Wednesday 01/01/2020

On the way to the beach this morning a Great White Egret was in its usual spot at the South Eastern end of the ARC, another 4 were seen around the area today.

From the sea watch hide with OL, SO & BB a Great Skua was the highlight, also seen 100s of Guillemots, with smaller numbers of Red-throated Divers, Great-crested Grebes and Gannets, a single Mediterranean Gull, several Kittiwake and a single Common Scoter, plus the usual Gulls and the black slick of Cormorants.

 Bittern with a Jack Pike this morning

From the sea we went to the ARC where a Bittern showed well catching a Jack Pike in front the screen hide was the highlight. We saw the rear end of Woodcock that flushed in front of us at the pines, a Chiffchaff nearby and the usual dabbling ducks as well as some Goldeneye.

 We saw the Long-tailed Ducks at Scotney, a singleton at the Kent end the 3 at the Sussex end, but it wasn't till this afternoon that we realised that there are 4 birds present, the usual feral Geese and wild fowl were seen there along with clouds of Lapwing and Golden Plover.

 Bewick Swans at Midley

A brief drive onto Walland saw 30 Bewick Swans with 1 juvenile at Midley, several each of Corn bunting and Yellowhammer in Clubbs lane but no Tree Sparrows.

 Short-eared Owl at Galloways in the gloom

A very gloomy afternoon at Galloways was surprisingly productive, with 2 Short-eared Owls. While I was watching a S.E.O. another bird flew past me very close, it took me a while to realise that it lacked a white trailing edge to the wing making it a Long-eared Owl by which time it had disappeared along the bank and behind the reeds. A male Hen Harrier has been seen in the area the last 2 days, first by CP then yesterday by CT, so we were very happy to see it the this afternoon albeit distantly over Galloways and again later at South Brooks roost. Unfortunately for us as there was no firing today, the rescue helicopter took the opportunity for some low level practise, where it spent 10 minutes hovering just a few feet over the Harrier roost site, pretty much ensuring no other Harriers would roost there today. We also saw a Merlin, Peregrine, Common Buzzard and Raven on the ranges.  

 A Raven in the gloom

A very distant male Hen harrier over the ranges

Monday 30/12/2019

First thing this morning there were 100s of Gulls at The Patch, despite careful scrutiny all I could find were 3 Mediterranean Gulls among the many Herring and Black-headed Gulls. 2 of the Herring Gulls had colour rings, North Thames F3XT a Dungeness regular, Yellow ringed Y:701 a Yorkshire ringed bird that I last saw in November 2018. Off shore the sea was littered with 100s of Guillemots, Red-throated Divers and Great-crested Grebes, also a slick of c300 Cormorants feeding with a few Gannets diving in among them.

Adult and juvenile Bewick Swan

On Walland Marsh between Midley and Coldharbour there are now 24 Bewick Swans but only 1 Juvenile. I was unable to find the 2 Whooper Swans today in the Swamp Crossing/Caldecott Lane area, winter Thrushes were noticeable by there absence today.

Long-tailed Duck at the Kent end of Scotney

At Scotney the 2 Long-tailed Ducks remain very mobile flying up and down the lake, flitting from County to County, a female Goldeneye was also present.

Stonechat at back of Scotney

 A very disappointing long walk out the back of Scotney found no Skylarks, no Corn Buntings and no Tree Sparrows, the only small birds I found were 3 Stonechats, a Wren, a Robin and Starlings. The was just a single Mute Swan and just 8 Greylag Geese, though there were spectacular numbers of Golden Plover, Lapwing and Wigeon mainly being flushed by Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards 

One of several Marsh Harriers at Scotney

Common Buzzard on the roof of Scotney Farm House

Late afternoon CP saw a Grey Male Hen Harrier at the wind farm which flew over Scotney to the ranges.

