16/01/2024

After watching the Bewick Swans and the 4 Glossy Ibis leave their roosts this morning, I wandered down to The Patch. There were plenty of Gulls present but sadly I could find nothing unusual among them. I then headed to Scotney but stopped to admire the Lydd Little Owls en route. A disappointing walk around the back of Scotney, mainly due to the lack of passerines and shepherds on there quad bikes flushing everything, to be fair the sheep are about to lamb, the highlight of my wander there was a single Green Sandpiper.

10 of the 56 Bewick Swans which left the reserve just before sunrise this morning

The Lydd Little Owls sun bathing this morning

One of the Cockles Bridge Cattle Egrets

Lapwing at Cockles Bridge

One of the Great Northern Divers early afternoon

Also a distinct lack of passerines on the reserve, though a definite increase in the number of Snipe on Boulderwall Fields, I couldn't find any wild Grey Geese among the feral Greylags there but the 21 Barnacle geese were still present.

The Black-throated Diver early afternoon

One of at least 3 Bitterns late afternoon from Hanson

Late this afternoon I joined RW and CT in Hanson Hide where we had excellent if distant views of a Bittern, we saw 2 more 1 of which flew right in front the hide. A glossy Ibis made several attempts to join the duck on the ice before flying off to roost, also a Kingfisher flashed past the hide.

A Glossy Ibis attempts to land on the frozen part of the ARC just before dusk today

15/01/2024

As I was defrosting the car this morning 18 Bewick Swans flew over out onto the marsh, presumably they had roosted on the ARC. There appears to 50+ around at the moment, difficult to count as they are widely scattered, the 2 above were with the Bean Geese.

Plenty of Fieldfares across Walland Marsh but only a few Redwings. Passerines are generally thin on the ground at the moment, a few pockets of Tree Sparrows and Chaffinches but little else.

10 Pink-footed Geese on Boulderwall Fields this morning was a nice surprise, a difficult bird to catch up with in the south, they remained till early afternoon before flying off into Sussex. While watching them 2 Firecrest were feeding along the Boulderwall Track and the 4 Glossy Ibis reappeared.

3 Cattle Egrets were in the Cockles Bridge Triangle today

On Burrowes The Divers were all still present but distant, also several Goldeneye

A late afternoon drive out onto Walland started well with 4 Mistle Thrushes in the sheep field in Dennis Lane, a scarce bird here now. As I drove along the road to Hawthorn Corner a Ring Tail Hen Harrier appeared beside me, causing me to brake and stop in the middle of the road (my apologies to Brenda who was driving behind me) further a long the road at Midley Barns it or another appeared, as it swooped across a ditch it flushed a Woodcock, a nice end to the day.

14/01/2024

Without doubt the worst morning sea watch of the year so far, after 35 minutes I'd had enough.

08.10-08.45.  Wind WNW 2, Temp 2° 

Common Scoter: 6E

Great-crested Grebe: 4 present  

Kittiwake: 1E   

Black-headed Gull: present n/c  

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Guillemot: 3E

Razorbill: 1E

Auk sp: 58E     6W  

Red-throated Diver: 9E   4W

Gannet: 17E  8W

Cormorant: present

The remaining Glossy Ibis showed well for a while in the Orchid field by the track to Hanson Hide

20 Barnacle Geese of unknown origin on Boulderwall Fields

4 Bewick Swans which presumably roosted on the ARC flew over Dungeness Road as drove towards the beach this morning. A later visit to the ARC where apart from the Ibis and a Great White Egret very little was noted, Over the road on the reserve 3 Great Northern Divers and the Black-throated Divers were still insitu on Burrowes, also 4 Goldeneye. Apart from feral geese little was seen on the Boulderwall Fields. 

There was also very little noted at Scotney. Nearby at Pigwell 54 Bewick Swans and 2 Cattle Egrets per DW. Out on Walland the The 2 Bean Geese were still present, also 4 Whooper and more Bewick Swans. Hen Harrier and Tree Sparrows continue to be seen at various locations on the marsh.

12/01/2024

A thoroughly grey mornings a a bird sea watch if you like the same few species.

