Dartford Warblers

Cloudy, dry, E2 - Since my last post we`ve been out and about daily across the Dungeness peninsula, Lade, Pirate Springs and around New Romney, but there has been little to report, despite seemingly fair birding conditions in a light easterly airflow. A few Chiffchaffs, even fewer Goldcrests, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes were noted in the bushes, plus a Dartford Warbler today in the gully and several others scattered across the desert and the Kerton triangle this week. Overhead passage has been pitifully low on larks, pipits, finches, buntings and the like, while 10 Redwings over Hope Lane and two yesterday at the Springs was about it. Having said that the bird reserve has produced the usual Cattle Egrets (nine at Bouderwall this morning), with a Red-throated Diver and a Black-necked Grebe having taken up residence on Burrowes. The garden moth trap continues to be productive, mainly due to double figure temperatures and light airs, with a Dark Sword-grass the highlight last night.

                                 Sandwich Terns and Common Gull, Littlestone

                                  Speckled Wood, Hope Lane

                                  Dark Sword-grass

                                 Cattle Egrets, Boulderwall

Golden Twin-spot

Scotney - warm, dry and sunny, S2 - Another fine morning of weather was spent birding the Scotney complex, commencing at the sand pit where a Ring Ouzel disturbed from the wooded gully by the track was the highlight. Since our last visit the water levels in the pit had risen significantly, but still lured down 12 Lapwings and singles of Greenshank, Redshank and Green Sandpiper amongst a scattering of common wildfowl. A tardy Yellow Wagtail flew hurriedly south, while Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Cetti`s Warbler, 20 Skylarks, four Stonechats, five Blackbirds, 20 Goldfinches and five Meadow Pipits were also noted. A pause at the double bends revealed at least 12 Pintails on the water within a host of Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard and Tufted Ducks. At the farm entrance the lake on the Lydd side yielded two Black-necked Grebes, another Greenshank and four Green Sandpipers, plus a mixed flock of 500 Golden Plovers and Lapwings over that eventually settled on the ranges. A quick look at Burrowes for a reported Black-throated Diver failed to deliver, although a Red-throated Diver and a Black-necked Grebe were reported from the Scott lookout.

                                 Scotney sand pit

                                  Greenshank, Scotney sand pit

                                 Black-necked Grebes, Scotney

Our final stop on the local patch produced the usual wildfowl, plus several Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs and Robins in the willow scrub by the ponds. The garden moth trap came up with the goods last night delivering a scarce migrant in the shape of a Golden Twin-spot, new for the site, as well as 10 common late autumn species. 

                                 Golden Twin-spot, new for the trap site

                                 Beaded Chestnut and Black Rustic

Glossy Ibis

Warm, dry and sunny, S3 - After a wet start on Monday the weather improved as the week progressed to being pleasantly mild with a southerly airflow, not that it has done much for the seawatching off Dungeness. Infact, it has been quiet just about everywhere bird-wise across the peninsula. Two Glossy Ibises were on view from Hanson hide late yesterday afternoon, along with two Black-tailed Godwits in amongst the Lapwings, plus several showy Bearded Tits in the reedbed by the boardwalk. A large flock of several hundred Golden Plovers flew over Hope Lane on Tuesday, while Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests continue to filter through our town garden and Grey Wagtails overhead. This afternoon we checked out Pirate Springs, but that too was devoid of birds apart from a mixture of 50 roosting Ringed Plovers, Dunlins and Turnstones along the strandline.

                                  Glossy Ibises, ARC

                                  Painted Lady, ARC

                                  Tufted Duck, ARC

                                 Dunlins and Ringed Plovers, Pirate Springs

                                 Ted on the sea wall

Harriers

Wet and windy, mild - A weekend of mixed weather with rain for a morning walk around Lade yesterday where there seemed to be an increase in Water Rails judging from the number of squeals emanating from the willow swamp. In the warm, afternoon sunshine several Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap moved through the garden, while a Firecrest was heard and briefly seen in the holm oaks by Sainsbury`s New Romney.

