The Somme 30/04/2019

 Turtle Dove at Saille-Bray

 1 of the White Storks at Saille-Bray

Tuesday 30th April CP picked myself, MH and AJG up at 04.30 and headed for the Eurotunnel. WE arrived at Saille-Bray around 07.00. Song Thrushes were everywhere singing and many with beaks full of food for their young, a Savi's Warbler was reeling and showing well for the scope out in the reed bed but for the first time we didn't see any Bluethroats even though 4 were seen a couple of weeks ago, Blackcaps, Garden Warblers and Common Whitethroats were singing, a couple of Grey Partridges were seen, as well as all 3 Egrets, Storks, Marsh Harriers, Black-tailed Godwits, Ruff,  Black-winged Stilts, White and Yellow Wagtails and a lovely Turtle Dove and much more.

 4 Black-winged stilts at Saille-Bray

 White and Yellow Wagtails at Sailly-Bray

 At Least 22 Black-winged Stilts mating at the pools near Saint Valery-sur-Somme

At the pools near Saint Valery-sur-Somme more Black-winged Stilts, 2 Wood Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, Avocets, many Greenshanks, many Great White and Little Egrets, Spoonbills, Storks, Yellow Wagtails, Little Ringed Plovers, Hobby and the common Warblers. 

 Black-winged Stilt and Wood Sandpiper near Saint Valery-sur-Somme

 100+ Whimbrel in Le Crotoy Harbour

A cooffee stop at Le Crotoy Harbour saw 100+ Whimbrel, 100+ Redshanks, many Greenshanks, more Egrets, singing Nightingales and the only Lesser Black-backed Gulls of the day.

 8+ Black-winged Stilts at La Basse Pools

La Basse Pools as usual gave us superb views of more Black-winged Stilts, Cattle and Great White Egrets, Common Sandpipers, Little Ringed Plovers, Storks, Common Buzzards etc.

At a nearby car park 6 Nightingales were singing around us and a Tree Pipit was seen.

 10s several Cattle Egrets at La Basse pools

 Great White Egret at La Basse pools

 Reeling Savi's Warbler near Le Crotoy

We finished the day at a reed bed near Le Crotoy where 3 reeling Savi's Warbler were located, a reeling Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Bluethroats, Water Rail, more Egrets, Storks, Yellow Wagtails, Greenshanks as well as Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers. A superb end to a great day out with many thanks to Chris for doing the driving.

Black Redstart in the usual garden at Nolette

Warblers!

Male Stonechat guarding his newly fledged brood by the path to the sea watch hide this morning

05.30-07.30 & 12.50-17.50 from the sea watch hide with AJG and JTM.

Brent Goose: 9E
Eider: 3E
Common Scoter: 52E
Red-throated Diver: 5E
Black-throated Diver: 1E
Great Northern Diver: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 32 around
Fulmar: 1E
Gannet: 211E  28W
Hobby: 1 in
Oystercatcher: 9E  2W
Whimbrel: 21E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 12E
Great Skua: 2E
Arctic Skua: 4E
Kittiwake: 4E
Little Tern: 3E
Sandwich Tern: 469E  37W
Common Tern: 68E
Swallow: 6 in
Carrion Crow: 5 in
Auk sp: 37E
Harbour Porpoise: 6+
Large Bat sp: 1 in

Cetti's Warbler at the Observatory this morning

Today was the first day this spring I have walked around the trapping area hearing lots of birds singing, Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Garden Warblers, Chiffchaff and of course the lovely Wood Warbler.

Wood Warbler in the trapping area

Wood Warbler in the trapping area

Wood Warbler in the trapping area

 

Reed Bunting in the trapping area

 Another beautiful Wood Warbler at the top of the Long Pits late morning, singing constantly and sometimes giving its full song, also a Red Kite high over.

 A tatty Red Kite over the top end of the Long Pits late morning

Wood Warbler!

As todays Wood Warbler was camera shy, this image was taken by me at Dungeness in 2012. 

A bit of lay in after a long day birding around The Somme estuary yesterday was cut short by calls from JTM & AJG with news of Wood Warbler singing in the trapping area, sadly now a very scarce bird here. While getting brief views of the bird I also saw my first Garden Warbler of the year and also my first Jay of the year on the peninsular. Apart from those 3 birds land birds were very few and far between. There are now apparently 4 Cattle Egrets in the hay fields and lots of Common Terns on Burrowes.
08.20-10.00 & 10.40-17.30 with AJG, OL, MH, JTM, RW, JC, DS, DC, Charles & Anna et al.
Common Scoter: 457E  4W
Red-throated Diver: 8E
Black-throated Diver: 1E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 53 around
Fulmar: 6E   4W
Gannet: 75E. 26W
Cormorant: 27 around
Oystercatcher: 9E   2W
Grey Plover: 1W
Whimbrel: 509E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 684E
Knot: 1E
Little Gull: 6E
Mediterranean Gull: 2E
Kittiwake: 5E
Black Tern: 8E
Little Tern: 2E
Sandwich Tern: 276E
Common Tern: 65E
Commic Tern: 859E
Great Skua: 1E
Pomarine Skua: 3E
Arctic Skua: 12E
Auk sp: 5E. 4W
Swallow: 11 in
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 16+

