12/04/2021

2nd cy Iceland Gull over The Patch

A rather poor sea watch this morning considering the date, I thought I could blame the very cold temperature, but looking at the results of the this mornings watch at Cap-gris New it would appear temperature has nothing to do with it. 

06.00-0830 with CP &AJG

Brent Goose: 39E

Common Scoter: 90E      8W

Red-breasted Merganser: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 14E

Great-crested Grebe: 6 around

Fulmar: 2E   2W

Gannet: 522E

Cormorant: 42 around

Oystercatcher: 1E

Kittiwake: 20E

Mediterranean Gull: 4E

Iceland Gull:1 (The regular bird at The Patch)

Sandwich Tern: 80E

Guillemot: 18E

Razorbill: 3E

Auk sp: 490E      14W

Wheatear 1 around

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 3

A Murder Of Crows

A single Crow was being literally hammered by the bills of 3 other Crows for approximately 20 minutes this morning, its bill was being gripped by the claws of 1 of the attackers while the others were doing their very best to kill it. After 20 minutes I thought it was dead, but incredibly it managed to escape when another Crow joined in distracting the original attackers, it flew off very shakily with chunks out of its wings and in generally very disheveled state. Amazing behaviour to watch albeit rather disturbing.

2nd cy Iceland Gull in the power station compound

Lesser Black-backed Gulls thinking about nesting on the power station

Herring Gulls already nesting on the power station

At least 1 drake Garganey on the hay fields today

Fairly quiet on the reserve today, Burrowes in particular was disappointing,  a few Hirundines over the ARC and New Diggings late morning. My first Whitethroat of the year at the ARC car park singing briefly, several Willow Warblers singing there and several more around Hookers and Christmas Dell, I have now seen more Willow Warblers this spring than I saw for the whole of last spring. White Wagtails and Yellow Wagtails were on the hay fields and Boulderwall Fields along with a single Black-tailed Godwit and Ruff. The hoped for Cuckoo did not materialise but my first Reed Warbler of the year at the Corrale was compensation. At least 3 Bitterns are booming 2 on Dengemarsh and 1 on the ARC. 

09/04/2021

Todays undoubted highlight a stunning male Redstart, sadly now a scarce sight at Dungeness.

An entertaining sea watch again today:

06.15-09.30 & 16.00-17.00 with AJG, CP, PT, DW. 

Brent Goose: 97E

Canada Goose: 3W

Shoveler: 2E

Eider: 6E

Velvet Scoter: 4W

Common Scoter: 475E    33W

Red-breasted Merganser: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 43E

Fulmar: 1E

Great-crested Grebe: 4 around

Gannet: 953E         204W

Oystercatcher: 3E    18W

Kittiwake: 49E

Mediterranean Gull: 5E       2W

Sandwich Tern: 298E

Common Tern: 1E

Great Skua: 5E

Arctic Skua: 2E

Guillemot: 5E

Auk sp: 36E

Swallow: 1 in      1 out

Harbour Porpoise: 2

I saw more Willow Warblers today than the whole of last spring a shame they were all camera shy, joining the Willow Warblers were Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Wheatears and the stunning male Redstart discovered this afternoon by DW.

On the reserve the Glossy Ibis gave sporadic views on Cooks Pool in between disappearing for long periods into the ditches, 6+ Yellow Wagtails there but I saw no Blue-headed ones. At least 3 Garganey were still present on the hay fields.

1 of several Wheatears around Dungeness today

Newly arrived Chiffchaff with the tell tale black pollen at the base of its bill

Little Egrets sun bathing on the New Diggings

08/04/2021

 

A record image of 1 of the White-beaked Dolphins that moved East at Dungeness this morning

Some of the 2,000+ Gannets that flew East today

05.45-12.00 & 14.30-17.00 with AJG, CP, DW & OL

Brent Goose: 580E    1W

Shelduck: 2W

Garganey: 1E

Wigeon: 4E

Velvet Scoter: 3E

Common Scoter: 2,013E       14W

Red-breasted Merganser: 5E  1W

Red-throated Diver: 170E     2W

Great-crested Grebe: 1E     6 on

Fulmar: 2E.  1W

Gannet: 2,315E

Shag: 1E

Peregrine: 1 out to sea 

Oystercatcher: 3E

Kittiwake: 165E

Mediterranean Gull: 4E

Sandwich Tern: 625E

Great Skua: 9E

Arctic Skua: 1E

Guillemot: 8E    1W

Razorbill: 1E

Auk sp: 638E      12W

Carrion Crow: 23 in off

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 4 

White-beaked Dolphin: 3E

A distant line of Brent Geese over the Airbus ship

03/04/2021

The 2nd calendar year Iceland Gull at The Patch

Enjoying a bank holiday day out on the beach😂

Another meagre sea watch today, I can't honestly see it improving anytime soon, but I guess I'll be back there again in the morning.

