16/02/2023

 

Gannets passing the sea watch hide this morning

07.30-09.30 from the hide.

Brent Goose: 105E  (6 parties)

Common Scoter: 1E

Great-crested Grebe: 7W      6 on

Oystercatcher: 13E     

Kittiwake: 27E 

Mediterranean Gull: 3E    

Guillemot: 217E       

Auk sp: 448E 

Red-throated Diver: 238E   5W    3 on

Fulmar: 3E    

Gannet: 387E  

Cormorant: present n/c

The 1w drake Scaup was showing very well in the bright sunshine yesterday on the roadside pool at Camber

At Cockle Bridge Triangle yesterday the Egrets and Common Buzzards were busy eating worms as they are most days.

Little Egret at Cockles Bridge 

Cattle Egrets and Common Buzzard

Common Buzzard

The lone Greater-White-fronted Goose still consorting with the Greylags at Brickwall Farm, Dengemarsh.

14/02/2023

No sea watch today in the foggy conditions. At the ARC both Bewick and Whooper Swans could be heard calling in the fog, at one point some of the Bewick Swans flew out over my head but I still couldn't see them in the murky conditions, a short while later I heard them come back into the ARC. I don't know if they wanted to go out to feed or hop over the channel on their way back to Russia.

Adult and juvenile Bewick Swan in the murk at the ARC this morning

The 2 Glossy Ibis were in the field by the track to Hanson late morning, still foggy.

The very active Hume's Warbler at Enbrook Park Sandgate

Grey Wagtail at Enbrook Park today

13/02/2023

One of this mornings small parties of Brent Geese

An improvement with a small movement of Brent Geese and the my first 2 sea watch Pintail of the year. 

07.45-09.45 from the hide

Brent Goose: 449E  (14 parties)

Pintail: 2E

Great-crested Grebe: 2 on

Oystercatcher: 1E

Kittiwake: 13E     

Guillemot: 45E       8 on

Razorbill: 1E

Auk sp: 17E 

Red-throated Diver: 41E   7W    4 on

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 41E  

Cormorant: present n/c

Harbour Porpoise: 2

2nd calendar year Marsh Harrier hunting the southern end of the ARC this morning

Male Dartford Warbler at hayfield 3 today

Bearded Tits were very vocal around the Dengemarsh today. The long staying White-fronted Goose was still present at Brickwall Farm. The 2 Glossy Ibis were again reported from the ARC,. I heard no news either way on the wild Swans.

Another male Dartford Warbler near Dengemarsh hide

Water Pipit hayfield 1-2 today

Water Pipits are an not unexpected bird on the hayfields this time of year

White Wagtail Hayfield 1 my first of the year

Ruff Hayfield 1 These birds have been seen at Pitt, Rye Scotney and Dungeness

11/02/2022

No improvement on the sea this morning, though I'm confident things will improve next week, I can but hope.

07.45-09.00 from the hide with RW,

Brent Goose: 13E

Common Scoter: 2E

Great-crested Grebe: 47 on

Oystercatcher: 1E

Turnstone: 1 on

Kittiwake: 6E      3W 

Guillemot: 22E    4W        5 on

Auk sp: 36E     14W

Red-throated Diver: 16E   3W    3 on

Gannet: 61E    11W 

Cormorant: 91E

Harbour Porpoise: 1

All the usual suspects are still around, though it would appear that the Ibis's are down to 2 birds, unless you know better. Bitterns, Bearded Tits and Crests seem to be slightly showier at the moment.

Common Buzzard at Cockles Bridge

Stoats seem to be appearing everywhere I wander, this one on the track to Hanson.

Great White Egret at Dengemarsh

Greater White-fronted Goose at Dengemarsh, the only wild goose on the peninsula.

One of the magnificent 7 at Cockles Bridge

Polish ringed Black-headed Gull TJVV at the fishing boats this afternoon, its 3rd winter here.

Short-eared Owl at dusk

 

09/02/2023

No improvement on the sea watching yet.

