10/01/2024

 Another bitterly cold morning meant that 90 minutes was about all we take in the hide before being frozen to the marrow. Although there was a lot of birds it was very repetitive. 

08.00-09.30 with RW.  Wind ENE 5, Temp 0° 
Brent: 2E
Common Scoter: 4E     1W
Great-crested Grebe: 144E      
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
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Guillemot: 87E
Razorbill: 71E 
Auk sp: 146E  
Red-throated Diver: 412E   3W
Gannet: 51E
Cormorant: c500 present 

An spent wandering around the ARC area was very disappointing with little sign of any cold weather movement, very few birds seen.

Black-throated Diver on Burrowes late morning

The Great Northern and Black Throated Divers remain on Burrowes along with a handful of Goldeneye. I joined DS on a walk around the reserve which was even more bridles than the ARC, we checked all the lakes for Smew, needless to say we drew a blank, the highlight was 17 Barnacle Geese of unknown origin that's how poor it was today.

09/012024

A bitterly cold sea watch this morningwhichm saw large numbers of birds but sadly no quality.

08.00-10.30 with RW

Wind NNE 5, Temp 0° clear

Common Scoter: 17E

Great-crested Grebe: 76E 

Kittiwake: 17W      

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 4E    

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Guillemot: 119E

Razorbill: 138E 

Auk sp: 1,870E  

Red-throated Diver: 328E   

Fulmar: 1E 

Gannet: 160E

Cormorant: 3,160E 

Grey Seal: 1

Barnacle Geese at Scotney late morning

At Scotney late morning, just a few geese to look through with no surprises, Only a handful each of Golden Plover and Lapwing were present but a good count of 54 Dunlin.

A mixed group of Bewick and Mute Swans on Walland early afternoon

I could only find 27 Bewick Swans today in 4 small parties and no Whoopers , the reported Whoopers at Hook Wall were Bewick's when viewed in the scope. A party of 8 Tree Sparrows at Hook Wall were nice.

On the beach this afternoon Polish ringed Black-headed Gull TJVV came to the stale bread offerings but no Caspian Gulls or white wingers.

I the hour before sunset scanning Lydd Fields from home, the Greylag flock held 342 birds and 9 Egyptian Geese but no wild geese, a couple each of Common Buzzard and Marsh Harrier was seen, also a Sparrowhawk upsetting the 100s of corvid, the highlight was Grey Plover that flew through which is not a regularly seen bird from my garden.
 

08/01/2024

 

My first Sandwich Tern of the year at Dungeness this morning

One of several Mediterranean Gulls seen this morning

08.00-10.00 with RW, Wind NE 6, Temp  2° Sleet

Shelduck: 1E

Common Scoter: 51E

Great-crested Grebe: 19E       36 present 

Kittiwake: 7E     

Black-headed Gull: present

Mediterranean Gull: 7E

Common Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present

Sandwich Tern: 1E

Guillemot: 85E     

Razorbill: 101E    

Auk sp: 2,770E  

Red-throated Diver: 128E  

Gannet: 288E

Cormorant: present

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Grey Seal: 2

2nd cal year Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

Due to the persistent sleet this afternoon I didn't get out of the car when I visited the fishing boats, a few Gulls came to the stale bread offerings including the above Caspian Gull, also an adult Mediterranean Gull made a brief visit but not the hoped for white winger.

A visit to the reserve where the Great Northern divers and Black Throated Diver were still present along with at least 4 Goldeneye.

06/01/2024

08.15-10.00  RW, Wind N 3, Temp  5° 

Shelduck: 5W

Velvet Scoter: 3W (DW)

Red-breasted Merganser: 1W

Great-crested Grebe: 8W   

Oystercatcher: 1W

Kittiwake: 62W      

Black-headed Gull: present

Mediterranean Gull: 16W

Common Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present

Guillemot: 534W     

Razorbill: 62W     

Auk sp: 1,512W   

Red-throated Diver: 126W   

Great Northern Diver: 1W

Sooty Shearwater: 2W

Gannet: 16W 

Cormorant: present

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Many thanks to Richard for sending me these numbers.