Sunday 29/12/2019

Yet another Gull suffering due because of fisherman

As I drove on to the estate this morning a Brown Hare ran across the road in front of me.
07.45-10.00 from the sea watch hide with CP:
Brent Goose: 49E
Wigeon: 8E
Common Scoter: 6E
Red-breasted Merganser: 3W
Red-throated Diver: 196E   18W        2o/s
Great-crested Grebe: 6E     3 o/s
Gannet: 67E
Cormorant: c450 o/s
Peregrine: 2 around
Oystercatcher: 3E
Kittiwake: 4E       2W
Mediterranean Gull: 3E       2W
Guillemot: 2,633E       178 o/s
Razorbill: 4E
Auk sp: 226E          43W

One of the many Guillemots seen today

Mid morning the Great White Egret was still at the South Eastern end of the ARC not taking any notice of the 2 Marsh Harriers hunting a few feet over its head.
At Scotney the 2 Long-tailed Ducks still present but still no sign of the Slavonian or Black-necked Grebe.
On Walland yesterdays 12 Bewick Swans have been joined by another 12 this morning including a juvenile. The 2 Whoopers are still viewable from the chicken sheds at Swamp crossing.

Flock of 58 Turnstones, probably the largest flock I have seen at the fishing boats

14.00-15.00 from the fishing boats:
No off shore movement this afternoon but the sea was littered with  many birds.
Red-throated diver: 14 o/s
Great-crested Grebe: 37 o/s
Gannet: c30 o/s
Cormorant: c300 o/s
Turnstone: 58 on the beach
Kittiwake: 156 minimum o/s
Mediterranean Gull: 2 o/s
Guillemot: minimum of 65 o/s
Common Seal: 1
Grey Seal: 1

A couple of the Red-throated Divers

Late afternoon at Burrowes 13 Black-tailed Godwits with 6 Ruff, 2+ Firecrests in a large Tit flock were the highlights.

Saturday 28/12/2019

08.30-10.00 from the sea watch hide with SO & OL.
Brent Goose: 33E
Wigeon: 35E     19W
Common Scoter: 4E    8W
Velvet Scoter: 3W
Red-breasted Merganser: 5W
Red-throated Diver: 433E      19W. 2 o/s
Great-crested Grebe: 4E     2 o/s
Gannet: 120W
Cormorant: c400 into Lade Bay
Oystercatcher: 3E
Great Skua: 1E
Kittiwake: 4E    1W   1o/s
Little Gull: 1 E (1w)
Mediterranean Gull: 3E           1W
Guillemot: 795E     38 o/s
Razorbill: 10E
Auk sp: 870E
Harbour Porpoise: 2
Grey Seal: 1

The regular Great White Egret at the South Eastern end of the causeway

 The adult female and juvenile Long-tailed Duck at Scotney this morning

 I was unable to find yesterdays Black-necked Grebe or the long staying Slavonian Grebe. Several 1,000s each of Lapwing, Golden Plover and Starling were swirling over the lakes and around the wind turbines, no doubt being spooked by the Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards. On the sward the feral flocks of Greylag, Canada, Barnacle and Egyptian Geese were joined by 25 Brent Geese, but still none of the scarcer Grey Geese have arrived, also on sward 100s of Wigeon and a couple of Curlews.

12 Bewick Swans at Midley

A flock of 12 Bewick Swans discovered at Midley by Gill were new in today, but sadly no juveniles with them. By the model aeroplane club a party of 10 Corn Buntings, 5 Yellowhammers and a Reed Bunting were nice to see. The 2 Whooper Swans can still be seen from near the Swamp crossing though they they are distant.
14.00-15.00 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 222E
Red-breasted Merganser: 23W
Red-throated Diver: 83E   86W          8 o/s
Great-crested Grebe: 22 o/s
Gannet: 42W
Cormorant: c250 o/s
Kittiwake: 18W
Mediterranean Gull: 4W
Guillemot: 72W       46 o/s
Auk sp: 63W
Grey Seal: 1

A pair of Goldeneye taken in near darkness at 15.30 from Hanson Hide.

