28/-7/2024

The adult White-runped Sandpiper that graced the islands in front of Hanson Hide for a couple of hours until a Peregrine came through and spooked it. The Sandpiper seemed to be staying in close company with a Dunlin. In the above image you can see how much smaller the Sandpiper is compared to the Dunlin.

Up to 7 Garganey have been seen from Hanson hide recently, usually showing quite well on the short spit to the left of the hide. The first gorgeous lemon yellow juvenile Willow Warblers have started to appear around the peninsular.

It's the time of year when the juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls start to appear at the fishing boats, particularly when bread is thrown out for them. I have not spent much time there yet as there is very little passing off shore. 

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at the fishing boats

At the Scotney sandpit I had a magical encounter with a Leveret, for several minutes it nibbled weeds on the track totally ignoring me, it was as if it new I was not a threat to its safety. When it eventually moved off into the fields I carried on up the track to view the sand pit. I saw 15 Green Sandpipers (there has been up to 28 present) 4 Common Sandpipers, 2 Greenshanks, 12 Avocets, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, a Ruff, several Little Ringed Plovers, a few Yellow wagtails and the nesting Sand Martins. This morning there was another adult Curlew sandpiper there per Owen. 

Palpita vitrealia the only moth of any note to find its way into my trap

25/07/2024

A pitiful sea watch this morning, at least the watches can only get better.

07.50-08.50 from the hide: 

Common Scoter: 1E

Kittiwake: 5W     

Black-headed Gull:  14W

Great Black-backed Gull: 5W

Sandwich Tern: 3W

Common Tern: 10W

Gannet: 8W     4E

Grey Seal: 3

Harbour Porpoise: 3

There were still a few Swifts moving through the peninsular along with the usual July Sand Martins. A Kingfisher at the ARC was the first I have seen here for some weeks, whether they bred or not this year I have no idea. The Avocet chicks are still faring well, as are the Common Tern chicks, the Grebes are still sitting surely they must hatch in the next couple of days. Up to 7 Common Sandpipers are on the ARC islands, 20 Dunlin, 4 LRPs and 4 Ringed Plovers,  also new in an escaped leucitic White-cheeked Pintail.

A visit to the Scotney sand pit at lunch time saw 16 Green Sandpipers, $ Common Sandpipers, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, a Ruff, 2 LRPs and a 9 Avocets.

Garganey from Hanson today

You gotta love a Shoveler duckling with its oversize bill

A leucistic White-cheeked Pintail on the ARC today

Adult Little Grebe from Hanson today

The 2 Avocet chicks from Hanson today

 Polish ringed Black-headed Gull T2VL from Hanson again today

Some of the 16 Green Sandpipers present today in the Scotney Sand Pit East Sussex

Black-tailed Godwits and a Ruff in the Scotney sand pit East Sussex

23/07/2024

The Avocet on the ARC chasing off those Dunlin that pose such big threat to its chicks that are larger than the Dunlin.😆 A wander around the reserve this morning saw very little avian wise, islands are starting to appear so hopefully will attract passing migrants. On the ARC the single pair of Common Terns hatched 2 chicks today, I feel they will need much luck to survive.🤞 Mama Shoveler has lost 1 of her chicks. There are still large number of Pochard and Gadwall present, up to 5 Garganey along with the usual wildfowl.

The Sandpit still has Green and Common Sandpipers, Greenshanks and Avocets.

Sand martins are going through the peninsular in large numbers as they usually do in July, also a couple of Swifts today.

Part of a flock of 20 Dunlin that dropped into the ARC today, photo bombed by a Garganey

Black-tailed Godwits that dropped onto the Cormorant island, 1 of which was bearing multiple colour rings, details have been sent to the wader ringing group.

1 of the Power station juvenile Peregrines.

Clay Fan-foot a new moth for me, quite rare on the peninsular.

Cynaeda Dentalis a common micro moth on the peninsular, my personal favourite micro a real stunner.
 

20/07/2024

We are still in the quiet period, with little or no movement on the sea except for juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls at The Patch, the main focus of our watching has been on the ARC and the Scotney Sandpit. At the ARC the Avocet pair are doing well raising their 2 chicks, as is Mama Shoveler with her 4 ducklings, whereas the Common Tern and Great-crested Grebe pairs are still sitting on eggs after 3 weeks, surely they must hatch in the next couple of days. At least 4 Garganey are around and 2+ Bitterns, also 2 Wigeon and a Pintail now joined by the Red-crested Pochard all of which to hunted for among c1,200 Pochard and c1,00 Gadwall Waders have included up to 9 Common Sandpipers, a Wood Sandpiper, 2+ Redshank juveniles, several each of Dunlin, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover.

