18/03/2022

With a cool NW breeze and clear skies I wasn't expecting a great sea watch, but it was pleasant enough sitting and enjoying the sunshine for a few hours.

 07.00-10.00 joined by DW & JS
Brent Goose: 90E (20, 19, 37, 12, 2,)
Common Scoter: 6E  2W 
Red-throated Diver: 21E       1 on
Slavonian Grebe: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 7E   13 on 
Fulmar: 2E    2W
Gannet: 52E   c30 feeding
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 6E
Kittiwake: 17E    6W
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 2E
Common Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 10E      4W
Auk sp: 2E
Redwing: 2 in off
Harbour Porpoise: 22

Ruff at Cockles Bridge

I could only see 3 Cattle egrets today at Cockles Bridge

I was at Cockles Bridge when PT messaged to say there were 3 Glossy Ibis at Boulderwall and another 6 at Dengemarsh as well as 2 Garganey and the Spoonbill. A few minutes later I was walking along the entrance track where I could see the 3 Glossy Ibis distantly opposite the top end of Cooks Pool, as I walked a little further I saw in the distance the 6 Glossy Ibis from Dengemarsh in flight albeit very briefly as they disappeared behind the Sallows appearing to drop onto the Hay Fields. PT soon confirmed that was indeed where they were but by the time arrived they had moved on not to be seen again today.

From Dengemarsh Hide the Spoonbill and 2 drake Garganey could be seen easily, both Bittern and Bearded Tit were heard there.

Spoonbill having a little wing stretch

Drake Garganey with Spoonbill behind

5 Glossy Ibis over Boulderwall Farm

This afternoon JY messaged to say there were now 5 Glossy Ibis on Cooks Pool, in the few minutes it took me to get there they flew off but fortunately soon returned. 2 of the 5 looked like the long staying pair leading me to believe that there were 11 Glossy Ibis at Dungeness today, 6 at Dengemarsh, 3 at boulderwall and the the original pair. Another bonus while I was at Cooks Pool with JY, MH et al we watched a Swallow hawking over the ARC which I think is my earliest Swallow in the UK.

5 Glossy Ibis roosting at ARC

16/03/2022

4 of the 31 Garganey that moved East past the hide this morning

 A very pleasant sea watch today, made all the more enjoyable as 31 Garganey was completely unexpected, my hopes were of maybe a singleton tagging onto a Scoter flock. 

I've fired up the moth trap this evening for the first time this year, as it is thought some moths might arrive with the Saharan dust, so I'll look forward  to seeing the contents of the trap tomorrow morning.

06.45-12.30 with CP, RW, JS, DW, OL et al

Brent Goose: 596E (19 parties)

Shelduck: 2W

Teal: 6E

Garganey: 31E  ( 5, 3, 1, 14, 4, 2, 2) 

Pintail: 19E  (2 + 17)

Eider: 1E drake

Common Scoter: 185E       27W

Red-throated Diver: 141E    4W      1 on

Red-breasted Merganser: 1W drake

Great-crested Grebe: 4E    6 on 

Fulmar: 2E      2W 

Gannet: 43E

Cormorant: present n/c

Turnstone: 1E

Curlew: 2E

Sanderling 20E     40W

Kittiwake: 17E     3W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 5E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2 present

Sandwich Tern: 14E

Guillemot: 3E   2 on

Razorbill: 9E

Auk sp: 42E

Grey Wagtail: 2 present

Reed Bunting: 1 present

Harbour Porpoise: 6+

Grey Seal: 1

Drake Eider always a treat to see

A high flock of 17 Pintail passing over the the "Doreen T " fishing boat

The immature Spoonbill over Boulderwall Fields early afternoon

Also on Boulderwall Fields today the 2 Ibis and 6+ Water Pipits per BW & GH, also a Merlin reported there today.

At Dengemarsh another Water Pipit, Black-necked Grebe, 2 Ruff, Bittern, Bearded Tits, several Marsh Harriers and the White-fronted Goose all seen today.

