Caspian Tern

Burrowes - warm, dry and sunny, SW2 - When news came through this morning of an adult Caspian Tern on the bird reserve (found by Gary) I was determined not to miss it; this stunning seabird is a notoriously brief-stayer here at Dunge and over the past twenty years they`ve all (probably no more than half a dozen) eluded me. But not this one which was still sat on a shingle island out from Dennis`s hide viewpoint when I arrived, being greatly appreciated by a gathering throng of local birders and visitors alike. True to form it did not tarry for long and by early afternoon was last seen heading back out to sea over the gully. Caspian Terns used to be much rarer in the past with an average of six per year across the UK when the colonies around the Baltic Sea were in decline. However, due to concerted conservation efforts on their breeding grounds numbers have steadily recovered resulting in an increase in sightings across the country as migrants transit our waters. So hopefully, we may be seeing a few more of these giant terns over the coming summers both here at Dungeness and elsewhere along the Channel coastline.

    Caspian Tern - Burrowes

The garden moth trap continues to attract a good range of moths, although not in the numbers of last week. However, new for the site was a tatty, immigrant Small Marbled, in complete contrast to an immaculate Orache Moth trapped recently by Chris at St Mary-in-the-Marsh.

                                    Small Marbled - New Romney

                                              Orache Moth (by Chris Philpott)

Kentish Plover

Scotney - warm, cloudy, SW3 This afternoon we had a walk outback across the farmland to check on the Tree Sparrow colony where it was good to see plenty of activity, particularly around the next boxes in the trees, but not so much on the ones on the barns. Tree Sparrows can have up to three broods, depending on food availability, and if ever a species needed maximum productivity then this is it. Difficult to say how they`ve done this summer but I reckon I saw at least 20 juvs amongst numerous adults plus loads more fledgling `chupping` along the hedgerow, so probably up to 50 birds minimum. However, the oddest sighting was a recently fledged Wheatear with an attendant adult perched on a barn; not your typical breeding habitat for this species, although they do nest nearby on the Army ranges. Whilst on the long trudge outback a Quail (recently found by Martin) burst into song twice from the depths of a bean field, opposite the longest dung heap I`ve ever seen, and where the adjacent farm track was alive with alba wagtails. Also noted the usual Corn and Reed Buntings, Linnets, Yellow Wagtails, Swallows and Skylarks plus a Marsh Harrier, two Ravens and a Spoonbill on the front lake. 

                                  Adult Tree Sparrow

                                  Juv Tree Sparrows

                                  Juv Wheatear

                                  Spoonbill - Scotney

Elsewhere since my last post visits to the reserve, Lade and Kerton quarry have yielded the expected build up of diving ducks, mostly Pochards, where there was 60 on Lade yesterday along with 172 Curlew and a Whimbrel to roost out the high tide on the Desert.

                                  Curlew - Lade

Lade Bay - 1700hrs - I`d barely got home this afternoon when news came through of a Kentish Plover found by Jacob on the beach just south of the Lade car park. I was soon on site watching this cracking wader at one of its historical haunts. Many thanks to Dave Scott for his superb image.

    Kentish Plover - Lade Bay  (by Dave Scott)

Summer Moths

Hot, dry and sunny - It has been a week since I last posted and despite being out and about on a daily basis there has been little change to the birding scene locally. Visits to the reserve have been notable for the lack of tern activity on Burrowes and Dengemarsh, although there was a small flock investigating the raft on Lade south earlier in the week. Oystercatcher, Lapwing and Redshank have all managed to fledge a few young from the main island at Kerton quarry despite the gull predation. A party of Swifts flying around the old water tower at Littlestone recently was also of note (they have bred there in the past) whilst woefully low numbers of House Martins have been heard over New Romney air space so far this summer. The Hammonds Corner Little Owl has hopefully found a mate and good numbers of Corn Buntings can be heard in the cereal fields around Lydd along with a few Yellow Wagtails.

                                      Blackneck

                                     Pine Hawk-moth

The heavy rain we had on Monday followed by warm sunshine has certainly benefitted the plant life with great swathes of Vipers Bugloss in flower across the shingle ridges and plenty of dragonflies and butterflies on the wing, particularly Painted Ladies which seem to be everywhere. Needless to say our garden moth trap has been heaving with insects this week with Small Emerald, Blackneck and Pine Hawk-moth all new for the site; last night produced 40 species of macros including 24 Elephant Hawk-moths and 18 Buff-tips, while several Hummingbird Hawk-moths have been attracted to the buddleias during the afternoon. Our garden Hedgehogs have active at dusk as have plenty of small bats flying overhead from the town park. 

Red-crested Pochard

Lade and Kerton Quarry - cloudy, humid, light airs - Spent the morning on the local patch surveying the breeding birds in misty, murky conditions where fledglings were everywhere. Around the willow swamp seven species of warblers were present, while on the water Dabchicks appear to have had a good breeding season judging from the number of juveniles seen, but no sign of any Great Crested juvs as yet. Mallard, Coot, Gadwall and Mute Swan were all confirmed breeding. The mid-summer build-up of Pochards is already underway with at least 120 on north lake plus a drake Red-crested Pochard in eclipse plumage (thanks to Dave Scott for sending through his pic below), presumably the same individual that was on ARC earlier in the week. At Kerton Quarry, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Little Ringed Plover, Egyptian, Greylag and Canada Geese were all confirmed breeding.  It was a busy night in the garden moth trap with 30 species of macros logged, including Small Emerald new for the site and a host of hawk-moths.

