First Cuckoo of the Year!

A fairly quiet day on the sea in a brisk NE wind and poor visibility.

 Common Scoter

05.45-08.30 & 13.40-15.30 with AJG, MH, JTM et al
Brent Goose: 3E
Gadwall: 2E
Shoveler: 10E
Teal: 4E
Common Scoter: 218E    18W
Velvet Scoter: 5E    5W
Great-crested Grebe: 12 around
Fulmar: 4E
Gannet: 162E
Oystercatcher: 1E
Grey Plover: 20E
Curlew: 2E
Whimbrel: 115E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 10E
Great Skua: 1E
Arctic Skua: 1E
Mediterranean Gull: 39E
Common Gull: 69E
Kittiwake: 4E
Sandwich Tern: 157E
Common Tern: 31E
Arctic Tern: 1E
Commic Tern: 47E
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise 10+
At the top of the Long Pits Lesser and Common Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers and a handful of Swallows over.
At Dengemarsh the Common Crane could be seen distantly as could the 2 Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret and little Egret, also a booming Bittern, the highlight though was my first Cuckoo of the spring.
At Camber I could not find the Glossy Ibis, but I did meet the local farmer who showed me an image on his phone of a Black Winged Stilt that was taken yesterday at the pools.

The injured Avocet still alive at Scotney today

Tree Sparrows prospecting at Scotney Farm

A walk around the back of Scotney found of note a Greenshank, 3 Whimbrel, 12 Redshank, 14 Avocet, 16 Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover. Around the fields 30+ Mediterranean Gulls, 15+ Yellow Wagtails, 8 Corn Buntings and the usual feral Geese.

Wheatear at the back of the fishing boats this afternoon

Yet again most the day was spent sea watching as the land was once again quiet, apart from Willow warblers in The moat:
06.00-12.00 & 14.00-16.45 from the sea watch hide with AJG, BC,JC, RW, MH, DW, PT et al:
Brent Goose: 412E.  4W
Shelduck: 8E
Garganey: 9E
Shoveler: 4E
Common Scoter: 821E.  80W
Red-breasted Merganser: 5E
Red-throated Diver: 12E
Black-throated Diver: 1E
Fulmar: 7E   4W
Manx Shearwater: 1E
Gannet: 135E.    18W
Cormorant: present n/c
Shag: 1E (AJG & MH only)
Oystercatcher: 19E.  2W
Grey Plover: 2E
Whimbrel: 86E
Curlew: 10E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 13E
Knot: 1E
Kittiwake: 6E
Little Gull: 7E
Mediterranean Gull: 8E   4W
Common Gull: 247E
Sandwich Tern: 413E
Little Tern: 1E
Common Tern: 505E
Great Skua: 10E
Arctic Skua: 24E
Guillemot: 5E
Razorbill: 1E
Puffin: 1E
Auks sp: 3E
Swallow: 11 in
House Martin: 1 in
Harbour Porpoise: 20+
Elsewhere on the peninsular it seems the Common Crane, Cattle Egrets and Great White Egrets are all still present.

Lunar Marbled Brown which is scarce on the shingle down here, a new moth my trap. 

Late afternoon push!

 Mediterranean Gulls passing the sea watch hide this morning

Inevitably a much slower passage today, though a movement of Terns and Brent Geese this afternoon boosted the numbers. As there is a dearth of migrant land birds on the peninsular at the moment, most of my time is spent staring out to sea.
06.00-11.00 & 13.30-17.30 with AJG, OL, JTM, MH, DW
Greylag Goose: 2E
Brent Goose: 810E
Gadwall: 4E
Shoveler: 6E.  2W
Wigeon: 7E
Garganey: 3E
Pintail: 1E
Common Scoter: 1,009E    58W
Velvet Scoter: 2W
Eider: 1E
Red-breasted Merganser: 3W
Red-throated Diver: 31E
Great-crested Grebe:13 around
Fulmar: 10E  2W
Manx Shearwater: 5E
Gannet:398E
Cormorant: Present n/c
Grey Heron: 1E
Oystercatcher:18E  3W
Curlew: 3E
Whimbrel: 16E
Great Skua: 2E
Arctic Skua: 15E
Little Gull: 7E
Mediterranean Gull: 19E   1W
Common Gull: 200E
Kittiwake: 25E
Sandwich Tern: 520E
Common Tern:1,030E
Guillemot: 27E
Auk: sp: 53E
Swallow: 2 in
Carrion Crow: 1 out
Goldfinch: 2E
Harbour Porpoise: c20 around
Grey Seal: 1
Common Scoter: 147E

Herring Gull A5UX a Mallydams ringed bird regularly seen at Dungeness

The Common Crane is still feeding in its favoured field, the 3 Cattle Egrets are becoming more mobile and up to 4 Great White Egrets are still around. 3 Garganey were at Dengemarsh per PT, also it seems the Glossy Ibis is still to be seen around the small pools at Camber. 

