Tuesday 07/04/2020

A few Images from my walk to Dengemarsh and back, Highlights were my first Willow Warblers of the year also my first Whimbrel of the spring this evening from home. Lots of Marsh Harrier activity this morning and seemingly an influx of Little Egrets including a party of 8 at Dengemarsh. 

 The usual assortment of feral Geese in the fields by the Lydd footpath

 2 of several Mediterranean Gulls around the fields early morning

 Cetti's Warblers one day I'll photograph an unobstructed one 

 There seems to be many more Cetti's Warblers around this spring

 A couple of the several Willow warblers that were around Dengemarsh today

1 of many Sedge Warblers now in

 Bearded Tit

My first Whimbrel of the year this evening from home 

At Last My First Swallows!

It is very frustrating to have the sea so close to me and yet closed to me but as it is for the greater good, I will have to continue to make do with my daily walk to Dengemarsh. I know I am extremely lucky to have that choice, I'm sure many birders would be very happy to be able walk to Dengemarsh. Today for me Dengemarsh was a little disappointing, I'm afraid I take Egret, Marsh Harriers, Bearded Tits and even Bittern sightings a little for granted, I did finally see my first 2 Swallows of the year, other migrants were a distant Wheatear and 4 Yellow Wagtails over. At least 6 Water Pipits are still around the hay fields but very camera shy. 

 Distant Wheatear 

 A nicely posing Grey Heron

 Canada Goose and Greylag Goose nests just a few metres apart

 Insert your own caption to this image

 This Grey Plover gave me time to the grab the camera by calling just before it flew over the house, pity the settings were all wrong.

 The 7 Barnies still in the fields in front my house

1 of 4 Black-tailed Godwit over the house yesterday 

Friday-Saturday 03-4/04/2020

 Red Kite over Dengemarsh on Friday morning, still a scarce bird on the Dungeness peninsula

I still haven't managed to see any Hirundines or Garganey, as usual I am expecting things to happen because it's April. Usually not much happens before the 3rd week though.

 1 of several Sedge Warblers now in

 White Wagtail Dengemarsh flood on Friday

 Greylag Goose on nest, Friday at Dengemarsh

 The 3 Barnacle Geese in the fields are now 7

Flock of Linnets in front my house Friday

 Lucky this ghost was calling otherwise I'd have missed it in the fog

 Great White Egret in the this mornings murk

 When the fog cleared today 2 Brent Geese had dropped onto the fields in front the house 

 Male Bearded Tit late morning a few 100 yds from home but not yet on the garden list

 Female Reed Bunting by Lydd FC not something I snap very often late morning today

 Local Common Buzzard over my Garden late early afternoon today

Thursday 02/04/2020

 My now daily walk to Dengemarsh and back was very quiet avian wise. Still no Hirundines or Garganey, just 3 Sedge Warblers, 4 Water Pipits and booming Bittern of any note. So just a few images to post this evening. 

 Common Buzzard on one of its regular perches

 Stoat very cute assassins

 This Bearded Tit popped up in a Bramble 

 At Least 4 Water Pipits still on the hay fields and still just as distant

I rarely photograph Carrion Crows but this one looked rather smart

Wednesday 01/04/2020

 Flushed Common Snipe just after dawn

 The local Buzzard

 Song Thrush very few of these around these days

 Chiffchaff

Shy Sedge Warbler

It was lovely to be out just after dawn, it was wonderful not to have the North Easterly wind blasting across the peninsula, although it was still very cold and frosty as I made my way across the rough fields towards Dengemarsh. A couple of Mallard flushed from a ditch closely followed by a Common Snipe, the local Common Buzzard flew in and settled on its favourite bush, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese and Egyptian Geese were feeding in the newly drilled fields. In a Bramble patch Wrens were trying to out sing the Cetti's Warblers, a pair of Stonechats were feeding on the myriads of small flies that were buzzing over the patch in tight ball. and of course Reed Buntings every where. A little further on a Song Thrush burst into song atop of a Sallow while at the same time a Chiffchaff was singing fro a Hawthorn. 

At Dengemarsh at least 4 Marsh Harriers were wheeling around over the reed beds, then I heard the chatter of a Sedge Warbler my first of the year closely followed by a second bird, both were camera shy.

 Male Bearded Tit

 Male Reed Bunting

 Knot

At Dengemarsh flood a male Bearded Tit called once popped up and disappeared, Reed Buntings were doing what they do, also a surprise in the form of a single winter plumaged Knot which was rather tame. Pt put out a message that 3 Barnacle Geese were heading south over Lade a couple minutes later they appeared over me flew around in large circles before settling in the field at the back of Dengemarsh.

Barnacle Geese over Springfield Bridge of unknown origin

 Great White Egret

 While walking home this Great White Egret was nicely when a female Bearded Tit popped up beside me, she climbed to the top of some reed and then sat sunbathing, a real little poseur.

 Female Bearded Tit

  Female Bearded Tit

  Female Bearded Tit

Early afternoon a Pheasant ran across the newly drilled field in front of my house, a surprisingly scarce bird for me, but this one made it onto my BWKM0 list along with the 3 Barnacle Geese that joined up with the other feral geese.