06/04/2024

 

A very distant Black-throated Diver photo bombing a sail training ship this morning

A few migrant passerines turned up on the peninsula as promised by the SE wind, but they were very few. The Common Redstart was again by the Polish Memorial, while on the reserve The Great Northern Diver was still present, a showy Firecrest in the car park but little else of note.

06.00-11.00 & 13.20-15.20 with RW,JY,SO,CP,DW from the sea watch hide. Wind SSE7-8    Temp 13°  

Brent Goose: 272E   (11 parties)

Shelduck: 9E

Mallard: 1W

Gadwall: 9E

Shoveller: 22E

Wigeon: 1E drake 

Pintail: 25E

Common Scoter: 420E   10W

Red-breasted Merganser: 5E 

Great-crested Grebe: 2 present  

Oystercatcher: 8E

Whimbrel: 43E (8 parties)

Kittiwake: 9E         

Little Gull: 6E

Black-headed Gull: 25E

Mediterranean Gull: 14E

Common Gull: 118E

Great Black-backed Gull: 20E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 5E

Sandwich Tern: 641E 

Common Tern: 49E

Arctic Tern: 1E

Arctic Skua: 12E

Guillemot: 9E   2 present

Auk Sp: 15W  

Red-throated Diver: 70E  2W

Black-throated Diver: 2E 

Fulmar: 2E    4W

Gannet: 166E   603W

Cormorant: 32 around

Carrion Crow: 3E

Harbour Porpoise: 2

A small flock of Shoveler passing this morning

One of the 12 Arctic Skuas that passed today

Some of the Brent Geese that passed by this morning

A flock of 9 Gadwall passed this afternoon, an unusual occurrence

05/04/2024

Some of the 100s of Gannets that passed West this morning

A relatively entertaining sea watch this morning, though a disappointing number of species.

06.20-10.20 with RW, JY, PE from the sea watch hide. Wind SW6-7  Rain  Temp 12°  

Brent Goose: 78E   (7 parties)

Common Scoter: 242E    

Great-crested Grebe: 2E  

Avocet: 1E

Dunlin: 3E

Kittiwake: 4E    8W     

Little Gull: 7E

Black-headed Gull: 6E

Mediterranean Gull:3E

Common Gull: 51E

Great Black-backed Gull: 14E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 307E 

Common Tern: 53E

Great Skua: 1E

Arctic Skua: 2E

Guillemot: 5E   

Red-throated Diver: 21E   

Fulmar: 2E    14W

Manx Shearwater: 1W

Gannet: 52E   714W

Cormorant: 17 around

Meadow Pipit: 27 in

Grey Seal: 1

Most of the rest of the day was taken up with domestic stuff, so I didn't get a chance to look for the male Redstart found at the Polish memorial by PE this morning.

I did get out for a couple of hours this evening, parking at Springfield Bridge I walked to Firth and back, I encountered at least 5 Sedge Warblers around Denge Marsh but little else. On Burrowes still at least 4 Little Gulls and the Great Northern Diver but again nothing new.

A 1st summer Little Gull from Makepiece this evening

I couldn't resist image of a Mallard at Dengemarsh his evening

04/04/2024

One of several Swallows over the ARC this morning, also a Willow Warbler singing in the Willow Trail.

Yet another very uninspiring sea watch this morning! There is a distinct lack of spring migrants around the peninsular.

06.50-09.00 with PT, RW, DW from the sea watch hide.  Wind SW 6-7 Temp 12° 

Brent Goose: 25E    

Common Scoter: 12E    8W  

Great-crested Grebe: 1E

Black-headed Gull: 2E     3W

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Common Gull: 31E

Great Black-backed Gull: 7W

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 60E    13W

Common Tern: 9E

Arctic Skua: 1E

Guillemot: 2E

Auk sp: 3E 

Red-throated Diver: 5E    1W  

Gannet: 29E   22W

Cormorant: 29 around

Black Redstart on the perimeter wall behind the sea watch hide this afternoon

The long staying Great Northern Diver on Burrowes today, also at least 3 Little Gulls still present

Tufted Duck at Burrows, just because they are very smart looking birds

Its good that I now regularly get 8+ Greenfinches visiting my garden feeders, they seem to be showing signs of a come back from the catastrophic decline of recent years.

02/04/2024

 As expected todays watch was a slow affair.

07.00-09.00 with RW, OL, TW  from the sea watch hide. Wind SW 5-6 Temp 10°  

Brent Goose: 2E    

Common Scoter: 156E  

Great-crested Grebe: 2E.   2 present 

Mediterranean Gull: 4E

Common Gull: 28E

Great Black-backed Gull:18E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 4E

Sandwich Tern: 31E  8W

Arctic Skua: 5E

Guillemot: 3E

Auk sp: 2E   3W

Red-throated Diver: 7E    1W  

Fulmar: 2E   1W 

Gannet: 46E   48W

Cormorant: 27 around

Mid morning 8 Ravens flew West over The Point, A willow Warbler dropped into a private garden and a Brown Hare was foraging by the estate road.

