Bonelli`s Warbler

Dungeness - humid, drizzle, light airs - We started off along the beach by the fishing boats this morning where plenty of Sandwich Terns fished offshore alongside several Arctic Skuas. The bushes around the point held a few Willow Warblers and Blackcaps plus a Whinchat and Wheatear in the desert and pulses of Swallows and Sand Martins through in the murky weather conditions. Just as I was thinking of moving on news broke of a Bonelli`s Warbler found by Tom and friends at the southern end of Long Pits where it had attached itself to a large flock of Willow/Chiffs and tits. It showed reasonably well at times atop the sallows and appeared noticeably silky off-white underneath with a greenish wing panel, pale face and eye-ring; its call confirmed it to be of the Western race. Whilst there a Sparrowhawk and a calling Golden Plover were noted overhead.

                                 Bonelli`s Warbler - Long Pits

Moving onto Kerton quarry and Lade for the WeBS count where 62 Great Crested Grebes was noteworthy along with declining numbers of diving ducks and dabblers. The margins continue to attract a host of egrets and Grey Herons, gulls, terns and Cormorants plus at least three Common Sandpipers. Large numbers of Swallows and Sand Martins pulsed through both sites as the drizzle came and went including a pure white albino Swallow. 

Elsewhere today a White-winged Black Tern was seen on ARC earlier, before moving to Burrowes where the Red-necked Phalarope is still present. Over the weekend the seawatchers struck gold with a Brown Booby (first for Dungeness) off the fishing boats, while the moulting adult American Golden Plover remained within the Golden Plover flock at Jury`s Gap.

Yellow Wagtails

Lade - warm, dry and sunny, W2 - Once the rain cleared (just after 8am) we headed down to the local patch where there had been a noticeable drop in of migrants particularly on the desert section. Along the main track at least 50 Yellow Wagtails (one of which was ringed) had paused along the fence-line to feed on the myriad of flying insects emerging from the sward and broom. Also present were at least 100 Starlings, 50 House Sparrows, 10 Stonechats, 20 Meadow Pipits, three Wheatears and a scattering of Robins, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers. At the ponds the bushes were alive with mainly Chiffchaffs, Willow and Reed Warblers (some in song), plus a few Blackbirds, Blackcaps, Lesser and Common Whitethroats, a Garden Warbler and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. The lakes held good numbers of common wildfowl, grebes and egrets with several Common Sandpipers and a Greenshank on south lake.

                                  Yellow Wagtails - desert

                                  Garden Warbler - ponds

We then moved onto the point for a wander along the foreshore from the new lighthouse to Penn Bars where at least 12 Wheatears and three Black Redstarts (two singing from A station) were present along with several each of  Linnet, Stonechat, Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit. Offshore a trickle of Sandwich Terns headed into Rye bay along with a few Gannets fishing further out.

                                  Wheatears - Dungeness

Red-necked Phalarope

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, SW 2 -We spent the morning on the peninsula commencing with a tour of the bushes. A reported Wryneck failed to materialise from its favoured gorse thicket out on the desert where a scattering of warblers included a Whitethroat amongst a few Lesser Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, plus several Stonechats and a trickle of southbound Swallows, Sand Martins and Meadow Pipits. It was very quiet around the trapping area with only a lone Willow Warbler of note delivering a half-hearted snatch of song from cover along with a tit flock and a few Robins. Moving onto the bird reserve where a handful of Cattle Egrets shadowed the cow herd in the Boulderwall fields and a Greenshank flew over calling. Hirundines continued to filter across the site and a couple of vocal Yellow Wagtails passed overhead unseen. On Burrowes yesterdays Red-necked Phalarope was still present and viewable from Dennis`s lookout, but always distant and a bit flighty. There was little else of note across the lake due to ongoing scrub clearance on the islands at the south end. As the wind picked up we finished the morning at Kerton quarry where another Greenshank called on high and the usual gulls, wildfowl, grebes and egrets were logged from the lifebuoy lookout. On the walk back to the car two Clouded Yellows were on the wing in the warm sunshine. 

                                  Autumn moths

                                  Chiffchaff

Shanks`s Pony

Warm, dry and sunny, SW3 - Since my last post the car has been in dock resulting in many miles of Ted walks around New Romney farmland, plus two visits to St Mary`s Bay along the coast to Greatstone and back into town; no prizes for guessing which area was most profitable... With the harvest now almost complete many of the fields were being turned over and drilled for next year`s crop resulting in mobile flocks of gulls, Woodpigeons and corvids along with a few Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Linnets, Yellowhammers and a pair of Red-legged Partridge. Now that the Reed Warblers have departed the reed-fringed sewer margins were largely devoid of activity, leaving just a few Reed Buntings and parties of House Sparrows to forage the drainage ditches along with the occasional Grey Heron and Little Egret. Buzzards (including a white individual along the New Cut) and Sparrowhawks were much in evidence, some of which were probably migrants, while both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers appear to have had a good breeding season judging from their presence. The only warblers noted were a few Chiffchaffs and Lesser Whitethroats along Hope Lane, plus House Martins still at two locations in town and several pulses of Swallows south over the weekend.