At the sandpit up to an amazing 28 Green Sandpipers have been present along with up to 6 Common Sandpipers, 4 Greenshank, 9 Black-tailed Godwits and 14 Avocets.

A Red-crested Pochard showing signs of leucism at the ARC this afternoon, found by Adam

The last of 3 Peregrine chicks to fledge from the power station nest. The male did a good job after the female crashed into an overhead cable severing her wing, unfortunately she had to be euthanised.

One of the two Avocet chicks that appear to be doing well on the ARC

One of at least four Garganey at the ARC

Sallow Clearwing, amazingly this individual came to a lure in my garden, it was totally unexpected.

Two of these Red-belted Clearwing also came to a lure in my garden, not quite so unexpected, but still very happy they did come.

This Scarce Chocolate-tip was in my MV this morning, a very scarce moth that I have been lucky enough to catch before.

The first of the Jersey Tigers arrived overnight in my garden

This gorgeous Magpie Moth quite common in my trap, but I still get a buzz when I find them.

 

18/07/2024

This Roseate Tern that was feeding at The Patch Tuesday Afternoon was the bird of the week, Thanks to Tom for finding and putting the news out.

Roseate Tern with a first summer Mediterranean Gull

Sea watching is still not very fruitful but hopefully will get better in the coming weeks. It's only a matter of days before the bright lemon yellow juvenile Willow Warblers start to appear, along with Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers and more, I live in hope. Huge numbers of Sand Martins have been coming through the peninsular and out to sea.

The sandpit has been amazing for Green Sandpipers with super 23 there yesterday and 24 today, also Black-tailed Godwits, Common Sandpipers, Avocets and a Curlew Sandpiper.
 

A couple of Cattle Egrets dropped onto the islands from Hanson today

Todays Wood Sandpiper was always distant

Mama Shoveler still has her 4 ducklings today

The Bitterns have been very difficult to see lately 

15/07/2024

07.30-08.00 from the hide. A very uninspiring half hour sea watch this morning.

Grey Heron: 1 in off

Oystercatcher: 2E

Kittiwake:7W

Black-headed Gull: 14E

Mediterranean Gull: 1W    

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: 4W  

Sandwich Tern: 5E    2W    

Gannet: 12W     2E

Sand Martin: 21 out

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 2

I have not watched a single game of Euro24 as the England mens team has disappointed me for the last 58 years, so while most the country was watching the match  I was out looking for Long-eared Owls with some success. Hearing a couple of squeaky gates, then seeing them in the gloom fly out out of their deep cover to greet one of the adults that was carrying prey, a magical sight far more uplifting than being disappointed once again by the England football team.

The ARC Avocets brought their chicks onto the near island for a while today, during several visits to the ARC today I spent much time enjoying the antics of the young Avocets. 

Throughout the day there were at least 4 Common Sandpipers present, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Great White Egret, Cattle Egret and little Egret, Hobby, Marsh Harriers etc.

A huddle of 3 Garganey at the ARC

2 Garganey ARC

Adult Oystercatcher shepherding one of this chicks across the ARC

Shoveler with 4 chicks on the ARC not a common site here

Curlew Sandpiper in the Scotney Sandpit, also 7+ Green Sandpipers, 11 Avocets, a Greenshank and 2 Common Sandpipers.

11/07/2024

Lesser Whitethroats

Early morning at the ARC both Avocet chicks were present and feeding, other waders present were Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpipers, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher and Lapwing, several Common terns were present and a Bittern flew across the lake. Along the track Water Rails were squealing, also a mixed flock of Lesser whitethroats, common Whitethroats, Sedge and Reed Warblers were foraging in the Sallows.

Ringed Plover

A visit to Rye with Owen and Colin where to be honest the highlight was Owens Madeira Cake. We did see 30+ Little Terns along with Sandwich and Common Terns though many have already left, most of the Avocets have gone but there was very little evidence of wader passage with just a few Dunlin present.

Common Terns

Little Egret

Sallow Clearwings

This afternoon in the woods some Sallow Clearwings came to our lure, a first for me, maybe another time I'll manage some better images.