Thursday 23/04/2020

 It was a quiet day migrant wise but there was still lots to see. 5+ Little Gulls were nice to see hawking around the lakes along with a couple of Common Terns, Greenshank, Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit all dropped in, with a steady trickle and miaow of overhead Mediterranean Gulls  moving East. There were a few Wheatears around with 6 at the small fishing pond, also at least 2 Cucloo's around.

 Little Gulls around Dengemarsh today(all taken looking into the sun)

 Reed Warbler collecting nesting material today

 The summer residents were nest building or displaying or singing with gusto, but the Bitterns are very half hearted in their booming at the moment. Splendidly dressed Bar-tailed Godwits are arriving with the Whimbrels. Noisy Redshanks and Lapwing chase any Corvids or Raptors that come near there nest fields, Greenshank calls can be heard all around.

 Bar-tailed Godwit 

 Common Whitethroat

 Female Yellow Wagtail

Wednesday 22/04/2020

 The Glossy Ibis that has been present at Dungeness from 07/04/2020 - 20/04/2020

The Glossy making one of its forays out to Lydd

 My early morning welcoming committee this morning as I walked up the track opposite my house on my way to Dengemarsh. I think that there are at least 4 pairs between home and Dengemarsh.

 This beautiful Brown hare is a regular early morning sight for me

 With a slight drop in the wind speed the Reed beds came back to life, lots of singing Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers, Blackcaps, Common and Lesser Whitethroats were singing from the bushes, even a Bittern gave a few half hearted booms. There were a few more Swallows around and up to 10 Swifts could be seen distantly over the ARC. Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel, Curlew, Greenshanks, Redshanks, LRP and Lapwings represented the waders today, while over the lake 2 Little Gulls and 2 Common Terns. I can still remember my dad taking me to Minsmere in the early 60s when it was the only place to go to see Marsh Harriers, Bitterns and Bearded Tits, now they are a daily occurrence for me just a short walk from home.

 Greenshanks on the hay fields

 Little Ringed Plover on the hay field

 Common Tern at Dengemarsh

 Flyover Bar-tailed Godwits

Several Small Coppers were seen today

Tuesday 21/04/2020

 Whimbrel gleaming in the early morning sunshine, which belied just how cold it was in the force 7 North Easterly that was blowing across the peninsula. Because of the wind most birds were keeping out of sight in shelter, even the Reed Buntings, Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers were very subdued, there was the occasional rattle of a Lesser Whitethroat and scold of a Common Whitethroat. It was first day in a while that I have not heard or seen a Bittern and Bearded Tits. I did hear my first Garden Warbler of the year near Bretts Marina, CT found a male Redstart nearby which failed to show for me.😞

 Many Mediterranean Gulls went over this morning, most were stratospheric with just the calls heard, but this group were just about low enough to get an image.

 I've been expecting to find a Cattle Egret since the 1st of January, so I was quite happy to find this bird today at Dengemarsh.

 At least a dozen Common Terns present today

 There were already 5 Greenshanks on hay field 1& 2 when a flock of 14 more dropped onto hay field 3 briefly then flying off East.

 10 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Knot at Dengemarsh

Black-winged Stilts!

On Thursday 16/04/2020 a pair of Black-winged Stilts spent the day at Dengemarsh. They most of the day roosting on a patch of floating weed before departing over night.

 My first sight of them on Dengemarsh Flood, then they took off and disappeared

 They relocated to the back of Dengemarsh for a few minutes before moving to hay field 3

 They only spent a few minutes feeding on Hayfield 3, before moving to the floating weed.

 On the floating weed with a noisy pair of Oystercatchers and a Redshank

 This is where they spent the day till early evening at least

 To photograph them I had to wait for the wind to part the reeds

 My last view of them

Saturday 18/04/2020

As the much needed rain had fallen over night I was hoping for a fall of migrants, almost the first bird I saw as I left home was a Northern Wheatear my hopes rose even higher. As I moved into Dengemarsh a Cuckoo(my first of the year) started singing from the top of some Sallows, almost immediately I heard a a Nightingale singing from deep inside some nearby Sallows, this being the first one I have heard on the shingle for several years, it was such a pleasure that I stood listening to it for a long time, as it competed with Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers and some half hearted booming from a Bittern. Over the Boulderwall Fields something I haven't heard for years was a drumming Common Snipe.

My first Cuckoo of the year 

Nightingale singing with a short burst of a Cuckoo and Sedge and Reed Warblers 

 Common Whitethroat

My first Lesser Whitethroat of the year

A very light shower bought down lots of Hirundines, many Greenland Wheatears, at least 12 Little Gulls, also a Black Tern (RW),

 Greenland Wheatears

5 of a Flock of 12 Little Gulls on the lakes

The hay fields are looking really good for breeding waders and wildfowl at the moment. There seems to be more Lapwings, Redshanks and Oystercatchers than usual there, so fingers crossed for a good season. Also on the floods at least 5 Greenshanks, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Green Sandpipers and several Garganey. As I walked past on my way home another pulse of Hirundines came through including another Red-rumped Swallow with 3 Barn Swallows, all of which just zipped straight through.