24/03/2024

Probably the poorest watch of the year so far! Conditions look better as week goes on🤞

 06.30-08.30 with SO from the sea watch hide, Wind WNW 6  Temp 5° 

Brent Goose: 11E

Great-crested Grebe: 2E   1 present 

Black-headed Gull: 1W

Mediterranean Gull: 1E    

Common Gull: 1E

Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c 

Sandwich Tern: 1W

Guillemot: 1E   1 present

Auk sp: 8E      

Red-throated Diver: 10E   1W     1 on

Gannet: 14E   5W      

Cormorant: 1E  (c2 mile offshore high) 13 present

Black Redstart: 1 present

Meadow Pipit: 2 in off

Carrion Crow: 1 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 2+

I think the Black-throated Diver and one on the Great Northern Divers have finally departed, just the one GND has been seen since Friday. A bit of an arrival of Wheatears and Willow Warblers this weekend but no exceptional numbers. A couple of Sedge Warblers on the reserve and the first Garganey there today, SM found a Garganey yesterday on the sward at Scotney. 

The Glossy Ibis looked stunning while it was touring the hay fields in the afternoon sun

This Garganey flashed across the footpath just in front of me at head height as walked between Scott and Christmas Dell, by the time I got my camera up and on to it, it was already dropping into hay field 3.

The same bird very distant at the bottom of hay field 3

One of several White Wagtails around this weekend

Yesterdays Slavonian Grebe on the ARC was sadly gone today

3 Black-necked Grebes yesterday on the ARC , just 2 today

At least 2 Little Gulls were present on Burrowes this afternoon

22/03/2024

Great-crested Grebe with Stickleback from Hanson late morning

This mornings sea watch was probably the poorest watch of the year so far!

06.30-08.30 with RW from the sea watch hide.  Wind WSW5  Temp 10° light rain 

Brent Goose: 4E

Common Scoter: 19E   

Great-crested Grebe: 2 present 

Oystercatcher: 3E

Kittiwake: 9E 

Mediterranean Gull: 3E     1W

Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 5E   

Guillemot: 9E   3W

Auk sp: 34E       25W

Red-throated Diver: 36E   2W   

Gannet: 92E   17W      32 present

Cormorant: 14 present

Peregrine: 3 tussling over power station, intruder chased SW out to sea.

Harbour Porpoise: 4

My first 3 Swallows and a Sand Martin of the year over misty ARC this morning, also my first Kingfisher of the year there, a couple of Siskins flew through and a few Chiffchaffs were obvious new arrivals. The Black-throated Diver was also there but flew over onto Burrowes mid afternoon.

A fly catching first summer Little Gull on Burrowes this afternoon

A fly catching Black-headed Gull with a near adult Little Gull on Burrowes this afternoon

What I consider to be a "Littoralis" Rock Pipit fly catching on the raft in front of Dennis's Hide this afternoon

Great Northern Diver on Burrowes this afternoon

Drake Goldeneye on Burrowes in the rain

21/03/2024

Wheatear behind the boats today

A very poor sea watch for us this morning.

06.30-08.30 with RW, TH, DW  from the sea watch hide. Wind NE 1-2 Temp 9°  

Wigeon: 3E

Teal: 5E

Common Scoter: 29E   4W    

Great-crested Grebe: 4E      5 present 

Oystercatcher: 4E

Kittiwake: 1E    2W  

Black-headed Gull: 100E     

Common Gull: 22E

Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 4E   3W  

Guillemot: 8E   

Auk sp: 26E       8W

Red-throated Diver: 27E   2W

Fulmar: 1E     

Gannet: 192E   

Cormorant: 35 present

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Glossy Ibis around the hay fields late morning. This bird looks to be a new arrival as the long staying bird is not as colourful and has the juvenile pale flecking around the neck.

An influx of Little Egrets onto the Hayfields today

A wander around the hay fields with Colin and Richard in gloomy conditions saw 2 Corn Buntings at Springfield Bridge, a Great White Egret and probably the 2 Water Pipits in Denge Marsh Flood, on hayfield 3 c10 Common Snipe, 2 Pintail and the Ibis of any note, several Bearded Tits were seen in the reeds and Bittern was heard briefly but it generally very quiet.

