the wing at Marquanterre

First Sand Martin of the year!

This mornings sea watch was very slow with a 2 Fulmars heading West, a handful of Gannets feeding off shore, 200+ Great-crested Grebes still around and 2 Harbour Porpoises. 

Sand Martin over the ARC this afternoon

A long slog around the peninsular saw all the long stayers (Whooper Swans, Cattle Egrets, Great White Egrets, Smew, Black-necked Grebe & Ruff party) also Raven, Peregrine, Marsh Harriers, Cetti's Warblers and a couple of singing Chiffchaffs. It would seem the rest of the week is going to be rather slow. 

Raven being harassed by a Carrion Crow at Dengemarsh

The Smew sheltering at Hookers

 The North Westerly gales made for a very poor weekend birding wise, there was no up channel passage on the sea and not much in the way of incoming migrants. On and around the reserve there was no change as the drake Smew, Black-necked Grebe, 4 Cattle Egrets, at least 3 Great White Egrets and the 2 Whooper Swans were all still present.

 Ruff from Makepiece at dusk

What time I did spend in the field was in the hides on the reserve scrutinising the Gulls and failing miserably to find any interesting birds, apart from at least 8 Great Black-backed Gulls sporting Darvic rings, of which 4 were Norwegian, 3 from Normandy and Portland harbour bird, also 3 NTRG Herring Gulls.

Very Slow Day!

 2 distant Eider the highlights of a dire sea watch

07.30-08.30 from the sea watch hide:
Common Scoter: 8E
Eider: 2E
Red-throated Diver: 5E
Great-crested Grebe: 257 on sea between the bouy and The Patch
Fulmar: 2W
Gannet: 2E
Cormorant: 57 into Rye bay
Kittiwake: 1W   4 around
Guillemot: 1E
Auk sp: 1W
Alba Wagtail: 2 in
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

 Flycatching Meadow Pipit on the perimeter wall

Mediterranean Gull the highlight at The Patch

The Patch 08.45-09.30 over the boil and roosting on beach:
Herring Gull: c400
GBB Gull: c30
LBB Gull: 6
Common Gull: c30
Black-headed Gull: c200
Mediterranean Gull: 1
Kittiwake: 1

 First time I've seen Herring Gull Y3VT   

A couple of hours wandering around the fishing boats area found a couple NTRG Herring Gulls, 2 Skylarks and a Sandwich Tern of note of shore.

 I know they are feral but they are smart little Geese and there was nothing else at Scotney to look at.

Common Gull from Dennis's

Late afternoon only a few Gulls came into roost but they did include a Normandy rung GBBG 60V and a Norwegian GBBG JK158.

The Smew, Black-necked Grebe and 3 Cattle egrets were all still present today per CT, the Whooper Swans were still viewable from Cockles Bridge.

First Wheatear and Swallows!

A strong blustery westerly wind made for an uninspiring sea watch this morning. 

08.00-09.00 from the sea watch hide

Brent Goose: 130E

Common Scoter: 3E

Red-throated diver: 4E    1 on

Great-crested Grebe: 1 on

Fulmar: 3E

Gannet: 14E   3W

Cormorant: 121 flew into Rye Bay

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Kittiwake: 3E

Auk sp: 4E

Alba Wagtail: 1 in

Meadow Pipit: 3 in

After the sea watch I was joined in a wander down to The Patch by PT and Barney where over a non existent boil the highlight was a brief 1w Mediterranean Gull among a few Herring Gulls and Kittiwakes.

 First Wheatear of the year at Dungeness discovered late morning by Jacques opposite the lifeboat station

Great White Egrets at the ARC

At a very wind swept ARC 2 Swallows were hawking over the lake in the shelter of the roadside Sallows viewable from the causeway. From Hanson 4 Goldeneye were the best of the wildfowl, also  flyovers of Merlin, Peregrine and Marsh Harrier, a flyby Kingfisher and a squealing Water Rail. 2 Great White Egrets from the Screen Hide and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was notable at the Pines.

Burrowes was quiet due to essential works on a Tern raft. The Black-necked grebe was still at Xmas Dell per PB. 2 Curlew among the Wigeon and Coots in the Boulderwall Fields. The Cattle Egrets were still present around the horse paddocks with a couple of Little Egrets. I couldn't see the Whooper Swans today, though they probably had their heads down out of the relentless wind. 

Rainbows over the Boulderwall Fields from Plodland this afternoon

Brent Geese past the sea watch hide this morning

I must have missed many more Brent Geese as they were flying along the shore line underneath the scope view also over the top of the hide. 