Sunday 22/12/2019

09.00-10.30 from the sea watch hide with RW & JTM:
Red-throated Diver: 208W   1E
Great-crested Grebe: 2W
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 269W
Cormorant: present n/c
Kittiwake: 20W
Guillemot: 380W       5E
Razorbill: 6W
Auk sp: 392W       14E
Grey Seal: 1
Common Seal: 1
At Scotney the 2 Long-tailed Ducks were hiding at the back of the main pit between the Gull islands viewed from the double bends, the usual feral Geese were present as were 1,000s each of Golden Plover and Lapwing, 100s of Wigeon, 2 Marsh Harriers and a Peregrine. The Slavonian Grebe is still present on its usual lake. The 2 Whooper Swans were still viewable distantly from Swam Crossing.
This afternoon The Patch was very quiet with no boil, also a Peregrine was harassing the Gulls and Pigeons on the power station.
Mid afternoon a Great White Egret was at Cook's Pool along with 3 Marsh Harriers and a Great Spotted Woodpecker over the entrance track. On Burrowes the islands are rapidly submerging, those that still exist are covered in Cormorants. A Great Black-backed Gull bearing yellow ring marked D:AU which is probably a Welsh bird came in as darkness fell, also a gleaming white a 1w Caspian Gull came to roost.

Thursday 19/12/2019

Brent Geese past the hide this morning

07:50-11:50 with SO, PT and DW.
Brent Goose: 1,232E         3W
Wigeon: 13E
Red-breasted Merganser: 7W   (5 drakes)
Red-throated Diver: 276W       37E
Great-crested Grebe: 2W     3E          4o/s
Gannet: 82E       51W
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 7E
Kittiwake: 7W       1E
Mediterranean Gull: 4W     9 present
Caspian Gull: 1 x 1w present
Guillemot: 73W    10E        14 o/s
Razorbill: 3W
Auk sp: 27E        138W
Common Seal: 1

Some of the 100s of Guillemots past this afternoon

13:20-14.50 from the fishing boats with AJG
Brent Goose: 334E
Common Scoter: 1W
Red-throated Diver: 44W       1E
Great-crested Grebe: 12W      4 o/s
Gannet: 37W    16E
Kittiwake: 51W
Mediterranean Gull: 3W
Guillemot: 426W
Auk sp: 40W
Grey Seal: 1

Red-throated Diver

The 2 Long-tailed Ducks were still at Scotney today as was the Black-necked Grebe.

Wednesday 18/12/2019

Great Skua in front the sea watch hide this morning

08:10-10:10 from the sea watch hide with RW, SO, LH, PH &BB.

Brent Goose: 547E     2W (It seems seems to be a regular event Brent moving East in December)
Wigeon: 2W
Common Scoter: 25W    17E
Red-breasted Merganser: 2E   1W
Red-throated Diver: 69W    17E
Great-crested Grebe: 5E        3 o/s
Fulmar: 3E  1W
Gannet: 38W     29E
Cormorant: c1,500 o/s
Oystercatcher: 5E
Great Skua: 1E   ( settled on sea close inshore drifting East)
Kittiwake: 12E    21W
Mediterranean Gull: 6E       3W       1 o/s
Guillemot: 24W     7E    26 o/s
Razorbill: 1W
Auk sp: 52W        13E
Common Seal: 1

 I think the Skua had a problem as it was regularly inundated

Some of the Brent Geese passing the hide

At The Patch 100s of Gulls but I could only find a Mediterranean Gull there of note

 Late morning at Scotney, I was unable to find the Long-tailed Duck or yesterdays Goosander, but still 1,000s of Golden Plover and Lapwing present, also 2 Curlew, 2 Ruff, 2+ Marsh Harriers, 188 Barnacle Geese and the 4 hybrids along with 100s of Greylags and Canada Geese.

 Lapwings and Golden Plover

Yesterdays Goosander

The reserve was very quiet this afternoon, the highlight being the 13 Black-tailed Godwits from Firth, no sign of any Chiffchaffs and very Gulls. The islands are rapidly disappearing, what remains is smothered in 1,000s of Cormorants that seem to be getting smellier by the day. By 15.15 the light was rapidly going so myself and RW called it a day.

Monday 16/12/2019

  I spent most of the day doing a WEBs count on the reserve, very disappointing numbers of winter wildfowl, I even managed not to see a Moorhen. There were many more wildfowl around on Dengemarsh, Hookers and Boulderwall Fields, these areas were covered by MH & CT.  A first for me was a Great White Egret grabbing a Long-tailed Tit from a flock that was foraging in the reeds. Another notable sighting was of 2 Ruddy Shelducks that flew over the ARC car park as I was getting out of my car, they quickly disappeared towards Lade.
                             