                                  Buzzard - NewCut

                                  Wheatear - Pirate Springs

                                  Sandwich Tern - Littlestone

Last Friday, in a blasting westerly and a falling tide, ten species of waders were on show from Littlestone Green with Curlew, Oystercatcher, Dunlin and Ringed Plover in their hundreds, along with double figures of Bar-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Knot, Redshank, Sanderling and Grey Plover, plus 100 roosting Sandwich and Common Terns, four Little Egrets and a Shelduck. This morning I walked the same route at high tide where hundreds of Sandwich Terns were fishing in the bay with at least three attendant Arctic Skuas. At Pirate Springs two Whinchats and four Wheatears were logged with a trickle of Meadow Pipits, Yellow Wagtails and Swallows overhead. Church Lane spinney held a few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. Along the way plenty of Migrant Hawkers and Painted Ladies have been noted plus a single Clouded Yellow on the sand dunes at Greatstone this morning. The garden moth trap has been busy over the weekend due to the mild nights.

                                       Centre-barred Sallow

Over the Bank Holiday weekend I spent a day at Pagham Harbour where Spotted Redshank and Curlew Sandpiper were the best waders on offer; unfortunately Ferry Pool was busy with machinery constructing a new anti-predator fence. At Church Norton a few passerines included Spotted Flycatcher and Lesser Whitethroat in the bushes and a roosting group of gulls, terns and Grey Plovers in the harbour mouth. 

 

    Pagham Harbour

Marsh Terns

 Dungeness - warm, cloudy, SW2-4 - Spent the day guiding for six Naturetrek clients. We kicked off at the point where regular pulses of Swallows and Sand Martins streamed south-west. It was quiet around the bushes with just a few Stonechats, a Whinchat, a Sparrowhawk and a Great Spotted Woodpecker of note. A brief seawatch produced plenty of passing Sandwich and Commic Terns, Gannets, a Mediterranean Gull and two Arctic Skuas harrying the terns. The rest of the day was spent on the bird reserve where we did the circular walk, finishing off at the Hanson hide. Ten species of waders were logged including Ruff, Wood Sandpiper and Knot on Burrowes, several Snipes scattered around the wetlands and at least ten Greenshanks, mostly overhead calling. A flock of 15 Cattle Egrets were amongst the cows on Boulderwall fields and at least six Great Whites were seen across Dengemarsh, along with a Marsh Harrier, a Kingfisher and a cracking close Whinchat from the Return Trail. Six Black Terns and the long-staying White-winged Black Tern showed well from Firth lookout, while two Garganeys, six Pintails, three Black-tailed Godwits and an adult Little Gull were the highlights on ARC. Plenty of Red Admirals and Painted Ladies were on the wing this afternoon along with a single Clouded Yellow by Christmas Dell. A most enjoyable day`s birding across the peninsula, in fine company, during which time we racked up a respectable 78 species of birds.

                                  Common Sandpiper - Burrowes

                                  Whinchat - Return Trail

                                  White-winged Black Tern - Burrowes

    Garganeys - ARC

Sandwich Terns

Dungeness - warm, dry, sunny, SE5 - With a brisk south-easterly whipping in off the Channel we joined the sea-watchers this morning from the fishing boats where thousands of gulls, terns and Gannets were feeding offshore. Sandwich Terns poured by in their hundreds along with several Black Terns and Arctic Skuas, a flock of eight Avocets, a Caspian Gull and a lone Common Scoter. Grey Seal and Porpoise were also noted taking advantage of the huge shoals of sprats, while small pulses of Swallows and Sand Martins zipped out over the waves heading for France. A circuit of the land produced very little with two Wheatears on the beach, a handful of Willow Warblers in the bushes and a Sparrowhawk over the Desert. We finished off at Lade where there was little change since my last visit; a pause at The Tavern viewpoint on a falling tide delivered the incredible sight and sound of c2,000 Sandwich Terns in three separate flocks on the bay sands, along with a host of Oystercatchers, Dunlins, Ringed Plovers and Sanderlings. 

