Saturday 30/11/2019

Digiscoped image of X86C Caspian Gull at The Patch this morning

08.45-10.00 from The Patch
Brent Goose: 4E
Shelduck: 5W
Common Scoter: 28W
Red-breasted Merganser: 4W
Red-throated Diver: 16E   27W
Great-crested grebe: 12E
Gannet: 49W    26E
Cormorant:  present n/c
Kittiwake: 51E
Mediterranean Gull: 7W
Black-headed Gull: c400 present
Common Gull: c20 present
Caspian Gull: 2 x 1w present including X86C
Herring Gull: c250 present
L.B.B.Gull: 4
G.B.B.Gull: 12 on beach many off shore

Guillemot: 1E      2 o/s

Auk sp: 22W    6E

Digiscoped image of Presumed Caspian Gull X276 on Burrowes this afternoon, I should have the life history of the bird in the next couple of days.

At least 6 Caspian Gulls on Burrowes this afternoon from Dennis's, I must have missed many more that came in late afternoon to the islands in from of Firth Hide.

 1st and 3rd Cal year Caspian Gulls on Burrowes

 1 of at least 6 Yellow-legged Gulls on Burrowes late afternoon. Also JWZ34 G.B.B.Gull.

 Caspian Gull G0UT from last weekend. It's life history below.

Many thanks to Paul Roper for the life history. Double click the map to enlarge.

Friday 29/11/2019

07.15-08.45 with AJG who collated the numbers:
Brent Goose:11W
Common Scoter: 25W  8E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1W
Red-throated Diver: 16W    57W
Great-crested Grebe: 11E
Gannet: 82E
Cormorant: 2,534 west into Rye bay with many going East into Lade Bay
Grey Heron: 1 in off the sea
Kittiwake: 7W
Guillemot: 1E
Razorbill: 1E
Auk sp: 17W

Very poor image of the 4 Cattle Egrets

I suspected yesterday that there were 4 Cattle Egrets around, so it was nice to have this confirmed by seeing all 4 together on the Boulderwall Fields. Several 100s each of Lapwing and Wigeon also on the flooded fields. A quick look from Dennis's at the islands found them to be covered in the black plague of Cormorants, 1,000s of them.
A walk along the front of Scotney saw on the sward 2 Knot, a Ruff, 12 Redshank, 4 Curlew, 6 Dunlin, c150 Golden Plover (another 1,000+ wheeling around the wind turbines) c1,000 Lapwing and the usual feral Geese. 2 Marsh Harriers were hunting the far bank.
In Dengemarsh Gully a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest was all I could find.

 Short-eared Owl flying straight at and past me

On Lydd ranges this afternoon with Owen Leyshon 4 Short-eared Owls were hunting, giving excellent views though most the time they distant. 2 Common Buzzards, a single 1st calendar year Marsh Harrier and a Common Snipe were seen, sadly once again no Hen Harriers.

 Short-eared Owls

 Mirror image

The Ranges at sunset

Thursday 28/11/2019

 

Male Sparrowhawk in the garden early this morning image taken through the window.

07.20-09.20 from the sea watch hide. Numbers kindly sent to me by AJG:
Eider: 1W
Common Scoter: 14W
Red-throated Diver: 42W
Gannet 738W
Cormorant: present n/c
Shag: 1W
Great Skua: 1E
Kittiwake: 46W
Guillemot: 3 o/s
Razorbill: 14W
Auk sp: 204W
Rock Pipit: 1 over

I was wondering why my fat log in the garden was being emptied so quickly

Half an hour this afternoon at the fishing boats saw just 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Kittiwakes and 8 Gannets of any note.

Mid afternoon on Burrowes saw a 3w Caspian Gull, a 3w Yellow-legged Gull, a Marsh Harrier devouring a Gull on one of the islands, the flock of 17 Black-tailed Godwits, a Cattle Egret that was roosting on an island at the same time as 3 were reported being present on the ARC. At 15.40 I gave up as the light was so poor. 

Wednesday 27/11/2019

NO early morning sea watch today as the weather was appalling, the heavy rain being driven into the hide by the strong SW wind would have made it virtually impossible, also the visibility would have been nil.