2 more Puffins!

Gannets passing in the early morning sunshine

 2 of a party of 6 Eider past the fishing boats this afternoon

 With the wind just South of East this morning sea watching was the order of the day, which was very productive, 2 more Puffins and a Scaup which nowadays is sadly very scarce at Dungeness and much more.
06.00-11.15 & 13.30-16.00 with AJG, JTM, PT, DW, MH et al
Brent Goose: 85E
Barnacle Goose: 1E
Shelduck: 13E
Mallard: 4E
Gadwall: 12E
Shoveler: 51E
Wigeon: 1E
Teal: 68E
Scaup: 1E
Common Scoter: 2,487E   4W
Velvet Scoter: 11E
Eider: 6E
Red-breasted Merganser: 8E
Red-throated Diver: 15E   1 on
Great-crested Grebe: 6 around
Fulmar: 33E
Manx Shearwater: 1E
Gannet: 572E    3W
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 3E
Little Ringed Plover: 2E
Ringed Plover: 1E
Sanderling: 2E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 1E
Curlew: 2E
Whimbrel: 17E
Great Skua: 5E
Arctic Skua: 10E
Common Gull: 139E
Little Gull: 11E
Kittiwake: 117E
Sandwich Tern: 660E   3W
Common Tern: 118E
Arctic Tern: 22E
Commic Tern: 18E
Guillemot:144E
Razorbill: 6E
Puffin: 2E
Auk sp: 649E
Harbour Porpoise: 10+
Grey Seal: 1

Unusual to see a Barnacle Goose passing with Brent Geese this afternoon

White Wagtail at Scotney

A brief lunchtime visit to Scotney where yesterdays injured Avocet was still present, a fine White Wagtail, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Tree Sparrows and a flyover Greenshank my first this year.

Late afternoon the Common Crane was still in the fields off Dengemarsh Lane also a Great White Egret there.

The Weekend!

As the cold NE wind persisted all weekend passerines were virtually non existent, Saturdays highlight was a Puffin that flew east past the hide with a Guillemot

At Scotney a flock of 18 Tree Sparrows, 8 Yellow Wagtails, a Green Sandpiper and 15 Avocets 1 with an injured wing were the highlights.

The Common Crane and at least 2 Cattle Egrets are still present but the Serin seems to have been just a brief visitor.

 Injured Avocet at Scotney on Saturday

06.15-09.30 & 13.50-15.50 with AJG,RW, JH, SO, L & PH,
Shelduck: 6E
Mallard: 2E
Gadwall: 3E
Shoveler: 22E
Teal: 24E
Pintail: 2E
Common Scoter: 195E   3W  (1 assumed leucitic individual)
Red-breasted Merganser: 4E
Red-throated Diver: 5E
Great-crested Grebe: 6 around
Fulmar: 2E
Manx Shearwater: 1E
Gannet: 106E
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 12E
Curlew: 8E
Whimbrel: 21E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 16E
Arctic Skua: 3E
Little Gull: 16E
Kittiwake: 14E
Little Tern: 3E
Sandwich Tern: 238E
Common Tern: 60E
Guillemot: 27E
Razorbill: 1E
Auk sp: 168E
Harbour Porpoise: 15+
Grey Seal: 1

Wheatear on the Blackthorn in The Moat this morning

Glossy Ibis and a Serin!

Fresh in landing on the bund next to the sea watch hide this morning

Yet another very slow cold morning watch in a bitter NE wind.
07.00-09.00 from the sea watch hide:
Shoveler: 3W
Common Scoter: 9E     24W
Red-breasted Merganser: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 2E
Great-crested Grebe: 1 on
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 96E   17W
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 6E
Little Gull: 12E
Mediterranean gull: 6E
Common Gull: 92E
Sandwich Tern: 35E.   9W
Common Tern: 8E   4 at The patch
Auk sp: 4E   2W
Swallow: 4 in
Wheatear: 1 in
Chiffchaff: 1in
A wander around The Desert and The Point found just 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Wheatears, 2 Black Redstarts, 2 Blackcaps and a Common Buzzard of note.

