Bird Song

Mild, cloudy, NW2 - A circuit of the local patch at Lade was largely uneventful apart from the briefest of views of a Dartford Warbler in the gorse beside the main track. On the lakes four Goldeneyes were among the usual range of wintering ducks, while several more Great Crested Grebes had moved back with the forthcoming breeding season in mind. Signs of the approaching spring also came from trilling Dabchicks and singing Great Tits, Chaffinches and Reed Buntings. Elsewhere this past week the latter species has begun to return to its wetland haunts across the bird reserve and the farmland drainage ditches around New Romney, along with singing Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer and Greenfinch. A Bittern has been `booming` for a week or more now at Hookers and the track down to the pines has witnessed plenty of newt activity, while Toads too have been on the move. A scan from the Tavern viewpoint on a falling tide at noon revealed seven species of shorebirds, plus c500 Common Gulls. Further work on clearing willow scrub from the banks of north lake at Lade has resulted in improved viewing across the water, while on a sadder note the vandals have been at the signage again. To finish on a positive note the finishing touches have been applied to some more Tree Sparrow nest boxes and the plan is to erect them near the Scotney sand pit.

                                 Lade north

                                  Why?

                                 Tree Sparrow nest boxes

Three Duck Challenge

Mild, cloudy, SW3 - With the Apprentice Birder in tow we set out on a duck hunt this morning, which actually turned into more of a procession as neither of the trio were particularly difficult to locate but all were new for him. First stop Scotney bends where a smart female Scaup (once a regular winter visitor here, now almost a rarity) attracted a steady flow of locals to the Sussex end of the lake where it conveniently cohorted with several Tufted Ducks. Moving onto the bird reserve and the second of our targets, a redhead Smew (similar status to the Scaup) showed poorly at distance and into the sunlight at the northern end of ARC from the bamboo. From the Outland trail the wintering Long-tailed Duck on New Diggings completed the hat trick of ducks for the Apprentice, where five Goldeneyes were also present. None of the trio posed for pics so I rummaged in the archives to find some past examples, of which I could only find two of the three.

                                   Smew - Burrowes (2015)

                                 Long-tailed Duck - Lade (2018)

Water Pipits

Dungeness RSPB - cold, dry and cloudy, SE3 - Another cold morning for a guided walk for four guests around the circular trail of the reserve where the highlight was at least four Water Pipits on hayfield 2. Duck numbers since my last visit have noticeably declined with only a handful of Shovelers and six Goldeneyes on Burrowes, where a lone Avocet was also present. All the usual wetland birds were noted including several Marsh Harriers, Great White Egrets, Cetti`s Warblers, a Raven, two Stonechats and a Black-necked Grebe on Dengemarsh lake, while the wintering Long-tailed Duck remained on New Diggings. 

                                 Egyptian Geese, Dengemarsh

The shiny new hide where Makepeace once stood is certainly spacious affording good all round views of the southern section of Burrowes, but there are one or two tweeks required, the main one being the doors. Once the front flaps were open (and there was only a light breeze today) one of the doors flew open and could not be closed resulting in a fierce through draft. Neither of the doors (one of which had a faulty hinge) have handles and latches, instead relying on a thick rubber seal on the door jamb to remain shut. On a minor note the seat under the shelf for wheel-chair users needs removing for easy access, and personally I`d prefer the remaining benches to be bolted to the floor to avoid noise when being moved about as birders shuffle in to sit. Otherwise, a great addition to the reserve. 

    Burrowes -  new hide

Pintails and Smew

 Cold, dry, cloudy, N2 - Spent the day guiding for Mark from Lexington, USA. We started with the obligatory one hour seawatch from the hide at Dungeness in the company of Martin and Richard. A steady tooing and froing of Red-throated Divers, Gannets and Razorbills was the order of the watch along with two parties of Brent Geese and several Common Scoters, mostly moving up-Channel. The highlight though, just as we were leaving, was a distant `smoke` of ducks hurriedly moving down-Channel in a loose flock. At first glance we thought scoters, until Martin scoped `em and confirmed that they were infact Pintails! - around 100 and certainly the largest number I`ve ever seen here. Moving onto the bird reserve and whilst scanning Boulderwall fields a flock of 17 very nervy White-fronted Geese flew in from the east and landed briefly before flying off calling. As we commenced the circular route news came through of a redhead Smew on Dengemarsh lake, the first one for three years, and we were soon enjoying distant views of it along with a much closer Black-necked Grebe. We completed a clean sweep of wildfowl with the wintering Long-tailed Duck and two Goldeneyes on New Diggings. Also noted around the reserve, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Raven, Kingfisher, Shelduck, four Great White Egrets, three Meadow Pipits and good views of several Cetti`s Warblers. A run out on Walland only produced a lone Green Sandpiper of note at Midley; there was no sign of the Bewick`s Swan flock. We finished the afternoon on the low tide from Littlestone Green where seven species of bay waders were logged including 10 Redshanks, two Ringed Plovers and a Black-tailed Godwit. A cracking day`s birding then in fine company during which we rattled up a not too shabby 78 species. 

                                 White-fronted Geese, Boulderwall fields

                                 Black-necked Grebe, Dengemarsh

                                 Great White Egret, New Ex

                                  Lapwing, Dengemarsh

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