25/07/2022

An uninpriring sea watch this morning with singles of Fulmar and Great-crested Grebe and 18 Gannets East, 4 Kittiwakes and 17 Mediterranean Gulls flew down to The Patch, where there were 100s, of Gulls, mainly Black-headed and Herring but at least 3 Yellow-legged Gulls. A Black redstart was on the rocks behind The Patch.

9 Cattle Egrets that came into the ARC pre-roost

At least 9 Cattle Egrets are around mainly feeding in the Boulderwall Fields with the cattle and quite difficult to see. On the ARC 5 Glossy Ibis still present, 5+ each of Common Sandpiper and Little  Ringed Plover, there usually Garganey lurking among the many eclipse Gadwall and Shoveler, also the female Goldeneye is still present but very elusive turning up just about any where. 100s of Sand Martins are moving through daily, with a few Swifts today.The area in front of Firth looks excellent for waders, sadly today just a few Gulls. I am trying to come to terms with the Firth viewpoint, but on a day like today it is truly impossible to use a telescope there due to the wind shake. If the viewing windows were blocked up that may possibly help the situation as all they do is concentrate any westerly wind into a gale, as for the idea of using them to view through if the wind is in an Easterly or Northerly vector, that is quite impossible. I'm beginning to believe that someone just saw something like it in a magazine and thought it would be a great idea, then without thinking through how impractical it would be at Dungeness got the RSPB to throw money at it.  

Little Egret, ARC

Young Common Lizard on the Willow Trail boardwalk

A pair of Bordered Straws in the trap this morning along with the Jersey Tiger below. 

22/07/2022

43 Mediterranean Gulls moved East past the sea watch hide in 20 minutes this morning, along with 318 Black-headed Gulls and 3 Oystercatchers, but little else was moving. 
 

Oystercatchers

2 Curlew Sandpipers appeared at the ARC late afternoon, joining the Dunlin,  Little Ringed and Ringed Plovers. Many Black-headed Gulls have dropping into the ARC through out the day along with at least  30+ Mediterranean Gulls some bearing colour rings that were readable. 100s of Sand Martins have been hawking around the lakes today with a few House Martins and Swallows. 3 Yellow Wagtails adult and 2 juveniles were feeding on the islands with the many Pied Wagtails. I found 5 Garganey among the hordes of Gadwall on the ARC, a Bittern put in a brief appearance late morning as did a Water rail, the 4 Glossy Ibis are still present. Great, Little and Cattle Egret can all be found around the reserve along with Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzards, Hobby and Kestrel.

Curlew Sandpipers

Several Common Sandpipers around the reserve today

One of five Garganey on the ARC late afternoon

Is it a Marganey or a Gallard

The highlight of last nights poor catch a lovely Peach Blossom

20-21/07/2022

Common Tern ARC

Most avian interest seems to be at the ARC, where at least 4 Glossy ibis can be seen, 4 Cattle Egret (lunchtime they were with the cows in the Boulderwall Fields) as well as Great and Little Egrets, a trickle of waders, 2 Wood Sandpipers, 4+ Common Sandpipers, Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, Little Ringed and Ringed Plovers. Garganey can be found among the throngs of eclipse wildfowl, up to 30 Mediterranean Gulls have been seen there, Terns are represented by a paltry 3-4 Common Terns, evening sees unto 200 Sand Martins feeding over the lake and the odd Hobby.

A wander around Dengemarsh saw just 3 Yellow wagtails of note. A visit to Burrowes can best be described as disappointing. Hopefully very soon the sea watching will start.

1 of at least 4 Glossy Ibis on the ARC

There are a minimum of 4 broods of Tufted Ducks on the ARC

Green Sandpiper

There were at least 4 Common Sandpipers from Hanson today

Hobby hawking over the ARC at 20.50hrs

Brimstone, ARC

Male Gatekeeper, ARC

19/07/2022

The first of this years juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls at The Patch

Dungeness is relatively quiet avian wise at the moment. Most avian interest seems to be at the ARC where 5 Glossy Ibis are in residence, 5 Cattle Egrets including a juvenile, 2+ Great white Egrets, upon to 5 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers, a trickle of Dunlin, Greenshanks, Black-tailed Godwits. Up to 1,000 Black-headed Gulls with up to 30 Mediterranean Gulls have coming to roost, also at least 2 Garganey among the eclipse wildfowl.

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull

Juvenile Little Ringed Plover

2 of the 5 Cattle Egrets frequenting the reserve

Goldeneye at the ARC (a little out of focus)

Buff Arches, is always a pleasure to find one these in the MV

15/07/2022

1 of 6 Avocets present on the ARC was colour ringed probably in a French colony, hopefully I will receive details in due course.

A trickle of waders coming through the lakes this week as well as the usual July Hirundines. There are still at least 4 probably 5 Glossy Ibis present around Dungeness, 4+ Cattle Egrets, 3+ Great White Egrets, the usual Marsh Harriers and Bearded Tits. A Red Kite over Burrowes much to the annoyance of the Gulls. There is very little sign of passerine migration, also very little movement of sea birds yet.

First juvenile Mediterranean Gull of the year at the ARC

3 of the 4 Garganey present on the ARC

Probably the reason for the predation of the Avocets and Oystercatchers nests at the ARC

Immature Red Kite over Burrowes Pit this week

 

Todays Pectoral Sandpiper spent the day on one of the distant islands

4 Cattle Egrets came into the ARC this evening pre roost

Colour ringed Black-headed Gull XJ3N probably from Eastern Germany, I look forward to hearing from the ringer.

11/07/2022

An early morning Common Buzzard over the garden while I was checking the moth trap, also a steady trickle of Sand Martins over.

 
A look around the fields in front of my house found just 2 pairs of Yellow Wagtails feeding young (5 last year), a single pair of Corn Buntings down from 2 last year. Very few insects seen or heard, though not surprising the number of times the local guardian of the countryside sprays the fields, which also probably explains the very low numbers of Reed Buntings, Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers in the ditches.

A Mediterranean feel to the birds on the ARC, with a trickle of south bound northern breeding waders in Mediterranean weather conditions.

Little Egrets and Glossy Ibis

Cattle Egrets

09/07/2022

I've been busy with domestic stuff for the last week, also rather lazy hence no updates. Waders have started to appear on the ARC and Burrowes. Curlew, Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, Greenshank, Redshanks, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers and Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Avocets are still present but both nests were predated. Up to 5 Glossy Ibis, 2 Cattle Egrets and Great White Egrets are present, Hobby's can be seen around the reserve as well as newly fledged Marsh Harriers. The wildfowl highlight has been an eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard, also large numbers of Common Pochard and Gadwall can be seen on the ARC. The warblers are much quieter now but are all still present. Sand Martins have started to appear in numbers as well as Swifts. Sea watching has been very slow so far but hopefully will pick up and not be to badly affected by the Avian Flu.

Curlew Sandpiper from Hanson Hide at the ARC

2 Cattle Egrets that came into the ARC late yesterday evening 

Bee-eater on the wires behind Dave Bunneys house. Only managed the 1 image before it flew off out to sea

The eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard reappeared this afternoon, though it probably was just sitting unseen in the bay.

My 3rd Sussex Emerald this year, unusually for my trap a nice pristine Moth