1st summer Little Gull photobombing the Great Northern Diver on Burrowes 

There were 5+ Little Gulls on Burrowes today with the long staying GND, when the drizzle arrived it dropped a few Swallows and Sand martins there. A wander around the hayfields was hard work for little reward in todays strong wind. Hopefully things will improve as the month progresses

Pair of Avocets on the Hay Fields

Grey Heron With tasty Marsh Frog at Denge Marsh today

This Peacock Butterfly found a sheltered spot to sun bathe at Denge Marsh

One of at least 5 Water pipits around Denge Marsh today

31/03/2024

I don't see many Avocets on sea sea watches at Dungeness

A couple of relatively close Red-breasted Mergansers

A much better watch than yesterday, not huge numbers but nice number of species.

06.45-10.00 with TH,JY, SO,CP from the sea watch hide.  Wind E 4  Temp 7°  

Brent Goose: 86E (4 parties)

Shelduck: 63E (4 parties)

Shoveler: 22W

Teal: 8E

Pintail: 1E

Eider: 5E

Common Scoter: 643E   18W

Red-breasted Merganser: 4W     

Great-crested Grebe: 2E   7 present 

Oystercatcher: 10E

Avocet: 1E

Dunlin: 1E

Curlew: 7E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 1E

Kittiwake: 1E      

Black-headed Gull: 6E

Little Gull: 2E (ad + 1w)

Mediterranean Gull: 5E

Common Gull: 10E

Great Black-backed Gull: 26E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 4E

Sandwich Tern: 37E 

Common Tern: 5E

Guillemot: 21E  

Auk sp: 4E  

Red-throated Diver: 17E    4W   

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 24E 

Cormorant: 56 around

Peregrine: 2 out to sea together, presumed local birds hunting.

Carrion Crow 7 SW out to sea

Harbour Porpoise: 7

Grey Seal: 1

Eider passing this morning

One of four flocks of Shelduck that came through this morning

At least 1 Great Northern Diver was still on Burrowes late afternoon

10+ Little Gulls were hawing over Burrowes today, they weren't all this obliging

Another tasty morsel

Apart from a couple each of Chiffchaff and Sedge Warbler and long staying Water Pipits I found very little sign of migrant passerines on my plod around the reserve. I was hoping for an LRP at Christmas Dell, which now looks very good due to the habitat creation works done over the winter, I will be very surprised if they don't breed there and probably Garganey. I'm guessing that when the storms clear in Iberia and Southern France there will be a rush of migrants.🤞

One of the three Avocets on Hayfield 2/1

Black-tailed Godwit on Hayfield 2/1

30/03/2024

  After a run of half decent sea watches, I can only describe todays as disappointing!

06.20-08.30 with RW, SO  from the sea watch hide. Wind SW 1-2 Temp 9° 

Brent Goose: 8E    1W

Common Scoter: 303E   8W    

Great-crested Grebe: 11 present 

Oystercatcher: 3E

Black-headed Gull: 2E

Mediterranean Gull: 2W

Common Gull: 16E

Great Black-backed Gull: 27E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2 present

Sandwich Tern: 25E   2W

Auk sp: 4E   

Red-throated Diver: 21E    2W   

Gannet: 29E   21W

Cormorant: 59 around

Harbour Porpoise: 4+

The Lydd Little Owls watched me as I walked by

Pied Wagtail collecting nesting material

After my late breakfast while scrolling X and WhatsApp I noticed there seemed to be lots of birders around Dungeness, so instead of going to the usual sites  walked out of the back of Lydd and then around the back of Scotney to Jurys Gap and back. Although it was a very pleasant walk it was also disappointing due to the complete lack of migrants. There plenty of Skylarks, Corn and Reed Buntings but none of the hoped for Yellow Wagtails, Hirundines and Little Ringed Plovers. But it is only still March. From the reports I heard from the reserve nothing new was found today, there are still a few Water Pipits around, c15 Little Gulls on Burrowes as well as the Great Northern Diver, 2 there yesterday, a White Stork of unknown origin flew through North East, a few Sedge Warblers and a Willow Warbler.

One of several Corn Buntings seen on my walk today

Small Tortoiseshell basking in the warm sunshine today

28/03/2024

 06.00-09.00 with RW,TH, PT,DW  from the sea watch hide. Wind SSW 6-8 Temp 7°

Brent Goose: 139E (9 parties)

Common Scoter: 393E   12W

Red-breasted Merganser: 2W     

Great-crested Grebe: 2 present 

Oystercatcher: 4E   

Curlew: 3E

Kittiwake: 18E    

Black-headed Gull: 9E

Mediterranean Gull: 6E

Common Gull: 93E

Great Black-backed Gull: 44E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 5E

Sandwich Tern: 19E  

Guillemot: 1E  

Auk sp: 16E    

Red-throated Diver: 96E    2W   

Fulmar: 4E    1W

Gannet: 183E   8W

Cormorant: 16 around

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

Late morning/Early afternoon the wind strengthened to force 8-9 SSW with squally showers

around 13.30after a very quiet hour the first of 17 Manx Shearwater appeared quickly followed by a procession of Arctic Skuas, making a very enjoyable afternoon in the relative comfort of the hide.

