Wednesday 22 October 2014

An 80 species day

Dungeness - 0915hrs - mild, sunny, nw 3 - Commenced a days birding for Janet and Trevor in the seawatch hide, but with just about the worst wind direction possible we soon abandoned the watch with only distant Gannets and Kittiwakes of any note. The land was quiet with only a few Goldfinches, Linnets, Mipits and alba wagtails over, plus a Black Redstart by the old lighthouse.
New Diggings - Two Little and one Great White Egret noted from the causeway road.
Scotney - A decent session here with plenty of birds on the grass opposite the lay-by including two Redshanks, 10 Dunlin and a Greenshank, amongst the usual feral geese and plovers, plus common wildfowl and a Marsh Harrier over.
RSPB - A tour of the bird reserve delivered Cattle Egret and Ring Ouzel at Boulderwall, 10 Dunlin and two Black-necked Grebes on Burrowes, plus another Great White Egret, three Marsh Harriers and a Buzzard on Dengemarsh. Elsewhere, Tree Sparrows, five Kestrels, Sparrowhawk and Chiffchaff. From Hanson hide a Goldeneye hinted at the coming winter while a host of common wildfowl bobbed about where once there were islands.
Dungeness - Finished off with an hours seawatch from the concrete road which was far more profitable than earlier with a steady steam of close Gannets, Kittiwakes and Sandwich Terns, plus three Bonxies, an Arctic Skua, two Med Gulls, 10 Common Scoter, Shelduck and a Red-throated Diver. On the shingle amongst the roosting Black-backs and Herring Gulls was a confiding adult Yellow-legged Gull in winter plumage.
In all a pretty decent days birding, in great company, with 80 species noted across the Peninsula.


                               Yellow-legged Gull, Dungeness

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