Nightingales!

Orlestone Forest - warm, dry and sunny, ne 2 - We continued our Birdwatching Break for our Dorset guests in the woods targeting Nightingales, and we were not disappointed with five/six birds belting out their fabulous songs in coppice and birch scrub close to the main track. During the two hours we were on site the singing was continuous and we had stunning views of several confiding individuals; infact, they were some of the best views I`ve had for ages of this secretive migrant, and I even managed to a snap a few pics with the old bridge camera.

                                Nightingale, Orlestone Forest

  Also in the area two Garden and five Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, Treecreeper and the usual range of common woodland birds including a calling Tawny Owl. A Brimstone was on the wing once the sun came out and we noted a male Yellowhammer from Warehorne Bridge.

                                Brimstone

Rye Harbour - Hadn`t been here for a while and the old visitor centre had gone and the site cleared in preparation for a shiny new one. A good range of waders included six Grey Plovers, 50 Barwits, 20 Whimbrels, 82 Avocets, 10 Ringed Plovers, five Dunlins, plus Sandwich and Common Terns, Mediterranean Gulls, two Brents and a Wheatear all from the John Gooder`s hide.
  Moving onto Castle Water from the viewing platform produced at least four Marsh Harriers, Little Egret and a Cuckoo feeding on moth caterpillars.
  On the way home we checked the wetlands along the coast road for Glossy Ibis but could only come up with a Brent Goose at Scotney and a Great White Egret at the south end of ARC.
Dungeness - An evening seawatch from the hide produced hundreds of Commic and Sandwich Terns up-Channel of which at least 50 of the closer birds were Arctics. Also, 30 Little Terns, one Black Tern, a skua sp, two Red Knot, four Grey Plover, 20 Whimbrel, 20 Barwits, 20 Gannets, 20 Common Scoters and several auks.

Whimbrels and warblers

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, ne 2 - A warm, hazy day and yet another poor couple of sessions seawatching for the end of April. The first one around mid-morning did produce two Black Terns, a trickle of Common and Sandwich Terns, Gannets, Common Scoters, Whimbrels and Barwits. The afternoon hour from the fishing boats turned up hundreds of Barwits and Whimbrels up-Channel, plus an Arctic and Great Skua, Kittiwake, Guillemot and best of all a flock of 22 Arctic Terns with two Little Terns.
 On the land around the old lighthouse several Stonechats, Black Redstarts, Whitethroats and a Greenland Wheatear, plus a pair of Peregrine on the power station and pylons. We also noted plenty of Small Copper butterflies on the wing.

                                Stonechat

                                 Greenland Wheatear                             

                                Whimbrel, Boulderwall

                                Cattle Egret, Hayfield

  There was plenty to see around the bird reserve today where at least 50 Common Terns had moved onto Burrowes; also Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Barwit and Whimbrel on the islands. On the Hayfields more Barwits, Whimbrels, Redshank, Lapwing, two Cattle Egrets and a flyover Spoonbill.
Also, four Hobbies over Hooker`s, `booming` Bittern, Cuckoo, Raven, displaying Marsh Harriers, plus Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats all over the place.  

Roe Deer

Lade - cool, cloudy, nw 2 - Saturdays blasting westerly made most of the day unproductive for birding, although it did peter out come late afternoon. A circuit of the local patch produced all the usual birds on the pits, plus a flock of 12 Ringed Plovers on the beach. The highlight though was a Roe Deer running along the foreshore and looking completely lost; apparently it ended up feeding in a Greatstone garden and hopefully during the night found its way back inland to safer terrain.

                               Scaffold island Oystercatcher

Ringed Plovers on the bay 

Green Woodpecker

Birdwatching Break - This afternoon we started a five day Birdwatching Break for Jill, John and Tony from Dorset. We kicked off on the bird reserve at Boulderwall for Tree Sparrows, the few that remain that is, where also Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Greenfinch, Linnet and a Swift over, plus Marsh Harrier and Buzzard on the Boulderwall fields. Moving onto Burrowes where the islands were busy with waders, including 23 Dunlins, two Barwits, two Whimbrels, 10 Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover. We also had distant views of four Hobbies over Hooker`s way. Around the car park at least three Lesser Whitethroats were in song.
  We finished the afternoon at the point where a Serin had been seen earlier, but not by us. During the stake out Stonechats, Mipits, Linnets, two Black Redstart all noted, plus Gannet, Med Gull and Whimbrel over the sea.

