Record Breaking Day at Dungeness!

As a stiff South Easterly was blowing this morning the sea watch hide was full by 06.30, all watchers were well rewarded as the birds streamed past.

Eider passing the hide this morning

Some of the 1,300+ Gannets passed Dungeness today

06.00-16.30 with AJG,OL, JTM, DW, JC et al
Brent Goose: 19E
Greylag Goose: 2W
Teal: 22E
Shoveler:28E
Common Scoter : 2,394E
Velvet Scoter: 8E
Eider: 14E
Red-breasted Merganser: 13E
Red-throated Diver: 108E.  6W
Black-throated Diver: 1E. 
Great-crested Grebe: 36 on
Fulmar: 36E       12W
Manx Shearwater: 6E    5W
Gannet: 1,384E
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 4E
Avocet: 11E
Dunlin: 2E
Knot: 5E
Sanderling: 1E
Curlew: 9E
Whimbrel: 1E (first of the year)
Great Skua: 12E
Arctic Skua: 19E
Little Gull: 36E
Mediterranean Gull: 2E
Kittiwake: 109E
Sandwich Tern: 2,296E (Apparently a spring record total per DW, probably more this evening, old record 1,747)
Common Tern: 418E
Little Tern: 1E (first of the year)
Guillemot: 10E   3W
Auk sp: 22E    31W

 1 of the distant Manx Shearwaters past today

 9 of the 11 Avocets past today

 Late afternoon on the reserve a lovely Red-necked Grebe was showing distantly on Burrowes, also a summer plumage Little Gull dropped in. The Common Crane was at Dengemarsh and the 3 Cattle egrets were in there favoured horse paddock.

An Excellent Sea Watch!

As southerly winds were forecast for the day I spent most the day in the sea watching hide with a virtually constant up channel movement of birds.
06.15-10.30 & 10.45-11.45 & 13.00-17.00 with AJG,MH,DW,CP,L & PH et al:
Brent Goose: 440E
Shelduck: 3E  1W
Shoveler: 3E
Pintail: 2E
Common Scoter: 649E    31W
Velvet Scoter: 8E
Eider: 23E
Red-breasted Merganser: 15E
Red-throated Diver: 209E
Black-throated Diver: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 61 around the fishing boats per MH
Fulmar: 19E    2W
Manx Shearwater: 4E    20W
Gannet: 375E
Cormorant: n/c
Shag: 1W     1E
Merlin: 1W past the fishing boats per MH
Oystercatcher: 1E
Curlew: 16E
Great Skua: 15E
Arctic Skua: 13E
Little Gull: 3E
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Kittiwake: 322E
Sandwich Tern: 876E
Common Tern: 1E
Guillemot: 5E
Auk sp: 2E
Guillemot: 12E  2W
Auk sp: 78E     14W
Harbou Porpoise: 6+

 Presumably yesterdays Shag going back east

A brief visit to Scotney logged my first Yellow Wagtail of the year, but little else there in the strong wind.

A safe resting place for this Herring Gull at Scotney 

Shag & a Red-necked Grebe!

A late arrival on The point this morning due to a tremendous hail storm that blanketed the fields and roads early this morning. When I stopped on the causeway c100 Sand Martins, 6+ Swallows and at least 2 House Martins were hawking over the New Diggings and the ARC. 

Adult Shag past the boardwalk this morning a scarce species at Dungeness

Brent Geese passing the Bouy this morning

09.45-11.15 & 13.45-15.00 joined by JTM, MH, OL, RW & DS.
Brent Goose: 206E
Common Scoter: 20E   14W
Red-throated Diver: 19E   1W
Great-crested Grebe: 9 around
Red-necked Grebe: 1 came from the west and dropped onto to the sea (Scarce at Dungeness)
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 33E
Cormorant: 14W
Shag: 1 adult west (A scarce and difficult species to see at Dungeness)
Great Skua: 2E
Mediterranean Gull: 7E
Sandwich Tern: 39E
Guillemot: 1W
Auk sp: 4W
Harbour Porpoise: 10+

Ringed Plover behind the fishing boats

A walk along the beach from the fishing boats to the Lifeboat station and back saw 2 Ringed Plovers, 7 Wheatears on of which was singing and being territorial, 10+ Meadow Pipits, 2 Stonechats and several Linnets. 2 Chiffchaffs were at Channel View.

A singing Wheatear not liking an interloper behind the beach

This one was by the lighthouse a few days ago

Common Crane in the Boulderwall Fields this afternoon & at least 2 Cattle Egrets nearby.

Late afternoon while scoping the Crane from my garden it flew from Boulderwall Fields to the fields behind Hookers. 2 Marsh Harriers were having a tussle with a Common Buzzard and a Raven flew over cronking hotly pursued by Carrion Crows.

First Manx of the year!

