Wednesday 09/10/2019

07.00-10.00 from the sea watch hide with RW & AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Mallard: 1W
Common Scoter: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 1E     1W
Great-crested Grebe: 2W
Gannet: 302W
Cormorant: present n/c
Grey Plover: 3W
Great Skua: 2W
Arctic Skua: 12W
Kittiwake: 43W
Mediterranean Gull: 22W
Sandwich Tern: 426W
Common Tern: 1W
Razorbill: 61W
Auk sp:  44W
Swallow: 25 out
Grey Seal: 2
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

 Ring Ouzel

A short wander around The Desert between showers was very quiet, but we did see 3 Ring Ouzels, a Blackcap and 4 Skylarks of note.

Late morning at Boulderwall the 3 Cattle Egrets and a great White Egret were feeding by Cooks Pool.

Great Black-backed Gull JJ767 at the fishing boats this afternoon. it was ringed as a pullus on 24.06 2019 at Flatøya, Bømlo, Hordaland, Norway  59°45'15"N 005°06'44"E. Today was the first sighting since it was ringed.
13.45-15.45 from the fishing boats with RW,AJG,PT, JTM
Red-throated Diver: 1 o/s
Great-crested Grebe: 7 around
Gannet: 61W   19E
Cormorant: present n/c
Turnstone: 2 around
Arctic Skua: 6 around
Kittiwake: 8W
Little Gull: 2W
Mediterranean Gull: 4E
Sandwich Tern: 236W    74E
Common Tern: 1W
Razorbill: 4W
Auk sp: 2W
Swallow: 47 out
Grey Seal: 2
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

2nd calendar year Great Black-backed Gull with a cable tie

Tuesday 08/10/2019

An uninspiring hour from the sea watch hide this morning:
08.00-09.00
Brent Goose: 5W
Gannet: 139W   6E
Cormorant: 18 around
Arctic Skua: 3W    2 around
Kittiwake: 26W
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Common Gull: 17W
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: c40 feeding o/s
Common Tern: 3W
Guillemot: 2W
Razorbill: 10W    1E
Auk sp: 32W   1E
Swallow: 22 out
Alba Wagtail: 3 in
Meadow pipit: 42 in
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

A lone Wheatear was probably the highlight of day for me

I spent most of the day around The Desert and trapping area for very little return. The Wryneck was still present but eluded me again, I saw at least 7 Ring Ouzels this morning but they moved on very quickly, there were still a few very skulking Song Thrushes around. I came across a single Firecrest at the old feeding station and 3 Blackcaps nearby, most of yesterdays Chiffchaffs seem to have gone over night. At least there were birds overhead in the form of 200-300 each of Swallow, House Martin and Meadow Pipit, this afternoon I found a lone Wheatear and 2 Stonechats.

I have rarely bothered to photograph Robins, but this one posed for me even though Jacques or David had got to it before me. If Robins decline in the way most birds seem to be doing I need to get as many images now as possible.

Monday 07/10/2019

AJG kindly sent me the totals for an hours sea watch this morning from the hide 07.00-08.00:
Brent Goose: 3W
Shelduck: 7E
Common Scoter: 4E
Red-throated Diver:2E
Gannet: 467W
Arctic Skua: 4W
Mediterranean  Gull: 4E
Swallow: 18 out

Adult Ring Ouzel

I spent most of the day around The Desert and trapping area seeing 7 Ring Ouzels mainly in flight being flushed by the many dog walkers, many Chiffchaffs, c25 Song Thrushes, 5 Firecrests, 6 Goldcrests, 4 Blackcaps, a Common Whitethroat, 3 Wheatears, a Black Redstart, 15 Skylark, a Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2+ Sparrowhawks, plenty of House Martins and Swallows this morning, but missed the Wryneck.

 1st winter Ring Ouzel

 1st winter Ring Ouzels

Song Thrush in The Desert

LH & PH kindly sent me the totals for 30 minute sea watch14.30-15.00 from the fishing boats:

Teal: 5E

Tufted Duck: 1W

Great-crested Grebe: 3 around

Gannet: 15 fishing off shore

Arctic Skua: 3 around

Sandwich Tern: 10W

Razorbill: 3W

Auk sp: 1E

Sunday 06/10/2019

 Ring Ouzel over The Desert

 Song Thrush over The Desert

This morning saw a big arrival of mainly Song Thrushes at The Point c1,000 of them, also 30+ Ring Ouzels, very few Redwings and no Fieldfares or Mistle Thrushes, as the weather cleared and the sun came out most of the Thrushes moved on. There were also good numbers of Swallows and House Martins over, 20+ Skylarks in The Desert and in the bushes Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Goldcrests were noted.

 Ring Ouzels in The Desert

A short sea watch from the fishing boats late morning saw just 3 Arctic Skuas, 5 Common Scoter and a few Sandwich Terns and Gannets.

