Early morning 3 Cattle Egrets were in the sheep field opposite Green Hop Farm, as I drove to the reserve on this bright but chilly day to do the WEBs count there. A notable count was 400+ Shoveler still on Burrowes, also 2 Goldeneye, 2 Ruff and the 2 Whooper Swans at Dengemarsh.

Meadow Pipit by the lighthouse

A few Wheatears, Black Redstarts and Chiffchaffs could be found around The Point this Morning, but far fewer than of late. A Ring Ouzel was seen on the east side of the trapping area, the first of the year also a couple of Willow Warblers reported but generally quiet.

The Great Black-backed Gull was again at the fishing boats this afternoon but obviously struggling with its burden.

12.30-14.00 from the fishing boats very thin fare:
Brent Goose: 21E
Common Scoter: 6E
Red-throated Diver: 7E
Great-crested Grebe: 1E  3 on
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 11E    12W
Cormorant: present n/c
Kittiwake: 2E   8W
Sandwich Tern: 3E    14W
Guillemot: 2E    1W    1 on
Auk sp: 1E  2W
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

Wheatear opposite Jarmans.

Kentish Plover to finish the day!

A bright sunny morning with a light NW wind made for a very poor and cold sea watch.
06.15-07.45 with AJG who collated the numbers:
Shoveller: 8E
Garganey: 1E
Common Scoter: 27E
Red-throated Diver: 14E
Great-crested Grebe: 14 on
Gannet: 101E
Kittiwake: 3E
Sandwich Tern: 4W   2E
Guillemot: 1 on

Wheatear by the lighthouse early morning

A Chiffchaff was on the perimeter wall as we left the sea watch hide, round the old lighthouse 3 Wheatears, but the garden was devoid of migrants. 

 Between The Moat and the power station perimeter fence a smart male Black Redstart with 2 more female type birds, a White Wagtail inside the fence and the 2 Peregrines high up on the pylons. A couple of Chiffchaffs in the Heligoland that Jacques duly processed.

Chiffchaff

A wander around The Desert found a couple more Wheatears and the usual Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Stonechats.

Stonechat

 Dartford Warblers

Elsewhere on the Peninsular the Whooper Swans are still present as are the 3 Cattle Egrets, Common Buzzards were displaying out by the airport and the wintering Dartford Warblers there will soon be leaving. 

 I had just arrived home this afternoon when Owen called to say he was watching a Kentish Plover on Greatstone Beach, so a few minutes later I joined getting very nice views of this increasingly scarce smart little wader.

Another Day of Wheatears and Chiffchaffs!

 1 of a minimum of 10 Wheatears at Dengemarsh Gully this morning

First thing this morning I had a walk around the hay fields from Springfield Bridge to Xmas Dell.  A Bittern was booming, several Bearded Tits were flitting around the reeds by the path refusing to be photographed, probably just as well as the light was appalling, Reed Buntings appeared to be all around, 4 Common Snipe flushed from Hayfield 3 with a Redshank, but no hoped for Garganey and Scandinavian Rock Pipits. There are still plenty of Shoveller around but most winter duck seem to have gone, a couple of Marsh Harriers were around and a Raven flew over.

At Dengemarsh Gully and surrounding area a minimum of 10 Wheatears, 20+ Chiffchaffs, 3 Black Redstarts, 6 Stonechats, more Reed Buntings, a Peregrine and Raven flew over.

 A nice pose

 Showing his White arse

Lots of Chiffchaffs in and around the Gully this morning

Brent Geese past the fishing boats this afternoon

Kittiwake at the fishing boats this afternoon

Sea Watch

10.20-12.30 & 13.45-15.45  RW, JTM, SO & AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 272E
Teal: 1E
Mallard: 6E
Shoveler: 9E    17W
Wigeon: 6E   2W
Common Scoter: 190E   10W
Red-breasted Merganser: 3E
Red-throated Diver: 54E   2W
Great-crested Grebe: 10E   1W.  3on

Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 237E   142W
Oystercatcher: 1E
Grey Plover: 17E
Dunlin: 2E
Curlew: 3E
Arctic Skua: 1E
Little Gull: 1E
Mediterranean Gull: 4E   2W
Kittiwake: 21E.   8W
Sandwich Tern: 143E    36W
Guillemot: 11E
Auk sp: 9E    62W
Linnet: 7 in

A lingering probably painful death awaits this Great Black-backed Gull 

Another Wheatear from Dengemarsh

More of the same!

A cold, with limited visibility and thoroughly miserable day on the peninsular.
07.30-09.00 from the sea watch hide with CP joined by OL:
Brent Goose: 78E
Common Scoter: 82E
Red-throated Diver: 14E   1W
Great-crested Grebe: 9 around  (34 off fishing boats this PM)
Gannet: 38E
Oystercatcher: 1E
Great Skua: 1W
Kittiwake: 3E
Sandwich Tern: 7E    9W
Auk sp: 2W
Harbour Porpoise: 6+
Common Seal: 1

The first Wheatear of the day by the old lighthouse

Another day of Wheatears, Black Redstarts and Stonechats but seemed to be less Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests and Firecrests but more Meadow Pipits.

No prizes for guessing where this Wheatear was

The ditches around the hay fields were teeming with Reed Buntings, with a couple of Cetti's Warblers, a Great White Egret, a couple of Marsh Harriers and a Raven over. 2 Pintail were on Dengemarsh also a Ruff with the usual Lapwing and feral Geese. So far the hay fields which look in really good condition have failed to produce the birds but I'm sure they will.

