Sunday 18 March 2012

Greenfinches & Stonechats

Dungeness - 0630hrs - sunny, cool, ne2 - Following yesterdays rain, dawn broke with bright sunshine and blue skies with fluffy white clouds, although it clouded over later on. Kicked off with a brief seawatch from the hide during which time a trickle of Gannets, divers, scoters, Fulmars, Sandwich Terns, Kitts, mergansers and auks noted up-Channel (TG had a few Brents earlier).
A wander around the Point revealed a number of Greenfinches, particularly around the lighthouse garden, plus 6 Stonechats, 2 each of Firecrest, Wheatear and Black Redstart, a Sparrowhawk and a scattering of Mipits, Pied Wagtails and Skylarks.

                                           Greenfinch & Stonechat, Dungeness

RSPB - 1100hrs A guided walk around the bird reserve for beginners produced a good variety of wildfowl including Garganey, Pintail and Egyptian Goose on Dengemarsh, Goldeneye and Long-tailed Duck on Burrowes and a redhead Smew on New Excavations. Also noted, a Firecrest, singing Chiffchaffs and Green Woodpeckers.
Also reported today was Scaninavian Rock Pipit on ARC and a 1st winter Glaucous Gull on Burrowes (DW).

1 comment:

  1. Good to see the number of six Stonechats Paul, migrants back to pump up the numbers again following a serious decline of the UK population after two consecutive harsh winters.

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