Migrants!

Male Wheatear at the Observatory this morning

07.20-08.00 from the sea watch hide:
Common Scoter: 16W
Red-throated Diver: 7W   1E
Great-crested Grebe: 4 around
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 41W
Cormorant: 72W
Kittiwake: 9W
Sandwich Tern: 1E
Auk sp: 2W
Harbour Porpoise: 1+

Male Wheatear at the Observatory this morning

Male Wheatear by the Moat this morning

A few migrants around this morning, several Chiffchaffs, 3+ Firecrests, 3+ Black Redstarts and the Wheatear. The 2 Whooper Swans still distantly from Cockles Bridge and the 4 Cattle Egrets still around the Sheep fields opposite Green Hop Farm.

 2nd calendar year male Black Redstart at the observatory

1 of 3+ Chiffchaffs in Dengemarsh Gully, probably newly arrived from the Iberia by the amount of what is probably Eucalyptus pollen on its face, also another Firecrest there.

The Little Gull still at Dengemarsh today, though always distant, also Raven over and a Ruff.

Late this afternoon 2 Sand Martins flew through Pigwell.

More Howling Westerlies!

Little Gull over Dengemarsh

Another day of howling westerlies and drizzle making birding very uncomfortable to see very little.
06.30-09.00 from the sea watch hide with JTM and AJG who collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 557E.    1W
Shelduck: 1W
Common Scoter: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 4E   1 on
Fulmar: 118W
Gannet: 244W
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 1E
Great Skua: 1E    4W
Kittiwake: 18W
Sandwich Tern: 1W
Guillemot: 26W
Auk sp: 13E

Little Gull at Dengemarsh

The highlight was the Little Gull at Dengemarsh found by Mike who had braved the weather to walk around the reserve. It or another was on Burrowes late afternoon, also a 2w Mediterranean Gull.

The 4 Cattle Egrets were in the sheep field opposite Green Hop Farm, I was unable to locate the Whooper Swans, though they may well have had their heads down. 

Fulmars!

Fulmar

07.00-12.00 with AJG, CP, L & PH, DW:
Brent Goose: 134E
Wigeon: 3W
Common Scoter: 8W
Red-throated Diver: 6E   4W
Great-crested Grebe: 134 around
Fulmar: 251W
Gannet: 358W
Cormorant: present N/C
Dunlin: 2W
Kittiwake: 28W
Sandwich Tern: 1W
Guillemot: 114W
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

 01W Great Black-backed Gull ringed in Normandy last year on the beach at Dungeness today

JX156 Great Black-backed Gull ringed on 20.06 2016 in Hornøya, Vardø, Finnmark, Norway 

Great Black-backed Gull, 1 of 1,000s of Gulls feeding along the shore line today

Firecrest and Gulls legs!

 A Bedraggled newly arrived Firecrest this morning by the power station perimeter wall.

Norwegian ringed JK910 at The Patch this morning 1 of 12 colour ringed Gulls I found today

Another very windy day with heavy showers started well finding a newly arrived Firecrest, the sea watch was less exciting though the Fulmars were notable.
08.00-10.00 from the sea watch hide and The Patch:
Common Scoter: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 2W
Great-crested Grebe: 9 around
Fulmar: 24W      2E
Gannet: 89W
Cormorant: c50 around
Black-headed Gull: c300 around
Common Gull: c40 around
Herring Gull: c500 around
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 14+
Great black-backed Gull: c100 around
Kittiwake: 4W    3 on
Guillemot: 11W    2E
Auk sp: 5W
Firecrest: 1 by power station wall
Harbour Porpoise: 1
Late morning early afternoon on the reserve sheltering from the worst of weather in the hides. My first Little Ringed Plover was on the islands adjacent to Makepiece hide, along with up to 13 Ruff, 10 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plovers. 100s of Great Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls were roosting on Burrowes keeping me busy reading rings, there were 5 NTRG Herring Gulls, 3 Normandy, 3 Norwegian and a Danish rung Great Black-backed Gulls.

Details of green ringed V04 of 1 of the Normandy rung Great Black-backed Gulls

Some of the Ruff roosting during a particularly heavy down pour

The Black-necked Grebe is still present per MH, also the 4 cattle Egrets and 2 Whooper Swans, the Smew hasn't been seen for a couple of days as far as I know.

He is now a regular visitor to my garden

A very poor day avian wise around the peninsular, the NW wind blasting across the shingle making birding very uncomfortable.

As I had domestic stuff to do this morning I didn't sea watch, but AJG, RW & JTM did and had nothing of note to report. A few Firecrests were reported today. The Black-necked grebe was still present per RW

At lunchtime the 2 Whooper Swans were still present in the Kale field at Cockles Bridge, the 4 Cattle Egrets were in the sheep fields opposite Green Hop Farm. Between the lifeboat Station and the fishing boats1,000+ large Gulls were wheeling over the beach feeding on the many Sea Mice and and shellfish washed up by the storm, despite careful scrutinising of them I couldn't find any notable Gulls.

Late afternoon on the reserve 2 Norwegian colour ringed Great Black-backed Gulls were on the roosting islands, both were birds I have recorded before, I stayed on the reserve till dusk but very few Gulls came into roost .

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