Swift and Hobby

Dungeness - cool, cloudy, SW 2 - 0600 - 0730hrs - A pedestrian seawatch (at least by Dungeness standards) from the hide first thing resulted in a trickle of terns, scoters, auks, divers, Kitts, Gannets, three Great and five Arctic Skuas, Fulmars, Brents and six Eiders.
Lade - Despite the wind picking up we managed eight species of warblers in song around the site, plus our first Swift and Hobby of spring. A Cuckoo called constantly, while Curlew and Med Gull passed overhead.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Dungeness - cool, cloudy, S 3 - 0845 - 1100hrs - A mid-morning seawatch from the hide produced a steady trickle of seabirds including 15 Great and five Arctic Skuas, eight Velvet Scoters, two Black-throated Divers and a Manx Shearwater the highlights, plus Sandwich and Common Terns, Gannets, several Med Gulls, two Red-throated Divers, 200 Common Scoters, 50 Brents and 10 auks; eight Poms were seen earlier (MC). Offshore at least 10 Porpoises were noted, while a pod of 10 dolphins were probably Bottle-nose (OL).
  An early afternoon surprise came in the shape of a Yellow-browed Warbler caught in the Helgoland trap. By the time I arrived it had been released into the Moat and I only had a couple of fleeting views in a patch of blackthorn.
  Another hour from the hide late on produced a few more Manxies, Arctic Skuas, Sandwich Terns, Common Scoters, Red-throated Divers and a Bonxie.

                                One of today`s many Bonxies

Bar-tailed Godwits

Dungeness - cloudy, mild, light airs - 0600 - 0730hrs - The weather gods got it wrong again as it was supposed to be a brisk south-easterly this morning, instead we were confronted with a mill-pond like sea and hazy light with few passage seabirds on offer, at least first thing, most of which were distant. However, being as this is Dunge at the end of April there was a trickle of terns, skuas, auks, divers, scoters, Fulmars, Gannets, Kittiwakes, Whimbrels and Med Gulls on offer; but after yesterdays tern fest I guess it was too much to expect two good seawatchs on the bounce.
  A midday visit to the bird reserve produced small flocks of grounded Bar-tailed Godwits and Whimbrels from the access road and in the Boulderwall fields. The adult male godwits looked splendid in their breeding finery; surely one of our smartest passage waders. The Black-winged Stilts performed a fly past and were seen throughout the day commuting between the Hayfields, Cook`s Pool and the southern end of ARC. The scrub was alive with Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers, while Cattle Egret and Garganey were also reported today.
  A late afternoon visit to Lade in drizzle and a brisk south-westerly resulted in a few hirundines over south lake, mostly Swallows, plus more Whimbrels and Med Gulls over calling. With heavy showers forecast overnight and tomorrow we could be in for our first large scale dump of hirundines and terns of spring, perhaps...

Terns galore!

Lade - mild, cloudy, ne 2 - An overcast sort of a day that gradually got cooler as the afternoon progressed. A few more Whitethroats had moved in on the local patch, while a cracking male Ring Ouzel on the Desert, for once, showed quite well feeding amongst the short turf before flushed by a Magpie.
  A `bumper` crop of moths in the garden trap of six macro species included 25 Tawny Shears and a Chinese Character.

                                Male Ring Ouzel

                                Tawny Shears

                                Chinese Character (left), bird dropping (right)

Dungeness - 1530 - 1730hrs - From the fishing boats this afternoon a very good two hour seawatch produced several hundred Common and Arctic Terns pulsing through, some very close to shore, along with lesser numbers of Sandwich Terns, 10 Little Terns and a Black Tern. Arctic Terns are, of course, one of the greatest long-distance travellers on the planet and this afternoons movement was a privilege to watch. Ten Arctic Skuas also moved up Channel along with 200 Barwits, 50 Whimbrels, 10 Gannets, 10 Med Gulls, six Sanderlings, Fulmar, Red-throated Diver and a Merganser.

