Bewick`s Swan

Scotney - mild, dry and cloudy, light airs - Having been off the Marsh for most of this week it was good to spend the morning with Ted birding the fields behind the old sand pit before checking the front sward and lakes back towards Lydd. The spectacle was provided by several thousand each of Lapwings and Golden Plovers swirling overhead and nervously feeding amongst the winter cereal trying to avoid the attention of a hunting Peregrine. A single Bewick`s Swan was noted on a distant rape-seed field along with several Mute Swans, hundreds of feral Greylag, Canada, Barnacle and Egyptian Geese, two Buzzards and a Kestrel. Weedy field margins attracted a few passerines including 100 Skylarks, 20 Linnets, 20 Tree Sparrows, 15 Stonechats and a several Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Reed Buntings and a Snipe. The lakes held a variety of wintering Pochard, Teal, Tufted Duck and Wigeon, plus Green Sandpiper, Redshank and Curlew, while the roadside lakes were quieter but did include the long-staying Black-necked Grebe.

                                  Buzzard and Lapwings

                                 Wigeon

                                  Lapwings

                                  Black-necked Grebe 

Dartford Warbler

Lade - cold, cloudy, N 3 showers - Since my last post on Tuesday an Arctic airflow has made its presence felt bringing a proper taste of winter to the Marsh landscape with overnight frosts and sleety rain this morning. A circuit of the local patch today produced a Dartford Warbler in the gorse by the badger sett, otherwise it was typical winter fare with small numbers of diving ducks (including Goldeneye), grebes and Coots on the water, vocalising Water Rails in the willow swamp, a couple of Kingfishers zipping over the lakes, plus hunting Marsh Harrier and Buzzard. On Wednesday a guided walk around the circular trail on the reserve for seven guests went ahead despite the appalling weather (driving wind and rain) conditions. However, somehow they enjoyed several close encounters with Marsh Harriers and Great White Egrets, plus a Dunlin from Firth and all the usual wildfowl, grebes and gulls scattered across the wetlands.

                             

                                 Lade desert looking south to Dungeness

                                  South lake raft

                                  Ted seems impervious to the cold!

                                 Rainbow over north lake

Goldeneyes

Lade - cold, cloudy, light airs - This morning saw the first grass frost of the season thick on the ground, but it didn`t last for long once the cloud cover rolled in; still, nice and cold though, as it should be at this time of year. We carried out a full circuit of the local patch including the rough grassland out back where a few grounded Blackbirds and Skylarks were present along with two ever-watchful Buzzards. South lake had a scattering of ducks, mostly Pochard and Tufted Duck, plus four Goldeneyes but Shovelers were down to just 20. Whilst scanning from the bridge a Crossbill hurtled over calling unseen heading north. There was little of note around the ponds while north lake held a few common wildfowl and gulls. The walk back along the foreshore on a falling tide revealed the usual hundreds of Oystercatchers, Curlews and Dunlins (c300) plus 50 Knots, 10 Grey Plovers and five Bar-tailed Godwits.

                                  Goldeneyes - south lake

                                  Lade Bay waders

                                  Oystercatcher and Grey Plovers - Lade Bay

                                  Dunlins - Lade Bay

Grey Ghost

Dengemarsh Gully - mild, cloudy, drizzle, NE2 - The last of the mild days, apparently, before a cold, northerly airflow sweeps down from the Arctic tomorrow. However, we walked the gully first thing where the majority of birds were in the section between Springfield bridge and the start of the track comprising a handful each of Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and a Cetti`s Warbler. The middle section was barren and the only other grounded passerines were two Meadow Pipits and a Stonechat at the seaward end, plus a Raven over. The reserve was equally quiet (only four cars in the main car park with the VC closed) with just the usual wetland birds from the bridge and Dennis`s lookout, plus a Firecrest and Chiffchaff in the scrub by the hide and at least two Caspian Gulls on Burrowes. Nothing much else to report at Lade apart from two Goldeneyes on south lake.

                                  Blackbird - Dengemarsh Gully

                                  Revamped Hanson hide - ARC

                                  Yellowhammer - Hope Lane, NR

This afternoon I joined Chris for the monthly harrier count out on Walland Marsh where 15 Marsh Harriers came to roost in the main reed-bed, plus stunning views of a male Hen Harrier that passed over our viewpoint heading to roost elsewhere. Also noted: 26 Cattle Egrets (the highest number I`ve ever seen in the UK), three Great White and a Little Egret, two Buzzards, two Kestrels, a Snipe, several thousand Starlings and a large, distant mixed flock of Lapwings and Golden Plovers.  