A WhatsApp message by Chris Gibbard saying a Glossy Ibis had been photographed in Camber, gave me a reason to leave a very quiet Dungeness. I checked the most likely pools and fields at Camber and North Point finding just a few Mediterranean Gulls and feral Geese in the sheep fields, I started to make my back and spotted a pool I hadn't checked, as I pulled into the gateway I immediately saw the Glossy Ibis, so got out the car and took a few record images before being shouted at by a farmer for blocking his entrance, I quickly moved off and found a more suitable and safer parking spot then walked back along the cycle path to view the bird, it was completely unconcerned by me and the cyclists and walkers showing very well.

I went back to the fishing boats with JTM but we didn't stay long as absolutely nothing  was passing by on the sea. A drive along the entrance track found 2 Cattle Egrets and a Little Egret by Tanners Pool, from Dennis's hide c50 Sand Martins over the lake. Next I drove to Springfield Bridge where a Garganey was showing distantly in the ditch, a Bittern was booming from the reeds and a Great white Egret was sheltering from the wind. I had just stopped by the manure heap at Dengemarsh to look at the Common Crane again when OL called to say Dave Bunney had seen a Serin with Linnets by his house. A few minutes later I was on site with OL, DB and joined by DW, JTM and DG, after a few minutes searching we pinned the Serin down getting excellent views, hopefully it will still be present tomorrow. 

Female Serin with Linnets

Serin showing its Lemon rump

Angry Wheatear for SG

Brown Hare early morning along the beach

The cold NE wind seems set for the near future keeping sea watch numbers low and migrants around the bushes virtually non existent.
08.15-09.30 &13.20-15.30 with AJG & JTM
Brent Goose: 4E
Shelduck: 5W
Mallard: 2E
Teal: 2E
Common Scoter: 21E   69W
Red-breasted Merganser: 4E
Red-throated Diver: 9E   1 on
Great-crested Grebe: 9 around
Fulmar: 2E   1W
Gannet: 212E  14W
Cormorant: present n/c
Marsh Harrier: 1 in
Oystercatcher: 4E   3W
Grey Plover: 25E
Curlew: 1E
Whimbrel: 1E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 1E
Mediterranean Gull: 14E
Common Gull: 207E
Kittiwake: 2E
Sandwich Tern: 109E  24W
Common Tern: 39E    c30 at The Patch
Commic Tern: 38E
Guillemot: 5E    9W
Auk sp:13E    8W
Swallow: 1 in
Harbour Porpoise: minimum of 10

 A Wheatear sheltering from the NE wind

2 Wheatears around the NE corner of The Desert were the best I could find, though I didn't stay long due to the number of dogs and dog walkers there. At the top of the Long Pits a couple of Willow Warblers and Blackcaps the pick of a very poor haul. 

1 of 2 Chiffchaffs in the lighthouse garden

The Common Crane was still at Dengemarsh viewable from the road by the manure heap. On Burrowes a trickle of Hirundines through, a Black-necked Grebe and 3 Little Gulls were the highlights.

Black Tern!

First Black Tern of the year with a Common Tern

A thoroughly miserable cold day with constant rain and fog in light NE wind.
08.15-11.15, 12.00-13.30, 15.00-16.30 with AJG,OL,JTM & DW.
Brent Goose: 258E
Shelduck: 9E
Shoveler: 2W
Teal: 12E
Pintail: 2E
Common Scoter: 316E    17W
Red-breasted Merganser: 18E
Red-throated Diver: 3E
Great-crested Grebe: 15 on 1E
Fulmar: 3W
Gannet: 533E     45W
Cormorant: Present n/c
Oystercatcher: 4E
Grey Plover: 1E
Ringed Plover: 1W   1E
Curlew: 2E
Whimbrel: 14E
Dunlin: 12E
Arctic Skua: 1E
Mediterranean Gull: 10E
Common Gull: 54E
Kittiwake: 2E   1W
Little Tern: 1E
Black Tern: 1E
Sandwich Tern: 135E    9W
Common Tern: 491E
Arctic Tern: 2E
Guillemot: 1E   4w
Auk sp: 1 on
Ring Ouzel: 1 in NEARLY! Taken by a Great Black-backed Gull!
Harbour Porpoise:20+
The Common Crane was still at Dengemarsh today and 2 Cattle Egrets were in the Horse Paddock first thing this morning. On Burrowes the Red-necked Grebe was still present, a Garganey and Red-breasted Merganser were new, a steady trickle of Swallows moved north.

