10/02/2022

Most of my day was taken up sorting out a puncture I carelessly got at the American Robin site, an easy fix, put on the emergency wheel while the other tyre was being fixed today, that is until I managed to get another puncture this morning! As I often say S**t happens!

Eventually late afternoon I got onto Walland where all wild swans were still insitu. On the ATC the Smew was still viewable from the causeway, the Cattle Egrets were still at Cockles Bridge.

Thanks to Liz and Paul for letting me know the Black Redstart was still in the lighthouse area, the Peregrine was on its usual pylon, also that a steady stream of Red-throated divers were moving into Rye Bay (274 in an hour.

Smew by the causeway on Tuesday

Yesterday I joined Owen and Colin on a trip to Eastbourne to see the gorgeous American Robin, it performed very well for us though my image is a little distant, not helped by the fact that I have sold my big lenses ( I'm getting to many aches and pains carrying them) and am waiting for my mirrorless camera and lens to arrive. We didn't stay to long as none of us  enjoy urban birding, especially when you are looking directly at peoples houses. Fortunately I have seen and photographed many American Robins in North America in the past, like the image below taken at Pelee in 2006. Next stop was the Eastbourne Hume's Warbler which was mobile but calling frequently. We made a short visit to Beachy Head, then moved to Cuckmere Haven, then had an enjoyable walk down to the sea, seeing numerous Rock Pipits (quite scarce at Dungeness). We also came across a Short-eared Owl sat out in the open c20mts away, that continued to sit for the ten minutes we were admiring it (also while I kicked myself for not carrying a camera with me, let alone the big lenses) it was still sitting there when we left as the the parking permit was running out of time. Lat stop was to say high to the Polegate Hooded Crow which is probably the same bird that spent some time at Greatstone last year.

 

07/02/2022

A very poor image containing both the Caspian Gulls, dire light conditions and distant

07.45-08.45 from the sea watch hide:

Brent Goose: 5E

Common Scoter: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 67E      15W

Great-crested Grebe: 14E     348 on

Gannet: 17E    31W 

Cormorant: Present n/c

Oystercatcher: 1E

Kittiwake: 9E      74W   

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c 

Caspian Gull: 2 x 2nd cal yr at The Patch

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2 at The Patch

Guillemot:174E       23W

Razorbill: 5W

Auk sp: 32E      87W

Heavily cropped images of both Caspian Gulls

The Cockles Bridge Cattle Egrets are so photogenic

The 2 Glossy Ibis flew over towards the fishing lakes as I drove over the causeway. On Walland the 36 Bewick's Swans still from Dennes Road, another 12 Bewick's and 5 Whooper Swans were still in the Baynham Farm fields today. 4 Black-tailed Godwits were roosting on Burrowes.The Smew was still on the ARC per RW.

05/02/2022

Bramblings at Brookland this morning, with a large flock of Goldfinch and Chaffinch

Bewick's and Whooper Swans still at Baynham Farm this morning, the Dennes Road birds are now quite distant.

A few scattered groups of Yellowhammers and Tree Sparrows were seen around the marsh, also a flock of c40 Fieldfare and a few Common Buzzards and Marsh Harriers, but little else

14.00-15.00 from the hide:

Common Scoter: 6E

Red-throated Diver: 1E     10W

Great-crested Grebe: 1E    3 on

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet:  15E     6W  

Cormorant: Present n/c

Kittiwake: 52E    6W   

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c 

Guillemot: 2E     57W        

Razorbill:  3W       

Auk sp: 7E   49W    

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Late afternoon the red head Smew was still on the ARC. On Cooks Pool a Glossy Ibis at the far end,  also the photogenic Cattle Egrets were still at Cockles Bridge.

01/02/2022

As February arrives this mornings sea watch totals could have been any day in the last couple of months, hopefully things will start to improve as the month progresses. 

08.30-09.30 from the hide:

Shelduck: 3W

Common Scoter: 5E

Red-throated Diver: 107E     5W

Great-crested Grebe: 6E    2W   2 on

Gannet:  81E   

Cormorant: Present n/c

Kittiwake: 56W   

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c 

Great Skua: 1E

Guillemot: 113E          

Razorbill: 65E.        

Auk sp: 884E     

Black Redstart: 1 present

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 2

At The Patch again plenty of gulls, but again I couldn't find anything of note among them.

On the Boulderwall Fields a female Peregrine seemingly sun bathing, a single Brent Goose, 100s of Wigeon and 2 Great White Egrets over. The 4 Cattle Egrets were still in residence at Cockles Bridge. A quick drive onto the marsh found all wild Swans still present, though no doubt the Bewick's will soon be on their way back to Russia.