                               Arctic Skuas, pale phase and dark phase

Elsewhere today the Black-winged Stilts were reported at the southern end of ARC this morning, while the Crane was in the same field at the back of Caldecote Lane, Lydd (per MC). On the Boulderwall fields a stunning Blue-headed Wagtail paid a brief visit (DS) and a Ring Ouzel was noted in the Trapping Area (OL).

                                Blue-headed Wagtail, by David Scott

Pomarine Skuas

Sunday - Dungeness - warm, dry, NE 2 - 0900-1200hrs - While not ideal conditions for seawatching, what with hazy light over the sea and high cloud, it turned into a memorable session high on quality with the undoubted highlights being our first four Pomarine Skuas of spring. There was a good supporting cast comprising two Black-throated Divers, five Avocets, two Velvet Scoters, five Bonxies, 10 Little Gulls and 10 Little Terns. A steady flow of terns produced at least 10 Arctic Terns amongst the more numerous Common and Sandwich Terns, plus 100 Common Scoters, 10 Brents, two Mergansers, 20 each of Whimbrel and Barwit, 10 Mediterranean Gulls, Gannet, Red-throated Diver, Fulmar and three Mute Swans sailing by serenely on the sea!
  Many more seabirds were logged throughout the day, for a full report checkout: www.trektellen.nl

Greenland Wheatear

Lade - warm, dry, sunny, ne 2  - Another fine spring day with temperatures up into the late teens Centigrade by early afternoon. On the local patch our first Cuckoo of the year flew over the willow swamp where it was welcomed in no uncertain terms by a male Sparrowhawk! Two Marsh Harriers tussled with a crow and six pairs of Mediterranean Gulls flew over calling. A few more Whitethroats and Reed Warblers were in, while Swallow, Sand Martin and a Whimbrel all moved through. Bird of the day here though was a spanking Greenland Wheatear on the Desert which allowed a close approach, a huge beast almost the size of a Song Thrush showing the classic brownish-black on the wings and primary coverts and extensive orangey-buff underparts.

                                Greenland Wheatear

  A quick look at the south end of ARC drew a blank on yesterdays stilts, as did the Boulderwall fields, although a Spoonbill and two Garganeys were ample compensation at Cook`s and Tanner`s Pools respectively. I just had time to stop off at the top of Long Pits where a smart male Whinchat found earlier by RW was still present.
  Elsewhere, today the first Pomarine Skua of spring was noted off the point, while the Crane had moved to Caldecote Lane, Lydd (MC).

Black-winged Stilts

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, N 2 - A wander around the point first thing delivered very little apart from several Whitethroats, Wheatears and Black Redstarts, two Swallows through, Yellow Wagtail and Whimbrel over. The sea was predictably quiet with just a few Gannets, Common Scoters, Mediterranean Gulls, Sandwich and Common Terns offshore, plus five of the latter at the Patch. The male Peregrine was surveying its domain from atop the pylon closest to the Obs and there was a good show of Early Purple Orchids on the shingle.

                                Early Purple Orchids

                                Whitethroat, DBO

  A pair of Black-winged Stilts dropped onto the Boulderwall fields this morning and promptly did a tour of the local wetlands throughout the day (MC). I managed to catch up with them at the southern end of ARC on the way back from Folkestone this evening, without optics; so, many thanks to David Scott for loaning his bins for cracking views from the causeway road and for sending me through the pics below.