                                  Avocets - Dungeness

                                  Sandwich Terns - Lade Bay

Little Stints

Cool, cloudy, N 3 - Superb morning for a Ted tour of the peninsula in a cooling northerly airflow with birds everywhere. We started on the local patch at Lade with Greenshank, Ringed Plover and two Common Sandpipers on the new islands by the far reed-bed, plus two Great White and 15 Little Egrets around the margins. Hundreds of common and feral wildfowl, grebes, Coots, Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls remained across south lake while a steady passage of Sand Martins and Swallows came and went. The Desert duly delivered several Wheatears, Meadow Pipits and Stonechats as well as a drop in of c50 Yellow Wagtails, the first of many more seen and heard across the shingle this morning. The bushes held a variety of Willow, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats and Blackcaps. Moving onto Kerton Quarry where more Common Sandpipers, a Wood Sandpiper, Whimbrel and Greenshank were present along with the usual wildfowl and two more Wheatears perched on the fence line. On the reserve Firth lookout was busy with birders enjoying the juvenile/1st winter White-winged Black Tern (now in its sixth day) alongside two Black and 50 Common Terns, an adult Little Gull, four Little Stints, several Dunlins, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpipers, Pied and Yellow Wagtails. Over the road an hour from Screen hide produced four Little Stints (presumably the Firth birds?) four Dunlins, Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, two Ruffs, a Greenshank and three close Snipes in front of the hide. While there was plenty of Water Rail vocalising I only had a brief glimpse of a black juvenile dashing between the reeds. Also noted: a Sparrowhawk, two juv Marsh Harriers, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers and a Spotted Flycatcher by the pines.

                                  White-winged Black Tern - Burrowes

                                  Little Stints and Dunlin - Burrowes

Wader Day

Cool, wet am, warm, showery pm, light airs - Spent the day guiding for Clare and Peter from London in much anticipated rain; in fact, our first decent soaking for ages! We concentrated on waders commencing at the old Scotney sandpit where the highlight was a large flock of c300 Golden Plovers in an adjacent corn field, while the lake held numerous wildfowl including singles of Shelduck and Wigeon plus a couple of Common Sandpipers around the margins. Hundreds of hirundines (mostly Sand Martins) swarmed over the water along with two Swifts, and a variety of common warblers were noted in bramble scrub by the main track. It was then onto the bird reserve to dry out and hide-hop around Burrowes. From Firth lookout the White-winged Black Tern was still present alongside two Black and numerous Common Terns; waders on the sand bars included: 25 Ringed and six Little Ringed Plovers, two Dunlins, three Common Sandpipers and singles of Snipe and Greenshank. From Hanson hide we logged Great White Egret, Garganey, Hobby, Marsh Harrier and a few more common waders. We finished the day at Lade Bay on the incoming tide where the highlights were 50 Dunlins, 30 Ringed Plovers, 20 Sanderlings, two Knots and 20 Sandwich Terns, and at the pits for more wildfowl, egrets and grebes. Wheatear, Yellow Wagtails, Kestrel and Raven were also noted today. A cracking day all round in fine company with 80 species recorded and some extremely good views of waders and terns.

                                  Greenshank - Burrowes

                                  Snipe - Burrowes

                                  Dunlin - Burrowes

                                  Common Tern - Burrowes

                                  White-winged Black Tern - Burrowes

                                  Sanderlings - Lade Bay

White-winged Black Tern

Warm, dry and overcast W3 - There was plenty of passage wader activity around the reserve today. On the ARC from Hanson hide Wood and Green Sandpipers were amongst several Commons, Little Ringed Plovers and a Snipe, plus two Garganey and a Wigeon within the eclipse ducks. Boulderwall fields continue to be disappointing with just a couple of Great White Egrets and a flyover Hobby. However, Burrowes was alive with wader activity from Firth with up ten Little Ringed and five Ringed Plovers, three Common Sandpipers, two Golden Plovers over and singles of Greenshank, Snipe and a spanking Grey Plover further out, still in full breeding plumage. The juvenile/1st winter White-winged Black Tern showed much better than on Sunday, hawking insects over the lake alongside two Black Terns as well as pausing to sit on a close sand-bar; the `saddleback` on this individual wasn`t as apparent as some I`ve seen in the past, probably as a result of moulting into winter plumage. Also noted 50 Common and two Sandwich Terns and several Yellow Wagtails, while a Little Stint was reported  from Dennis`s viewpoint this afternoon.

Yesterday, mid-morning, the local Herring Gulls went into meltdown whilst I was in the garden. I looked up expecting the usual sight of a Buzzard getting tormented, except this time it was a smart Honey Buzzard the first one I`ve noted over New Romney. It drifted slowly westwards as a pair of Carrion Crows joined in the chase. 