 06:30-08:30 with AJG, CP, RW

Common Scoter: 45E

Red-breasted Merganser: 3E 1 drake

Red-throated Diver: 16E     5W

Fulmar: 4E

Great-crested Grebe: 5E        36 on

Gannet: 231E

Cormorant: 106E    37W

Oystercatcher: 7E

Ruff: 1E

Kittiwake: 1E

Iceland Gull: 1 (regular bird at The Patch)

Sandwich Tern: 129E

Guillemot: 3E       1 on

Auk sp: 17E    9W

Alba Wagtail: 1 in

Harbour Porpoise: 6

Garganey on hay field 1this afternoon

Up to 18 Garganey have been on Dengemarsh for the last 3 days, though I only saw 6 today. The Bitterns have been quite vocal despite weather, as have Bearded Tits, Cetti's and Sedge Warblers. A mixed flock of

Swallows and Sand Martins numbering c50 birds were at seaward end of the New Diggings today, also odd Swallows dotted around the reserve. The Glossy Ibis was at Cooks Pool again today, also at least 6 White Wagtails there with the usual Curlew and wildfowl. Burrowes was very poor avian wise being blasted by the NE wind, in sheltered fields the odd Ruff could be found along with some Yellow Wagtails and at least 10 White Wagtails around the hay fields. At Springfield a Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail which was presumably the big same bird I saw briefly late yesterday afternoon, it showed a little better today but was still quite distant.

Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail at Springfield Bridge

01/04/2021

Gannets in the early morning gloom

Brent Geese passing this morning

06:15-09:15 with CP, PT & joined by DW 

Brent Goose: 75E

Shelduck: 4E

Shoveler: 4E

Common Scoter: 29E    12W

Red-throated Diver: 5E    1W

Great-crested Grebe: 5E  2W    3 on

Fulmar: 1E    1W

Gannet: 451E    80W

Cormorant: 127 feeding off shore first thing

Oystercatcher: 3E

Kittiwake: 1E

Little Gull: 2E

Common Tern: 2E

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Sandwich Tern: 54E

Guillemot: 2E      1 on

Razorbill: 3E

Auk sp: 3E     13W

Peregrine: 1 around

Swallow: 2 inWheatear: 4 in off

Rock Pipit: 1 in off

Alba Wagtail: 4 in off

Linnet: 9E

Goldfinch 1 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 16+

This Rock Pipit came in off the sea and landed more or less at our feet

1 of 4 Wheatears that came in while I was sea watching

Red Fox by the sea watch hide

Greenfinches in my garden

This afternoon I went to the reserve and joined DW at the Bee mound at the VC, where I showed him my total ignorance of Bees, fortunately he knew what we were looking at. On Burrowes I got a long awaited year tick a Bar-tailed Godwit, I know they are in Lade Bay, I just haven't got round to going there with lock down. As 10 Garganey had been reported at Dungeness by bird news services, I thought ought to try and find them, I had no location but surmised the hay fields or Dengemarsh would be favourite. I drove to Springfield Bridge and made my way round the hay fields drawing a blank, when I scanned the far bank of Dengemarsh I spotted a couple of Garganey but was unable to keep my optics steady in the blasting NE wind. I found some shelter from the wind at the side of the hide, after 30 or so minutes of constant scanning along the bank I got a count of 12 Garganey 8 of them drakes, they were very mobile and weren't to happy about the Black Swan sailing past them. I believe that these birds represent the largest spring flock I have seen in the UK.

There are 9 Garganey in the above image

31/03/2021

Flock of Gannets flying flat on the sea though the early morning gloom, sea and sky are indinguishable

12 refugee/migrants surprising a Kayak fisherman

06:15-09:15 from The Point withAJG & CP:

Brent Goose: 53E

Shelduck: 3W

Pintail: 4E

Common Scoter: 168E   1w

Red-breasted Merganser: 9E

Red-throated Diver: 19E  6W

Great-crested Grebe: 2E   38 on

Fulmar: 4E   1W

Gannet: 351E    45W

Cormorant: 78 feeding in from of hide

Sparrowhawk: 1 in

Oystercatcher: 2E

Little Gull: 3 feeding in front of hide, then moved east

Sandwich Tern: 104E

Guillemot: 1E      2 on

Auk sp: 1E

Jackdaw: 7 out

Carrion Crow: 2 out

Harbour Seal: 44

Common Seal: 1

Nearly there

Landing right in front of us

Rib and outboard for sale, good condition only used once! 😂

Merlin over The New Diggings

As I checked The New Diggings in vain for yesterdays Black-necked Grebes a Merlin dashed over me.

A walk around Dengemarsh this afternoon with CP saw and heard of note a Little Ringed Plover that dropped into hayfield 3 briefly, 2 booming Bitterns 1 of which gave a brief flight view, several Marsh Harriers, several Sedge Warblers, Bearded Tits, the usual wildfowl, but didn't see the Garganey and Water Pipit that have been hanging around though both were seen by others, the Black Swan seems to have relocated to Dengemarsh. 

