25/03/2021

 06.30-0745 from the bottom of DMG:

Brent Goose: 10E

Common Scoter: 31E

Red-throated Diver: 37E    3W     2 on

Great-crested Grebe: 1E   1W   2 on

Gannet: 94E    2W

Cormorant: 18E  42W

Peregrine: 1 in

Kittiwake: 7E

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Sandwich Tern: 17E      2W

Auk sp: 42E

Black Redstart: 1 around

Garganey on the far bank at Dengemarsh this morning

2 Black-tailed Godwits in hayfield 2 this morning also a Water Pipit in the hay fields

I joined OL in a stroll around the reserve this morning where the highlight was the first drake Garganey of the year at Dungeness albeit distant, as was just about everything else today. A Bittern was booming from Hookers and Bearded Tits were heard at several locations around the reserve. In the hay fields 2 Black-tailed Godwits with the Teal flock, also a nice Water Pipit that we only saw in flight. Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzards, Egrets, Ruff, Dunlin, Peregrine and Cetti's Warblers were all seen.

While having lunch I got news from DS of a Red Kite coming my way, I quickly walked out to the front of the house and spotted the Kite over the water tower drifting NE. 

1 of at least 2 White Wagtails by Cooks Pool this afternoon

A single Russian White-fronted Goose with Greylags at Scotney this afternoon

Little Ringed Plover with a Dunlin at Scotney this afternoon

A distant Little Gull on the ARC this afternoon

24/03/2021

Smart Eider

07.30-10.15 from DMG:

Brent Goose: 448E   (21 flocks) at every distance and height

Teal: 6E

Tufted Duck: 3E  (drake followed later by another drake and duck)

Eider: 4E  (the regular 2cy drake followed later by 2 ad drake and a duck: 

Common Scoter: 165E        18W

Red-throated Diver: 62E     7W      6 on

Great-crested Grebe: 1E    1W            7 on

Fulmar: 2E     1W

Gannet: 68E

Cormorant: c200 around

Dunlin: 5W

Kittiwake: 11E

Little Gull: 25E

Mediterranean Gull: 6E

Sandwich Tern: 16E

Guillemot: 4E   1 on

Auk sp: 55E

The rest of my day was taken up with domestic stuff.

Along the beach

Just offshore

Distant

Stratospheric

 

23/03/2021

Wheatear in DMG this morning

Due to fog sea watching early morning was out of the question, visibility  was only about 100mts. When it started to lift I went to DMG, where a smart male Wheatear was new in, at least 1 Black Redstart still there along with a smart Rubicola Stonechat, a Raven, 3 Chiffchaffs, a few Linnets, Great Tits, Dunnocks and Wrens. A brief look at the sea saw just a single party of 3 Red-throated Divers going East and the usual Cormorants. 

Black Redstart in DMG this morning

A wander around the reserve saw a Kingfisher of note and basically the same as yesterday with the addition of my first Peacock butterfly of the year.

Peacock by the VC late morning

Another horrible steel fence going up beside the track down to DMG, paid for by the tax payer.

 

22/03/2021

 

Chiffchaff that came in off the sea, immediately started fly catching from the DMG sluice outfall, fortunately avoiding the attention of the resident Merlin.

Resident Merlin patrolling the shoreline at DMG

Sea Watch this morning from the bottom of the DMG 07.30-09.00

Brent Goose: 213E

Teal: 6E

Common Scoter: 16E      11W

Red-throated Diver: 52E      9W       5 on

Great-crested Grebe: 17 on

Fulmar: 2E

Gannet: 84E     7W

Cormorant: c250 feeding offshore

Merlin: 1 around

Peregrine: 1 around

Oystercatcher: 17E

Kittiwake: 28E

Sandwich tern: 6E

Guillemot: 1 on

Auk sp: 10E

Chiffchaff: 1 in off

Black Redstart: 2 around

Raven: 1 around

Brent Geese passing DMG

Raven taking food back to nest at DMG

1 of at least 4 Chiffchaffs in DMG this morning 

Peregrine over DMG

A 3 hour circular walk around the reserve this afternoon saw several Marsh Harriers, Great and Little Egrets, Ruff and Redshank and Ringed Plover, as well as all the usual ducks including 6 Pintail and the feral Geese, many Reed Buntings and Cetti's Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs and Bearded Tits calling from deep in a reed bed. On Burrowes the few islands were stacked with Gulls but I could only find a single 2nd cy Caspian Gull of any note. Still no Sand Martin, LRP or Garganey for me.

Great Egret at the hay fields

3 of 8 Ruff on the hay fields this afternoon

20/03/2021

07.30-09.00 from Dengemarsh Gully:

Brent Goose: 14E

Teal: 3E

Common Scoter: 16E

Red-throated Diver: 105E      8W

Great-crested Grebe: 6E      4 on

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet: 169E

Cormorant: present n/c

Ringed Plover: 2 around

Kittiwake: 22E

Sandwich tern: 2E

Guillemot: 3E

Razorbill: 1E

Auk sp: 103E

Black Redstart: 2 present

Stonechat: 2 present

Raven: 1 present

Harbour Porpoise: 4

Female Black Redstart in the Gully

Lovely male Black Redstart in the Gully

Corn Bunting Dengemarsh

Highlights around Dengemarsh were 8 Corn Buntings and Cetti's Warblers, lots of singing Reed Buntings, a couple of Bearded Tits, 10 Ruff, along with the usual Raptors and wildfowl. 

Reed Bunting

Explains why my feeders are emptying quickly

Another interesting white winger in the roost on Burrowes on 17/03/2021

15/03/2021

Brent Geese past the bottom of Dengemarsh Gully this morning

08.00-09.15 from DMG:

Brent Goose: 251 in 8 parties

Canada Goose: 1E a first for me I think

Shoveler: 1W drake

Eider: 1W 2nd cy drakę

Red-throated Diver: 6E

Black-throated Diver: 1E

Great-crested Grebe: 24 on

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 3W   31E

Cormorant: 114W   4E

Sandwich Tern: 9E

Guillemot: 8E     4 on

Auk sp: 22E   71W

Merlin: 1 in off carrying prey.

Merlin arriving off the sea carrying prey

Part of a flock of c300 Golden Plover roosting in Lydd Fields

A late morning walk around Lydd fields found a flock of c300 Golden Plover which seemed to ignore a pair of hunting Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards, plenty of Skylarks, Reed Buntings, Meadow Pipits   and a single Corn Bunting. The Black Swan revealed itself to be a young bird due to the dark tipped wing

feathers. Once again there was no sign of any of the Russian White-fronted Geese.

The Black Swan in the Lydd Fields is a young bird

Lots of Skylarks in the Lydd Fields today

Distant images of this afternoons Kumlien's Gull on Burrowes

13/03/2021

DMG early this morning

A 2hr sea watch from DMG this morning in bright conditions, though I seemed to spend more time cleaning the spray from the optics than watching.

07:00-09:00

Brent Goose: 36E

Eider: 1 2cy drake  drifted East

Red-throated Diver: 3E

Fulmar: 22W       2E

Gannet: 27E       3W

Cormorant: 56E      9W

Knot: 18W

Kittiwake: 29E

Auk sp: 28E     7W

A beast of 2nd cy Glaucous Gull

Millions of Starfish, Clams, Sea Mice etc, has been washed up all around the Dungeness coastline

A blizzard of Gulls feeding on the copious amounts of washed up shellfish