Mid morning I drove the short distance to a very wind swept Scotney, out on the sward I could just make a few Golden Plover, a couple of Redshanks and the usual feral Geese. From the double bends Tufted Ducks, Pochard, Mallard, Wigeon and Shoveler sheltering in the lee of the bank, a leucistic Starling flew across the lake during a heavy shower spoiling the image.

 Leucistic Starling taken during a heavy shower

 On my way to the beach the 3 Cattle Egrets were in the Horse Paddocks

Juvenile Merlin hunting off the fishing boat 

11.00-12.00 from the fishing boats:
Red-throated Diver: 2W
Great-crested Grebe: 2 o/s
Gannet: 64W
Cormorant: c150 o/s
Merlin: 1 hunting o/s
Kittiwake: 52W
Mediterranean Gull 1W (2w bird)
Guillemot: 5W      1o/s

Kittiwake past the fishing boats

The weather this afternoon was so abysmal I did not leave home this afternoon.

Tuesday 26/11/2019

Strong SSW wind with constant drizzle and some heavy rain made for a poor sea watch and generally a poor day for birding.
07.15-09.30 from the sea watch hide with Brian and AJG who collated the numbers:
Common Scoter: 1W
Red-throated Diver: 11W      9E
Great-crested Grebe: 17W
Gannet: 290W
Cormorant: present n/c
Kittiwake: 39W
Guillemot: 21W
Razorbill: 23W
Auk sp: 118W
Starling: 60W
Mid morning at Boulderwall fields peering through the driving rain I could just about make out 3 Barnacle Geese, presumably from the Scotney flock. Burrowes from Dennis's saw several 100s of Lapwing but little else, not even Gulls.

X86C 1w Caspian Gull at the fish shack early afternoon

At Scotney early afternoon 2 Knot, 6 Dunlin, c50 Golden Plover, 6 Redshank, 2 Curlew and the usual Geese on the sward.

Back at Burrowes an adult Caspian Gull came in, along with a 2w and adult Yellow-legged Gull. By 15.30 the light was so poor I gave up in favour of a cup of tea. 

Monday 25/11/2019

1 of many Gannets feeding close inshore off the fishing boats late morning

Another very gloomy damp day on the peninsular with a strong SSW wind that made for a reasonable sea watch.
07.30-09.30 from the sea watch hide with AJG &OL
Brent Goose: 1W
Common Scoter: 3W
Red-breasted Merganser: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 58W  7E
Black-throated Diver: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 7W
Gannet: 589W  437E
Kittiwake: 239E.  19W
Mediterranean Gull: 1E.  2nd w
Sandwich Tern: 3E
Great Skua: 1W     2E
Pomarine Skua: 1W   1E
Skua sp: 1E
Guillemot: 33W   5E
Razorbill: 24W
Auk sp: 104W   21E

 Mid morning at the fishing boats and many Gannets were feeding close inshore, along with Kittiwakes, Guillemots and Red-throated Divers.

 Guillemot off the fishing boats

 Kittiwake off the fishing boats 

 Cattle Egrets in the Boulderwall Fields early afternoon

The reserve was again quiet with 2 Yellow-legged Gulls on Burrowes, the 3 seemingly resident Cattle Egrets and 2 Great White Egrets at Boulderwall, the usual Marsh Harriers but little else of note. 

4th calendar year Yellow-legged Gull in the beach roost this afternoon

A bit like me this Magpie at the fishing boats this afternoon has seen better days

A short sea watch this afternoon saw c400 Cormorants, 21 Great-crested Grebes, many Gannets and a handful of Kittiwakes all feeding off shore.

Saturday 23/11/2019

A mild dull start to the day with a stiff SSE wind, but mainly dry.
07.30-09.30 from the sea watch hide with AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Wigeon: 5W
Red-throated Diver: 3W     8E
Great-crested Grebe: 7 W into Rye Bay
Gannet: 514E
Cormorant: present n/c
Arctic Skua: 1E
Skua sp: 2E
Kittiwake: 8W     109E
Little Gull: 1E
Sandwich Tern: 1W
Guillemot: 57E
Razorbill: 19E
Auk sp: 178E     24W
Harbour Porpoise: 2
Stopping off at Boulderwall Fields on my way home for breakfast saw the 3 Cattle Egrets and a Great White Egret on Cooks Pool, while in the fields 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Ruff and c50 Golden Plover of note.
12.45-16.00 I spent on the reserve looking at Gulls finding 11 Caspian Gulls, 6 adults which included a red ringed Polish bird, a yellow ringed German bird and a North Thames ringed bird, also 2 x 3w and 3 x 1w birds and at least 6 Yellow-legged Gulls.