A check of the Gull roost by the track to the VC found 2 Yellow-legged Gulls of note, an adult and 3rd cal year bird.

A rather smart Pied Wagtail by the track to The Pines

As I was walking up to The Pines I met Graham Parry who had seen a Common Redstart there, a bird I normally get too excited about, but as there has been such a paucity of records this autumn on the peninsular I was keen to see this bird. Graham walked back up to The Pines to show me where he had seen the bird, within a few minutes it duly appeared for me, my first and probably only one this autumn.

From Hanson Hide late afternoon 2 Little Gulls, 5 Dunlin, 2 Marsh Harriers and the usual wildfowl but little else of note.

 Common Redstart at The Pines late this afternoon

Saturday 05/10/2019

06.50-09.50 from the sea watch hide with RW, SO & AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 613W
Shelduck: 4W
Mallard: 3W
Teal: 2W
Wigeon: 12W
Common Scoter: 98W
Red-throated Diver: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 1W
Gannet: 499W
Cormorant: present n/c
Ringed Plover: 1E
Dunlin: 3W
Curlew: 1E
Great Skua: 1W
Arctic Skua: 12W
Kittiwake: 74W
Mediterranean Gull: 11E
Glaucous Gull: 1 adult east at 09.30 an unprecedented record for early October.
Auk sp: 52W
Swallow: 43 out
Meadow Pipit: 49 in
Goldfinch: 65E

A wander around the trapping area found good numbers of Chiffchaffs, a few Goldcrests, small number of Hirundines over, 13 Continental Song Thrushes, 6 Reed Buntings and a Sparrowhawk of note.

13.45-15.15 from the fishing boats with AJG, RW et al:

Brent Goose: 193W    6E
Teal: 54W    1E
Wigeon: 1W
Common Scoter: 90W   7E
Red-throated Diver: 1W    1 on
Great-crested Grebe: 2 around
Gannet: 17W    3E
Great Skua: 1W
Arctic Skua: 1W    4 around
Little Gull: 1W adult
Kittiwake: 4W   1E
Mediterranean gull: 8 around
Sandwich tern: 10W    20E
Common Tern: 1 around
Razorbill: 3W
Auk sp: 4W    2E
Harbour Porpoise: 3+
Grey Seal: 1

This evening at the ARC Egret roost 8 Great White, 3 Cattle and 13 Little Egrets came in. 2 Merlins flew out towards the Open Pits, along with c500 Jackdaws. c200 Hirundines dropped into the ARC at last light and appeared to roost in the reeds in front of the screen hide.

Friday 04/10/19

08.00-09.00 from the sea watch hide with RB & BB:
Brent Goose: 25W
Common Scoter: 2W   7E
Red-throated Diver: 2W    1E
Great-crested Grebe: 1 around
Gannet: 84W    23E
Cormorant: 21 around
Great Skua: 1W
Arctic Skua: 3W     1E
Sandwich Tern: 39W
Auk sp: 4W
Swallow: 63 out
Meadow Pipit: 14 out
Pied Wagtail: 2 out
Harbour Porpoise: 1

 Little Gulls at the ARC

Mid morning from Hanson 3 Little Gulls, 3 Cattle Egrets, 2 Great White Egrets, a Garganey, a Goldeneye, a single Golden Plover, 4 Dunlin, 100s of Swallows and House Martins, 2 Marsh Harriers and several calling Water Rails of note.

 Great White Egret from Hanson this morning eating tiddlers

Cattle Egrets from Hanson this morning

A check of the Gull roost by the entrance track to the VC found an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

14.00-15.00 from the fishing boats with AJG. BB & RB:

Brent Goose: 39W
Mallard: 1W
Common Scoter: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 4 around
Red-throated diver: 1E
Gannet: 32W
Turnstone: 2 around
Great Skua: 2W
Arctic Skua: 1W    2 around
Mediterranean Gull: 5E
Sandwich Tern: 42W    18E
Razorbill: 1W
Swallow: 6 out
Late afternoon at Scotney, a Curlew and a Redshank on the sward with all the usual feral Geese, a few each of Swallow and House Martin over the lakes but generally very quiet avian wise.

Thursday 03/10/2019

Around The Point and trapping area many Chiffchaffs, of which good numbers were caught and ringed at the observatory, also present were fewer numbers of Blackcaps and Goldcrests. The Desert was very quiet but did hold my first continental Song Thrush of the autumn.

 Chiffchaff by the the Lighthouse Garden

 House Martin

 Swallow about to swallow an insect

On the wires around the station good numbers of hirundines, including high numbers of Sand Martins for this time of year.