Polish ringed Black-headed Gull TJVV still wintering around the fishing boats today

Norwegian ringed Great Black-backed Gull J37EU still wintering around the fishing boats today

The Whooper and Bewick's Swans still present today

 

31/01/2022

I Joined CP in the sea watch hide this morning, taking shelter from the near gale force NW wind, as expected 100s of Auks were toying and froing, along with Gannets and Kittiwakes. Just before I arrived a party of 183 Red-throated Divers flew into Rye Bay, followed by the range boat which had pushed them out of Lade Bay, for next hour they trickled back, a single Fulmar was probably the highlight.

I joined JTM in a wander down to The Patch, despite there being plenty of Gulls there we could find nothing notable among them.

The 2 Glossy Ibis were on Cooks Pool late morning and 4 Cattle Egrets were at Cockles Bridge.

On a very windswept sward at Scotney 3 Ringed Plovers (126 for the local patch) were the highlight being the first I've seen this year.

This afternoon from Dennes Road the usual 36 Bewick's Swans (9 juveniles) could be seen, at Baynham farm fields 12 Bewick's Swans (2 juveniles) along with 5 Whooper Swans were showing well fairly close to the, but views were not good looking directly into the low winter sun. 

A walk along one of the green lanes found 16 Yellowhammers, a good number for Walland Marsh nowadays, but no Tree Sparrows which I'd hoped to find.

From the screen hide at the ARC late afternoon a couple of Bearded Tits moved through, Water rail seemed to be squealing constantly and I saw the red head Smew fly in and disappear behind the reeds.

1 of 4 Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge late morning

Late afternoon the elusive Smew flew in, promptly disappearing behind the reeds not to be seen again 
 

28/01/2022

 On the sea this morning as there was still lots of Guillemots and Razorbills tooing and froing, with a few Red-throated Divers, Gannets and Kittiwakes doing the same but nothing really moving, I took the opportunity to give the sea watch hide and Patch hide a bit of a tidy and maintenance with some WD40 on the locks and hinges. Behind the sea watch hide the usual Black Redstart, c20 Meadow Pipits, 10 Chaffinches, Grey Wagtail and several Pied Wagtails, also 2 Peregrines. The gull flock at The Patch held nothing of note as far as I could see.

A brief look at the ARC from the causeway failed to see the Smew, but I believe it was reported as still present.

There were 4 Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge and the 2 Glossy Ibis flew over towards Cooks Pool, 2 Great White Egrets were out along the ditches.

Several hours out on the marsh getting nice views of the Whooper and Bewick's Swans at Baynham Farm,

though the the flock of 36 Bewick's Swans seem to have relocated to the back of Pigwell but can still be seen albeit very distantly from Dennes Road, I believe they moved due to the noise of contractors repairing a damaged fence.

Walking a couple of the green lanes, Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings, Tree Sparrows were all found, but in general the Marsh was fairly quiet.  

The 5 Whooper Swans, it seems an impossible task to capture them all showing there bills together

Whooper Swans

Whooper and Bewick's Swan

Juvenile Bewick's Swans

26/01/2022

 07.45-09.45 from the hide with RW,

Shelduck: 2W

Wigeon: 4E

Common Scoter: 6E

Red-throated Diver: 54E     138W

Great-crested Grebe: 4E    13W   2 on

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 21E      47W     

Cormorant: Present n/c

Oystercatcher: 6E

Kittiwake: 17E      9W     

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c 

Guillemot: 98E           37W

Razorbill: 253E.        149W   

Auk sp: 1,345E      137W

Black Redstart: 1 present

Grey Seal: 2

Common Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Another cold, overcast and generally dismal day on the Peninsula. The Herons are still frequenting their usual haunts, as are the wild Swans. The 50+ Whitefronts are still in the fields at the back of Scotney in East Sussex per CT. A change in the weather is required to stir things up. 

Bewick's, Whooper and Mute Swans at Baynham Farm

Kingfisher on the RMC thanks to DG for the tip off 

Yesterday I spent most the day wandering around Orlestone Forest, despite the overcast conditions I saw the first Nuthatch and Coal Tits I've seen in the UK for a few years, I must get off the shingle more often, also Goldcrest and Treecreeper, Ive seen more Short-toed Treecreepers on the shingle than Treecreeper. What really surprised me about the forest was numbers of Grey Squirrels, every bit of movement that caught the eye turned out to be a Squirrels. I will make the effort to go there more often.

