22/04/2024

Bar-tailed Godwits and a Whimbrel passing this afternoon

A better sea watch today, though the Skuas were only seen on the afternoon watch.

06.10-08.30 & 14.45-16.30 with RW, from the sea watch hide. Wind NE 3-4 Temp 2° rising to 7° 

Common Scoter: 15E   

Great-crested Grebe: 1W    2 present 

Oystercatcher: 3E

Whimbrel: 2E

Curlew: 2E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 66E

Kittiwake: 21E

Common Gull: 1E

Great Black-backed Gull: 12E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 137E 

Little Tern: 6E  First of the year at Dungeness.

Common Tern: 23E

Comic Tern: 4E  

Great Skua: 2E

Arctic Skua: 2E

Auk Sp: 7E    

Red-throated Diver: 5E  4W

Fulmar: 2E     1W

Gannet: 64E   95W

Cormorant: 30W 10E  

Swallow: 20 in off    

Harbour Porpoise: 4

Black-tailed Godwits and 1 of the six Avocets on hayfield 2 today, also 6 Grey Plover and 2 Redshank.

A Little Ringed Plover on the island from Makepiece late morning is the first I've seen on the reserve this year, while myself and Richard were watching it a Red Kite came past, by the time we realised all we could do was watch its rear end disappearing over the VC. We also saw several each of Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel and Snipe around the reserve, sadly it seems the Great Northern Diver has finally departed, it has not been seen for 2 days despite us checking the New Diggings as well today. 

21/04/2024

Red-throated Diver in front the hide this morning

Another very cold and windy day on the peninsula with showers this afternoon. Migration off shore was still very poor and probably poorer on the land. There were a few more Hirundines including a few Swifts each time a shower raced South, in the fields a few Whimbrel and the odd Bar-tailed Godwit, with a smattering of Yellow and White Wagtails but nothing to get excited about. 

06.00-08.30 & 11.30-13.00 with RW, SO, JY  from the sea watch hide.  Wind N 5-6Temp 2° rising to 5° 

Greylag Goose: 4W

Shelduck: 4E

Common Scoter: 97E    9W 

Red-breasted Merganser: 1E 

Great-crested Grebe: 1E  1W  5 present 

Oystercatcher: 6E

Whimbrel: 1E

Curlew: 2E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 54E

Kittiwake: 11E

Black-headed Gull: 3W

Mediterranean Gull: 2W

Great Black-backed Gull: 5W

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 104E    4W

Comic Tern: 40E  

Guillemot: 1E   

Auk Sp: 11E    

Red-throated Diver: 4E

Fulmar: 2E

Gannet: 7E   157W

Cormorant: 44W   21E  

Swallow: 1 in off    

Carrion Crow: 4 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Whimbrel by the entrance track to the VC

20/04/2024

The XIN YAO HUA making its way to Port Louis, Mauritius, arriving 24/05/2024. The picture doesn't do this incredibly huge ship justice. It gives you some idea how poor the sea watch was again today, that I was looking at the ships.

06.30-08.30 & 13.30-15.00 with RW, OL  from the sea watch hide.  Wind N 5-6Temp 5° 

Shelduck: 2E

Common Scoter: 67E  

Great-crested Grebe: 2W    4 present 

Curlew: 1W

Whimbrel: 6E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 111E

Kittiwake: 1E

Black-headed Gull: 15W

Great Black-backed Gull: 26W

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 49E   4W

Common Tern:  50E  11W

Guillemot: 4E     1W

Auk Sp: 5E    

Red-throated Diver: 8E

Gannet: 54E   64W

Cormorant: 41W   7E      

Carrion Crow: 12 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 2

One of 3 Great White Egrets feeding in front the Axell Viewpoint late morning

Unsurprisingly in todays stiff Northerly wind a wander around the ARC was fairly unproductive, small numbers of the common warblers were heard rather than seen, over the lake several Swallows, Sand Martins and 2 House Martins, as there are still no islands at the ARC there was zero wader interest. Burrowes is also still without islands so no waders and no Terns, just a few Hirundines. 

18/04/2024

Probably the highlight of the sea watch was watching this machine come along the beach

With a very cold North wind blowing I wasn't expecting much, I was not disappointed!

06.20-07.50 with RW  from the sea watch hide,  Wind N 3-4 Temp 4° Felt like -4

Shelduck: 2W
Common Scoter: 1E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 5 present
Curlew: 1E 
Common Gull: 4E
Great Black-backed Gull: 6W
Herring Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 33E   2W
Common Tern:  5E  
Guillemot: 1E
Auk Sp: 11E    
Red-throated Diver: 3E
Fulmar: 1E
Gannet: 16E   65W
Cormorant: 14W         
Carrion Crow: 5 in off

Ring Ouzel in northern part of The Desert today

At Least 10 Wheatears were in the Desert with the Ring Ouzel

Looks like one of my garden Greenfinches has got Scaly Leg fungus.

