Hints of Spring

Mild, dry and sunny, light airs - With the daylight hours steadily increasing and the weather settling down there have been more than one or two hints of spring around of late. In the garden the snowdrops are in flower and the Great Tits have become more vocal, while this morning the first Mistle Thrush of the year was singing from atop a parkland tree. A Ted walk out back, in warm sunshine, delivered more bird song from Song Thrush, Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Skylark. On Saturday we spent the morning at Dungeness where the highlights were several Black Redstarts around the power station and war memorial and two Common Snipes flushed from the desert, plus at least five Chiffchaffs in the trapping area. Elsewhere this weekend there was little change to the local birding scene with reports of the Bewick`s Swan herd still at Midley, small parties of Bean, Pink-footed and White-fronted Geese scattered across Dengemarsh and Scotney, a Black-necked Grebe on Dengemarsh lake and a Long-tailed Duck on New Diggings. 

                                   Black Redstart, Dungeness

Pink-footed Geese

Mild, dry and sunny SW2 - For a change of scene today`s Ted walk took us to Dengemarsh Gully, one of my least favourite sites locally as I hardly ever find anything decent there, and this morning was no different. Two Stonechats, four Robins and a Wren was the sum small bird total, plus a Kestrel, a Raven and thousands of gulls (mostly Black-headed Gulls) at Penn Bars on the beach and the sea. En-route to the bird reserve four Cattle and two Little Egrets were in the fields at Cockles Bridge while a Great White overflew the road at Boulderwall. At the back of Cooks Pool six Pink-footed Geese were nervously feeding on the fields, a scarce winter visitor here so good to see. On Burrowes the Great Northern Diver was still present, while the Long-tailed Duck was noted from the causeway road gate. 

                                 Penn Bars

    Pink-footed Geese, Boulderwall fields

Elsewhere this week we`ve been walking the local farmland where several Chiffchaffs have been located, and a wind-swept Pirate Springs on Monday where 100 each of Sanderling and Turnstone were logged along the strandline at high tide. 

Goldeneyes

Mild, overcast, SW3 - With the worst of named Storm Eowyn passing to the north of the British Isles the main weather event down here has been another dollop of rain. This morning we checked along the foreshore at Dungeness where a large mixed flock of gulls loafed by the lifeboat station and hundreds of Cormorants remained offshore and along the tideline into Lade bay. Lade south held five Goldeneyes, with another 13 on Burrowes, plus the wintering Long-tailed Duck on New Diggings, although I could find no sign of the divers. The reserve was largely deserted and the visitor centre closed, something that will become more regular no doubt, but it was good to see the replacement Makepeace hide under construction.

                                 Ted, Dungeness foreshore

                                 Replacement Makepeace hide, Burrowes

Elsewhere this week our Ted walks have taken us across the farmland around New Romney where birds were few and far between, which is hardly surprising considering the way the `custodians of the countryside` are performing. I fully understand that the sewers have to be cleared out to drain the land, but is it really necessary to dump all the slurry over a well-used public footpath, smother turf-field entrances and lanes with mud and grub out hedgerows. These are just a few examples from around Romney, although it`s going on right across the Marsh. On a positive note Firecest and Chiffchaff have both been seen again in and around our town garden. 

                                 Hope Lane, New Romney  

Harriers

Cold, dry, cloudy, light airs - This afternoon in gloomy weather conditions I joined Chris for the monthly harrier count on Walland Marsh where only six Marsh Harriers came to roost. However, the spectacle of the session was provided by a mass of c2,000 Woodpigeons, c2,000 Golden Plovers and c1,000 Lapwings swirling over the fields, otherwise passerines were few and far between with just six Skylarks of note. Also from our watchpoint a couple of Common Buzzards, a Common Snipe, vocalising Raven, Water Rails and Cetti`s Warblers, plus a Bittern in flight. A herd of 41 Bewick`s Swans was noted at Midley on the drive in.

                                   Bewick`s Swans, Midley

Cormorants

Lade - Cold, dry and cloudy, SE 2 - A grim morning for a circuit of the local patch where the highlights on south lake were four Goldeneyes amongst the usual wintering Pochards, Tufted Ducks, Shovelers and Gadwalls. A mixed flock of around 30 passerines included mainly Long-tailed Tits and at least three Chiffchaffs straggling behind in the scrub beside north lake, while willow clearance along the causeway has made for easier viewing across the water. Walking back along the foreshore a smear of birds along the distant tideline proved to be Cormorants, at least 3,000 of them!