My first Jack Snipe of the year 

Instead of sea watching this morning I wandered out beyond the Water Tower. A Barn Owl was the first bird of note followed shortly by a ring tailed Hen Harrier, 2 Marsh Harriers, a Common Buzzard, and a Sparrowhawk. Using a thermal imager I found a Jack Snipe but it still took me 20 minutes to actually see it due to its incredible camouflage. There were several Water rails squealing and a couple of tacking Cetti's Warblers, in general passerines were very few and far between.

The Divers were still on Burrowes and the Bewick and Whooper Swans still on Walland, hopefully the cold snap will push some wild geese our way or even a Waxwing.

Chiffchaff in The Willow Trail

 The 4 Glossy Ibis opposite the Horse paddock

13.15-15.00 with RW, PH & LH from the fishing boats, Wind N 4, Temp  5° 

Brent Goose: 2E

Wigeon: 57W     24E

Pintail: 11W

Teal: 1W

Common Scoter: 6W

Great-crested Grebe: 3 present

Sanderling: 17E

Turnstone: 2 present  

Large numbers of Gulls off shore following fishing boats,

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Caspian Gull: 1 present   2 cal year  

Auk sp: many tooing & froing    most far off shore

Red-throated Diver: 233W   

Gannet: c25 present

Cormorant: c1,500 mainly into Rye Bay

05/01/2024

A chilly but reasonable watch this morning.

08.15-09.30 from the hide with RW, OL 

Wind NW 5, Temp  5° Showers

Shoveler: 15W

Common Scoter: 9W

Great-crested Grebe: 1W   

Kittiwake: 9W      

Black-headed Gull: present

Common Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Caspian Gull: 1W   2 cal year

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present

Guillemot: 38W     

Razorbill: 24W     

Auk sp: 98W    28E    

Red-throated Diver: 373W   

Gannet: 277W 

Cormorant: present

Bewick Swans flying in to the fields opposite the model flying club on Walland Marsh this morning after being disturbed by shooters.

Some of the 44 Bewick Swans present this morning

A flock of c200 Fieldfare and a few Redwing were at Midley today little else of note. The Divers were still on Burrowes but again little else of note, a ring tail Hen Harrier has been seen at several locations around the peninsula in the last couple of days. All the egrets can still be found with Cattle Egrets preferring the airport approach road fields. The 4 Glossy Ibis are still being elusive being seen mainly in flight around, ARC, Tower Pits, Boulderwall and the Horse Paddocks. I spent another hour staring at 1,000s of Golden plovers on the Scotney sward to no avail, just a few Dunlin among them.

The 4 Whooper Swans 

A Common Buzzard on Walland Marsh this morning

04/01/2023

Instead of sea watching this morning, decided to to hunt some Jack Snipe, 2 hours of searching and not even a Common Snipe hey ho. The highlights were the 4 Glossy Ibis that flew over and a singing Song Thrush.

From Dennis's the 3 Divers were showing well 

Black-throated Diver

Great Northern Diver with a tiny fish

At the fishing boats this afternoon, J11EY a 2nd calendar year Great Black-backed Gull that was ringed in Norway in June 2023.

Fortunately a rare sight these days of an oiled Guillemot this afternoon at the fishing boats

A Grey Seal chilling on the beach at the fishing boats as the heavy rain moved in

03/01/2023

 

One of this mornings 1w Caspian Gulls feeding on the huge amounts of shellfish being washed up

08.15-10.0 with RW, OL & JY

Wind WSW 6, Temp  9° Showers

Brent Goose: 2W

Great-crested Grebe: 3W      1E

Kittiwake: 138W      

Black-headed Gull: present

Little Gull: 1 present  (juvenile)

Mediterranean Gull: 1W 

Common Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Caspian Gull: 2 present both 1w

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present

Guillemot: 48W     

Razorbill: 3W     

Auk sp: 57W     12E    

Red-throated Diver: 166W    2E

Fulmar: 8W

Gannet: 282W 

Cormorant: present

The Great Northern Divers and Black-throated Diver were still on Burrowes today but can be elusive, also 3 Goldeneye present but little else of note.