06.20-08.20 &13.00-18.00 from the sea watch hide joined by CF, JTM & NG
Shelduck: 4W
Common Scoter: 44E.   48W
Red-throated Diver: 3E
Black-throated Diver: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 7W   3 on
Fulmar: 1W   2E
Gannet: 63E    21W
Cormorant: present n/c
Hobby: 1 in
Oystercatcher: 1E
Curlew: 2E.  1W
Whimbrel: 19E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 1,173E
Great Skua: 1E
Pomarine Skua: 1E @16.40
Arctic Skua: 3E
Kittiwake: 2W.  5E
Common Gull: 27E
Little Tern: 2E
Sandwich Tern: 165E    45W
Common Tern: 528E
Arctic Tern: 23E
Guillemot: 1E
Razorbill: 1E
Auk sp: 10E
House Martin: 4 in
Swallow: 19 in
Carrion Crow: 1 in
Harbour Porpoise: 10+
Grey Seal: 1
The Cattle Egret continues its stay at Dengemarsh and a Spoonbill flew over the reserve per PT.
Migrant passerines are still scarce but there are plenty of Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Sedge and Reed Warblers on territory around the peninsular.

It can only get better!

 An abysmal weekend birding wise at Dungeness in the cold strong West to North West winds. Even sea watching which should be good at this time of year was abysmal, the highlight being a flock of 16 Manx Shearwaters Saturday morning. Todays early morning sea watch figures listed below show how bad today was.
05.35-07.35 kindly collated by AJG:
Common Scoter: 92W
Great-crested Grebe: 7W
Fulmar: 3W
Gannet: 142W
Oystercatcher: 9W
Arctic Skua: 1E
Sandwich Tern: 2E
Common Tern: 3W
Guillemot: 3W
Auk sp: 6W
Swifts arrived this weekend along with Hobby's, but wader passage has been poor. On Burrowes this morning 16 Dunlin, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 5 Ringed Plovers and a Garganey. On Boulderwall fields 6 Whimbrel and a Curlew, the remaining Cattle Egret is still around the Hay Fields.
A Serin spent the afternoon in the lighthouse area but was flighty and disappeared for long periods, Black Redstart, Stonechats and Peregrines were also to be seen in this area.   

 Not my best ever image of a Serin!

A Currant Pug on the wall at home

Eider passing the marker Bouy this morning

Sandwich Terns passing the fishing boats this afternoon

In today's SW wind the sea was not very productive.
06.00-08.30 & 13.40-16.40
Brent Goose: 2E
Eider: 15E
Common Scoter: 188E     31W
Red-throated diver: 14E
Fulmar: 9E   8W
Gannet: 107E   93W
Cormorant: present n/c
Peregrine: 1 around
Hobby: 1 in
Oystercatcher: 2E
Whimbrel: 2E
Mediterranean Gull: 2E
Kittiwake:  4E    10W
Sandwich tern: 368E   379W
Commic Tern:  8E  21W
Great Skua: 4E
Arctic Skua: 4E
Auk sp:67E
Swallow: 4 in

Harbour Porpoise at the fishing boats today

Common Whitethroat at Denge Marsh

There was no sign of the Common Crane in Caldecott Lane today, but the Little Owl, Corn Buntings and Yellow Wagtails were still present.
At Dengemarsh no sign of the Blue-headed Wagtail, but summer plumage Cattle Egret was still present and at least 2 Garganey though not seen by me, also plenty of Common Whitethroats, Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers, as well as Reed buntings and Bearded Tits. There were plenty of raptors at Denge Marsh despite the cool weather including 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Hobby's, 3 Common Buzzards, a Kestrel and a Peregrine.

Reed Bunting nest building at Denge Marsh

Small Coppers at Denge Marsh

Meadow Pipit feeding young on the beach

Wheatear on the beach

Another day at the Seaside!

I dragged myself away from the sea watch hide just long enough to see the Yellow-browed Warbler, a surprise find in The Moat

05.30-19.30 from the sea watch hide with AJG, CP, OL, DW, JTM, SM, MH et al

Brent Goose: 51E

Shelduck: 7E
Shoveler: 2E
Teal: 2E
Common Scoter: 1,010E   319W
Velvet Scoter: 18E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1E
Red-throated Diver:42E
Black-throated Diver: 7E
Great-crested Grebe: 57 around the Bouy
Fulmar: 29E   5W
Manx Shearwater: 9E   72W
Gannet: 1,046E    84W
Cormorant: Present n/c
Peregrine: 1 around
Oystercatcher: 7E
Whimbrel: 9E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 64E    37 in
Dunlin: 2E
Sanderling: 5E
Great Skua: 45E
Pomarine Skua: 9E
Arctic Skua: 54E
Little Gull: 114E
Mediterranean Gull
Kittiwake: 26E   7W
Black Tern: 5E
Little Tern: 11E
Sandwich Tern: 955E    73W
Common Tern: 190E
Arctic Tern: 49E
Common/Arctic Tern: 1,323E
Guillemot: 9E
Razorbill: 3E
Auk sp: 194E    17W
Dolphin sp: c10
Harbour Porpoise: 10+
Grey Seal: 1

A poor image of the aberrant Common Scoter that was tracked from Portland today

A quick look for the Blue-headed Wagtail at Denge Marsh this evening ended in failure, though a summer plumage Cattle Egret was some consolation.