08.00-10.00 with RW  Wind NE 3, Drizzle, Temp 3° 

Wigeon: 3E

Common Scoter: 4E

Great-crested Grebe: 206E   

Kittiwake: 2E   

Black-headed Gull: present n/c  

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: 1E

Guillemot: 36E

Razorbill: 42E

Auk sp: 1,372E     79W  

Red-throated Diver: 748E   6W

Gannet: 217E

Cormorant: c3,500 present

On Burrowes today the Great Northern and Black-throated Divers still present, along with a handful of Goldeneye. Egret numbers are very low at the moment the peninsula but all 3 species can be found with little diligence. There appears to be only a single Glossy Ibis around at the moment which is very difficult to catch up with. Boulderwall fields is hosting plenty of feral geese including 17+ Barnacle Geese, surely all these feral geese will attract some some wild grey geese. On Walland Bewick and Whooper Swans can both be found, though the former is much more difficult at the moment. Fieldfares are plentiful at the moment with small numbers of Redwing and even smaller numbers of Song Thrush. The undoubted highlight today with the discovery late afternoon by Graham and Nicky of 2 Tundra Bean Geese at the Brookland end of Walland, viewed from the junction of Beacon Lane and Clubbs Lane both very narrow.

Tundra Bean Geese with a Bewick Swans

11/01/2024

Sunrise from the sea watch hide

07.55-09.00  Wind NE 3, Temp -1° 

Wigeon: 24W

Common Scoter: 4E

Great-crested Grebe: 33E      

Black-headed Gull: present n/c  

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Auk sp: 356E  

Red-throated Diver: 344E   2W

Gannet: 108E

Cormorant: c3,000 flew from Rye Bay into Lade Bay In the first 15 minutes

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Goldeneye on the New Diggings this morning

Little Owl, Lydd this morning.

Most of the day was spent at home waiting for parcels to be delivered, however it did allow me get Glossy Ibis and Barnacle Goose on my from the garden year list.

10/01/2024

 Another bitterly cold morning meant that 90 minutes was about all we take in the hide before being frozen to the marrow. Although there was a lot of birds it was very repetitive. 

08.00-09.30 with RW.  Wind ENE 5, Temp 0° 
Brent: 2E
Common Scoter: 4E     1W
Great-crested Grebe: 144E      
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 1E    
Common Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Guillemot: 87E
Razorbill: 71E 
Auk sp: 146E  
Red-throated Diver: 412E   3W
Gannet: 51E
Cormorant: c500 present 

An spent wandering around the ARC area was very disappointing with little sign of any cold weather movement, very few birds seen.

Black-throated Diver on Burrowes late morning

The Great Northern and Black Throated Divers remain on Burrowes along with a handful of Goldeneye. I joined DS on a walk around the reserve which was even more bridles than the ARC, we checked all the lakes for Smew, needless to say we drew a blank, the highlight was 17 Barnacle Geese of unknown origin that's how poor it was today.

09/012024

A bitterly cold sea watch this morningwhichm saw large numbers of birds but sadly no quality.

08.00-10.30 with RW

Wind NNE 5, Temp 0° clear

Common Scoter: 17E

Great-crested Grebe: 76E 

Kittiwake: 17W      

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 4E    

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Guillemot: 119E

Razorbill: 138E 

Auk sp: 1,870E  

Red-throated Diver: 328E   

Fulmar: 1E 

Gannet: 160E

Cormorant: 3,160E 

Grey Seal: 1

Barnacle Geese at Scotney late morning

At Scotney late morning, just a few geese to look through with no surprises, Only a handful each of Golden Plover and Lapwing were present but a good count of 54 Dunlin.

A mixed group of Bewick and Mute Swans on Walland early afternoon

I could only find 27 Bewick Swans today in 4 small parties and no Whoopers , the reported Whoopers at Hook Wall were Bewick's when viewed in the scope. A party of 8 Tree Sparrows at Hook Wall were nice.

On the beach this afternoon Polish ringed Black-headed Gull TJVV came to the stale bread offerings but no Caspian Gulls or white wingers.

I the hour before sunset scanning Lydd Fields from home, the Greylag flock held 342 birds and 9 Egyptian Geese but no wild geese, a couple each of Common Buzzard and Marsh Harrier was seen, also a Sparrowhawk upsetting the 100s of corvid, the highlight was Grey Plover that flew through which is not a regularly seen bird from my garden.
 