 Sand Martin

 Sand Martin

A poor image of 10 Avocets passing the fishing boats this afternoon

13.30-16.00 with AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 217W
Teal: 3W
Common Scoter: 86W
Red-throated Diver: 2W
Great-crested Grebe: 2 around
Gannet: 62W
Cormorant: present n/c
Avocet: 10W
Knot: 16W
Dunlin: 8W
Great Skua: 1W
Arctic Skua: 5W
Kittiwake: 63W
Mediterranean gull: 2W
Sandwich Tern: 57W
Razorbill: 7W
Auk sp: 72W   16E
Sand Martin: 2 out
House Martin: 4 out
Swallow: 113 out
Harbour Porpoise: 2

 Brent Geese past the fishing boats this afternoon (a definite lack of juveniles)

Monday 30/09/2019

A much quieter sea watch today, with just a few sea birds  but loads of Passerines.
07.15-08.30 with AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Common Scoter: 24W
Red-throated Diver: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 3 around
Gannet: 62W
Sparrowhawk: 1 around
Arctic Skua: 6W
Sandwich Tern: 38W
Auk sp: 14W
Swallow: 1140 South
Sand Martin: 73 South
House Martin: 362 South
Meadow Pipit:  285 North

 Spotted Flycatcher

A few hours spent around the trapping area saw many Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Meadow Pipits, Swallows, House Martins and a few each of Sand Martin and Skylark, along with a Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat, a Lesser and Common Whitethroat, 3 Wheatears, 17 Stonechats and 3 Black Redstarts.

 Chiffchaff

 Wheatear

 Merlin

Early afternoon at Dengemarsh Gully many Chiffchaffs in the Gully, a superb posing Merlin no doubt attracted by the many Meadow pipits and Linnets.

 Siberian Common Tern

Late afternoon at the New Diggings, I joined DW where we spent some time trying to get some decent images of the Siberian Common Tern, not an easy task in the appalling light conditions.

                                                               Siberian Common Tern

                                                         Siberian Common Tern  

 Siberian Common Tern

                                                       Siberian Common Tern

Sunday 29/09/2019

1 of 9 Sooty Shearwaters past the fishing boats this morning

A long but but very enjoyable sea watch today from the fishing boats sheltered from the worst of the rain and gales.
07.30-13.20 with DW, CP, AJG, RW, SO, JTM, CT et al
Common Scoter: 5W
Eider: 1 duck on sea off the fishing boats
Great-crested Grebe: 21W
Balearic Shearwater: 3W
Sooty Shearwater: 10W
Gannet: 220W
Cormorant: present n/c
Merlin: 2 in
Ringed Plover: 1W
Golden Plover: 5W rarely seen on a sea watch at Dungeness
Turnstone: 7 around
Grey Phalarope: 1W
Great Skua: 1W
Arctic Skua: 71W   c8 around
Kittiwake: 1E
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 adult around
Sandwich Tern: 1,639W
Common Tern: 9W
Guillemot: 4W
Razorbill: 47W
Auk sp: 58W
Swallow: 79 out
Wheatear: 1 around
Harbour Porpoise: 2
Gey Seal: 1

 Arctic Skua seen through a curtain of rain

 Arctic Skua in hot pursuit of a Sandwich Tern

 Common Tern past the fishing boats

Adult Yellow-legged Gull at the fishing boats

Late afternoon at the ARC the putative longipennis Common Tern was still present, also Arctic Tern, Black Tern, 3 Little Gulls, a Garganey, 2 Greenshank, a Little Ringed Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwits among the usual wildfowl.

Saturday 28/09/19

06:30-09:30 with AJG,DW,RW,CP,OL et al
Brent Goose: 1E
Common Scoter: 3E   2W
Great-crested Grebe: 5 around
Balearic Shearwater: 2W
Gannet: 285W
Cormorant: present n/c
Turnstone: 7 around
Arctic Skua: 33W
Sandwich tern: 166W
Razorbill: 9W
Swallow: 158 out
Meadow pipit: 240 in
Linnet: 15 in

 Common Tern showing characteristics of the Eastern race Longipennis above image by Colin Turley

A couple of hours spent in Hanson Hide this afternoon looking at a possible Eastern Common Tern picked out by David Walker.

Also at the ARC 3 Little Gulls, a Black Tern, a Garganey, 3 Cattle Egrets, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshank and the usual Ducks and Grebes.

 Grass Snake in front of the hide

 Shoveler with nasal band

This Shoveler has returned to the ARC for the last 3 years at least, it's nasal band was put on in Portugal.

 3 noisy Greenshanks from the hide

Common Gull JJ392 on the ARC from Hanson this afternoon

CR-Code White ring with black code: JJ392 LBM;RBWN(JJ392)

Ringing Centre Stavanger Museum (Norway) Ring number 5197815

Species Common Gull  Larus canus 

Sex Unknown Age Pullus

Ringed on 05.07 2018 at  Godalen VGS, Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway  Husebø, Håvard