Lade - 0700hrs - cool, sunny morning, cloudy by noon, nw 2 - A decent start to the day weather wise which was reflected by the high level of bird activity in the morning stillness. A Spotted Flycatcher by the ponds was the most noteworthy bird, picking off flying insects with great aplomb, along with Reed and Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats. Once again Cuckoos were much in evidence around the reedbed and calling over the back garden; infact everywhere I went today I heard or saw Cuckoos: Littlestone, Greatstone and Lydd.
Poor fare in the trap with just 4 species of moths.
ARC - 1600hrs - A stroll down to Screen hide revealed the Garganey still in front of the hide and swarms of Swifts and hirundines over the water due to the rain and low temperatures. Two Little Egrets were perched in the willows and a Bittern flew over, while Cuckoos called and `bubbled` from overhead wires and tops of willows.
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
1st Summer Common Tern
Lade - 0800hrs - Cool, heavy rain `til late afternoon, sw 2 - A complete contrast to the weather of yesterday with a return to cool, damp conditions. Six species of moths in the trap included Buff-tip and Muslin Moth. Got a good soaking over the pits looking around for a reported small heron seen flying towards Lade at dusk yesterday. No joy but will try again this evening.
1st summer Common Tern
Buff Tip
Muslin Moth
Dungeness - A brief break in the rain enabled a quick look at the Patch where a 1st summer Common Tern was on the beach among the adults. Two Black Redstarts were feeding juvs along the power station wall, while a Carrion Crow swooped down grabbing a juv Pied Wagtail being hotly pursued by the adults.
Lade - A pleasant enough evening, if a little chilly, and certainly too cold for it to be worthwhile a Hobby hunting, as testified by one sat out on the Desert shingle attempting to warm up. They must be having a tough time at the moment getting into breeding condition and I`m not surprised an emaciated corpse was found at the Obs recently. The only birds of note over the lake were a `skimming` Common Sandpiper and a calling Med Gull.
Dungeness - A brief break in the rain enabled a quick look at the Patch where a 1st summer Common Tern was on the beach among the adults. Two Black Redstarts were feeding juvs along the power station wall, while a Carrion Crow swooped down grabbing a juv Pied Wagtail being hotly pursued by the adults.
Lade - A pleasant enough evening, if a little chilly, and certainly too cold for it to be worthwhile a Hobby hunting, as testified by one sat out on the Desert shingle attempting to warm up. They must be having a tough time at the moment getting into breeding condition and I`m not surprised an emaciated corpse was found at the Obs recently. The only birds of note over the lake were a `skimming` Common Sandpiper and a calling Med Gull.
Monday, 27 May 2013
Breeding Bird Survey
Lade - 0600hrs - cool, dry, sunny, ne 2 - With bright sunshine and light airs what better morning to carrying out a survey of the breeding birds of Lade and Kerton Road Pits. In all 47 species recorded as breeding including 5 species each of waders and warblers. Couldn't find a Wheatear this year and Mipits were down to just 2 pairs, but Cuckoos were, once again, much in evidence.
As for passage birds a Greenshank over calling and a few Swallows hurrying north was about it.
There were six species of moth in the trap this morning including Muslin Moth which was new for the year.
ARC - 1700hrs - An evening walk down to Screen hide delivered a drake Garganey on the lake and a couple of Hobbies. Small Heath butterflies noted along the track with Blue-tailed Damselflies by the hide.
As for passage birds a Greenshank over calling and a few Swallows hurrying north was about it.
There were six species of moth in the trap this morning including Muslin Moth which was new for the year.
ARC - 1700hrs - An evening walk down to Screen hide delivered a drake Garganey on the lake and a couple of Hobbies. Small Heath butterflies noted along the track with Blue-tailed Damselflies by the hide.
Sunday, 26 May 2013
What`s that wader!
Lade - 0600hrs - cool, cloudy, ne 2 - The storm beaches were swarming with juv Starlings accompanying the adults on feeding trips to plunder the numerous cranefly larvae and emerging adult insects. House Sparrows joined in too and at least two Sparrowhawks were abroad mopping up any unsuspecting fledglings. All the established summer visitors were in song and many of the resident species were feeding young.
Midrips
Midrips and The Wicks - With negative news coming through on yesterdays Terek Sandpiper down at Rye, and in an attempt to avoid the crowds, we decided on the solitude of the wader pools instead, and for once it turned out to be a good move. There was a decent selection of passage and resident waders, particularly on the pools at The Wicks. PB had the same idea and we were soon joined by CT, no doubt trying for a repeat performance of relocating a Terek here as he did a few years ago!
Anyhow, all was fine and dandy until a stubborn, sleepy wader, albeit at range and in the heat haze (that`s our excuse..) had us guessing as to its identity amongst the Redshanks, Greenshanks, Ringed Plovers and Turnstones. As we pondered and pontificated, mentioning just about every wader on the Western Palearctic list and beyond, from Sharp-tailed Sandpiper to Wandering Tatler (even Barney had an opinion - Ruff, of course!), the little bugger woke up and morphed into a Knot in some sort of odd transitional plumage. Oh well, we can dream...
Totals of passage waders included 20 Ringed Plovers, 2 Grey Plovers, 10 Dunlins, 10 Greenshanks, 11 Turnstones and singles of Barwit, Whimbrel, Curlew and Knot, plus 18 Avocet, 6 Lapwing, 4 Oystercatchers and 20 Redshanks. Also noted 40 Shelducks, Gadwall, Kestrel, Mipits, Reed Buntings, Skylarks, 2 Med Gulls and a Raven. Comedy moment of the morning (the Knot aside...) went to a fox being seen off by two drake Shelducks!