24/01/2022

Another cold grey overcast day on the peninsula with just a very light ESE breeze

08.15-10.00 from the sea watch hide:

Brent Goose: 9E

Red-throated Diver: 43E      61W

Great-crested Grebe: 4E     2 on

Gannet: 45E     

Cormorant: Present n/c

Oystercatcher: 3E

Kittiwake: 42E     

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c    

Auk sp: 2,450E      1,000+ scattered all over the sea.

Peregrine: 2 males tussling

Black Redstart: 1 around

Grey Wagtail: 1

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 2

From the hide I could see there were very few Gulls at The Patch but I had to walk down there and check just in case a gem was lurking among them, unsurprisingly there was nothing of note among them, though there were many Razorbills diving around in the boil.

Jack Snipe 

Late morning I joined OL in walk around the trapping area and Long Pits where we found a Jack Snipe, 2 Common Snipe and 2 Chiffchaffs of note, apart from good numbers of Great and Blue Tits around the feeding station the area was very quiet.

A walk around The Point, fishing boats and containers this afternoon found none of the hoped for Buntings and Larks, just 5 Turnstone and another 19 Red-throated Divers flying into Lade Bay and a Common Seal.

At the ARC viewed from the causeway the red head Smew was still trying to hide among the Pochard, loads of duck there but nothing else notable.

There were still 5 Cattle Egrets showing very nicely at Cockles Bridge, the 2 Glossy Ibis were reported as being in front the visitor centre. As far as I know all the Swans are still insitu.

23/01/2022

There have been 1,000s of birds on the sea each morning for the last couple of weeks, but I have yet to find anything out of the normal among them.

07.45-09.15 from the the hide overcast, flat calm, not a breath of wind.

Red-throated Diver: 9E      31W

Great-crested Grebe: 2E      5 on

Gannet: 41E      5W

Cormorant: 1,000s feeding off shore

Kittiwake: 32E     

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c  

Guillemot: 164E   

Razorbill: 58E     

Auk sp: 737E.      1,000+ littering a mirror calm sea

Black Redstart: 1 around

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 4

At Scotney there does not appear to be any turnover of birds, I spent the whole of yesterday walking around all the lakes back and front and found nothing new, the flock of 52 White-fronts have been in the same East Sussex field for days, I could find no scarce Grebes or raptors, 4 wintering Green Sandpipers was good to see. further out on the marsh the 36 Bewick's Swans including 9 juveniles are still in the fields adjacent to Lydd cricket pitch/Dennes Lane, the 5 Whooper Swans with 7+ Bewick's Swans (2 juveniles) are still to be found in the fields adjacent to Baynham Farm. The Cattle Egrets are still frequenting Cockles Bridge sometimes being joined by the 2 Glossy Ibis and the single red head Smew is still usually to be found at southern end of the ARC. On the reserve Bearded Tits are quite vocal, Bitterns can be seen if you are prepared to put in lots of time at the ramp unless you are lucky.

48 of the 52 White-fronted Geese at the back of Scotney Pits

A few of a flock of 50+ Tree Sparrows on Walland

The 5 Whooper Swans on Walland Marsh

Whooper Swans with a Mute Swan

Whooper & Bewick's Swans

 

 

21/01/2022

This mornings sea watch was quite busy despite a very cold but light North Westerly breeze. The bright low sun made viewing hard work and no doubt I missed quite a few things being on my own.

08.30-10.00 from the the hide.

Brent Goose: 6E

Shelduck: 2E

Wigeon: 2E

Common Scoter: 1E

Red-throated Diver: 206E      2W

Great-crested Grebe: 9E        48 on

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet: 84E

Cormorant: 1,000s feeding off shore

Kittiwake: 89E     

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c  

Caspian Gull: 1 x1w at The Patch

Guillemot: 147E   

Razorbill: 29E     

Auk sp: 2,110E

Peregrine: 1 around

Black Redstart: 1 around

Common Seal: 1

Grey Seal: 2

Harbour Porpoise: 2

After stopping off at Cockles Bridge I visited Scotney, where 36 White-fronted Geese could be seen feeding at the back viewed from the double bends, a Green Sandpiper was feeding along the edge, all the usual feral Geese were present but no surprises.

The Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge were quite photogenic today, if you go there please be mindful that you do not block the road, as you will upset the farmer and horse owners. The Glossy Ibis were also there today but very uncooperative, then flew back to Cooks Pool. 

A family of Bewick's Swans coming into Dennes Road, 36 in this field.

2 of the 5 Whoopers at Baynham Farm,, also 7 Bewick's Swans there

A Marsh Harrier has taken to catching Coot on the ARC. The red head Smew was still present this afternoon at the southern end.

Polish ringed Black-headed Gull TJVV still at the fishing boats