Confiding Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge gorging on worms yesterday and still present today

The Black-necked Grebe on Dengemarsh yesterday

14/03/2020

Iceland Gull

With mush lighter winds today this mornings sea watch was very slow, though the return of the Iceland Gull was good, albeit some what brief and distant as it disappeared to to the fishing boats on the horizon, also it's always nice to adult drake Eiders barrelling past the hide.

 06.55-08.55 joined by OL

Brent Goose: 5E

Eider: 1E drake

Common Scoter: 37E       1W

Red-throated Diver: 52E    7W

Great-crested Grebe: 7 on

Gannet: 7E

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 2E     3W

Kittiwake: 7E   

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 3E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Iceland Gull: 1 (image looks like the 2w bird)

Sandwich Tern: 1E

Auk sp: 3E

Peregrine: 1 present

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Tree Sparrows on Walland

As it was a pleasantly mild and fairly still day I decided to have a long walk out the back of Scotney onto Walland Marsh to check on the Tree Sparrow flock, at least 35 were still present, despite the attentions of Kestrels, Sparrowhawks and Merlin. There were plenty of Skylarks singing but only found 2 Corn Buntings.

Skylark down the Well

I thought I'd have a rest by sitting on the side of a concrete well, I don't why I looked down into the well, but glad I did as I saw a Skylark about floating on the water surface  approx. 2.5 mts down. After a couple of minutes of thinking about how I was going to help it out, I came up with the idea of cutting some reeds from a nearby ditch (fortunately had a pen knife in my jacket) and binding them together to make a sort of rope come cradle that I could manoeuvre under the Lark and lift it out. To my astonishment the cradle held  together for the few seconds required to lift the Lark out. It was obviously sodden and cold so I left it a sheltered tussock in the sun to hopefully dry it and warm it. It was still alive a few minutes later when I started back.

The offending Well

Spoonbill

After lunch I thought I'd have a walk around Dengemarsh in the hope of LRP or Garganey, I'd just got into my car when I recieived a message from David Scott about a Spoonbill on Dengemarsh. A couple of minutes later I parked up at Springfield Bridge just in time to see the Spoonbill appearing to fly off towards Tanners Pool, fortunately David kept his eye on it and saw it land back at Dengemarsh.

When I eventually got to Dengemarsh hide the Spoonbill was doing what they always seem to do, not a lot. While there the Black-necked Grebe put in an appearance. around the hay fields 6 Ruff were showing well on 1 and there were 2 Ringed Plovers and a Lapwing on 3, though water was being pumped on to a rapidly drying 3. In the reeds a Bittern Boomed and Beardies were pinging, making today an excellent days birding.

Black-necked Grebe in front of Spoonbill

Ruff on the Hay Fields

13/03/2022

Bottle nose Dolphins, if you look closely a smaller fin is in front the large fin.

06.15-10.30 from the hide with JS, VW, RW, JY, OL, 

Brent Goose: 461E

Shoveler: 2E

Eider: 5E

Common Scoter: 222E       2W

Red-breasted Merganser: 1E

Red-throated Diver: 92E    5W     1 on

Great-crested Grebe: 5E    2W   9 on

Fulmar: 16E  4W

Gannet: 823E

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 3E 

Curlew: 2E

Kittiwake: 302E   

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 9E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 3E

Sandwich Tern: 22E

Arctic Skua: 1E

Guillemot: 8E

Auk sp: 191E

Harbour Porpoise: 4

Bottlenose Dolphin: 7E

If you look closely at the speck above the bouy you'll see it's a Little Gull

The usual view of the Glossy Ibis lately as they disappeared into the private fishing lakes this afternoon

4 of the 6 Cattle Egrets at Cockles bridge this afternoon

12/03/2022

Flocks of Brent Geese were passing the hide at regular intervals all morning

Another busy morning staring at the sea:

 06.00-12.00 from the hide with JS, SO, RW, OL, LH, PH, JY.