Lade causeway                                         

 

                                  Cormorants, Lade bay

                                 Turnstones and Sanderlings, Lade bay 

Elsewhere these past few days visits to Dungeness delivered more wintering Chiffchaffs in the lighthouse garden and trapping area, the Long-tailed Duck and Great Northern Diver on New Diggings and five Cattle Egrets along the airport road. 

Bittern

Dungeness RSPB - mild, misty, light airs - It was a strange, almost eerie atmosphere in the visitor`s centre this morning as the last of the shop fixtures, fittings and products were being packed away leaving a large, empty space with an uncertain future. Outside the weather was misty and murky for my monthly guided walk around the circular trail for a solitary guest; which, somehow felt appropriate given the current air of gloom around the place. However, mercifully the reserve is still in great shape, and with a replacement Makepeace hide due and new tern rafts in the offing it looks set for a promising 2025. Anyhow, we commenced with cracking views of the wintering Great Northern Diver on Burrowes along with the usual wildfowl and gulls. The hayfields delivered two flighty Water Pipits and a Common Snipe, while another Snipe showed well on an island in front of Dengemarsh hide amongst hundreds of Lapwings and gulls. Several Marsh Harriers, a Great White Egret, a Raven, a Chiffchaff, a Cetti`s Warbler, and a Water Rail were either seen or heard from the ramp overlooking Hooker`s reedbed, where the highlight of the morning was a Bittern that was in view for at least an hour and showed well through the telescope.

                                  Great Northern Diver, Burrowes

                                 Common Snipe and Lapwings, Dengemarsh

                                 Spot the Bittern!

    Bittern, Hooker`s reed-bed

Elsewhere these past few days our Ted walks have taken us to Pirate Springs twice and the farmland around New Romney with nothing much to report. However, yesterday afternoon a Firecrest was the star turn in the garden and only my second record since moving here just over three years ago.  

Bean Geese

Cold, dry and sunny, light airs - Another fabulous winter`s day of weather and ideal for a run out with my grandson, aka the Apprentice Birder. Now, he does love a list and we kicked off in fine style with a pair of Little Owls on the barns at Hammond`s Corner. Onto the bird reserve and four White-fronts were noted on the Boulderwall fields along with Golden Plovers, Lapwings, a Curlew, a Great White Egret and a Kingfisher on Cook`s Pool. There was nothing new on the pits with a Great Northern Diver and a Long-tailed Duck still on New Diggings, several Goldeneyes on Burrowes and five Cattle Egrets on the paddocks at Cockles Bridge. Next stop the Scotney sand pit where Owen had earlier found two Bean Geese of the tundra variety on the flooded pit towards the farm and where we had distant views of them amongst a large flock of Greylags. Also noted several Shelducks, 50 Wigeons, two Dabchicks and a Green Sandpiper, while on the walk back to the car we had good views of the Tree Sparrow flock, now about 150 strong. A decent enough afternoon then with three lifers for the Apprentice amongst a tally of 57 species; not too shabby for three hours.

                                 Apprentice Birder counting the Tree Sparrows

Jackdaws

Lade - cold, dry and sunny, light airs - It was a cracking morning to be out and about for a stroll with Ted in bright sunshine and with hardly a breath of wind. We walked the circular route beside the lakes, down Seaview Road and back along the beach to Lade, seeing only a handful of souls along the way; it never ceases to amaze me how few people go for a daily walk knowing all the health benefits and well-being it brings. However, the still waters harboured the usual array of wildfowl including four Goldeneyes and ten Wigeons, while a fox sat against the `mirror` buttress enjoying the weak, winter sunshine. Whilst scanning from the bridge a pale Common Buzzard made the grave error of flapping over the coastal housing strip towards Dungeness, setting hundreds of Feral Pigeons, Herring Gulls, Starlings and corvids into a lather. Most notable was the number of Jackdaws present with over 300 counted, but once the `danger` had passed many of them continued to perch in loose flocks on power line poles and roof-tops `kw-owing` loudly. The beach section of the walk at low tide was memorable for Ted`s reaction to frozen sea-ice between the rills; he enjoyed running through the crystals at top speed and rolling in it! Most of the bay waders were quite distant, apart from a small party of Sanderlings that allowed a close approach.

                                 Jackdaws, Lade

                                 Sunbathing Fox, Lade 

      Greatstone beach

    Sanderlings, Lade sands

    Ted on ice!