The friendly Pied Wagtail at Denge Marsh again this afternoon, taken with my phone.

The Pied Wagtail lands on my car before i come to a stop

17/04/2024

Greenshank on the only un-submerged bit of island on the ARC. If only there were more islands.

The theme continues😡

06.20-08.20 with RW  from the sea watch hide.  Wind NW 3-4 Temp 4° 

Egyptian Goose: 3W

Shelduck: 2W

Great-crested Grebe: 1E   2W   6 present

Whimbrel: 4E (they came across then East)

Kittiwake: 1W

Black-headed Gull: 1W  

Common Gull: 57E

Great Black-backed Gull: 16W

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2E

Sandwich Tern: 16E   5W

Common Tern:  26E  

Guillemot: 1W

Auk Sp: 5E    

Red-throated Diver: 4E

Gannet: 41E   78W

Cormorant: 67W          17E

Carrion Crow: 4 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

Wheatear: 1 behind the hide

2 of 3 Great White Egrets at the ARC, there 2 more on Denge Marsh

Another difficult day in the field, this weather is making finding migrants very difficult, a walk around the Long Pits found a very few Willow Warblers and 2 Wheatears that were probably new arrivals,  Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs and Reed Warblers were all easily be found around the pits but little else of note.

On the reserve Swallows and Sand Martins in most areas in small numbers, but still no Cuckoo or much else new in, The Great Northern diver and the Little gull are still to found on Burrowes. RW Found a Ring Ouzel in the Desert this afternoon of note.

Black-tailed Godwit Hayfield 2

1 of 2 Avocets on Hayfield 2

Greenshank, presumably the ARC bird relocating to Hayfield 2

Sedge Warbler Denge Marsh

Grey Heron on my shed roof late afternoon, hope the neighbours have covered there fish pond.

16/04/2024

This drake Garganey was the definite highlight of this afternoons plod 

Considering that it is is the middle of April todays sea watch was absolutely woeful!

06.20-08.30 with RW, JY, from the sea watch hide.  Wind NW 5-6 Temp 7° 

Common Scoter: 1E   

Great-crested Grebe: 2E   4 present

Oystercatcher: 15E

Kittiwake: 1W

Black-headed Gull: 2W

Mediterranean Gull: 5W   

Common Gull: 4W

Great Black-backed Gull: 3E     6W

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 14E   3W

Common Tern:  1E  2W 

Auk Sp: 2E    

Diver sp: 1W

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 34E   29W

Cormorant: 31 present

Wood Pigeon: 1 in off

Carrion Crow: 1 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 2

One of the Lydd Little Owls sheltering from the cold NW wind this morning

First summer Little Gull flycatching over Burrowes

An afternoon plod from Springfield Bridge to Firth this afternoon was born out of desperation rather than hope, with the cold NW wind still blowing and showers rattling through i did wonder why i was doing it. From the bridge a Great White Egret and a few each of Swallow and Sand Martin, surprisingly hay field 3 was devoid of birds despite it looking in superb condition, as I neared hay fields 1 and 2 a Bittern boomed and a pair of Bearded Tits flew over the path, hay field 2, a lone Black-tailed Godwit was feeding with 2 Avocet and 10 Redshank. At the back of Dengemarsh Hide the usual cacophony from the Sedge Warblers and Cetti's warblers now joined by Common and Lesser Whitethroats, also high above several mewing Mediterranean Gulls. From behind Christmas Dell  I was scanning the Teal and Gadwall when a large white supercillium came into view which could only belong to a lovely drake Garganey. Reaching Firth the Great Northern Diver was still anchored in the middle of the lake, the first summer Little Gull was still present and a few more each of Swallows and Sand Martins whizzed through

15/04/2024

 

Yellow Wagtail at Springfield Bridge this afternoon

Another mediocre sea watch with just 2 Manx Shearwaters providing any quality.