07.40- 11.40 from the sea watch hide with OL, DW & BC.
Brent Goose: 1,628 E  (OL had another 455 before I arrived this morning)
Teal: 8E
Common Scoter: 287E    18W
Red-throated Diver:   83E   21W
Great-crested Grebe: 9E    14W   6 on
Fulmar: 8E     17W
Gannet: 439E      56W
Cormorant: present n/c
Curlew: 4E   1W
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Kittiwake: 106E
Guillemot: 2E    4W
Razorbill: 3W
Auk sp: 23E    86W
Harbour Porpoise: 1+
The drake Smew, Black-necked Grebe, Cattle Egrets and Whooper Swans were all still present on the peninsular today.

Short-eared Owl!

08.15-10.00 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 365E
Red-throated Diver: 16E  1W
Great-crested Grebe: c200 on
Fulmar: 2W
Gannet: c25 around
Cormorant: c500 around
Kittiwake: 6E
Sandwich Tern: 2W
Auk: 8E    2W
Harbour Porpoise: 1
A rather slow day avian wise around the peninsular, some nice birds around but most have been here for some time. The drake Smew and the Black-necked Grebe were both seen at Xmas Dell per PB, the Cattle Egrets, Great White Egrets, Whooper Swans and 12+ Ruff are all still present, 2 Bitterns were booming today per the work party and 2 Swallows over the ARC late afternoon per CT were obviously new in, also new today was the Short-eared Owl hunting by the reserve entrance track.

 The 4 cattle Egrets were still around the horse paddocks late morning

The Whooper Swans still in there chosen Kale field

 Late afternoon a Short-eared Owl was hunting over a field by the reserve entrance track

A stormy morning with much promise but produced very little.
06.35-09.00 from the sea watch hide with AJG & OL
Brent: 275E
Common Scoter: 22E    8W
Red-throated Diver: 36W     11E
Great-crested Grebe: 4 on
Fulmar: 4W    2E
Gannet: c60 around
Cormorant: present n/c
Merlin: 2 in
Dunlin: 2W
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Kittiwake: 28W
Sandwich Tern: 10W
Guillemot: 12W
Razorbill: 2W
Auk sp: 62W
Harbour Porpoise: 1+
Grey Seal: 1
I checked all the Camber pools and Scotney lakes but did not find anything of note, the feral Barnacle Goose flock was still on the sward.
At Boulderwall at least 12 Ruff, 14 Curlew and Great White Egret of note. On Burrowes 2 Caspian Gulls a 1w and 2w which had white Czech ring on it, I spent at least an hour waiting for it to show the ring fully but it stubbornly kept most of it hidden, so I all I could read was - - -:U Also on the reserve 3 Goldeneye and the Black-necked Grebe per PB.

Herring Gull W4VT at the fishing boats this afternoon last seen on 17/02/2019

13.35-14.25 from the fishing boats:
Red-throated Diver: 3W
Great-crested Grebe: 243 around
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: c30 around
Cormorant: 992 around (per MH & CP)
Kittiwake: 3W
Guillemot: 7W    26 on
Auk sp: 9W
Late afternoon the 4 Cattle Egrets were in the field behind the horse paddocks and the 2 Whooper Swans were still by Cockles Bridge.

Stormy!

07.30 till 08.45 when the weather closed in. with AJG who collated the numbers, joined by RW & JTM from the sea watch hide.
Brent Goose: 82E
Shelduck: 2W
Common Scoter:11E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 5E    17W    3 on
Great-crested Grebe: 3 on
Fulmar: 23W     2E
Gannet: 184E    33W
Cormorant present n/c
Dunlin: 7E
Curlew: 1E
Great Skua: 1E
Kittiwake: 13E     3W
Sandwich Tern: 1 around
Guillemot: 19W
Razorbill: 2W
Auk sp: 141W    27E
Harbour Porpoise: 1+

While I was having lunch this male Sparrowhawk visited my garden again

On my way to the beach this afternoon the 2 Whooper Swans were still at Cockles Bridge, nearby at least 3 Cattle Egrets were in the horse paddocks.

 Some of the 71+ Great-crested Grebes off the fishing boats this afternoon

13.45-14.45 from the fishing boats:
Red-throated Diver: 1E     7W
Great-crested Grebe: 71+ around
Fulmar: 1E
Gannet: 7E       26W
Cormorant: 300+ around
Sandwich Tern: 7W     2 feeding o/s
Guillemot: 14W       18 on sea
Auk sp: 12W

A very quiet and damp day around Dungeness today. There was little happening on the sea in the still conditions and very little around the reserve. The Smew made it into March but was as mobile as ever, the Whooper Swans were also still present at Cockles Bridge and the 4 Cattle Egrets were still in the Boulderwall Fields, also there 2 Great White Egrets and 2 Little Egrets. Reed Buntings seem to be numerous all over but I could only find 2 Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall. The common wildfowl were still present around the reserve with at least 6 Goldeneye. 

Very few Gulls came in to the roost this evening, but there was a 1w Caspian Gull along with 2 Norwegian and a Normandy rung Great Black-backed Gulls, 15 Ruff flew in to roost with 100s of Lapwing. 

Smew flying into the ARC from Hanson