Bittern

Dungeness RSPB - mild, misty, light airs - It was a strange, almost eerie atmosphere in the visitor`s centre this morning as the last of the shop fixtures, fittings and products were being packed away leaving a large, empty space with an uncertain future. Outside the weather was misty and murky for my monthly guided walk around the circular trail for a solitary guest; which, somehow felt appropriate given the current air of gloom around the place. However, mercifully the reserve is still in great shape, and with a replacement Makepeace hide due and new tern rafts in the offing it looks set for a promising 2025. Anyhow, we commenced with cracking views of the wintering Great Northern Diver on Burrowes along with the usual wildfowl and gulls. The hayfields delivered two flighty Water Pipits and a Common Snipe, while another Snipe showed well on an island in front of Dengemarsh hide amongst hundreds of Lapwings and gulls. Several Marsh Harriers, a Great White Egret, a Raven, a Chiffchaff, a Cetti`s Warbler, and a Water Rail were either seen or heard from the ramp overlooking Hooker`s reedbed, where the highlight of the morning was a Bittern that was in view for at least an hour and showed well through the telescope.

                                  Great Northern Diver, Burrowes

                                 Common Snipe and Lapwings, Dengemarsh

                                 Spot the Bittern!

    Bittern, Hooker`s reed-bed

Elsewhere these past few days our Ted walks have taken us to Pirate Springs twice and the farmland around New Romney with nothing much to report. However, yesterday afternoon a Firecrest was the star turn in the garden and only my second record since moving here just over three years ago.  

Bean Geese

Cold, dry and sunny, light airs - Another fabulous winter`s day of weather and ideal for a run out with my grandson, aka the Apprentice Birder. Now, he does love a list and we kicked off in fine style with a pair of Little Owls on the barns at Hammond`s Corner. Onto the bird reserve and four White-fronts were noted on the Boulderwall fields along with Golden Plovers, Lapwings, a Curlew, a Great White Egret and a Kingfisher on Cook`s Pool. There was nothing new on the pits with a Great Northern Diver and a Long-tailed Duck still on New Diggings, several Goldeneyes on Burrowes and five Cattle Egrets on the paddocks at Cockles Bridge. Next stop the Scotney sand pit where Owen had earlier found two Bean Geese of the tundra variety on the flooded pit towards the farm and where we had distant views of them amongst a large flock of Greylags. Also noted several Shelducks, 50 Wigeons, two Dabchicks and a Green Sandpiper, while on the walk back to the car we had good views of the Tree Sparrow flock, now about 150 strong. A decent enough afternoon then with three lifers for the Apprentice amongst a tally of 57 species; not too shabby for three hours.

                                 Apprentice Birder counting the Tree Sparrows

Jackdaws

Lade - cold, dry and sunny, light airs - It was a cracking morning to be out and about for a stroll with Ted in bright sunshine and with hardly a breath of wind. We walked the circular route beside the lakes, down Seaview Road and back along the beach to Lade, seeing only a handful of souls along the way; it never ceases to amaze me how few people go for a daily walk knowing all the health benefits and well-being it brings. However, the still waters harboured the usual array of wildfowl including four Goldeneyes and ten Wigeons, while a fox sat against the `mirror` buttress enjoying the weak, winter sunshine. Whilst scanning from the bridge a pale Common Buzzard made the grave error of flapping over the coastal housing strip towards Dungeness, setting hundreds of Feral Pigeons, Herring Gulls, Starlings and corvids into a lather. Most notable was the number of Jackdaws present with over 300 counted, but once the `danger` had passed many of them continued to perch in loose flocks on power line poles and roof-tops `kw-owing` loudly. The beach section of the walk at low tide was memorable for Ted`s reaction to frozen sea-ice between the rills; he enjoyed running through the crystals at top speed and rolling in it! Most of the bay waders were quite distant, apart from a small party of Sanderlings that allowed a close approach.

                                 Jackdaws, Lade

                                 Sunbathing Fox, Lade 

      Greatstone beach

    Sanderlings, Lade sands

    Ted on ice!

Elsewhere these past few days our Ted walks have taken us across the farmland north of New Romney and the green lane to Old Romney where a few passerines were were logged, including a several Meadow Pipits and Skylarks but precious little else. A local turf field, which is now a like a quagmire following the recent rain, continues to attract flocks of feeding Starlings, Common and Black-headed Gulls.