06.20-09.00 with RW, JY, from the sea watch hide. Wind WSW 6-8 Temp 9° 

Brent Goose: 2E

Common Scoter: 12E   

Great-crested Grebe: 4E   1W

Oystercatcher: 51E

Kittiwake: 2W

Black-headed Gull: 2W

Mediterranean Gull: 30E   

Common Gull: 2E

Great Black-backed Gull: 14E     5W

Lesser black-backed Gull: 4E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 89E   

Common Tern: 15E

Guillemot: 6E     23W    

Auk Sp: 2E    3W

Red-throated Diver: 3E   1 present

Fulmar: 2E   4W

Manx Shearwater: 2W

Gannet: 17E   104W

Cormorant: 8 present

Swallow: 1 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Despite the cold NW gale it was fairly sheltered in the Willow Trail where a Great White egret leapt out of the reeds in front of me, also in the reeds a Reed Warbler was chuntering away, nearby a couple of Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings. 2 Swallows were defying the gale and hawking over the willows, but most things sensibly kept in cover.

Great White Egret at the ARC

Yesterdays Purple Heron that flew down the Long Pits to the power station then out to sea

13/04/2024

 

Ringed Plover around the power station

A flock of 7 Garganey was notable, but the rest was very meagre.

06.20-08.30 & 14.00-15.00 with JY & RW from the sea watch hide. Wind SW 2-3 Temp 12° 

Brent Goose: 4E

Shelduck: 4E   3W

Garganey: 7E

Common Scoter: 85E   

Great-crested Grebe: 1E    8 present

Oystercatcher: 4E

Kittiwake: 1W

Mediterranean Gull: 3E   

Great Black-backed Gull: 9 present

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 50E   9W 

Common Tern: 7W

Guillemot: 6E    4 present

Auk Sp: 3E 

Red-throated Diver: 17E   1 present

Gannet: 27E   24W

Cormorant: 16 present

Carrion Crow: 7 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 9

It seemed very few new migrants arrived at Dungeness today. Around the reserve a Garganey was eleusive at Cooks pool, also 7 Cattle Egrets there, 6 Avocet, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank on the hayfields with another at Scotney. The Great Northern Diver was anchored to its usual spot in the middle of Burrowes, also there appears to be more Reed and Sedge Warblers around as well as both the Whitethroat species.

One of several displaying Wheatears around the power station

A rubbish pic of Brimstone flying along the front of the power station, first I've seen at this location

My first Little Ringed Plover of the year in the Scotney sand pit

Yellow Wagtail Scotney sand pit

Silver Y Scotney sand pit

                                                       Pied Wagtail at Denge Marsh

12/04/2024

 The sea watching is still rather uninspiring, hopefully it will improve towards the end of the month.

06.30-08.30 with JY, SM, from the sea watch hide. Wind SW 3-4 Temp 11° 

Brent Goose:13E

Common Scoter: 141E  28W 

Red-breasted Merganser: 1E

Great-crested Grebe: 3 present

Oystercatcher: 4E

Kittiwake: 4E    4W

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Common Gull: 16E     

Great Black-backed Gull: 8W

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 51E   

Common Tern: 4E

Arctic Skua: 1E

Auk Sp: 4W 

Red-throated Diver: 4E   

Fulmar: 1E    2W

Gannet: 21E   16W

Cormorant: 7W

Swallow: 1 in

Harbour Porpoise: 1 

Finally caught up with one of the Redstarts on the peninsula today

There were a couple of Black Redstarts around the old lighthouse area along with Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and a Blackcap, good numbers of Wheatears appeared today around the peninsula but most migrants were thin on the ground. The Great Northern Diver was still doing its thing on Burrowes today and 7 Avocets were on the hayfields.

Just a few of the 100s of images I took of the Greatstone Hoopoe today

10/04/2024

What can only be described as an abysmal sea watch this morning for the time of year.

07.00-08.00 with RW, from the sea watch hide.  Wind W3 Temp 5°  

Common Scoter: 16E   

Great-crested Grebe: 1 present

Kittiwake: 2E      

Great Black-backed Gull: 2W

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 10E      15W

Common Tern: 1E

Auk Sp: 7E  

Red-throated Diver: 3E   1 present

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 2E   14W

Cormorant: 9W 

A wander out the back of Scotney produced 12+ Yellow Wagtails that were for some reason very camera shy, 16 noisy Avocets, a few Corn Buntings but little else notable. 

The Ring Ouzel was still at the top end of The Desert but elusive due mainly to dog disturbance. The Great Northern Diver is still asleep in the centre of Burrowes Pit where the Little gulls seemed to have moved on. The hay fields hosted 7 Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit of note. An Osprey flew across the peninsula per JY. There were 2 Cattle Egrets at Cooks Pool and a Great White Egret at the southern end of the ARC, a few more Swallows were in evidence today.

Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Common Whitethroat

Common Whitethroat

This Great-crested Grebe spends much time catching tiddlers in front of Hanson Hide