    Ted - he does love a puddle!

Pallas`s Warbler

Dengemarsh Gully - Mild, cloudy, SW2 - We started the day with a Ted walk from Springfield Bridge to Pen Bars and back along the gully where for the most part it was slim pickings. Two each of Redwing and Black Redstart at either end were the highlights along with numerous Robins and Goldfinches plus a handful each of Stonechat, Linnet, Dunnock, Blackbird, Great Tit, Chiffchaff, a Cetti`s Warbler and a Goldcrest. A scan from the bridge yielded little of note apart from the usual wildfowl, gulls, egrets and harriers. Moving onto the local patch where a duck and drake Goldeneye were on south lake plus a `redhead` on north lake; otherwise it was quiet with just a lone Chiffchaff and a couple of Blackbirds by the ponds. As news came through that last weekends Pallas`s Warbler was still present in the moat we nipped back to Dungeness and joined Dave Scott where we had brief views of the stripy sprite as it skulked low down in a net ride. 

                                  Black Redstarts - Dengemarsh Gully

Crossbills and Bitterns

Dungeness - Warm, dry and sunny, S 3 - A ridiculously warm (16C by mid-afternoon) day for a guided tour for three Naturetrek guests commenced at the point where the highlights were three Crossbills over the old lighthouse, a Peregrine stooping above the power station and three close Red-throated Divers on the sea off the fishing boats. Passerines were few but did include a couple of charms of Goldfinches, several Stonechats and Pied Wagtails, but a no-show Pallas`s Warbler in the moat; although it was seen briefly today. A quick look at the bay resulted in distant views of Curlews and Oystercatchers. The afternoon was spent on the RSPB reserve where the circular trail produced plenty of Lapwings and several Great White Egrets on Burrowes; a Raven over; two Marsh Harriers from Christmas Dell; a Bearded Tit on the Hooker`s grit tray; and Firecrest, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker in the car park scrub. We finished the afternoon from Hanson hide with a spectacular Starling murmuration of c10,000 birds that eventually dropped into the reed-bed by the Cormorant colony, plus several Bitterns flying over the screen hide reed-bed, six Great White Egrets, a Sparrowhawk, a Kingfisher and all the usual wildfowl. In summary, a steady day`s birding in fine company with 65 species logged.

                                  Kestrel - Dungeness

                                 Starlings - ARC

Tuna Breach!

Dungeness - Rain, overcast, S 5 - My plan this morning was for a scout around the bushes at the point to see if any of the scarce leaf warblers had stayed put from the weekend. However, the weather was a shocker with heavy bands of rain lashing in on a brisk southerly rending bush-bashing a miserable proposition. There was only one other option; a mid-morning seawatch from the fishing boats with the locals - and not for the first time this autumn I jammed in a treat! Just offshore a seabird feeding frenzy was underway comprising scores of close Gannets, Cormorants, Little Gulls, Kittiwakes and large gulls plundering what looked like garfish, plus a steady stream of auks (mainly Razorbills) and several Common Scoters further out. And then a couple of bits of quality courtesy of the sharp eyes of Jacob and Charlotte; firstly a Sooty Shearwater that came in so close that it briefly joined the fishing party in front of us, followed by a Leach`s Petrel that seemed to take an age to round the point affording decent scope views before heading down-Channel into the tempest. Then, just as we were about to give in to the weather (Ted did look miserable!) out jumped a massive Tuna clear of the water in its pursuit of garfish (a first for me off Dungeness) rounding off the second wildlife spectacle of the morning. 