                                Black-winged Stilts (David Scott)

  Infact it was a very good day all round on the bird reserve with the following highlights on the board by close of play (LK): Red Kite, Hobby, Cuckoo, Swift, Yellow Wagtail, Cattle and Great White Egrets, Spoonbill, Crane, Garganey, Barwit, Knot, Greenshank, Whimbrel and LRP.
Woodchurch - A mid-morning walk through a classic coppiced woodland amongst carpets of magnificent Bluebells and a riot of other spring flowers was, as always, a wondrous experience. Migrant Blackcap, Chiffchaff and a single Nightingale were in song amongst resident Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest and Coal Tit. As the morning wore on several Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk soared over the woodland canopy. Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Peacock and Brimstone on the wing.

Red Kites

Lade - warm, dry and sunny, ne 2 - A much warmer day today as the wind had backed off. However, there was little of note on the local patch this morning apart from a few more Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers in overnight, while DS noted at least six Wheatears on the Desert just before I arrived.
Whilst working in the garden late morning alarm calls went up from the resident passerines and I eventually caught sight of two high Red Kites drifting north over the cottage; several others were also reported locally today.
  On the bird reserve Spoonbills and Garganeys were seen on Dengemarsh, while the Cattle Egrets and Crane were also present (per MC).

Ring Ouzels

Lade  - cool, dry, sunny, NE 4 - A brisk wind off the bay kept temperatures low until the mist burned off around mid-morning. A circuit of the local patch welcomed two new overnight arrivals in the form of Whitethroat and Reed Warbler around the ponds and a Lesser Whitethroat behind the `mirrors` where several Sedge, Willow and Cetti`s Warblers were in good voice. At the top end of north lake a pair of Ring Ouzels broke cover and a Greenshank flew over calling. On the beach on a falling tide the usual Curlews, Oystercatchers, 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, two Ringed Plovers and 20 Sandwich Terns the highlights.
  There was no real change across the peninsula today with the two Cattle Egrets and a Crane still on Dengemarsh, plus a few Greenshanks and Barwits through.

Spring passerines

Dungeness - cool, cloudy, misty, light airs - A circular walk of the bird reserve for 11 guests delivered a good range of spring passerines, chiefly from the warbler tribe again. I can`t remember seeing so many Sedge Warblers around the site, there must`ve been at least 50 males belting out their territorial songs during the course of the two mile circuit. Also up to 10 Willow Warblers, 20 Cetti`s Warblers (several actually seen quite well!), five Chiffchaffs, five Blackaps and our first Reed Warbler of the year chugging away in Hookers reedbed, where we also had cracking views of Bearded Tits around the grit tray and our first two House Martins of spring overhead. The two remaining Cattle Egrets were amongst the cow herd opposite Dengemarsh hide. Linnets, Skylark, Wheatear, Reed Buntings, Marsh Harrier and Little Egret also noted.
  Burrowes, however, was disappointing with no passage waders present, which was no surprise considering how many large gulls were still loitering on the islands, alongside a few lingering Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler and Sparrowhawk by the Dipping Pond.

Warblers

Dungeness - mild, cloudy, light airs - Spent the day guiding for Alan and Caroline in more pleasant weather conditions than yesterday. A cursory seawatch from the hide yielded very little apart from a few Gannets, scoters, terns and divers. On the land several Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps vocalised in the lighthouse garden, while a Dartford Warbler was noted nearby, along with Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Linnets, Black Redstart, Wheatear and a Swallow over.

                                Sedge Warblers were in fine voice today

 Around the bird reserve circular walk the warbler tribe were much in evidence with 20 Sedge and 10 Cetti`s Warblers in the ascendancy along with Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and our first Lesser Whitethroat of spring. Following a tip-off three Garganeys (two drakes and a duck) on Dengemarsh Sewer were a nice surprise with a drake on the lake later in the afternoon, while the Crane remained in the distant field from the dung heap in Dengemarsh Road. Also noted, three Brents, a `booming` Bittern and Bearded Tits from the viewing ramp, a Whimbrel over calling, Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall,  Raven, Wigeon, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard and Mediterranean Gull elsewhere and a summer plumage Sanderling on Burrowes.
  We finished the afternoon scanning the sands at Littlestone in hazy light where 13 stunning Bar-tailed Godwits in breeding plumage were feeding on the mud patch in front of the caisson. Also here 13 Turnstones and plenty of Curlews and Oystercatchers further out. 
  A fairly decent range of migrants and breeding birds of 89 species were noted over the two days for our guests.