Lesser Whitethroat at the observatory courtesy of DW during a sea watch break.

05.30-08.00 & 10.00-16.15 with AJG, BC, RW, JTM, MH, BW et al

Brent Goose: 56E
Greylag Goose: 2W
Shelduck: 16E
Mute Swan: 3W
Shoveler: 2E
Common Scoter: 74E   24W
Red-throated Diver: 9E
Fulmar: 21E   6W
Gannet: 148E   31W
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 5E    12W
Whimbrel: 19E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 10E
Great Skua: 27E
Pomarine Skua: 4E
Arctic Skua: 15E
Little Gull: 25E
Kittiwake: 14E
Mediterranean Gull: 19E
Common Gull: 68E
Sandwich Tern: 670E  110W
Common Tern: 72E
Guillemot: 11E
Razorbill: 1E
Auk sp: 90E
Swallow: 2 in
Harbour Porpoise: 10+

Lesser Whitethroat at the observatory courtesy of DW during a sea watch break.

 Common Crane Caldecott Lane

During our sea watch break I joined AJG in short trip to Caldecott Lane, where the Common Crane now resides. The little Owl showed well along with Yellow Wagtails, Corn Buntings, Reed Buntings and my first Red-legged Partridge of the year which is now getting very scarce on the peninsular.

 Little Owl Caldecott Lane

Red-legged Partridge Caldecott Lane

Busy Afternoon!

05.30-09.00 from the sea watch hide and 12.00-19.00 from the fishing boats: with AAJG,CP,MH, DW,JTM,DS,JTM et al. Most of the Terns & waders came past this afternoon.
Brent Goose: 28E
Greylag Goose: 2 in
Shelduck: 2W
Pintail: 3E all drakes
Teal:12E
Garganey:1E
Velvet Scoter: 5E
Common Scoter: 327E   297W
Red-breasted Merganser: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 21E
Great-crested Grebe: 7 around
Fulmar: 4E   2W
Manx Shearwater: 2E
Gannet:199E  7W
Cormorant: Present n/c
Oystercatcher: 22E   8W
Grey Plover: 32E
Curlew: 2E
Whimbrel: 67E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 714E
Knot: 33E
Sanderling: 18E
Great Skua: 3E
Pomarine Skua: 1E.  @ 08.40
Arctic Skua: 28E
Little Gull: 27E
Mediterranean Gull: 12E
Common Gull: 36E
Kittiwake: 7E
Little Tern: 28E
Black Tern: 2E
Sandwich Tern: 813E
Common Tern: 1,603E
Arctic Tern: 1,223E
Common /Arctic Tern: 526E
Guillemot: 14E
Razorbill: 2E
Auk sp: 89E    11W
Swallow: 30 in

The Common Crane was still in the ploughed field at Caldecott Lane today.
Late news of a Savi's warbler singing at Dengemarsh, also the Black-winged Stilts still there this evening with 3 Garganey and the Blue-headed Wagtail, all per JH.

Excellent Day on The Beach!

Oystercatchers past the fishing boats

05.40-18.00 with AJG, SO, MH, SM, DW, JTM, BW, NB et al.
Brent Goose: 214E
Mute Swan: 3E
Shelduck: 3E
Garganey: 5E
Shoveler: 4E
Gadwall: 2E
Teal: 2E
Velvet Scoter: 3E.    7W
Common Scoter:2591E.   410W
Red-breasted Merganser:7E
Red-throated Diver: 10E
Black-throated Diver: 14E
Great-crested Grebe: 45 on
Fulmar: 6E.  4W
Manx Shearwater: 1W
Grey Heron: 3E
Gannet: 207E
Cormorant: 128 on
Oystercatcher: 29E     7W
Avocet: 5E
Whimbrel: 117E
Curlew: 5E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 437E
Knot:16E
Sanderling: 28E
Dunlin: 4E
Great Skua: 34E
Pomarine Skua: 13E
Arctic Skua: 23E
Kittiwake: 16E
Little Gull: 51E
Mediterranean Gull: 30E
Common Gull: 49E
Yellow-legged Gull: 1E
Sandwich Tern: 619E
Little Tern: 51E
Common Tern: 199E
Common/Arctic: Tern: 297
Arctic Tern: 124E
Guillemot: 7E
Razorbill: 1E
Auk sp: 42E
Carrion Crow: 7 in
Swallow: 7 in
Greenfinch: 1E
Harbour Porpoise: 6+

Arctic Skua off the fishing boats

 3 Grey Herons passing the sea watch hide early morning

  Mute Swans not often seen on a Dungeness sea watch 

Mediterranean gulls passing the fishing boats

Black-winged Stilt at the ARC this afternoon