This afternoon in hindsight a wander around the Scotney sand pit was probably a mistake, visibility was very poor in the mist, the wind had picked up and it was cold, apart from mewing Mediterranean Gulls little was seen.

20/03/2024

Oystercatchers passing the sea watch hide this morning

Meadow Pipit on the wall behind the sea watch hide

Enough on the sea watch this morning to keep my interest for a couple of hours.

 06.30-09.00 with RW, OL, DW  from the sea watch hide.  Wind S 1-2 Temp 11° 

Brent Goose: 117E (5 parties)

Shelduck: 14E     

Shoveler: 26E

Pintail: 3E

Common Scoter: 147E   4W    

Great-crested Grebe: 2E      6 present 

Oystercatcher: 22

Ringed Plover: 1E  

Whimbrel: 2E 

Kittiwake: 2E  

Black-headed Gull: 96E     

Mediterranean Gull: 1E 

Common Gull: 19E

Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 5E   1W  

Guillemot: 3E   

Auk sp: 3E       4W

Red-throated Diver: 93E   

Fulmar: 2E     

Gannet: 26E    4W

Cormorant: 46 present

Harbour Porpoise: 4

After the sea watch Owen and Richard picked me up in the truck which was loaded with Tree Sparrow nestboxes which were kindly supplied by Paul Trodd, John Young and Dungeness RSPB. We made our way out onto the marsh with permission from the farmer and installed the boxes to the accompaniment of Tree Sparrows tu-wicking around us. There are now 25 boxes for this colony, hopefully they will all be used like the first batch we put up last year.

While having lunch at home there was a kettle of 12 Common buzzards over me

White Wagtails at Springfield Bridge this afternoon

Corn Buntings at Springfield Bridge this afternoon

Black-necked Grebe on Dengemarsh this afternoon

One of two Water Pipits on Dengemarsh Flood this afternoon

Water Pipit over Dengemarsh Flood

19/03/2024

Black Redstart in the power station behind the hide

 06.30-09.00 with TW, RW, PT from the sea watch hide

Brent Goose: 81E (9 parties)

Shelduck: 2E        1W

Shoveler: 7E

Common Scoter: 36E       

Great-crested Grebe: 2E    1W    4 present 

Oystercatcher: 8E   

Kittiwake: 3E    17W 

Black-headed Gull: 10E     1W

Mediterranean Gull: 11E 

Common Gull: 26E

Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 3E     

Arctic Skua: 1E DP

Guillemot: 4E   2 present   

Auk sp: 42E       11W

Red-throated Diver: 44E    7W 

Fulmar: 1E      2W

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet: 33E    5W

Cormorant:  present n/c

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Black-throated Diver on the ARC from the Axell bus stop

It has been generally very quiet on the peninsular, a small arrival of Wheatears and Chiffchaffs with the odd Black Redstart and Firecrest. The only addition on the reserve was a 1w/s Little Gull on Burrowes.

16/03/2023

  With a gentle NW breeze blowing I wasn't expecting an exciting sea watch, it didn't disappoint.

06.30-08.30 with SO from the sea watch hide.  Wind NW 1-2 Temp 9°

Brent Goose: 134E (9 parties)

Shoveler: 1E

Common Scoter: 17E   1W     

Great-crested Grebe: 1W    8 present 

Oystercatcher: 5E    1W

Black-headed Gull: 12E     

Mediterranean Gull: 1E 

Common Gull: 6E

Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 2E     

Guillemot: 12E   2W  16 present   

Auk sp: 4E       

Red-throated Diver: 26E    42W 

Fulmar: 1E      2W

Gannet: 37E    24W

Cormorant:  present n/c

Carrion Crow: 6 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 4

A brazen Mink at Denge Marsh early afternoon

A pleasant wander around Denge Marsh and the reserve late morning/early afternoon with Colin Turley in warm sunshine was mainly uneventful, apart from an encounter with a brazen Mink that literally trotted along the bridleway towards and past us by just a few feet. From Denge Marsh hide the Black-necked grebe was showing fairly well and 2 Goldeneye but not much else. Christmas Dell was as usual very quiet, though the new island creation works looks very promising, time will tell. Another Black-necked grebe and a great Northern Diver were the highlights from the old Makepiece viewpoint, plenty of Black-headed Gulls were dipping for insects but sadly no Little Gull. 