    Green lane from New to Old Romney

    Black Poplar, New Romney

   Common Gulls on the turf

Tree Sparrows

Cold, cloudy, W 4 - We spent the morning at Scotney sand pit which is now flooded, and then along the footpath back east towards the farm. The main target species was Tree Sparrow where a flock of at least 85 birds was soon located close to where the footpath from the road bisects Jury`s Gut Sewer. I spent about an hour watching their antics as the flock regularly retired to the safety of bramble and elder scrub, `chipping` away constantly, in between foraging on the ground amongst a sward of weed-seeds that included tangles of fat-hen, dead grasses and thistles. It was great to watch them at such close range and I made a mental note to crack on and construct some more nest boxes for the forthcoming breeding season. The working sand quarry, which delivered a host of waders last summer, has now morphed into a lake attracting a decent range of ducks: 85 Mallard, 31 Shoveler, 15 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, 18 Teal and 2 Pochard. 

    Tree Sparrows, Scotney

The fields outback towards Scotney farm contained several thousand Golden Plovers and Lapwings, a handful of Curlews, Redshanks, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, plus four Brents, 100 Greylags, 50 Stock Doves and two Ruffs. A lakeside margin provided two more Redshanks, a Green Sandpiper, a Little Egret and a Grey Wagtail, while two each of Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and Kestrel were also seen. However, Corn Buntings were notable by their absence. 

                                 Brent Geese, Scotney

    Golden Plovers

Woodcock

Mild, overcast, drizzle, W 5 - An awful morning to be out and about for our Ted walk and a first visit of the New Year to the local patch at Lade, today being the date we moved down here to the Marsh 18 years ago - where has the time gone... South lake held a couple of Goldeneyes amongst the usual diving ducks and Shovelers, while 20 Teals and five Dabchicks were sheltering in the calmer waters within the willow swamp. Ted flushed a Woodcock from scrub by the ponds, that promptly flew over the embankment and into the caravan park, a male Sparrowhawk flapped over the track and both Chiffchaff and Cetti`s Warbler called from cover. Elsewhere over the weekend we`ve walked out from home across the local farmland noting several Yellowhammers, two Stonechats, 50 Meadow Pipits, 10 Fieldfares, a Common Snipe and a Chiffchaff around Hope Lane. 

New Year`s Day +1

Cool, dry and sunny, NW 2 - Due to the wind and rain of NYD we delayed our traditional outing until today in far more favourable weather conditions. Commencing, as usual, in the Wealden woods near Appledore all the expected common woodland species were logged including several hooting Tawny Owls, a screeching Barn Owl, the two woodpeckers, Goldcrests, Nuthatches and Treecreepers. A drive along Moor Lane yielded a few winter thrushes, at least 50 Yellowhammers and lesser numbers of Linnets and Meadow Pipits. Moving down onto the flatlands and along the RMCanal between Kennardington and Warehorne, Kingfisher, Bullfinch and Peregrine went onto the day list. The Marsh farmland was relatively quiet with the highlights being 32 distant Bewick`s Swans near Newlands farm and three Green Sandpipers in a flooded field at Midley. Seven Cattle Egrets were seen along the airport road and a Little Owl at Pigwell. Scotney pits saw the day list fly past the 50 mark due to a host of common wetland birds, plus a Greenshank and a Black-necked Grebe, while the long-staying Great Northern Diver and Long-tailed Duck were ticked off on New Diggings. Conditions were unsuitable for a midday seawatch but we gave it a go from the boats and eventually, after an hour, managed a respectable tally of regular seabirds, plus an east-bound passage of 300 Brents and a Red-necked Grebe on the sea that flew into the bay. Next stop the Tavern viewpoint overlooking the sands on a falling tide and with bright sunshine behind us - what perfect timing! Eleven species of beach waders included 10 Black-tailed and 20 Bar-tailed Godwits, 100 Knots, 20 Grey and 19 Ringed Plovers and our only Shelduck of the day on the sea. Our final port of call was on the bird reserve where a Lesser-black Backed Gull was number 100 and a `pinging` Bearded Tit at 105 in a blazing sunset.

                                  Green Sandpipers, Midley

                                 Little Owl, Lydd

And so concluded a great day in the field, birding from dawn to dusk in fine company. Many thanks to Chris for driving the 56 mile route and Phil for keeping the list of the 105 species we ended up recording.   

Hunting for Buntings

Cold, cloudy, NW 3 - These past couple of morning`s we`ve walked the foreshore with Ted from St Mary`s Bay to Greatstone beach checking the tideline for passerines, in particular buntings, but have come across very little apart from a couple each of Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail, plus a Chiffchaff. The only glimmer of hope was a ground-hugging bird, that may well have been a Lapland Bunting, on the track at Pirate Springs halfway between the coffee van and the Romney Bay hotel that sped inland to the golf links before I could clinch the id. On a falling tide all ten species of regular wintering bay waders were logged on the sands with Ringed Plover and Redshank being the scarcest in just single figures. Along the way Common Gulls were much in evidence with over 300 counted.

                                   Greatstone Beach

A small flock of Long-tailed Tits are now regular visitors to the garden bird feeders.

                                  Long-tailed Tits, New Romney