                                  Feeding Frenzy - Dungeness

    Gannets - Dungeness

    Sooty Shearwater - Dungeness

Meadow Pipits

New Romney - mild, sunny, light airs - The balmy, late autumn weather continues, ideal then for weekend Ted walks from home; two around the farmland and one yesterday afternoon down to the golf course where the highlight was 100 Meadow Pipits to roost in the long grass, but no sign of any Shorties. The flatlands yielded two singing Cetti`s Warblers, three Chiffchaffs, a Goldcrest, several Long-tailed Tits, Yellowhammers, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, three Buzzards, a Kestrel, a Dabchick on the New Cut and a Great White Egret over. The garden delivered another Firecrest and a Chiffchaff. Also noted hereabouts, due to the warmth, Migrant Hawkers and Red Admirals on the wing, a small bat sp over the park and a host of wild flowers still in bloom including, appropriately enough on this Remembrance Sunday, a clump of Poppies along Hope Lane.

Brent Geese

Dungeness - Mild, cloudy, SSE 4 - We spent the morning on the point which included a two hour seawatch (0900-1100hrs) from the fishing boats where a steady westward passage of seabirds was underway. The main spectacle was provided by gaggles of Brent Geese some approaching so close that you could hear them cackling away to one another. Ducks were on the move too with variable numbers of Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Shoveler, Shelduck and Common Scoter noted, plus parties of Dunlin coming out of the bay on the high tide and heading to roost sites. Red-throated Diver, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Gannet, Sandwich Tern, auks, Kittiwake, Mediterranean, Common, Black-headed Gulls and a distant skua were also logged. The next couple of hours were spent traipsing around the peninsula where the highlight was at least ten Fieldfares scattered across the Trapping Area along with a handful of Blackbirds, some of which may have been from the continent judging by their grey plumage and black-bills. Large charms of Goldfinches were also seen along with a few Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Robins, Goldcrest, Stonechats, a Firecrest, a Green Woodpecker, two Kestrels and a Peregrine. A check at two locations for Yellow-browed Warblers seen earlier drew a blank.

                                  Brent Geese - Dungeness

                                  Shelducks - Dungeness 

                                   Common Scoters - Dungeness

                                  Fieldfares - Trapping Area

                                 Blackbirds, Robin and Blue Tit - Trapping Area

Crossbills

 Dengemarsh Gully - mild, cloudy, drizzle, SE2 - We walked the gully first thing in promising weather conditions for grounded migrants but where the highlights were only brief views of a very retiring Ring Ouzel in the gorse at the seaward end and three Crossbills over heading inland; while every Robin (about 20) was checked for something rarer.. Also noted several Goldfinches, Blackbirds, Reed Buntings, Chaffinches, Stonechats, a Song Thrush and a Chiffchaff. On the walk back to Springfield bridge I witnessed a gruesome scene when an adult Great Black-backed Gull collided into an overhead pylon wire and plummeted to the ground like a Sycamore seed. Having almost severed its right wing it wandered about on the shingle in a sorry old state; unfortunately because it was within the ranges I was unable to dispatch it and had to leave it to an inevitable and miserable death. On a brighter note a small flock of six or seven Crossbills were seen at the pines on ARC before flying off northwards; SM also had a flock of 22 here later in the morning. We finished off at Lade where a Black-necked Grebe was on south lake amongst hundreds of common wildfowl and grebes. 

                             

                                  Robin - Dengemarsh Gully

                                  Great Black-backed Gull - Ranges

Elsewhere this week we`ve visited Dungeness boats twice for seawatches - loads of Gannets and auks (mostly Razorbills), Kittiwakes, Med Gulls, Sandwich Terns and Red-throated Divers, plus parties of Starlings in-off; the Trapping Area on Monday - several Firecrests and Chiffchaffs; Lade - no change; Pirate Springs - Mipits, Skylarks and common waders along the beach; and best of all a Firecrest in our front garden in New Romney on Tuesday which was only the second record in four years. 

                                  Sandwich Tern - Fishing boats

                                 Ted at the boats

Starlings

New Romney - Mild, showery, SW 3 - This weekend`s Ted walk`s have taken us around a very damp local farmland with gulls and corvids the main theme, plus a few parties of Goldfinches, Linnets, Yellowhammers, Skylarks, Mipits and Reed Buntings, along with several Kestrels and Buzzards. Yesterday evening our Kate and Tim wanted to witness a Starling murmuration, so we headed down to the ARC where a couple of thousand birds duly obliged by performing their aerial ballet in front of the Axel viewpoint before plunging into the reed-bed for the night. Over the years I`ve seen this spectacle many times before, and often comprising far more birds, but it still continues to thrill. 

                           Starling Murmuration - Axel viewpoint (Kate Trodd)