                                   Arctic Skua, Dungeness

Today was a different beast weather wise, still mild, but with the wind increasing through the day and rain around as named Storm Ashley moved up the west coast of the British Isles. A couple of hours with Ted along the foreshore at Dungeness produced a few Goldfinches and Skylarks, while offshore hundreds of Gannets streamed down-Channel, plus two Arctic Skuas, two Sandwich Terns and a Red-throated Diver during the half an hour spent at the fishing boats with the seawatchers, who`d had a Leach`s Petrel earlier. This afternoon I joined Chris for the first harrier count of winter out on Walland Marsh where 17 Marsh Harriers came to roost in overcast and drizzly weather, although there was precious little else of note apart from two Great White and one Cattle Egret, four Kestrels and a Buzzard.

Woodlarks

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, light airs - Another superb day to be out and about in the field birding with the temperature hitting 20C by early afternoon; however, yet again it was poor fare with migrants few and far between. Once more Robins and Chiffchaffs made up the bulk of birds in the bushes along with a few Blackbirds and a Blackcap in the trapping area. Overhead passage was lamentable for the time of year with only single figures of Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Reed Bunting, plus a hint of quality from two high, calling Woodlarks. Also noted a Sparrowhawk, several Kestrels, and a flock of 12 Long-tailed Tits along the power station fence.

                                 Long-tailed Tits, Dungeness

                                 Chiffchaff and Magpie, Lade ponds

Moving onto Lade pits where the expected range of wildfowl, egrets and grebes were on offer, along with thermalling Common Buzzard and Marsh Harrier behind the `mirror`s. With the ponds bathed in warm sunshine a dozen or so Chiffchaffs flitted through the sallows snapping up insects, a Great Spotted Woodpecker bounded over and plenty of late dragonflies and Red Admirals were enjoying a final hurrah. On the walk back to scan the desert the bay Curlew flock flew over (c300) having been disturbed from their roost by dog-walkers. Elsewhere today a scattering of Ring Ouzels were reported from across the peninsula and at Scotney. 

Bearded Tits

Dungeness RSPB - warm, dry and sunny, SW2  - Fine autumnal weather conditions for a guided walk around the circular trail for a group from Tunbridge Wells, and to be fair there was plenty of variety on offer. As before, Chiffchaffs, Robins and Cetti`s Warblers were commonplace while there was a bit more overhead passage than yesterday in the shape of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, alba wagtails, Chaffinches and a few grounded Reed Buntings, Blackbirds and a Song Thrush. Several each of Little and Great White Egrets were noted across the wetlands while a single Cattle Egret was in hayfield 2. A Jack Snipe flew over the Christmas Dell complex and at least 12 Common Snipes were counted from the hide. Highlight of the morning was a pair of Bearded Tits `gritting` in the recently spruced up tray in the reedbed, while three Marsh Harriers included a spectacular pale-backed adult female. Also noted along the way several Kestrels, a Raven over calling, a Green Sandpiper on Dengemarsh, a Golden Plover overhead, a swirling murmuration of a thousand Starlings and all the usual wildfowl, gulls and Cormorants, while we finished off at Firth lookout with close views of a Black-necked Grebe; was also great to see the base for the new Makepeace hide had just been laid (at the original site!). During the course of the circuit we logged a respectable 65 species of birds, for a very appreciative birding group, plus several each of Smooth Newt, Migrant Hawker and Common Darter also enjoying the late autumn sunshine.

                                  Bearded Tits, Hookers reedbed

                                 Great White Egret and Mute Swan, Dengemarsh

Snipe

Dungeness RSPB - warm, dry and sunny, SE3 - A veritable heatwave (19C by midday) for a guided walk around the circular trail this morning where plenty of Chiffchaffs and Robins were plundering the wealth of active insects. The highlight was at least 20 Snipes hunkered down amongst the reed bed margins from Christmas Dell hide and close views of Lapwings roosting on the new islands at Dengemarsh. From the ramp overlooking Hookers a Kingfisher showed briefly, plus several Bearded Tits, Cetti`s Warblers, two Marsh Harriers and a Great White Egret. Also noted during the walk the expected wildfowl and egrets, several Kestrels and Meadow Pipits, a Peregrine, a Dunlin, a Swallow and six Cattle Egrets on the Boulderwall fields. We didn`t locate the Black-necked Grebe, but it was reported later in the afternoon on Burrowes.