07.45-08.45 from the sea watch hide

Brent Goose: 14E

Great-crested Grebe: 29 on

Oystercatcher: 1E

Kittiwake: 5E   

Guillemot: 11E

Razorbill: 2E

Auk sp: 92E  

Red-throated Diver: 47E   55W 

Gannet: 2E   

Cormorant: present n/c

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

Around the marsh the 1w male Scaup still residing on the the pool at Camber, while out on Walland there are still 61 Bewick Swans and 5 Whoopers Swans now joined by 2 Black Swans. Nearby a flock of at least 300 Fieldfare with a few Redwing, but in in general Passerines are in short supply at the moment. 

1w drake Scaup at Camber

One of c300 Fieldfare at Middle

My first Firecrest of the year was in the ARC car park, joining a mixed Tit flock which included 2 each of Chiffchaff and Goldcrest all of which were being watched by the local Kestrel.

Long-tailed Tit

Firecrest

Kestrel

A few images of yesterdays WednesdayClub day out

Hume's Warbler at Dover yesterday

White Stork on Worth Marshes

One of seven Water Pipits seen on Worth Marshes

Several Short-eared Owls were seen at Sandwich

06/02/2023

No improvement in the morning sea watch today.

08.00-09.00 from the hide

Brent Goose: 2E

Shelduck: 2E

Shoveler: 10E

Great-crested Grebe: 43 on

Kittiwake: 9E   

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Guillemot: 1E

Auk sp: 41E  

Red-throated Diver: 305E   4W 

Gannet: 32E   

Cormorant: present n/c

Harbour Porpoise: 3

The 5 Whooper swans on the ARC in front of Hanson Hide seemed very restless, perhaps preparing to leave.

A slog around the peninsula found a couple of Jack Snipe and few Common Snipe, 10 Redwing along with the usual Herons/Egrets and 5 Whooper Swans on the ARC. Lots of common wildfowl on the lakes at the moment but nothing unusual. The Bewick Swans are still in-situ on Walland Marsh.

Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge

There were still at least 3 Short-eared Owls on the ranges this afternoon but as usual distant

Golden Plover over the Ranges

White-fronted Goose on Boulderwall Fields

Possibly another Ermine Stoat at Springfield Bridge

01/02/2023

 As you can see from the list below the sea watching has definitely not improved.

07.45-08.45 from the hide with RW. 

Great-crested Grebe: 5 on

Kittiwake: 20W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 1W

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Auk sp: 104E     

Red-throated Diver: 89E        

Gannet: 24E

Cormorant: present n/c

The 5 Whooper swans at Midley have made it into February

61 Bewick Swans on Walland today, 45 at Horses Bones Farm another 16 at Midley with the Whoopers

A long walk around Walland was pleasant enough but disappointing avian wise, along with the Swans, a few each of Fieldfare, Redwing, Song Thrush, Common Buzzard and Marsh Harrier were encountered, a Tit flock held 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests  and the highlight nearby were 2 Yellowhammers.

An odd duck at Scotney today, Wigeon X Mallard perhaps? Thanks to the Brown family for the tip off.

30/01/2023

Another poor sea watch this morning.

07.45-08.45 from the sea watch hide:

Common Scoter: 2E

Great-crested Grebe: 3E

Kittiwake: 4W

Auk sp: 132W      27E

Red-throated Diver: 258E        17W

Gannet: 138W

Cormorant: present

As I drove past the horse paddocks early morning the 3 Glossy Ibis were already there feeding along with at least 4 Cattle Egrets.

After the sea watch and doing some domestic stuff I parked at Pigwell and walked the length of the Scotney lakes. No much to be seen at Pigwell apart from a fly over Grey Wagtail. The lakes are still holding good numbers of Wigeon with c1,500 Lapwing. c500 Golden Plover, 2 Ruff, 4 Redshank, a Curlew, 4 Ringed Plovers and the 2 Little Stints. Several each of Marsh Harrier and Common Buzzard were patrolling the north banks of the lakes and a Great White egret flew over.

A couple of hours at Galloways this afternoon found just a Dartford warbler of any note.

The Whooper Swans and the Bewick swans were reported as present in there usual places today, also the 1w drake Scaup was still at Camber.

2 Little Stints on the sward at Scotney today, one of which is ringed

 

c500 Golden Plovers on the Scotney sward