15/11/2024

As there was barely a breath of wind this morning I gave the sea watch a miss, instead I wandered out into The Desert and Trapping Area both of which were very quiet, a handful of Siskin and a couple of Redpolls flew over, a few Blackbirds and the odd Chiffchaff also a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the bushes and 3 Dartford Warblers in the Broome.

On the reserve there were 2 Black-necked Grebes, a Slavonian Grebe and the Red-throated Diver all on Burrowes per RW. 

A cycle ride out to Scotney in the drab conditions found the roving flock of 40+ Tree Sparrows, 5 Greater White-fronted Goose and another Black-necked Grebe, on the sward c1,000 Golden plover and 17 Barnacle Geese was about as good as it got.

A late afternoon visit to The Midrips was ver disappointing no Owls of any description, just 5 Avocet, c100 Teal and 30+ Shelduck were the highlights.

Tree Sparrows around Scotney

5 Greater White-fronted Geese at Scotney today

The Barnacle Goose flock has increased to 17 on the Scotney sward

Avocets at The Midrips

 

14/11/2024

The northerly winds are not doing us any favours: 

07.40-09.10 from the Hide with OL, RW
Brent Goose: 2E    
Shelduck: 1E   2W
Common Scoter: 7E     
Great-crested Grebe: 4E     7W    2 present
Oystercatcher: 1W
Sandwich Tern: 2W
Kittiwake: 2W
Black-headed Gull: present n/c  
Mediteranean Gull: 2E
Common Gull:  present n/c 
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Skua sp: 1E Probably juv Pom along the the shore back end view only.
Guillemot: 5E
Auk: 20E     3W
Red-throated Diver: 12E    1W    2 present 
Gannet: 23E       8W
Cormorant:  present n/c 
Kestrel: 1 in off
Harbour Porpoise: 2
Grey Seal: 1

My local Little Owl enjoying a little sun this morning

An hour in Denge Marsh Gully late morning offered just 3 Goldcrests along with the usual Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins and Great Tits, 2 Ravens flew over.

The Slavonian Grebe above and Black-necked Grebe below were a little distant today on Burrowes Pit, the Red-throated Diver was still present but spent all its time the other side of the lake whilst I was there.

Several Common Darters were still on the wing along the track between Makepiece and Scott.

An adult Caspian Gull from Denge Marsh hide

Another Black-necked Grebe with a Great White Egret from Hanson this afternoon.

2 Youtube videos links of tonights Starling murmuration at the ARC late this afternoon from Hanson Hide.  Link1 HERE  Link 2 HERE

12/11/2024

Shelduck passing East past the bouy this morning

07.30-10.30 from the Hide joined by OL. Cool northerly wind with drizzle turning to rain.

Brent Goose: 15E    36W

Greylag: 2 in off

Shelduck: 16E

Pintail: 1W

Wigeon: 7E    18W

Teal: 1W

Common Scoter: 1E     4W

Red-breasted Merganser: 1W

Great-crested Grebe: 6E

Oystercatcher: 1E

Curlew: 1E

Dunlin: 8E

Woodcock: 1 in off

Little Egret: 4E. (Single flock)

Sandwich Tern: 10+ around

Common Tern: 1W/ around

Kittiwake: 86W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c  

Mediteranean Gull: 35W       6E

Common Gull: 18W

Herring Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c 

Guillemot: 4E  2W

Razorbill: 15W

Auk: 188W       71E

Red-throated Diver: 18E    4W    2 present 

Gannet: 440E        158W

Cormorant: c350

Skylark: 36 in off  inc party of 24

Starling: 2,130 in off

Greenfinch: party of 8 in off

Chaffinch: 43 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

Woodcock coming in to the beach

Woodcock coming up the beach

Made it but exhausted

It gradually sidled up to the bundle of sticks becoming almost invisible. It sat there for at least 5hrs getting a well deserved rest.

A late Common Tern this morning was notable

One of at least ten Sandwich terns still hanging around Dungeness

One of six Greater White-fronted Geese at Scotney this afternoon

Great Sotted Woodpecker in the reserve car park

A short video of the Starlings roosting at the ARC last night

PLEASE TURN YOUR VOLUME UP TO HEAR THE STARLINGS

10/11/2024

A nice spot by TH a Long-eared Owl

A few hours wandering around The Point this morning in the once again very gloomy weather, saw 21 Brambling including a party of 12 that alighted briefly and is probably the biggest party I have seen on The Point. Chaffinches, Redpolls and Siskins were going over mostly unseen. There appeared to be less Thrushes than yesterday though I did see another Mistle Thrush, a Ring Ouzel and 8 Fieldfare. Goldcrest numbers seemed lower but I did see 2 Firecrests and singles of Dartford Warbler and Black Redstart and of course the lovely Long-eared Owl.

A cycle out to Scotney early afternoon and still no wild Geese, in fact very few feral Geese were present.

09/11/2024

1 of at least 3 Dartford Warblers on The point today

Lots of Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs around today including a Siberian Chiffchaff, I saw 2 Woodcock but probably at least 6 individuals on The Point also at least 2 Firecrest and a male Blackcap. 4 Lapwing in The Desert were notable also 2 Common Snipe, a Golden Plover, a Curlew and an Oystercatcher over. At least 7 Brambling flew over along with Chaffinches, Siskins and Redpolls. Good numbers of Redwing, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds around The Point this morning. The highlight of a very brief look at the sea was 2 Red-throated Divers and a handful of Gannets.