08/01/2024

 

My first Sandwich Tern of the year at Dungeness this morning

One of several Mediterranean Gulls seen this morning

08.00-10.00 with RW, Wind NE 6, Temp  2° Sleet

Shelduck: 1E

Common Scoter: 51E

Great-crested Grebe: 19E       36 present 

Kittiwake: 7E     

Black-headed Gull: present

Mediterranean Gull: 7E

Common Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present

Sandwich Tern: 1E

Guillemot: 85E     

Razorbill: 101E    

Auk sp: 2,770E  

Red-throated Diver: 128E  

Gannet: 288E

Cormorant: present

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Grey Seal: 2

2nd cal year Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

Due to the persistent sleet this afternoon I didn't get out of the car when I visited the fishing boats, a few Gulls came to the stale bread offerings including the above Caspian Gull, also an adult Mediterranean Gull made a brief visit but not the hoped for white winger.

A visit to the reserve where the Great Northern divers and Black Throated Diver were still present along with at least 4 Goldeneye.

06/01/2024

08.15-10.00  RW, Wind N 3, Temp  5° 

Shelduck: 5W

Velvet Scoter: 3W (DW)

Red-breasted Merganser: 1W

Great-crested Grebe: 8W   

Oystercatcher: 1W

Kittiwake: 62W      

Black-headed Gull: present

Mediterranean Gull: 16W

Common Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present

Guillemot: 534W     

Razorbill: 62W     

Auk sp: 1,512W   

Red-throated Diver: 126W   

Great Northern Diver: 1W

Sooty Shearwater: 2W

Gannet: 16W 

Cormorant: present

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Many thanks to Richard for sending me these numbers.

My first Jack Snipe of the year 

Instead of sea watching this morning I wandered out beyond the Water Tower. A Barn Owl was the first bird of note followed shortly by a ring tailed Hen Harrier, 2 Marsh Harriers, a Common Buzzard, and a Sparrowhawk. Using a thermal imager I found a Jack Snipe but it still took me 20 minutes to actually see it due to its incredible camouflage. There were several Water rails squealing and a couple of tacking Cetti's Warblers, in general passerines were very few and far between.

The Divers were still on Burrowes and the Bewick and Whooper Swans still on Walland, hopefully the cold snap will push some wild geese our way or even a Waxwing.

Chiffchaff in The Willow Trail

 The 4 Glossy Ibis opposite the Horse paddock

13.15-15.00 with RW, PH & LH from the fishing boats, Wind N 4, Temp  5° 

Brent Goose: 2E

Wigeon: 57W     24E

Pintail: 11W

Teal: 1W

Common Scoter: 6W

Great-crested Grebe: 3 present

Sanderling: 17E

Turnstone: 2 present  

Large numbers of Gulls off shore following fishing boats,

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Caspian Gull: 1 present   2 cal year  

Auk sp: many tooing & froing    most far off shore

Red-throated Diver: 233W   

Gannet: c25 present

Cormorant: c1,500 mainly into Rye Bay

05/01/2024

A chilly but reasonable watch this morning.

08.15-09.30 from the hide with RW, OL 

Wind NW 5, Temp  5° Showers

Shoveler: 15W

Common Scoter: 9W

Great-crested Grebe: 1W   

Kittiwake: 9W      

Black-headed Gull: present

Common Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Caspian Gull: 1W   2 cal year

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present

Guillemot: 38W     

Razorbill: 24W     

Auk sp: 98W    28E    

Red-throated Diver: 373W   

Gannet: 277W 

Cormorant: present

Bewick Swans flying in to the fields opposite the model flying club on Walland Marsh this morning after being disturbed by shooters.

Some of the 44 Bewick Swans present this morning

A flock of c200 Fieldfare and a few Redwing were at Midley today little else of note. The Divers were still on Burrowes but again little else of note, a ring tail Hen Harrier has been seen at several locations around the peninsula in the last couple of days. All the egrets can still be found with Cattle Egrets preferring the airport approach road fields. The 4 Glossy Ibis are still being elusive being seen mainly in flight around, ARC, Tower Pits, Boulderwall and the Horse Paddocks. I spent another hour staring at 1,000s of Golden plovers on the Scotney sward to no avail, just a few Dunlin among them.

The 4 Whooper Swans 

A Common Buzzard on Walland Marsh this morning