30/03/2021

1 of 2 Firecrests in the lighthouse Garden

 06.00-09.30 from The Point, thanks to CP & AJG for collating the numbers:

Brent Goose: 46E

Greylag Goose: 2 around

Shelduck: 2E

Shoveler: 19E

Common Scoter: 765E    5W

Red-breasted Merganser: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 58E    1W    1 on

Great-crestedGrebe: 14E     23 on

Fulmar: 1E    3W

Gannet: 97E   4W

Cormorant: 42E    53E

Oystercatcher: 2E

Dunlin: 4E

Merlin:  2 in

Peregrine: 1 in

Mediterranean Gull: 2 around

Iceland Gull: 1 2cy around

Glaucous Gull: 1 2cy around

Sandwich Tern: 58E

Guillemot: 1E    2 on

Razorbill: 1E

Auk sp: 2E

Carrion Crow: 2 in

Harbour Porpoise: 25

While I was having a socially distanced cup of tea with DB late morning a Swallow flew through, 10+ Wheatears were on the shingle opposite Jarmans also at least 1 Red kite was around The Point today unseen by me. Several Sedge Warblers were seen around the reserve and the drake Garganey is still insitu.

The first Yellow Wagtails turned up at Scotney today with a couple of White Wagtails.

2 cy Little Gull over the Eastern lake this afternoon

Yellow Wagtails at Scott this afternoon

Corn Bunting at Scotney this afternoon

3 very distant summer plumage Black-necked Grebes on the New Diggings this evening. Thanks to Mike Buckland for the tip off.

29/03/2021

24 of a flock of 28 Eider east past The Point this morning 

07.00 10.00 from The point thanks to AJG & CP for collating the numbers:

Brent Goose: 21E

Greylag Goose: 2W

Eider: 38E  in 2 flocks of 28 & 10

Common Scoter: 11E    20W

Red-throated Diver: 23E     2W

Great-crested Grebe: 34 around

Fulmar:3W

Gannet: 108E  

Cormorant: Present n/c

Kittiwake: 4W

Black-headed Gull: Present n/c

Common Gull: Present n/c

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 56E

Guillemot: 3W      2 on

Auk sp: 18E

 Swallow: 3 in off

Magpie: 3W along the beach

Carrion Crow: 13 in off

Goldfinch: 2 in off

Wheatear: 1 around (There were double figure numbers around the estate) per OL & DS

Black Redstart: 1 around

2 Spoonbills flew SE over the reserve per CT.

3 Sand Martins were seen at the lifeboat station per DS.

A check of the lakes late morning found no Hirundines and little else of note, another check this afternoon found the same result.

28/03/2021

Raven at DMG

07.30-10.00 from DMG

Brent Goose: 10E

Shelduck: 4E

Eider: 4E

Common Scoter: 56E

Red-breasted Merganser: 3E

Red-throated Diver: 25E     1W

Great-crested Grebe: 1E

Gannet: 69E   7W

Cormorant: 2E     45W

Ruff: 5 in off

Kittiwake: 6W

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Sandwich Tern: 11E

Guillemot: 2E      1 on

Auk sp: 24E

Raven: 1 around

A quick walk around Dengemarsh as I had domestic stuff to do saw nothing of note, which was not surprising the way the wind was blowing across the marsh.

Glossy Ibis

Late afternoon checked out the lakes again for Hirundines but failed to find any. On the way the Glossy Ibis flew across the road infant of me, I hit the brakes and grabbed the camera that lives on the passenger seat and got a couple of flight shots, fortunately the Ibis landed on a small roadside pool allowing me to get a slightly better image of it.

An Early Grey my first macro moth of the year

27/03/2021

A female and 2 male Wheatears at the bottom of DMG this morning

A poor sea watch from the bottom of DMG this morning 06.40-08.00:

Eider: 1W 2nd cy drakę

Common Scoter: 25E    4W

Red-throated Diver: 22E       2W

Great-crested Grebe: 1E     1W

Gannet: 69E 

Cormorant: 63W       4E

Kittiwake: 7E

Black-headed Gull: Present n/c

Common Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 5E

Auk sp: 27E

Wheatear: 3 present

A wander around the reserve this morning in the company of RW was pleasant in the sunshine but little of note was seen, though a Bittern was booming by the ramp. 

I had just got home when I received an excited call from RW who was watching a White-tailed Eagle over 

the Water Tower, I quickly ran outside grabbed my scope from the car and managed to spot the Eagle near the Sound Mirrors, probably about 2 mile range so the view was not brilliant. That is now the second WTE I have seen from my garden.😀

Adult male Marsh Harrier chasing off a sub adult male from its nest territory

Another walk around the hay fields this afternoon saw 4 Marsh Harriers, with the interlopers being quickly chased off by the resident pair, also there were 2 Bitterns booming. 4 Corn Buntings were in the rough field with many Reed Buntings and a few Linnets. There were 8 Ruff on the floods but no sign of the Garganey among the Teal. A Great White Egret flew over.

1 of 8 Ruff on the hay fields this afternoon