Puffin at last!

                        

Dungeness - cold, sunny, ESE 4 - 0615-0845hrs - A terrific seawatch from the hide this morning resulted in a Dunge tick in the shape of two Puffins attached to a down-Channel flock of Guillemots, thanks to a call out from MC. Seabirds streamed by throughout the watch with over a thousand auks and Common Scoters and hundreds of Gannets and Sandwich Terns, plus lesser numbers of Red-throated Divers, Common Terns, at least 10 Fulmars, 10 Arctic Terns, five Little Gulls, a Manx Shearwater, nine Arctic Skuas, a drake Scaup and four Velvet Scoters. Other wildfowl included 10 Brents, 20 Shovelers, 20 Teal, 10 Gadwall, six Shelducks and four Mergansers along with single figures of Barwit, Curlew, Whimbrel, Sanderling and Ringed Plover. Superb stuff.
NB: Dungeness seabird passage details are now available to view on: www.trektellen.nl

                                   A few of the many Gannets this morning


Scotney - Spent the afternoon guiding for Alan and Caroline from Hampshire. We started at the farm where at least 20 Yellow Wagtails were active outback, also Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow and Skylark, while on the wetlands two Greenshanks were new for the year. Also noted 20 Egyptian Geese, 12 Avocets, two Buzzards, Little Ringed Plover, Peregrine and two Mediterranean Gulls.
  We then moved to Dengemarsh where the Common Crane was feeding in a distant field, and onto ARC for common wildfowl, Swallow, Sand Martin, Sedge Warblers and two Marsh Harriers. We finished the afternoon at the fishing boats, but little was happening with just a few distant Gannets and Sandwich Terns and a Wheatear on the concrete road.

Wildfowl and Woodlarks

West Sussex - cold, cloudy, ne 4 - Pat and I decamped to Littlehampton this weekend staying at our Kate`s. I had a couple of site recces to do for forthcoming articles; while we also managed to squeeze in a comedy gig at Bognor on Friday night where we were entertained by the hilarious Mark Steel who`s currently on a nationwide tour, and well worth seeing if he`s coming to your town this year.
  Anyhow, my first port of call on Saturday was Arundel Wetland Centre situated on the banks of River Arun. Being as it was a holiday weekend it was packed out with families enjoying various activities and feeding the plastic wildfowl. However, there were one or two quiet spots where you could escape the crowds from hides overlooking scrapes and the like with breeding Lapwings, Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls and feral goslings and ducklings everywhere. Sedge Warblers, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Sand Martins were the pick of the summer migrants, plus Cetti`s Warbler, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Great Spotted Woodpecker in the woodlands. I did manage to get a brief view of a Water Vole swimming across the pool in front of the very plush visitor centre.

                                Arundel Wetland Centre

  In the afternoon I moved to Pulborough Brooks, one of my favourite RSPB reserves, overlooking the scenic Arun Valley with adjacent heathland and views across the South Downs. Almost the first bird I heard was a singing Woodlark flying over the car park towards the heath from a prepared weedy field in front of the visitor centre, where a further five birds were noted. Around the circular route the woodlands were alive with Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, where also Goldcrest, Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Treecreeper noted, although the Nightingales weren`t in yet.
The wetlands held plenty of breeding Lapwings and Redshanks amongst various Grey Heron, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Little Egret, Mediterranean Gull, Buzzard, Kestrel, Snipe, Skylark, Reed Bunting and Long-tailed Tit. A walk across the heathland produced another Woodlark sighting, plus a Tree Pipit.

                                Pulborough Brooks

  This morning I walked the beach at Littlehampton where plenty of Turnstones and a few Sanderlings were noted. An hour long seawatch from the pier at the mouth of the Arun produced just 10 Gannets, two Common Scoters and a Red-throated Diver; I shall never complain about a slow seawatch at Dungeness ever again!