The Glossy Ibis's were again just about visible from the entrance track looking across the Boulderwall Fields, also Great White Egret there.

10+ Cattle Egrets are still to be seen from the Lydd Airport approach road.

A Dotterel was found by SM on the Sward at Scotney among several 1,000s of Golden Plover and Lapwing, but was soon lost when the skittish flock took flight seemingly for little reason then re-settled which they continued to do all afternoon. I have looked through this flock many times this winter without any luck, looks like I'll have to keep on staring at them and 🤞I'll get lucky.

31/12/2023

Another wild and wet sea watch this morning, I was hoping the force 10 southerly overnight was going to produce some birds, unfortunately not.

After the sea watch I went home to a full English breakfast and didn't bother to come back out again due to the appalling weather.

08.20-09.50 with RW & OL,

Wind SSW 8, Temp  7° Squally hail Showers

Brent Goose: 6E

Pintail: 2W (drake & duck)

Great-crested Grebe: 1W

Oystercatcher: 1E 

Kittiwake: 66W      

Black-headed Gull: present

Common Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present

Great Skua: 1W

Guillemot: 262W     

Razorbill: 14W     

Auk sp: 360W     

Red-throated Diver: 19W  3E

Fulmar: 3W

Gannet: 195W 

Cormorant: present

Out of the 228 species recorded on the peninsular this year I managed to see 213 of them, my poorest total in the last 14 years, sadly I don't think next year will be any better.

The Divers are still in situ apparently, The Cattle Egrets are by the Airport approach road and the Glossy Ibis are still at the back of Boulderwall Fields in the Horse Paddocks but difficult to see.

Hopefully we will all have a great and happy 2024 with plenty more birds.

29/12/2023

 

The juvenile Little Gull that has been present in front the power station for a few days

This mornings watch was saw many birds but a distinct lack of variety

Wind SW 6, Temp  11° Overcast

08.15-09.45 with RW, SO,

Brent Goose: 4E

Pintail: 10W

Common Scoter: 4W    1E 

Great-crested Grebe: 1W

Knot: 1W

Curlew: 2W

Kittiwake: 281W  

Little Gull: 1juvenile present    

Black-headed Gull: c500 present

Common Gull: c200 present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 ad present

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present

Guillemot: 2,860W     

Razorbill: 55W        

Red-throated Diver: 322W    8E

Fulmar: 3W

Gannet: 163W 

Cormorant: 2,260 into Rye Bay

A couple of Pintail passing the sea watch hide

Sanderling at the fishing boats this afternoon

One of the many Kittiwakes today

Great Northern Diver and Black-throated Diver from Dennis's Hide this afternoon also 4 Goldeneye present but little else of note. There are still 12 Cattle Egrets feeding in the field by the Lydd Airport approach road, though they can be difficult to see sometimes. The 4 Glossy Ibis can also be elusive in the horse paddocks around Homeleigh Farm. 

27/12/2023

An enjoyable return to sea watching after spending the last week in Lanzarote eating and drinking too much.

Wind SW 8, Temp  11° Overcast

08.00-09.30 with OL,

Brent Goose: 1W

Shelduck: 13W

Wigeon: 37E

Common Scoter: 2E  

Grey Plover: 24W

Knot: 8W

Dunlin: 12W  

Kittiwake: 259W  

Little Gull: 2 present ad+1w     

Black-headed Gull: present

Common Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present

Great Skua: 1W

Guillemot: 190W     

Razorbill: 291W     

Auk sp: 549W     

Red-throated Diver: 12W   1 present

Fulmar: 1W

Sooty Shearwater: 1W

Gannet: 549W 

Cormorant: 283W 

Harbour Porpoise: 2  

Grey Seal: 1

Common Seal: 1

The 4 Glossy Ibis are still frequenting the Horse Paddocks but are more difficult to see through the fences. On burrows the 2 Great Northern divers and the Black-throated diver are still in residence, also at least 5 Goldeneye there and 3 more on the ARC.

Black-headed Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon swallowing whole what I think is a Sand Eel

1w Caspian Gull near the fishing boats this afternoon