 Adult Caspian Gull bearing a North Thames ring marked G0UT

Life history of Great Black-backed Gull JK899 on the reserve  this afternoon.

Friday 22/11/2019

A cold grey drizzly start to the day with a stiff South Easterly wind.
07.15-09.15 from the sea watch hide with OL & AJG who collated the numbers:
Wigeon: 1W
Common Scoter: 1E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 12W into Rye Bay
Red-throated Diver: 10W     9E
Fulmar: 3E
Gannet: 459W
Cormorant: 85W
Merlin: 1 over the beach
Great Skua: 5W
Kittiwake: 20W     10E
Sandwich Tern: Party of 4E into Lade Bay
Razorbill: 38 down
Guillemot: 27 down
Auk Sp: 318W    55E

                                                 1 of 2 adult Caspian Gulls present on Burrowes                                

A couple of hours mid morning scanning the Gulls on Burrowes found 3 Caspian Gulls, (2 adults and a 1w) also 5 Yellow-legged Gulls, (3 adults a 3w and a 2w). At least 5 colour ringed birds were present (3 Norwegian Black ringed GBBGs, a Dutch Green ringed LBBG and North Thames Herring Gull). Of note 3 Black-tailed Godwits were also present from Firth hide. The 3 Cattle Egrets were still frequenting the Boulderwall Fields along with a Great White Egret.

 ! of 3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls on Burrowes today

2w Yellow-legged Gull on Burrowes this morning

Thursday 21/11/2019

With an overcast sky and a stiff cold South Easterly blowing this morning, I joined Owen in the newly roofed sea watch hide, we were hoping for some off shore movement but we were to be sorely disappointed.
07.30-08.30
Red-throated diver: 8W  2E
Gannet: 17W      6E
Cormorant: 835 into Rye bay
Kittiwake: 9W
Mediterranean Gull: 2E
Sandwich Tern: 4E (party of 4)
Guillemot: 1W
Razorbill: 2W. 1 on
Auk sp: 37W      12E

The 3 Cattle Egrets still frequenting the Boulderwall Fields and Dengemarsh area

3 visits to the reserve today saw very little, not even a Caspian or Yellow-legged Gull unlike yesterday when I saw 3 and 5 respectively. While waiting for the Gulls to come into roost the party of 17 Black-tailed Godwits that have been coming to roost for the last 3 days at least came in, also 4 of yesterdays 6 Ruff. 

2 of the 4 Marsh Harriers that were flushing the Gulls

When the Gulls started to arrive so did the Marsh Harriers flushing everything repeatedly, it never ceases to amaze me that Great Black-backed Gulls flush from Marsh Harriers, I'm sure that the Gulls would do a Marsh Harrier serious damage if it had the temerity to attack them. I stayed until after sunset panning through the Gulls but couldn't find anything noteworthy, some of the Gulls were sporting colour rings but it was too dark for me to read them. As drove out of the reserve a Common buzzard and 2 Great White Egrets flew over the track heading to their roosts.

Tuesday 19/11/2019

 Ruff from Makepiece   (double click on the images to enlarge them)

Most of my day was taken up with domestic stuff, so it was nearly 14.00 hrs before I got to the reserve. Although it was fairly quiet I did manage to see a 3w Caspian Gull which came in after sunset, a 2w and an adult Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Ruff and a party of 17 Black-tailed Godwits that dropped in at sunset. Also I managed to read 4 Norwegian Great Black-backed Gull rings, 1 of which was a new one for me.

 2w Yellow-legged Gull from Dennis's

Most of the 17 Black-tailed Godwits that dropped in from of Dennis's at sunset

Yesterday while counting the Cormorants on Burrowes (1,486) for the WEBs, I came across one which was sporting a dark blue ring marked M16. It was ringed as a pullus on 28/04/2016 at Saint-Macouf, Normandy and has not been reported again until I spotted it yesterday. Many thanks to Gerard Debout for coming back to me the ringing information so promptly. Its a pity that some of the British ringers find it so difficult to reply so promptly, some not at all.