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.
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.
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