12.20-16.20 with RW,CP  from the sea watch hide

Brent Goose: 25E (2 parties)

Common Scoter: 131E   

Kittiwake: 28E   

Little Gull: 3E 

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Great Black-backed Gull: 83E

Sandwich Tern: 34E

Arctic Skua: 23E  

Guillemot: 1E  

Auk sp: 39E    

Red-throated Diver: 27E      

Fulmar: 5E    11W

Manx Shearwater: 7E    10W

Gannet: 159E   27W

The only other news from the peninsular was the continuing presence of a Great Northen Diver and a 1st summer Little Gull on Burrowes.

27/03/2024

Great Skua past the hide this morning

06.00-10.00 & 13.20-15.30 with RW,DW,CP,JY from the hide. Wind SE  3-4 veering S 6-7 Temp 8°-11  

Brent Goose: 960E (42 parties)      1W

Shelduck: 2E       

Shoveler: 6E

Eider: 1E   (duck)

Common Scoter: 729E   9W  

Red-breasted Merganser: 1E drake 

Great-crested Grebe: 9E   15 present 

Oystercatcher: 1E   

Curlew: 23E

Kittiwake: 146E    

Black-headed Gull: 28E 

Mediterranean Gull: 14E

Common Gull: 282E

Great Black-backed Gull: 46E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 4E

Sandwich Tern: 190E    11W 

Common Tern: 1E first of the year

Arctic Skua: 3E   1 o/s

Great Skua: 1E  

Guillemot: 6E    1W

Auk sp: 78E      18W

Red-throated Diver: 251E    6W   

Black-throated Diver: 1E

Great Northern Diver: 1E

Fulmar: 6E   1W 

Gannet: 412E   36W

Cormorant: 30 around

Peregrine: 1 out to sea presumed local bird hunting

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

More Brent Geese past today

 Elsewhere a handful or Hirundines dropped in to the lakes this afternoon when the showers came throug, otherwise nothing else was seen.

26/03/2024

Some of the 1,000+ Brent Geese past the hide this morning

 

06.15-11.15 with RW,DW, CP from the sea watch hide,  Wind SE 3-4 Temp 8° 

Brent Goose: 1,016E (32 parties)

Shelduck: 7E       

Shoveler: 15E

Teal: 4E

Eider: 6E   5 drakes

Common Scoter: 1,707E   26W

Red-breasted Merganser: 3E     

Great-crested Grebe:13 present 

Oystercatcher: 4E   

Curlew: 2E

Kittiwake: 4E    

Black-headed Gull: 6E  2W

Mediterranean Gull: 3E

Common Gull: 7E

Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 9E    2W   

Guillemot: 3E   2 present   

Auk sp: 16E      2W

Red-throated Diver: 105E    5W     3 present

Great Northern Diver: 1E 

Fulmar: 2E    

Gannet: 64E   14W

Cormorant: 41 around

Carrion Crow: 3 out

Harbour Porpoise: 4

Grey Seal: 1

Another hour this afternoon added little to the above. The ARC from Hanson was very quiet apart from a few Chiffchaffs and a couple of reported Sedge Warblers. On Burrowes this afternoon a 2nd cal year Little Gull, some Goldeneye and a Great Northern Diver. From the double bends at Scotney an adult Little Gull was best I could find, then the rain really set in.

25/03/2024

Brent Geese passing the sea watch hide this morning

06.30-11.00 & 13.30-15.30 with RW,DW, SM, JY et al from the sea watch hide. Wind SSE 5-6 Temp 9° 

Brent Goose: 1,953E (43 parties)
Shelduck: 2E       
Shoveler: 15E
Teal: 14E
Common Scoter: 268E  
Red-breasted Merganser: 9E     
Great-crested Grebe: 6E   12 present 
Oystercatcher: 9E  

Dunlin: 12E 
Curlew: 1E
Kittiwake: 24E    
Black-headed Gull: 5W
Common Gull: 61E
Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 15E
Sandwich Tern: 91E   12W     
Guillemot: 5E   2 present   
Auk sp: 52E      14W
Red-throated Diver: 147E    6W 
Black-throated Diver: 2E
Fulmar: 6E      1W
Gannet: 73E    31W
Cormorant: 46 present
Harbour Porpoise: 4

Grey Seal: 1

Very little news from elsewhere on the peninsula, just the 2 x 2 cal year Little Gulls still on Burrowes.