Thrush Clean Sweep and White Stork!

As I drove to The point this morning the 3 Cattle Egrets were in there favoured Horse Paddock with a Little Egret. At the southern end of the ARC a Great White Egret was stalking its prey.

Ring Ouzels

I joined AJG and BB in the sea watch hide this morning where we could barely see the bouy in the dense fog, in an hours watching just 2 Mediterranean Gulls were noted.

A look in the lighthouse garden saw 3 Redwing, a couple of Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and a Firecrest. Walking around The Moat we disturbed at least 10 Song Thrushes, we made our way out to the trapping area and Desert seeing more Song Thrushes, Redwings and Reed Buntings, then came across a flock of at least 36 Fieldfare and 2 Ring Ouzels, later in the morning I came across a single Mistle Thrush which made the clean sweep of all the Thrushes, probably the first time I have done this at Dungeness. A 2nd calendar year Marsh Harrier flew down to the lighthouse, circled it then flew back inland, 6+ Swallows flew north, I managed to see 3 Common Redstarts today, 2 Wheatears and a Hare.

Mistle Thrush

 A distant Common Redstart, one of 3 seen today

I was enjoying a cup of tea with Dave Bunney at his house with Owen, when the local Gulls went ballistic, the three of us dashed outside to see a White Stork loom out of the fog and drift towards the power station then back again, it spent 30 minutes circling The Point in the fog, before disappearing towards Littlestone, fortunately on one of its circuits it flew just a few feet over our heads.

15.30-16.15 with JTM at the fishing boats, visibility was severely limited by the fog:

Teal: 4E

Red-throated Diver: 1E

Great-crested Grebe: 9 on

Gannet: 19E   5W

Cormorant: c30 around

Curlew: 1E

Arctic Skua: 2E

Sandwich Tern: 6E.  4W

A late afternoon visit to Dennis's Hide saw this smart Yellow-legged Gull roosting with Great Black-backed Gulls, pity it was so far away as this image does not do it justice. 

 Also late afternoon the Common Crane was at Dengemarsh viewed from the road below the entrance to Herons Park.

 My first Herald of the year

1 of 2 Twin-spotted Quakers in the MV today

Wheatears and Arctic Skuas!

Wheatear in the Desert

As I drove past the horse paddock this morning the 3 Cattle Egrets were there. Driving along the estate road 6 Canada Geese flew over and out to sea, the first I can recall seeing at The Point.
A stiff NE breeze with fog limiting visibility to the bouy and the fog horns constantly sounding.
06.00-08.00 with AJG who did the counting:
Gannet: 97E
Mediterranean Gull:3 out
Sandwich Tern: 49E
Common Tern: 8E
Harbour Porpoise: 10+
A very meagre return for 2 hours in the cold.

 1 of 6 Wheatears seen this morning

A wander around around The Moat, Lloyds, West Beach, the Lighthouse and the Desert confirmed my suspicions that there were very few migrants around, I encountered 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Black Redstarts, 7 Wheatears 4 of which are probably resident, 7 Stonechats, 1 Swallow flew north, a few each of Meadow Pipit and Skylark and the resident Peregrines. The nicest thing though was 3 Brown Hares chasing each other over the shingle and through the Broome.

Several pairs of Stonechats were encountered

Arctic Skua at the fishing boats this afternoon

A slightly more productive sea watch this afternoon in worse visibility than this morning.

14.15-16.30 from the fishing boats with AJG & JTM,

Brent Goose: 2E

Common Scoter: 79E

Red-throated Diver: 2E

Great-crested Grebe: 10 on

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 181E   17W

Cormorant: 31 on

Arctic Skua: 4E

Common Gull: 23E

Kittiwake: 8E

Sandwich Tern: 33E     16W

Wheatear: 2 in

Harbour Porpoise: 20+

Arctic Skua at the fishing boats this afternoon

In attack mode!