                                 Snipes, Christmas Dell

                                  Lapwings, Dengemarsh

                                 Cormorants, Dengemarsh

                                  New islands, Dengemarsh

On the way home I called in at the Tavern viewpoint for a scan of the beach on the incoming tide where a juvenile Arctic Tern was sat amongst 15 Sandwich Terns and a mixed flock of 50 gulls, mostly Common and Mediterranean Gulls. Waders included 20 Curlews, 50 Sanderlings, 20 Dunlins, six Knot, two Grey Plovers and a Turnstone.  

Firecrests

 Dungeness - overcast, mild, E2 - Its the right time of year, the overnight weather was perfect (low cloud and drizzle with an easterly airflow), so surely there would be loads of grounded migrants around the peninsula this morning... Half a century ago there probably would`ve been, but not today with only a trickle of overhead Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches and Chaffinches, plus a Reed Bunting and a Swallow in three hours, and hardly anything on the deck; even the Chiffchaffs and Robins seemed to have dropped off in numbers. On the quality side a Ring Ouzel showed briefly by the quarry hillocks, several small flocks of Redwings swirled around over the trapping area, a Firecrest showed by Long Pits (with two more caught at the Obs while we were there) and Ted flushed two Snipes in the desert and a Woodcock by the wigwams. Also noted across the point several Kestrels and Stonechats, a Sparrowhawk and two Ravens. The seawatchers reported good numbers of wildfowl on the move earlier, particularly Brents with over 3,000 logged, but by the time we worked our way around to the sea at midday it was largely over. However, half an hour from the boardwalk did produce plenty of Gannets, gulls, Sandwich Terns and two Arctic Skuas feeding offshore, plus three small parties of Brent Geese down-Channel as the sun broke through.

                                  Firecrests, DBO

                                 Seawatching from the boardwalk

Ravens

Dungeness - cool, cloudy, light airs - A much cooler day than of late with the wind out of the north coming and going. A circuit of the bushes at the point delivered very little in the way of migrants with Chiffchaff, Goldfinch and Robin numbers well down on my last visit; infact, four Swallows, a Goldcrest in the moat, a Grey Plover over calling and a scattering of Mipits and Skylarks in the desert was about it. Around the power station a pair of Ravens provided great entertainment as they tussled with a Peregrine, while offshore up to 100 Gannets were feeding on (presumably) mackerel, judging from the number of anglers along the beach.

                                 Ravens, A Station

                       Black-necked Grebe, Burrowes (taken through the VC window)

The bird reserve and Lade pits were also quiet with just a Black-necked Grebe and a Black Tern of note on Burrowes. There was no news on the recent Whooper Swans.

         Ted having a breather at Burrowes

Redstarts

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, light airs - After the first frost of autumn had melted away it turned into a gorgeous sunny day with only a light zephyr out of the north. We spent the morning birding the point where Chiffchaffs, Robins and Stonechats were the most numerous birds, plus a trickle of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits overhead as well as several Chaffinches and Swallows, two Bramblings and a Yellow Wagtail. Firecrests showed briefly in the trapping area and the old lighthouse garden along with a Blackcap and a late Lesser Whitethroat seen from the pilots path. Whilst at the Obs a Common Redstart was trapped amongst a host of Chiffchaffs and two Black Redstarts were perched atop a nearby cottage. Also noted several Kestrels, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Raven, while a Yellow-browed Warbler was trapped earlier in the morning.