                                  Eyed Hawkmoth

                                  Grey Heron - Lade

                                     

                                          Red-crested Pochard - Lade north

                                      

                                  Red-crested Pochard (by Dave Scott)

Great Crested Grebes

Dungeness - warm, cloudy W4 -  Before my monthly guided walk for RSPB I checked out ARC for yesterday`s Squacco Heron of which there was no sign here or elsewhere across the reserve; although it could still be lurking somewhere on the wetlands... However, eight guests enjoyed plenty of birds and other wildlife around the circular trail with the highlights being a protracted flight view of a Bittern flying from the ramp over towards Xmas Dell and a Hobby hawking aerial insects. We also had good views of two juv Reed Warblers, a Great White Egret, several Marsh Harriers, 50 Common Terns on an island out from Dennis`s hide and all the usual wildfowl, warblers and gulls, plus two Brown Hares bounding over the shingle, always a bonus. On a sadder note it appears that the Common Terns have abandoned the Dengemarsh rafts, while a pair of close Great Crested Grebes undertaking their nuptials was fascinating to observe.

    Great Crested Grebes - Dengeemarsh

Wheatears

Dungeness - cool, cloudy E2 - A walk along the foreshore this morning produced a surprising amount of breeding bird action, considering the recent poor weather and the amount of disturbance from human activity. At least two broods of well-grown juvenile Wheatears were the highlight, with an adult still feeding a juv, along with fledged Stonechats and Reed Buntings, plus presence from Skylark, Linnet and Meadow Pipit. On the reserve a smart Cattle Egret was on the Boulderwall fields following the stock while Redshank, Lapwing and Little Ringed Plover were on the wetlands. Over the road from Hanson hide an adult Wood Sandpiper was new in and probably a failed breeder on the move south; that`s autumn on the way then! An eclipse Red-crested Pochard was at the south end of ARC. Moving onto Kerton Road where at least three fully fledged Lapwing chicks and a Redshank chick roamed the main island margins, and Lade pits where already Pochard numbers were on the rise. 

                                  Wheatears - Dungeness

                                  Juvenile Stonechat - Dungeness

                                  Cattle Egret - Boulderwall fields

    Adult Wood Sandpiper - ARC                

Over the weekend the garden moth trap delivered a decent return including a pristine Lime Hawk-moth and a tatty Scorched Wing which was new for the site and something of a surprise being a woodland moth although there are oaks in the town park.

    Lime Hawk-moth

    Scorched Wing

Pas-de-Calais

Pas-de-Calais - Just returned from a five day break across the Channel based at Hardelot-Plage south of Boulogne, where the weather was unsettled to say the least being cool with sunshine/showers and a fresh westerly wind. However, pre-breakfast outings along the foreshore and sand-dunes did deliver a few Sandwich Terns and Rock Pipits, a Crested Lark and a Fan-tailed Warbler, plus Serin and several singing Black Redstarts around the town. A trip to Guines marshes from the boardwalk was good for a variety of warblers including Icterine, Marsh, Grasshopper and Willow Warblers as well as Yellow Wagtail, Short-toed Treecreeper, Cuckoo, Turtle Dove and Marsh Harrier along with a pair of Black-winged Stilts the first I`ve seen at this location; on the way back through the forest we had good views of a Honey Buzzard soaring overhead.  A visit to the aquarium at Boulogne was spectacular (and highly recommended) followed by views of the Kittiwake colony outside along the harbour arm. 

                                  Guines Marshes

                                  Black-winged Stilt - Guines

                                  Kittiwake colony - Boulogne

Thursday was spent at Parc du Marquenterre the famous nature reserve on the Somme estuary and one of my favourite birding locations, with the added bonus of the fabulous restaurant in the visitor centre - the French certainly know how to lunch! After tracking down Crested Tits in the car park pines we moved onto the wetlands where Cuckoo and Turtle Dove were commonplace across the site along with eight species of warblers, singing Nightingales and a Whinchat. The lagoons and lakes held hundreds of Avocets, Shelducks, Pochards, nesting Black-headed Gulls and Cormorants, Common Terns, Black-necked and Little Grebes, Redshanks, Black-winged Stilts and Lapwings, plus three passage Black-tailed Godwits and a Common Sandpiper. Large numbers of Swifts and hirundines streamed overhead in the cool conditions. The final hide is always a treat at this time of year as it overlooks a large mixed colony of tree-top nesting White Storks, Grey and Night Herons, Little, Great and Cattle Egrets and Spoonbills. Its always a pleasure to visit France where the people are laid back, the food is superb and the roads pot-hole free!

    Marquenterre wetlands

    Avocets and Black-winged Stilt

    Cormorant colony

    Great White Egret

    Black-tailed Godwits

    Adult Spoonbill

    Konic Ponies

    Marquenterre hide

    White Storks