Elsewhere the Black-throated Diver was at southern end of the ARC, a few Wheatears were seen around the peninsular, also a few Chiffchaffs and Redwings but no big arrival.

Great Northern Diver on Burrowes

These 2 Common Gulls have been loafing at the northern end of Denge Marsh Flood for a few days now

15/03/2024

  A much quieter sea watch this morning probably due to the poor visibility and rain.

06.45-09.00 with TW,TH, DW, OL, RW from the sea watch hide, Wind SW 6 Temp 11° 

Brent Goose: 92E        9W

Common Scoter: 85E     

Great-crested Grebe: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 1E

Kittiwake: 13E       2W

Black-headed Gull: 9E     

Mediterranean Gull: 5E 

Common Gull: 11E

Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2E

Sandwich Tern: 9E     1W

Guillemot: 31E   2W     

Auk sp: 28E    12W       

Red-throated Diver: 37E    6W 

Fulmar: 3E      3W

Gannet: 187E    42W

Cormorant:  present n/c

Peregrine: 1 

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

After breakfast I took a stroll around the muddy tracks of the hay fields to Dengemarsh Hide. A Great White Egret jumped out of the old pump site, also a pair of Bearded Tits there. On hayfield 3 a Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, 2 Pintail and some Shelduck but no sign of any hoped for Garganey, a Raven with a full crop flew over towards its nest site. As I reached hayfield 2, 2 Water Pipits jumped out of the long grass calling and gave me the usual view that I've been getting (see image below) From Dengemarsh hide a Black-necked Grebe still present also the 2 female Goldeneye but little else of note,

The typical view I've been getting of the Water Pipits as they fly off to another field

On my back home for lunch I spotted an alba Wagtail in one of the Lydd Fields

After lunch heading for the beach the Glossy Ibis flew over the road and into the horse paddock, as I reached the estate entrance a message from DW that he had found a Wheatear behind the fishing boats, a few minutes later I was there but found no sign, this was no doubt due to my incompetence as a little time later RW went there and found 2 Wheatears, mean while I was in Hanson hide looking at a distant Great Northern Diver and Black-throated Diver. On returning to my car I drove back to the fishing boats where I managed to find both of the Wheatears, while there a pair of Egyptian Geese came in and landed by Mr T, I was more pleased to see these as I believe they are the first ones I have seen on the ground at the fishing boats.

My first Wheatears of 2024

Egyptian Geese behind the fishing boats by Mr T

 

13/03/2024

  

3 distant Velvet Scoters passing East this morning

Another good sea watch today with the highlight for me being 2 Spoonbills, the first I have seen on a sea watch at Dungeness.

06.30-11.30 with TW,TH, CP & RW from the sea watch hide.  Wind SW 4 Temp 9°

Brent Goose: 1,880E 

Wigeon: 1E 

Pintail: 68E

Velvet Scoter: 3E  

Common Scoter: 51E     3W

Great-crested Grebe:  60+ present

Kittiwake: 16E

Black-headed Gull: 291E     

Mediterranean Gull: 31E 

Common Gull: 661E

Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 present

Sandwich Tern: 2E     1W

Guillemot: 68E   16W      21 present

Auk sp: 65E    19W       

Red-throated Diver: 83E    13W 

Fulmar: 1E      3W

Gannet: 47E    19W

Cormorant:  present n/c

Spoonbill: 2E  First ones I have seen on a Dungeness sea watch

Peregrine: 1 in off presumed local bird

Skylark: 9W

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Brent Geese passing this morning

Peregrine that came in off the sea this morning, presumably a local bird that had been on a hunting sortie.

The Dengemarsh Black-necked Grebe

My all around Dengemarsh saw 2 Water Pipits, flight views only as when they do land they are hidden among the Cotton Grass. Also 12 Dunlin, 2 Curlew, 3 Redshank and at least 6 pairs of Lapwing. There is still lots of Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler around the reserve, those around the hay fields seem to be particularly jumpy.

Another Black-necked Grebe from Makepiece

A very distant Black-necked Grebe from Firth 

Gorgeous Little Gull on Burrowes today

Great Northern Diver on Burrowes late afternoon

There is possibly 3 Great Northern Divers present on the reserve, as Steve M and Alan P saw 2 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver on ARC at the more or less the same time I was seeing this one on Burrowes.

I don't think I've ever this boat at Dungeness before