Common Crane on Boulderwall Fields

Most of the day was spent at the beach watching a steady up channel movement of sea birds.
06.30-15.00 from the sea watch hide with AJG & OL who helped with the numbers:
Greylag Goose: 2E
Brent Goose: 3,326E
Shelduck: 6E   1W
Common Scoter: 906E
Red-breasted Merganser: 13E
Red-throated Diver: 248E
Great-crested Grebe: 15 around
Fulmar: 11E
Manx Shearwater: 1E
Gannet: 610E
Cormorant: c20 around
Golden Plover: 4 in
Oystercatcher: 1E
Sanderling: 1E
Great Skua: 5E
Arctic Skua: 5E
Little Gull: 10E
Mediterranean Gull: 3E
Kittiwake: 68E
Sandwich Tern: 72E    27W
Common Tern: 6E
Guillemot: 61E
Auk sp: 7E
Swallow: 3 in
Meadow Pipit: 20 in
Harbour Porpoise: 4+
I did take time out from sea watching to have another look at the Common Crane that is on Boulderwall Fields, also the 3 Cattle Egrets, 2+Sedge Warblers and 2 Willow Warblers. There were a few Swallows and Sand Martins over the ARC. A Short-eared Owl came ashore at the fishing boats per DB.

Common Crane!

Herring Gull with a Tennis ball at the fishing boats

A day of strong North Easterly winds blasting across the peninsular :
06.40-08.40 &14.40-16.00
Brent Goose: 22E
Teal: 4E
Wigeon: 4E
Shoveler: 4E
Common Scoter: 54E   15W
Red-breasted Merganser: 11E
Red-throated Diver: 40E.  3 on
Great-crested Grebe: 16 on
Fulmar: 4E
Gannet: 281E
Cormorant: 9 around
Oystercatcher: 3E
Curlew: 1E
Kittiwake: 24E
Sandwich tern: 160E
Common tern: 2E
Guillemot: 20E
Auk sp: 22E
Harbour Porpoise: 8+
Grey Seal: 1

Great Black-backed Gull JR204 ringed on 28.06 2018 at Abalholmen, Mandal, Vest-Agder, Norway

Another awful image of a Water Pipit

A single Water Pipit was in the hay field behind Xmas Dell this morning, 3 Bearded Tits were in the adjacent ditches along with several Reed Buntings. A Swallow was seen from the entrance track.

A walk from the new lighthouse to the lifeboat and back produced of note 12 Wheatears but little else in the strong winds. 2 more Wheatears were in the NE corner of The Desert. At a very windswept Scotney the feral Barnacle Goose flock is still present, but the sward has dried out so no waders seen.

Common Crane on the Boulderwall Fields

This evening a Common Crane flew into the Boulderwall Fields giving distant views into the setting sun, but also allowed me to add it to the from the garden year list. The 3 Cattle Egrets were on Cooks Pool this evening.

First Common Terns of the Year!

 A strong and quite cool NE wind made sea watching the best option today, producing my first Common terns of the year. The only other news on the peninsular was that 2 Cattle Egrets were at Cooks Pool per EH.

Common Terns past the fishing boats this afternoon

06.45-11.00 & 15.00-16.15
Brent Goose: 483E
Teal: 6E
Garganey: 1E
Pintail: 2E
Shoveler: 3E
Common Scoter: 507E   8W
Eider: 1W female
Red-breasted Merganser: 6E
Red-throated Diver: 12E   1 on
Great-crested Grebe: 7 on
Fulmar: 2E
Gannet: 285E.   22W
Cormorant: Present n/c
Oystercatcher: 5E
Curlew: 1E
Kittiwake: 21E     7W
Sandwich Tern: 90E
Common Tern: 5E
Guillemot: 36E  3 on
Carrion Crow: 2 in

Brent Geese past the fishing boats this afternoon

2nd cal year Great Black-backed Gull 15W ringed as a pullus in Normandy

Herring Gull W4VT today which I last saw on the beach on 04/03/2019

First Good Spring Sea Watch of theYear!

1 of 7 Guillemots on the sea today

Most the day was spent sea watching. There was a little interest on the land with a few Firecrests Black Redstarts, Wheatears and Chiffchaffs, while on the reserve at least 1 Water Pipit still and a Garganey, I heard no news on the Cattle Egrets and the Whooper Swans appear to have gone.
05.45-07.30 & 8.45-12.45 & 13.30-16.00 with AJG, SO, OL, RW & JTM:
Brent Goose: 678E
Shelduck: 4E
Teal: 6E
Gadwall: 3E
Wigeon: 26E
Garganey: 14E
Common Scoter: 1,006E     2W
Velvet Scoter: 1E
Red-breasted Merganser: 17E
Red-throated Diver: 42E
Black-throated Diver: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 11 around
Fulmar: 4E
Gannet: 218E
Cormorant: c40 around
Oystercatcher: 16E   4W
Ringed Plover: 1 around
Curlew: 1E
Little Gull: 21E
Mediterranean Gull: 3E
Common Gull: 143E
Kittiwake: 30E
Sandwich Tern: 132E
Guillemot: 7 around
Harbour Porpoise 15+

 The above 2nd calendar year male in The Moat had not yet been trapped by Jacques, unlike the adult male below.

Garganey and first Arctic Skua!

