Wednesday 12/08/2020

Glossy Ibis in the early morning gloom

A grey early morning at the ARC and there were surprisingly few new birds around, the Ruff, Common Sandpipers and Little Ringed Plovers were all still present but nothing new, the few Reed, Sedge, Common and Lesser Whitethroats that were showing were probably all local birds.

Great White Egret

This Stoat was having a funny 5 minutes running, leaping, cartwheeling and chasing its tail

Common Buzzard

One of the hottest days of the year and I decide to spend the morning cycling and walking locally. Aound Bretts Marina I got the feeling that the majority of birds here were all local breeders, further down  Galloways 4 young Wheatears and several juvenile Yellow Wagtails could be seen on the ranges, even these could all have been locally bred. I flushed a Common Buzzard off its road side perch and it flew too close too the local Hobbys nest, it got repeatedly dive bombed for its trouble. Apart from Linnets, Great Tits and another Wheatear Denge Marsh Gully was bird less, no sign of any of the hoped for Flycatchers and Chats.

This afternoon at the fishing boats was still very hot but at least there was a cool breeze. Offshore the visibility was appalling, all I saw were a handful of Common and Sandwich Terns. Luckily for me the stale bread attracted a juvenile Caspian Gull and juvenile/1w Yellow-legged Gull.

When flushed the Buzzard got too near the Hobbys nest and was dive bombed and escorted away

Linnet enjoying a fresh puddle

Juvenile Caspian Gull already starting to moult to 1w plumage

Juvenile Caspian Gull above  Juvenile/1w Yellow-legged Gull below

 Size comparison of juvenile/1w Yellow-legged Gull & 1s Great Black-backed Gull

Tuesday 11/08/2020

AJG has persevered with the early morning sea watches from the fishing boats every day during this hot spell, unfortunately his efforts haven't as yet been rewarded. The paucity of Terns, Gannets and Cormorants feeding off shore leads me to believe that there is very little food in the bay.

I have spent the afternoons swimming in the sea on either Galloways Beach, Denge Marsh Beach or Dungeness Beach just keeping cool.  

Glossy Ibis when it first flew into the ARC Sunday evening

Juvenile I think?

Glossy Ibis at the ARC taken this morning

Juvenile Kittiwake at bottom of Dengemarsh Gully yesterday afternoon 

Lydd Church at sunset Sunday

Pied Flycatcher in Dave Bunneys garden this evening

Wheatear at Galloways yesterday, still only the odd Whinchat there

Southern Migrant Hawker by Lydd airport found by John Young

The normally rare Golden Twin Spots have been turning up in large numbers, I have recorded 11 so far.

Oak Processionary has also been abundant this year 

The lovely Jersey Tiger, there must be a breeding colony near me as I catch good numbers every year.

 I caught my first Tree Lichen Beauty the other day and have been catching them every day since.

Friday 07/08/2020

On Wednesday 05/08/2020 I joined CP and AJG in a very nice trip to Oare Marshes. It was very pleasant change to actually be able to see 100s of waders without peeping over fences and peering through vegetation. The Bonaparte's Gull shoed quite well in the Black-headed Gull roost, Many Redshank and Lapwing were roosting and feeding, along with smaller numbers of Avocets, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Whimbrel, and Common Snipe. The Black-tailed Godwit flock was as usual quite spectacular, I would guess in the region of 700+ though I'm probably way off the mark,  a good number of them seem to be sporting a variety of combinations of colour rings, just as well I took the wrong scope with me otherwise the CP & AJG would have had to drag me away to stop me spending all day trying to get the colour sequence. It was a pleasure to actually be able to sit in the hide and view the birds, everyone was behaving responsibly and surprise surprise every one has survived the experience so far. It is an excellent reserve that I would thoroughly recommend to anyone, as a bonus in this hot weather there is plenty of free fresh spring water to drink.

Reed Warbler at Galloways probably a local bird

Early this morning at Galloways10+ Wheatears were were the only signs of migrants. Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Stonechats and Meadow Pipits that were seen were probably all summer residents.

As it was so hot today I cycled back to Galloways this afternoon, where I took my first dip of the year in the sea which was surprisingly warm, It was so nice I spent nearly 2 hours there most of the time in the sea. 

Stonechat

Lesser Whitethroat

Wheatear fly catching on the guard house 

Sedge Warbler

In a lunchtime amble down the track opposite my house I came across a Sedge Warbler and several Reed Warblers, once again probably summer residents.

 Reed Warbler

I'm guessing the Stilt, Garganey and Black-necked Grebe are all still present on the ARC, though I've not heard anything today, it was probably too hot for any of the locals too bother too look. 

04/08/2020

06.00-0730 from the fishing boats: Numbers supplied by AJG

Common Scoter:33W in 7 small flocks

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 97W

Kittiwake: 44W   (3 Juveniles)

Mediterranean Gull: 2E both juveniles

Common Tern: 13 present

Sandwich Tern: 5 present

The highlight of this mornings sea watch

This morning around The Point, trapping area and Long Pits barely a Willow Warbler or Common Whitethroat to be seen. DW had 6 nets out and did not catch a single bird, pretty dire for early August.

At The ARC the Black-winged Stilt was still present but distant in front of Hanson, also the Ruff still present but little else of note could be seen in the terrible light and general all round poor viewing conditions. I'm practising what I preach tomorrow and going to Oare Marshes instead.

1 of the 2 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls at the fishing boats this afternoon

14.30-16.00 from the fishing boats with AJG & CP,

Common Scoter: 14E

Great-crested Grebe: 1 o/s

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 14W

Cormorant: 7 o/s

Mediterranean Gull: 4W all juveniles

Kittiwake: 1W

Yellow-legged Gull: 2 around Juveniles

Sandwich Tern: 4E      19W

Common Tern: 38W

Auk: 2E

Harbour Porpoise: 4+

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls at the fishing boats this afternoon

Common Tern from the fishing boats this afternoon

Juvenile Mediterranean Gulls at the fishing boats this afternoon

03/08/2020

06.00-07.30 from the fishing boats: grateful thanks to AJG for supplying details. 

Great-crested Grebe: 2W 

Gannet: 48W

Whimbrel: 3W

Kittiwake: 33W

Sandwich Tern: 17E   5W

Common Tern: 28W

Sand Martin: 3S

Goldcrest: 1 in off the sea

Meadow Pipit still feeding young by the perimeter wall

A morning walk to The Patch produced a Black Redstart, 6 Pied Wagtails and 5 Linnets, a distinct lack of migrants. At The Patch just 14 Common Terns and a Mediterranean Gull of any note, off shore at least 6 Harbour Porpoises.

Another walk down Galloways and around Bretts Marina found no new migrants apart from pulses of Sand Martins and Swallows going South.

1 of Juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls at the fishing boats this afternoon

14.30-16.00 from the fishing boats with AJG:

Common Scoter: 2E

Great-crested Grebe: 1 o/s

Gannet: 4E       30W

Cormorant: 5 o/s

Kittiwake: 12W    including 1 juvenile from this year.

Yellow-legged Gull: 4x juvenile present

Sandwich Tern: 28W

Common Tern: 83W

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 8+

At The ARC this evening The Black-winged Stilt was still present also 2+ Garganey, a Black Tern, a Ruff, 3 Common Sandpipers and a Black-necked Grebe of note, there still pulses of Sand Martins moving South this evening.

Oak Processionary a new moth for my trap

Rosy Footman always a welcome find in the trap