                                  Stonechat, Desert

                                  Chiffchaff, Old Lighthouse garden

                                  Robin, Trapping Area

                                  Juvenile Common Redstart, DBO

                                  Black Redstarts

Yellow-browed Warbler

Dungeness - mild, overcast, light airs - We spent the morning wandering around the point searching for grounded migrants, of which there were few and far between, considering the time of year and weather conditions. Chiffchaffs continue to be the most numerous passerine in the bushes with around 20 noted across the trapping area, plus a couple each of Cetti`s Warbler and Blackcap. Yellow-browed Warblers have been reported in good numbers all down the east coast of Britain and the northern isles these past few weeks, but it takes them a bit longer to `get around the corner` so`s to speak. The first one was last Sunday on the bird reserve at the pines and another one/two were in the trapping area this morning; mine was a heard only at the southern end of the pilot path where I also had my first Goldcrest of autumn. Other migrants included a trickle of Swallows, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks overhead, a few Robins, a Siskin, a Reed Bunting, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Jay by long pits, while at least 12 Kestrels were noted. Checked the beach out from the Tavern viewpoint on the way home where c300 Curlews and c500 Oystercatchers were the main news, plus four Knots, two Shelducks and ten Sandwich Terns.

                                       Yellow-browed Warbler (DBO 2018)

For many of us birders the sycamore tree is synonymous with autumn migrants, particularly leaf warblers and crests. From Scilly to the north Norfolk coast and many places in between, I must`ve spent countless hours scanning the bronzed canopies of these hardy trees searching for that elusive sprite, so it was sad to see that the mature sycamore in the old lighthouse garden at Dungeness has been needlessly grubbed up, to be replaced with a view of a tin shed! In my time I can recall seeing Short-toed Treecreeper, Dusky, Pallas`s and Yellow-browed Warblers in that tree, and as a result can kind of empathise with folk who got very upset when the famous Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian`s Wall was chopped down last year.

                                 Old lighthouse garden, Dungeness

Elsewhere since my last post we`ve been out and about daily but there hasn`t been very much to report. Water levels on the bird reserve and Lade are rising fast where Wigeons and Golden Plovers are starting to arrive in numbers. A few Snipe have been reported, while a late Garganey and Hobby have been seen on ARC along with the usual egrets and ibis. Chiffchaffs and Kestrels remain the most obvious migrants, particularly the former which seem to be everywhere. Offshore, seawatching has been mostly disappointing, despite favourable winds, with a few shearwaters noted amongst the usual terns and skuas and returning divers and Brents.

Dartford Warbler

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny - At last a decent day with warm sunshine and light airs making for a pleasant tour of the point with Ted searching for grounded migrants; and there were plenty of birds on offer, mostly around 20 each of Stonechats and Chiffchaffs. The scarcity came straight away in the form of a Dartford Warbler in company with two Stonechats near the old quarry that promptly relocated over the road and into the broom in the Kerton Road triangle. Also noted across the desert and along the edge of the trapping area: 10 Kestrels, 10 Wheatears, 10 Skylarks, 20 Meadow Pipits, 50 Linnets, 10 Pied Wagtails, two Whinchats, two Blackcaps, a probable Whitethroat and a trickle of southbound Swallows. The open sward between the war memorial and the moat attracted another 20 each of Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Goldfinch and Starling, plus two Black Redstarts, another three Wheatears and a couple of Robins. Raven and Peregrine noted around the power station complex.

                                 Kestrel, Dungeness

                                  Stonechat, Dungeness

                                  Whinchat, Dungeness

                                  Wheatear, Dungeness

                                 Ted at a water hole

Yesterday afternoon a check of Burrowes on the bird reserve was disappointing being virtually birdless apart from two Great White and six Little Egrets. ARC was much better though with plenty of Wigeons, Lapwings, Shovelers and Teals on the islands, plus six Black-tailed Godwits, two Common Snipes and a Garganey. The Black-necked Grebe eventually surfaced out on the lake and a Great White Egret was present. However, the water levels are rising fast across both waters.

                                  Wigeon and Lapwing, ARC

                                 Common Snipe, ARC