                          Burrowes/New Excavations     ARC/New Diggings
Mute Swan:                          0                                      2                         
Canada Goose:                     0                                      6                     
Greylag Goose:                    1                                      0                       
Egyptian Goose                    0                                      2                     
Mallard:                              24                                    37                     
Gadwall:                             43                                     78                   
Shoveler:                            68                                     26
Teal:                                   47                                     17                             
Wigeon:                            145                                    94                                     
Tufted Duck:                      76                                   139                                   
Pochard:                             21                                   146                                 
Pintail:                                  2                                       0
Goldeneye:                           1                                       4
Little Grebe:                         0                                       2
Great-crested Grebe:            3                                       6                               
Cormorant:                     2,505                                    57                                     
Coot:                                    74                                   87                                   
Moorhen:                               0                                     0   Cant believe I didn’t find any!                        Water Rail:                            1                               3
Marsh Harrier:                      3                                      5                               
Grey Heron:                          2                                     1                               
Great White Egret:                0                                     1
Bittern:                                  0                                     1
Lapwing:                           136                                   84                               
Ruff:                                      2                                      0                                                                          Black-tailed Godwit:           16                                      0                                                                         
Curlew:                                  0                                     1
Common Snipe:                     0                                     2
Jack Snipe:                            0                                      3

I missed the 8 Bewick Swans that stopped off on the ARC for a short while, probably while I was twitching the 2 Long-tailed Ducks at Scotney.

The Scotney Long-tailed Ducks

The Whooper Swans were still present in there chosen field at Dengemarsh, also the Slavonian Grebe still present at Scotney. 

Sunday 15/12/2019

07.25-08.25 from the sea watch hide RW and AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Red-throated Diver: 92W
Fulmar: 4W
Gannet: 510W
Cormorant: present n/c
Kittiwake: 31W
Black-headed Gull: present many feeding in the surf
Mediterranean Gull: 2 present feeding in the surf
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Guillemot: 3W
Auk sp: 29W
Most of my morning was taken up with domestic stuff which was just as well with the number of heavy showers coming through, some of which were thundery.
Early afternoon the Whooper Swans were still at Dengemarsh.

Siberian Chiffchaff fro Firth this afternoon

 Siberian Chiffchaff

 Siberian Chiffchaff

 Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffchaff

This afternoon from Firth Hide a Siberian Chiffchaff was making intermittent appearances with another Chiffchaff, also 2 Firecrests there. The birds are very difficult to photograph from the hide in the afternoon due to the low light. Among the 1,000s of Cormorants present was one bearing an Orange Darvik ring marked CR7, hopefully in the next few days I will find what project it belongs to. Also at least 2 Caspian Gulls present when I had to leave early to go onto the marsh for the monthly Harrier roost count, sadly no birds came into my allotted roost, probably due to very high water levels.

 Firecrest from Firth Hide

Saturday 14/12/2019

07:30-09:30 from the sea watch hide RW and AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Red-breasted Merganser: 2W
Red-throated Diver: 36W
Great-crested Grebe: 8 o/s
Fulmar: 4W
Gannet: 930W
Cormorant: 1,750W into Rye bay
Kittiwake: 78W
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 1W
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Guillemot: 27W    2E
Razorbill: 3W
Auk sp: 24W
From the manure heap in Dengemarsh Road near the entrance to the go-cart track, the 2 Whooper Swans can be seen distantly usually among the Mute Swans.
The Boulderwall Fields were again this morning covered in Lapwing, Golden Plover, Wigeon and feral Geese, once again being flushed intermittently by Marsh Harriers.

 1w Little Gull Caldecott Lane

A drive out the back of Lydd failed to find any Bewick Swans, a few Fieldfare were in Caldecott Lane, also a 1w Little Gull hawking over the fields.

1w Little Gull Caldecott Lane

This afternoon I joined Richard at Burrowes where 3 Caspian Gulls were seen, a 1w + 2w and an adult that refused to come out of the water so I could read the yellow ring it was sporting, also an adult Yellow-legged Gull, 16 Black-tailed Godwits came into roost. At around 15.30 the Gulls started to come in onto the close islands at Firth, but as usual a Marsh Harrier came over and flushed them all, with the light rapidly going we left.