Elsewhere these past few days our Ted walks have taken us across the farmland north of New Romney and the green lane to Old Romney where a few passerines were were logged, including a several Meadow Pipits and Skylarks but precious little else. A local turf field, which is now a like a quagmire following the recent rain, continues to attract flocks of feeding Starlings, Common and Black-headed Gulls.

    Green lane from New to Old Romney

    Black Poplar, New Romney

   Common Gulls on the turf

Tree Sparrows

Cold, cloudy, W 4 - We spent the morning at Scotney sand pit which is now flooded, and then along the footpath back east towards the farm. The main target species was Tree Sparrow where a flock of at least 85 birds was soon located close to where the footpath from the road bisects Jury`s Gut Sewer. I spent about an hour watching their antics as the flock regularly retired to the safety of bramble and elder scrub, `chipping` away constantly, in between foraging on the ground amongst a sward of weed-seeds that included tangles of fat-hen, dead grasses and thistles. It was great to watch them at such close range and I made a mental note to crack on and construct some more nest boxes for the forthcoming breeding season. The working sand quarry, which delivered a host of waders last summer, has now morphed into a lake attracting a decent range of ducks: 85 Mallard, 31 Shoveler, 15 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, 18 Teal and 2 Pochard. 

    Tree Sparrows, Scotney

The fields outback towards Scotney farm contained several thousand Golden Plovers and Lapwings, a handful of Curlews, Redshanks, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, plus four Brents, 100 Greylags, 50 Stock Doves and two Ruffs. A lakeside margin provided two more Redshanks, a Green Sandpiper, a Little Egret and a Grey Wagtail, while two each of Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and Kestrel were also seen. However, Corn Buntings were notable by their absence. 

                                 Brent Geese, Scotney

    Golden Plovers

Woodcock

Mild, overcast, drizzle, W 5 - An awful morning to be out and about for our Ted walk and a first visit of the New Year to the local patch at Lade, today being the date we moved down here to the Marsh 18 years ago - where has the time gone... South lake held a couple of Goldeneyes amongst the usual diving ducks and Shovelers, while 20 Teals and five Dabchicks were sheltering in the calmer waters within the willow swamp. Ted flushed a Woodcock from scrub by the ponds, that promptly flew over the embankment and into the caravan park, a male Sparrowhawk flapped over the track and both Chiffchaff and Cetti`s Warbler called from cover. Elsewhere over the weekend we`ve walked out from home across the local farmland noting several Yellowhammers, two Stonechats, 50 Meadow Pipits, 10 Fieldfares, a Common Snipe and a Chiffchaff around Hope Lane. 

New Year`s Day +1

Cool, dry and sunny, NW 2 - Due to the wind and rain of NYD we delayed our traditional outing until today in far more favourable weather conditions. Commencing, as usual, in the Wealden woods near Appledore all the expected common woodland species were logged including several hooting Tawny Owls, a screeching Barn Owl, the two woodpeckers, Goldcrests, Nuthatches and Treecreepers. A drive along Moor Lane yielded a few winter thrushes, at least 50 Yellowhammers and lesser numbers of Linnets and Meadow Pipits. Moving down onto the flatlands and along the RMCanal between Kennardington and Warehorne, Kingfisher, Bullfinch and Peregrine went onto the day list. The Marsh farmland was relatively quiet with the highlights being 32 distant Bewick`s Swans near Newlands farm and three Green Sandpipers in a flooded field at Midley. Seven Cattle Egrets were seen along the airport road and a Little Owl at Pigwell. Scotney pits saw the day list fly past the 50 mark due to a host of common wetland birds, plus a Greenshank and a Black-necked Grebe, while the long-staying Great Northern Diver and Long-tailed Duck were ticked off on New Diggings. Conditions were unsuitable for a midday seawatch but we gave it a go from the boats and eventually, after an hour, managed a respectable tally of regular seabirds, plus an east-bound passage of 300 Brents and a Red-necked Grebe on the sea that flew into the bay. Next stop the Tavern viewpoint overlooking the sands on a falling tide and with bright sunshine behind us - what perfect timing! Eleven species of beach waders included 10 Black-tailed and 20 Bar-tailed Godwits, 100 Knots, 20 Grey and 19 Ringed Plovers and our only Shelduck of the day on the sea. Our final port of call was on the bird reserve where a Lesser-black Backed Gull was number 100 and a `pinging` Bearded Tit at 105 in a blazing sunset.

                                  Green Sandpipers, Midley

                                 Little Owl, Lydd

And so concluded a great day in the field, birding from dawn to dusk in fine company. Many thanks to Chris for driving the 56 mile route and Phil for keeping the list of the 105 species we ended up recording.