31/08/2022

Juvenile Dotterel flying around Galloways early morning

 

Turn the volume up to hear the juvenile Dotterel calling as it flew around

There were several Willow warblers around Galloways early morning

Willow Warblers, Common Whitethroats, Wheatears, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks made up the bulk of the birds at Galloways, no Whinchats were seen but the Dotterel was the obvious highlight.

5 Wheatears on the the shed at the entrance to Galloways this morning

The Pectoral Sandpiper still at Dengemarsh today and still distant

Dengemarsh produced 3 Egret sp, Glossy Ibis, Pectoral, Curlew, Common and Green Sandpipers, Common Snipe, Ruff, a few Common Terns and the usual wildfowl. Around the hay fields several Bearded Tits in the ditches and 7 Clouded Yellows.

2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers at Dengemarsh this morning

7 Clouded Yellow butterflies seen around the hay fields this morning

Black-tailed Godwit from Hanson today

The ARC was again quite birds, with Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Greenshank, Avocets, Golden and Ringed Plovers, Black-tailed Godwits, Ruff, Water Rail, Black-necked Grebe, Garganey, Hobby, and the usual wildfowl.

Wood Sandpiper from Hanson today

Common Sandpipers from Hanson today

Juvenile Marsh Harrier at the ARC today

Common Buzzard at the ARC today

This afternoons sea watch was very unproductive, the highlight being a Dutch colour ringed Herring Gull.

14.00-15.00 from the boats.

Common Scoter: 2E

Gannet: 29E 

Cormorant: present N/C

Black-headed Gull: present N/C

Mediterranean Gull: 1E    Juvenile

Common Gull: present N/C

Herring Gull: present N/C

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 juvenile around

Great Black-backed Gull: present N/C

Sandwich Tern: 32E   

Arctic Skua: 1E    

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 2+

30/08/2022

1w Yellow-legged Gull

A strong NE wind does not bode well for sea watching at Dungeness as todays paltry totals attest.

07.00-08.00 from the boats joined by JK, 

Teal: 8W

Common Scoter: 1W

Gannet: 121E 

Cormorant: present N/C

Whimbrel: 1 over heard only

Black-headed Gull: present N/C

Mediterranean Gull: 3E    All juvs

Common Gull: present N/C

Herring Gull: present N/C

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 juvenile around

Great Black-backed Gull: present N/C

Sandwich Tern: 69E   

Common Tern: 8E

Arctic Skua: 5E     1W

Guillemot: 2E    1W

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Seal: 2

Harbour Porpoise: 3+

An Osprey put in an all too brief appearance at the ARC this morning

4 Glossy Ibis dropped onto the mud in front of Hanson Hide

Another impressive list of waders at the ARC today with 2 Little Stints, 2 Wood, 2 Green and 6+ Common Sandpipers, 2 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, 5 Ruff, Avocet, 20+ Black-tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers, single Knot, 140+ Golden Plover, Lapwings, 7 Ringed Plovers, 10+ Common Snipe, also present 6 Garganey, 2 Great White Egrets, 4 Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets,Bittern, Marsh Harriers, etc all from Hanson Hide.

Green Sandpiper from Hanson

Spotted Redshank bathing at Hanson

Ruff from Hanson

Common Sandpipers from Hanson

Pectoral Sandpiper on Dengemarsh at midday

At least 8 Clouded Yellow were around the hay fields

Cormorant 099 first seen on the ARC on 10/08/2022. 

It was ringed on 18th May 2022 at Hale Duck Decoy in Cheshire. 

28/08/2022

Colour marked Spoonbill at the ARC this morning

Light rain this morning dropped a few waders onto the ARC, singles of Spotted Redshank and Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Common Redshanks, 2 Avocet, 2 Little Stints were all new, they joined the Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, Common Snipe, Golden Plovers, Lapwing, Oystercatchers etc. At least 3 Garganey were present and 3 Great White Egrets. 7 Glossy Ibis and a Wood Sandpiper were on Dengemarsh.

2 Knot and a Redshank past the Fishing Bots this afternoon

A rather uninspiring 2 hours at the bots this afternoon

13.30-15.30 from the boats  

Common Scoter: 2E

Gannet: 52E  11W

Cormorant: present N/C

Redshank: 1E

Knot: 2E

Sanderling: 4E

Black-headed Gull: present N/C

Mediterranean Gull: 3E    (2 Juv, 1 2W)

Common Gull: present N/C

Herring Gull: present N/C

Yellow-legged Gull: 2 juvenile around

Great Black-backed Gull: present N/C

Sandwich Tern: 48E     10W

Common Tern: 4E

Arctic Skua: 1W

Guillemot: 1E    1 on

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 3+

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull

1w Mediterranean Gull

Harbour Seal

The sad sight of a dead Gannet drifting by no doubt a victim of bird flu, another live adult drifted past.

This poor chap is still around but appears to be feeding well

Juvenile Spotted Redshank

This evening at the ARC the juvenile Spotted Redshank came in close for the camera

The juvenile Water Rail also popped out for a brief show just before dark

 

27/08/2022

One of the Wood Sandpipers that has been showing well in front of Hanson Hide

Green Sandpiper

Black-tailed Godwit

This Bittern has been showing itself occasionally at the ARC

26/08/2022

Tree Pipit

An excellent morning around the Observatory

Grasshopper Warbler, a shame that the only realistic chance of seeing one on the Peninsula these days is when it turns up in a net.

Garden Warbler

3+ Common Redstart were around today

At least 2 Pied Flycatchers around today

One of six that I saw though the total was probably in double figures

Many Willow Warblers were on the Peninsula

Common Buzzard over the Observatory

Stick Insect at the Observatory

3 Wood sandpipers on the ARC today

At the ARC Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, Little Stint, Golden Plovers, Black-tailed Godwits,

5+ Garganey, and all the usual Herons and Wildfowl. 

Seemingly ever present Glossy Ibis

150+ Golden Plover were roosting on the ARC today