                                  White-winged Black Tern juv - Burrowes

                                  Black Tern juv - Burrowes

    White-winged Black Tern - Burrows

White-winged Black Tern

Warm, dry and cloudy, E2 - A muggy feel to the day commenced on the Ranges where the Midrips and Wickes were largely devoid of birds apart from a few Shelducks and Black-headed Gulls. However, the main track by the beach was alive with Yellow and Pied Wagtails, c100 or more, plus lesser numbers of Meadow Pipits and Linnets, and at least six Wheatears. Small parties of coasting hirundines were noted, mostly Swallows, with some settling on the cottage roofs, while out on the bay plenty of Sandwich Terns could be heard. The shingle ridges by the `village` held a flock of 110 Golden Plovers. A reported Red-necked Phalarope from earlier could not be relocated here or on the sand pit and front lakes at Scotney. Called in at the reserve where a juvenile White-winged Black Tern had been located on Burrowes but gave only distant flight and settled views out from Firth whilst I was on site amongst numerous Common Terns. We finished the afternoon at Lade and Kerton Quarry to carry out the monthly WeBS count where numbers were slightly down on recent days.

                                  Wheatear - Dungeness

Elsewhere since my last post I managed to see two of a small influx of Pied Flycatchers around the Estate yesterday, plus a scattering of Wheatears. On the reserve numerous Little Ringed Plovers, Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers were noted on ARC and Burrowes along with one or two Greenshanks Ruffs and a Spotted Redshank, several Garganey and a Black Tern. The garden moth trap delivered another new macro for the site last night in the shape of a Webb`s Wainscot. 

                                  Webb`s Wainscot - New for the site

                                  Pyrausta purpuralis 

Black Tern

Lade - Hot, dry and sunny, E2 - South lake continues to attract large numbers of wetland birds. A visit yesterday on the high tide produced over 150 roosting Sandwich Terns, 20 Commons and, new in, a juvenile Black Tern which frustratingly kept over the far side of the lake. Whilst watching my first two juvenile Marsh Harriers of summer quartering the far reed bed, being mobbed by a Sparrowhawk, a Bittern dropped into the reeds having flown in from ARC direction. A Dartford Warbler called and showed briefly from the main track gorse while there was a noticeable drop off in warbler activity by the ponds. At least six Common Sandpipers flitted around south lake. Afterwards I called in to ARC where the vegetation has now been cleared in front of Hanson hide, but there was little of note apart from six Little Ringed Plovers, several Common Sandpipers and two Snipes. I returned to Lade in the evening with the family to observe the solar eclipse, an amazing spectacle and most notable for the sudden drop in temperature as the sun was blotted out, and a Grey Plover overhead calling in the twilight.

                                  Common Sandpiper - Lade

                                   Latticed Heath - new for the trap

                                   Evergestis pallidata

Today`s visit to Lade was for a sea swim in the bay - amongst the jellyfish! However, as always, it was good to watch the Sandwich Terns screeching overhead and fishing offshore; also noted two Little Terns and a flyover Knot. The garden moth trap was busy last night with Latticed Heath being new for the site alongside the smart micro-moth Evergestis pallidata.

Bird Biomass

Lade - warm, dry and sunny, E2 - The drought continues and with it falling water levels showing previously unseen islands (certainly by me) at the back of south lake attracting large numbers of wetland birds along with the typical late summer build-up of waterfowl. The eutrophic ecology of the lake has resulted in an algae bloom, combine that with shallow margins and deep trenches full of carp and its little wonder that some of my counts over the past week have been off the scale. For example today on south lake alone: 52 Mute Swan 220 Coot, 460 Pochard, 210 Tufted Duck (inc six broods of ducklings), 55 Shoveler, 82 Gadwall and 25 Mallard along with 42 Great Crested and 12 Little Grebes, many with juveniles The islands at high tide this morning held 180 Sandwich and 20 Common Terns, c300 Black-headed and 20 Mediterranean Gulls, 50 Cormorants, plus around the margins 26 Little and four Great White Egrets, 18 Grey Herons, six Common Sandpipers and two Greenshanks. Passerine wise a steady passage of Sand Martins drifted through yesterday while today there was an up-tick in Willow Warblers and Chiffs around the ponds (some in song) among a host of Sedge and Reed Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats. On Friday several Wheatears and a Whinchat were on the desert, plus a grounded Whimbrel this morning and a light overhead passage of Yellow Wagtails. 

                                  `New` islands - Lade south

                                  Grey Heron and egrets

                                  Great Crested Grebe family

                                  Tufted Duck family

                                 Wheatear - Lade

At Kerton Quarry another 50 Sandwich Terns and 200 Black-headed Gulls were at roost along with 550 Oystercatchers on the far bank and 280 Curlews on the desert. Hundreds more wildfowl were present including a mixed flock of 100 Greylag, Canada and Egyptian Geese.   

                                  Terns and Gulls - Kerton Quarry

Yesterday morning I went in search of Saturday`s Monty`s Harrier outback at Scotney where numerous Yellow and Pied Wagtails, Reed Buntings and Linnets were noted along with two Wheatears and three Stonechats, but no sign of the harrier. Elsewhere, the Hammonds Corner Little Owls have successfully raised two juveniles and a `kettle` of six Buzzards over New Romney Saturday afternoon kept the Herring Gull`s occupied!

    Yellow Wagtail - Scotney