Brent Goose: 2359E (28 Flocks)   1W 
Shelduck: 4E
Velvet Scoter: 3E
Common Scoter: 52E     
Red-breasted Merganser: 2E
Red-throated Diver: 152E     6W
Great-crested Grebe: 14E    94 on 
Fulmar: 4E    1W
Gannet: 37E
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 44E    
Kittiwake: 164E   
Black-headed Gull: 583E
Mediterranean Gull: 104E
Common Gull: 218E
Great Black-backed Gull: 41E
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 3E
Herring Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 1E
Harbour Porpoise: 7

Lovely to see flocks of Black-headed Gulls purposefully powering East

Nice to see but probably just a local movement of Oystercatchers

Velvet Scoters passing East 

An abandoned migrant RIB drifting past the Bouy this morning

A black-necked Grebe was found on Dengemarsh from the hide this morning by RW, it was still present late afternoon per JY. At least 5 Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge still. As I drove along the causeway  the 2 Glossy Ibis flew from Cooks Pool over the road towards the private fishing lakes, there were 3 Great White egrets on the ARC. Elsewhere there were a few Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest around The Point.

A visit to Scotney sand pit this afternoon paid off when this Wheatear popped up, my first of the year, also a White Wagtail, Green Sandpiper, 8 Avocet, 4 Dunlin, 4 Redshanks and a Black Swan.

11/03/2022

Some of the 2,000+ Gannets that were streaming past today

Another excellent sea watching day with Jacob Spinks, David Walker and Owen Leyshon:

06.00-10.00 & 13.20-15.00

Dark-bellied Brent Goose: 808E

Shelduck: 2E

Teal: 67E

Shoveler: 22E

Wigeon: 23E

Pintail: 30E

Mallard: 2E

Gadwall: 2E

Tufted Duck: 6E

Common Scoter: 127E

Red-breasted Merganser: 6E

Red-throated Diver: 174E     

Fulmar: 10E   1W 

Great-crested Grebe: 5E   

Fulmar: 19E    3W

Gannet: 2,004E    

Cormorant: Present n/c

Oystercatcher: 48E

Black-tailed Godwit: 34E

Curlew: 4E

Kittiwake:  780E

Black-headed Gull: 234E

Little Gull: 2E

Mediterranean Gull: 27E

Common Gull: 62E

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c 

Sandwich Tern: 4E

Guillemot: 261E 

Razorbill: 9E 

Auk sp: 1,162E    

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Many thanks to Jacob for keeping the log.

Shoveler and Teal

Gadwall and Teal

Wigeon

After a flock of 12 floating past the fishing boats a couple of days ago, this party of 5 Tufted Duck were another surprise.

More Mallard today

34 Black-tailed Godwits, the largest flock I've seen on a sea watch here, pity they were a little distant.

1w Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

Now 6 Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge

Little Egret at Cockles Bridge

10/03/2022

3 Mallard with 2 Common Scoter passing this morning not an everyday occurrence here

A busy start to the sea watch which quickly petered out :

06.00-10.00 from the hide with JS, CP, PT, OL

Brent Goose: 431E (14 flocks)

Mallard: 3E

Teal: 12E

Pintail: 11E  (2+4+5)

Common Scoter: 132E       3W

Red-throated Diver: 141E    1 on

Great-crested Grebe: 5E    17 on 

Fulmar: 2E  

Gannet: 31E

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 29E     4W

Kittiwake: 299E   

Black-headed Gull: 67E

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Common Gull: 26E

Great Black-backed Gull: 28E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 3E

Guillemot: 66E

Auk sp: 557E

Skylark: 1E

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Considering several 100s of Oystercatchers can be seen the other side of The Point in Lade Bay,  only  small numbers actually pass the sea watching hide.

Ringed Plover and Dunlin on Dengemarsh Flood

On the hayfields today there were 6 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plovers, a Great White Egret and booming Bittern by the pump.

At Cockles Bridge there was a Little Egret with 5 Cattle Egrets. Also another near summer plumaged Cattle Egret in the Horse Paddock. Apart from a Black Redstart at the fishing boats (JS) little else was seen on the peninsula today.