A strange but quite birdy day in overcast flat calm conditions, 11 Garganey 4 on ARC all drakes, 4 more on Burrowes 2 drakes and 3 more on this afternoons sea watch 1 drake. Water Pipits seemed to be arriving all morning at Dengemarsh with 3 birds becoming 18. My first Arctic Skua of the year flew east this afternoon.

Garganey over the ARC

It was very quiet on The Point this morning, so a call from CP saying there were 4 drake Garganey on the ARC from Hanson was very welcome and saved AJG and myself from a fruitless wander around the trapping area. While watching the Garganey up to 16 Sand Martins were hawking over the lake and 3 Goldeneye could be seen. While checking the New diggings from the causeway a party 9 Ruff flew over, presumably part of the flock of 27 that were at Cooks Pool. 

Ruff over the ARC

Great White Egret on its way to France

While chatting to DB & OL at The Point a Great White Egret cruised over us and out to sea to France.

Beareded Tit at Dengemarsh

Another walk from Springfield Bridge around the hay fields saw at least 4 Bearded Tits and many Reed Buntings, also 3 Water Pipits that quickly became 6 Water Pipits and apparently became 18 Water Pipits by early afternoon.

A wander out the back of Scotney found 3 Avocets, 4 Corn Buntings and 10 Tree Sparrows of note but little else was seen.

A quick check of the Gulls on Burrowes found a Normandy ringed G.B.B.Gull 62V and 4 more Garganey. 

Back at the screen hide at the ARC the 4 drake Garganey could still be seen and a Bittern was booming behind the hide.

Truly awful image of 3 Water pipits on the Hayfield

One of the many Reed Buntings at Dengemarsh

A sea watch from the fishing boats this afternoon in flat calm conditions with OL, JTM and AJG:

Brent Goose: 1 W

Garganey: 3E

Red-breasted Merganser: 4E

Red-throated Diver: 14E

Great-crested Grebe: 2 around

Gannet: c20 around

Arctic Skua: 1E

Mediterranean gull: 1 around

Sandwich Tern: c10 around

Guillemot: 3 on

Harbour Porpoise: 35+

2 of at least 35 Harbour Porpoises off the fishing boats this afternoon

Lambs at Dengemarsh 

Lead coloured Drab

Early Thorn

Early Grey

A much quieter day migrant wise than of late, 2 Willow Warblers were seen, but I managed to miss both.

06.15-07.45 from the sea watch hide with AJG who collated the numbers:

Brent Goose: 130E

Teal: 2E

Wigeon: 2E

Common Scoter: 68E

Red-breasted Merganser: 6E  1W

Red-throated Diver: 11E

Great-crested Grebe: 6 around

Gannet: 37 around

Oystercatcher: 9E

Mediterranean Gull: 2E both 2w

Kittiwake: 4E

Sandwich Tern: 39 around

Auk sp: 5E

Carrion Crow: 3 in

Harbour Porpoise: c20 around

Grey Seal: 1

Hare on the shingle

A walk around the trapping saw little of note. Around The Point there were a scattering of Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests, Black Redstart and Wheatear.

3 Cattle Egrets were opposite Green Hop Farm

Brent Geese and Wigeon passing the fishing boats this afternoon

13.45-16.00 from the fishing boats joined by P & LH, JTM
Brent Goose: 521E
Shoveler: 9E
Wigeon: 5E   2W
Common Scoter: 32E
Red-throated Diver: 41E   3W
Great-crested Grebe: 11 around
Gannet: 36E   9W
Cormorant: 23 around
Curlew: 3E
Kittiwake: 2E
Sandwich Tern: 18E   9W
Harbour Porpoise: c20 around
Grey Seal: 1

My daily Wheatear snapped near the lifeboat station late afternoon

Pine Beauty first of the year for me last night

A few more Wheatears!

A dire sea watch this morning.
07.00-08.30 from the sea watch hide:
Greylag Goose: 2 in
Brent Goose: 8E
Mallard: 1E
Common Scoter: 14E   33W
Red-throated Diver: 2E
Great-crested Grebe: 1E    3 on
Gannet: c25 feeding o/s
Cormorant: c40 around
Mediterranean Gull: 2W both 1w
Kittiwake: 2W
Sandwich Tern: 37E   73W
Guillemot: 1 on
Harbour Porpoise: 10+

At the observatory Jacques was kept busy trapping a fresh batch of Wheatears and Black Redstarts. There were a few new Chiffchaffs but little else. The 2 Peregrines were on the pylons again.

 From the causeway a summer plumage Black-necked Grebe could be seen on the New Diggings, opposite on the ARC a Great White Egret.
An hour sky watching from home saw c12 Common Buzzards, 2 Marsh harriers and a Raven, a Cetti's Warbler singing near by made on to the from the garden list.

Bearded Tit by the hay fields

A walk from Springfield Bridge round to Dengemarsh round to Dengemarsh Hide saw 4 Bearded Tits, a brief view of a Bittern, plenty of Reed Buntings, a Marsh Harrier and another Raven of note.

Dengemarsh Gully was very quiet, a few each of Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipit, Linnet and Reed Bunting.

Female Wheatear

The rest of my afternoon was spent looking for the Large Tortoiseshell Butterfly that was re-found by OL, but to no avail.