Plenty of Redwings around this morning

Slavonian Grebe from Dennis's this afternoon, but little else was seen in the increasingly persistent drizzle.

Another lovely male Brambling courtesy of the DBO yesterday

 

07/11/2024

Scarface J99AM Great Black-backed Gull on beach in front the hide this morning

0745-08.45 from the Hide with OL 

Brent Goose: 5W    2E
Great-crested Grebe: 2 present
Sandwich Tern: 9E
Kittiwake: 3E
Black-headed Gull: present n/c  
Common Gull: 19E
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c 
Arctic Skua: 1W  
Guillemot: 12E  
Auk: 86E
Red-throated Diver: 1E      1 present 
Gannet: 198E
Cormorant: present n/c
Merlin: 2 (male in off with prey, female type 1 out to sea)
Harbour Porpoise: 3 

Black Redstart: 3 on perimeter wall

Black Redstart on the perimeter wall

Barnacle Geese at Scotney

A couple of hours cycling around Scotney in the dreary weather was not very productive, the only non feral goose I found was a single Brent Goose in the fields at the back with the Golden Plover and Lapwing. The sand pit is still filling up, all I could find were a few Teal, Shoveler and Mallard there.

On the reserve the Red-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe and Black-necked Grebe were still on Burrowes today.

04/11/2024

A superb male Brambling trapped today

Good numbers of finches were moving over the peninsular this morning, with some dropping into the trapping area and finding the mist nets, along with plenty of Crests and Thrushes.

A male Firecrest

A male Redpoll

 
As I started off on my bike ride I heard a once familiar rattle, a Mistle Thrush was being pursued by a Crow across the field in front of my garden, the first I have recorded from the garden for 4 years. As I headed for Scotney the local Little Owl was sheltering from the East wind, further along the track an adult female Sparrowhawk was flushing 100s each of Lapwings and Golden Plover. The 3 Barnacle Geese were still on the Scotney Sward but very little else.

Little Owl

Adult female Sparrowhawk

Female Brambling

On the reserve a female Brambling was frequenting the feeders at the visitor centre car park. Fro Dennis's A Black-necked Grebe and a Slavonian Grebe still present.

As dusk fell from Hanson hide 18 Cattle Egrets dropped in before going to roost

Yesterday a young Song Thrush came in off the sea at the fishing boats exhausted, immediately diving under a boat to rest and recover, eventually it came out and made its way in land. 

A Northern Wheatear on the reserve yesterday, quite possibly the last I'll see this year.

02/11/2024

The majority of this mornings Brent Geese were high and distant

A very dismal day but at least it remained dry. I was only out for the morning due to domestic engagements this afternoon.

The only other news was of a Water Pipit around the hay fields, 2 Black-necked Grebes, a Slavonian Grebe and a Red-throated Diver on Burrowes Pit all per TW.

07.45-11.00 from the Hide with OL & RW

Brent Goose: 3,798W      11E
Shoveler: 4W
Wigeon: 116W
Pintail: 16W
Teal: 26W
Common Scoter: 189W     2E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 2 present
Grey Heron: 2W
Curlew: 2W
Sandwich Tern: 3W
Little Gull: 14W
Kittiwake: 14W
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 5W     14E          
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c 
Arctic Skua: 1W  1E  
Guillemot: 1W  
Auk: 139W    18E
Red-throated Diver: 2W      2 present 
Sooty Shearwater: 1E
Gannet: 201W.   422E
Cormorant: present n/c
Harbour Porpoise: 4

A shockingly poor image of the Sooty Shearwater

01/11/2024

I knew it was going to be a good day today when as I drove down the estate road early this morning Dave Bunney flagged me down pointing to a Yellow-browed Warbler in the top of his conifer tree, unfortunately it quickly flew north into the next garden and then carried on going North. I joined Owen in walk around the Desert, there was obviously more Thrushes around than there been lately, though not large numbers, a few Redpolls and Siskins flew over but again not large numbers. We continued on into the trapping area hearing a few Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs and finches going over and flushing a few Redwing, Song Thrush and Blackbirds but nor really seeing much. Soon a message from Tom he'd caught not 1 but 2 Yellow-browed Warblers in the same net and a Siberian Chiffchaff there as well. We duly watched him ring the birds and took some quick snaps just before they were released. Not long after another message he'd caught another Siberian chiffchaff, filled shortly after by another about a Bullfinch he'd caught a very scarce bird on the peninsular these days and one just about annual. Several Firecrests and Goldcrests were caught along with good numbers of Redpolls.

Early afternoon I made a visit to the reserve where there were 2 1w Caspian Gulls and 3 Yellow-legged Gulls on Burrowes. On Boulderwall fields 13 Cattle Egrets.

Female Bullfinch the rarest bird of the day on the peninsular

Yellow Browed Warblers

Siberian Chiffchaff

A colder looking Siberian Chiffchaff

 

One of a number of Redpolls caught today

Godcrest

At least 3 Firecrests also caught today

Still at 2 Dartford Warblers around