First Whitethroat

Lade - cold, dry, cloudy, E2 - Another nippy start to the day, although the wind had relented slightly. We walked Mockmill and outback behind the `Mirrors`, where a couple of Sedge Warblers were singing in the sewer along with Reed Buntings and a Stonechat. Our first Whitethroat of spring was typically reluctant to show in dense scrub, calling and occasionally flicking into view.
 Around the willow swamp, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler also in song, plus several each of Sand Martin and Swallow hawking insects coming off the trees. A pair of Goldeneyes courted on south lake and a steady stream of Mediterranean Gulls passed overhead calling.

Return to winter

Lade - cold, dry and sunny,  NE 4 - The past couple of days have felt like a return to winter with a cold, blasting north-easterly suppressing daytime temperatures to little more than single figures. On the local patch a pair of Goldeneyes remained on south lake and a steady procession of Mediterranean Gulls passed overhead, which is about normal for this time of year. Egyptian Geese are becoming more regularly noted and I guess it wont be long before they nest locally.
Dungeness - Three sessions from the seawatch hide these past two days has delivered the usual fare of Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns, a few Red-throated Divers, Brents, Common Scoters and Fulmars. This afternoon four Merganser passed close to shore while a distant flock of 20 waders were probably Grey Plovers. At least 12 Porpoises and a Grey Seal were active offshore.
  Also this afternoon the Crane was viewable from Dengemarsh Road by the dung heap and two Cattle Egrets remained in the fields by Cockles Bridge. Apart from a couple of Little Gulls on Burrowes the bird reserve was fairly quiet today.

Red-necked Grebe

Dungeness - cool, cloudy, rain, NE 2 - A grim, cold day with rain throughout. However, we ventured out this afternoon to the bird reserve to see whether the Red-necked Grebe on Burrowes would come close enough for a piccie, which it didn`t, preferring to stay over the far side of the pit and diving regularly. A Common Tern and four Ringed Plovers were the only other birds of note.
  A wander across the top end of the Desert looking for migrants was largely unsuccessful with just a handful of nervy Song Thrushes flushed from cover and a couple of singing Willow Warblers at Long Pits. We finished off with a brief seawatch from the hide which delivered 30 Brents and a trickle of Gannets, Common Scoters, Sandwich and Common Terns up-Channel.

                               Common Gulls on a nesting box

Thrush rush and a White Stork!

                               Dungeness shrouded in fog

Dungeness - mild, misty, light airs - 0630 - 0930hrs & 1230 - 1500hrs - Perfect weather conditions for grounded migrants, and so it proved with two superb birding sessions. An early morning jaunt along the foreshore from the new lighthouse to Penn Bars delivered at least 20 Wheatears, plus two Ring Ouzels, 10 Redwings, 10 Song Thrushes and five Fieldfares on the sea defence blocks in front of B Station. Over a foggy sea Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls could be heard and our first Whimbrel of spring. Around the old lighthouse 20 more Redwings and 10 Song Thrushes flushed from cover, while several Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, two Black Redstarts and Goldcrest also noted along with the usual Linnets, Mipits, Reed Buntings, Stonechats and 10 Swallows through.

                                Five of the 20 grounded Wheatears

                                Two Song Thrushes and a Fieldfare in front of B station

  A visit to the old quarry area north of Long Pits this afternoon failed to deliver either of the two Redstarts and Ring Ouzels seen earlier. However, a Tree Pipit over was our first for the year along with a few more Fieldfares, Song Thrushes and a Yellow Wagtail over. Whilst there news came through of a male Redstart in a private garden on the estate (thanks for the tip off Dave), which I eventually glimpsed, along with a Brown Hare and a soaring White Stork that sent the Herring Gulls into meltdown. A crazy ten minutes indeed, but that`s Dungeness for you!

                                Linnet and Blackcap

Lade - The White Stork drifted high over the lakes sending the local Herring Gulls into a lather and also freaking out the roosting Curlew flock that flew around calling frantically. Eventually the stork disappeared over Romney Salts in the murk. At least 20 Mediterranean Gulls were amongst the roosting throng on south lake.