 Black Redstart Dengemarsh Gully

In and around Dengemarsh Gully at least 4 Black Redstarts, 4 Wheatears, 8 Stonechats, several Chiffchaffs, 2 Firecrests, a Goldcrest, a Raven and a Peregrine.

Black Redstarts by the Dengemarsh Gully track

Wheatear out near the power station

 Meadow Pipit

By Jarmans this afternoon lots of Meadow Pipits, at least another 4 Wheatears, a couple each of Skylark and Stonechat. 

 Meadow Pipit

 Meadow Pipit

Yet another Wheatear opposite Jarmans

Herring Gull F6MT in the roost behind the Fish Shack this afternoon.

Black Redstarts and Wheatears!

A dire sea watch this morning, it can only get better!
07.45-08.30 from the sea watch hide:
Common Scoter: 2E.    3W
Red-throated Diver: 13E
Gannet: 16E   5W
Cormorant: 36 around

 Kittiwake: 6E.   5W
Sandwich Tern: 1E.    6W
Guillemot: 2W

There were at least 4 Chiffchaffs fly catching off the perimeter wall as I walked down to the hide.

My first of at least 15 Wheatears today was opposite the the lighthouse garden, which held at least 2 Firecrests and 2 Chiffchaffs.

Walking around the bushes and along the beach saw at least another 20 Chiffchaffs, 5 Black Redstarts and more Wheatears.

Jacques was kept busy on the beach all day trapping and ringing catching Wheatears and Black Redstarts.

1 of 4 Firecrests in Dengemarsh Gully with more Wheatears and another Black Redstart. As I drove past the Horse Paddocks there were still 3 Cattle Egrets present.

A stunning adult male Black Redstart thanks to Jacques

One of several Wheatears Jacques ringed

A 2nd calendar year male Black Redstart 

 Little Egret at Cooks Pool

The 2 Whooper Swans beside Tanners Pool

1 of 6 Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall

A late afternoon look at the Gulls from Dennis's Hide saw 3 Norwegian/Danish ringed Great Black- backed Gulls 2 of which were new to Dungeness.

The Somme Estuary!

Another excellent but very laid back day trip to Crecy and the Somme estuary today, with Mark, Tony and Chris who once again did all the driving. 

It was quite overcast most of the day with a few sunny spells this afternoon. Dawn had just broken when we drove of the train at Calais, but within the hour we were at Crecy Forest, the field that had been so productive last visit was fairly quiet, though a smart male Black Redstart and a male Stonechat were seen, a return visit mid afternoon saw a ring tail Hen Harrier and and lots of Common Buzzards. There was noisy work going on in the forest so the birding was difficult, but we still managed a Middle-spotted Woodpecker, singing Chiffchaffs, Blackcap and the usual suspects.

 White Wagtail

As we approached Saille Bray a Red Kite flew over, not a bird that is often seen here. We went to Saille Bray more in hope than expectation, so it was no surprise that the Bluethroats hadn't arrived yet, we did see several each of Great White, Little and Cattle Egrets, a couple of Avocets, 3 Pintail, several White Wagtails, Yellowhammers, Corn Buntings, Grey Partridges and many Chiffchaffs, a White Stork flew over as we made our way to St Valery.

White Stork

 Spoonbills

We walked along the railway line that borders the estuary seeing 30+ Spoonbills, numerous Little Egrets, 9 Cattle Egrets, 10+ Great White Egrets, 2 Garganey, a superb adult male Hen Harrier, Merlin, Sparrowhawk and several Common Buzzards.

 More Spoonbills

More Spoonbills with Great White and Little Egrets.

Spot the drake and duck Garganey

 White Stork

Le Crotoy Pools were fairly quiet though we did record more Cattle Egrets, White Storks, White Wagtails, Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Sand Martins went through. The Black-headed Gull colony was only just starting to build. At Le Crotoy harbour the tide wasn't quite right but 200+ Curlew, 100+ Redshank were present with a couple each of Dunlin and Ringed Plover and an Avocet. We finished back in Crecy Forest where lots of Common Buzzards were soaring above the canopy, more Marsh Tits were seen as well as Short-toed Treecreeper, Nuthatches, Chiffchaffs Yellowhammers and Woodpeckers.

White Wagtail

Firecrests!

1 of at least 9 Firecrests seen today

07.30-08.30 from the sea watch hide, a less than inspiring hour.
Common Scoter: 8E
Red-throated Diver: 13E    10W
Great-crested Grebe: 3 around
Gannet: 9E    41W   20 feeding
Cormorant: present n/c
Great Skua: 1W
Kittiwake: 22W
Sandwich Tern: 7E    5W
Guillemot: 2E  1 on
Auk sp: 12E
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Male Stonechat trapped at the observatory this morning

A walk through The Desert to the lifeboats station and back along the beach was a little disappointing, several each of Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting and Stonechat were seen, also a Peregrine on the pylons, at the lighthouse garden a Firecrest with the Chiffchaffs.

Lunchtime visit to the reserve to check the Gulls saw them all flushed by a party of at least 4 Common Buzzards that headed towards the coast, there was very little else on there.

Firecrest

At least 2 Firecrests were in the Willow Trail with another Chiffchaff and a Water Rail. In Dengemarsh Gully at least another 6 Firecrests and 4 Chiffchaffs but  no other migrants

Late afternoon on the reserve 4+ Ruff still, 4 Tree Sparrows, 3+ Marsh Harriers and 3 colour ringed Great Black-backed Gulls all birds that I have recorded here in the last month.