Burrowes - A quick call in at the VC and a check of Burrowes delivered two Sanderlings in summer plum and little else.
Lade - With the sun out this afternoon another visit to the ponds yielded small copper, common blue and hairy hawker on the wing and 2 basking grass snakes.
Lade `Mirrors`
Midrips and The Wicks - With negative news coming through on yesterdays Terek Sandpiper down at Rye, and in an attempt to avoid the crowds, we decided on the solitude of the wader pools instead, and for once it turned out to be a good move. There was a decent selection of passage and resident waders, particularly on the pools at The Wicks. PB had the same idea and we were soon joined by CT, no doubt trying for a repeat performance of relocating a Terek here as he did a few years ago!
Anyhow, all was fine and dandy until a stubborn, sleepy wader, albeit at range and in the heat haze (that`s our excuse..) had us guessing as to its identity amongst the Redshanks, Greenshanks, Ringed Plovers and Turnstones. As we pondered and pontificated, mentioning just about every wader on the Western Palearctic list and beyond, from Sharp-tailed Sandpiper to Wandering Tatler (even Barney had an opinion - Ruff, of course!), the little bugger woke up and morphed into a Knot in some sort of odd transitional plumage. Oh well, we can dream...
Totals of passage waders included 20 Ringed Plovers, 2 Grey Plovers, 10 Dunlins, 10 Greenshanks, 11 Turnstones and singles of Barwit, Whimbrel, Curlew and Knot, plus 18 Avocet, 6 Lapwing, 4 Oystercatchers and 20 Redshanks. Also noted 40 Shelducks, Gadwall, Kestrel, Mipits, Reed Buntings, Skylarks, 2 Med Gulls and a Raven. Comedy moment of the morning (the Knot aside...) went to a fox being seen off by two drake Shelducks!
Burrowes - A quick call in at the VC and a check of Burrowes delivered two Sanderlings in summer plum and little else.
Lade - With the sun out this afternoon another visit to the ponds yielded small copper, common blue and hairy hawker on the wing and 2 basking grass snakes.
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Turtle Dove & Nightingale
Lade 0700hrs - cool, cloudy, ne 3 - Following a spectacular thunder and lightening storm over the bay during the early hours, this morning dawned dry with broken sunshine and a keen north-easterly. Once again due to the low temperatures I didn`t bother to run the moth trap.
Over the pits the undoubted highlight was a Turtle Dove flushed from cover in the willows, plus a Nightingale which called but did not sing and even showed briefly in the bottom of a blackthorn bush; maybe a late arriving female? All the established summer migrants were in song and once again there was plenty of Cuckoo activity; I think we`re fortunate down here to have retained this unique bird on the NNR as it has disappeared from so many of its former haunts up country.
The first Linnet chicks were out of the nest this morning, while a Sparrowhawk hunting low over the gorse was obviously on the lookout for just such an easy meal ticket. Swifts and hirundines continued to hurry overhead pressing northwards, as was a late Yellow Wagtail.
Walland Marsh - With the wind dropping and the sun shining decided to have a tour around the Marsh, and very rewarding it was too with the highlight being a Red-rumped Swallow within a small hirundine/Swift flock at Midley. Despite further searching I could not relocate what was my third Red-rumper of the season. All three species of bunting were located with Yellowhammer the most numerous and Corn Buntings at two sites. Yellow Wagtails were very thin on the ground, as were Turtle Doves, also at two sites, but was good to see at least 20 Lapwings at one location. Also noted Little Owl, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Teal, 4 Med Gulls, 6 Hobbies, Lesser Whitethroat and several other breeding species far too scarce to mention on an open forum such as this...
ps: Late breaking news this evening concerned a Terek Sandpiper on Ternery Pool at Rye Harbour NR.
Over the pits the undoubted highlight was a Turtle Dove flushed from cover in the willows, plus a Nightingale which called but did not sing and even showed briefly in the bottom of a blackthorn bush; maybe a late arriving female? All the established summer migrants were in song and once again there was plenty of Cuckoo activity; I think we`re fortunate down here to have retained this unique bird on the NNR as it has disappeared from so many of its former haunts up country.
The first Linnet chicks were out of the nest this morning, while a Sparrowhawk hunting low over the gorse was obviously on the lookout for just such an easy meal ticket. Swifts and hirundines continued to hurry overhead pressing northwards, as was a late Yellow Wagtail.
Walland Marsh - With the wind dropping and the sun shining decided to have a tour around the Marsh, and very rewarding it was too with the highlight being a Red-rumped Swallow within a small hirundine/Swift flock at Midley. Despite further searching I could not relocate what was my third Red-rumper of the season. All three species of bunting were located with Yellowhammer the most numerous and Corn Buntings at two sites. Yellow Wagtails were very thin on the ground, as were Turtle Doves, also at two sites, but was good to see at least 20 Lapwings at one location. Also noted Little Owl, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Teal, 4 Med Gulls, 6 Hobbies, Lesser Whitethroat and several other breeding species far too scarce to mention on an open forum such as this...
ps: Late breaking news this evening concerned a Terek Sandpiper on Ternery Pool at Rye Harbour NR.
Friday, 24 May 2013
Red-rumped Swallow & Bee-eater
Lade - 0700hrs - cold (5C!), rain, nw 2 - On one of the coldest May days I can remember it was no surprise that the only birds of note over the pits this morning were hundreds of Swifts and hirundines attempting to feed on emerging insects. A singing Blackcap in the garden, however, suggested that there had been some overnight migration.
ARC - 1200hrs - Incredibly, in such unfavourable weather conditions, two cracking southern rarities turned up today in the shape of the season`s 5th Red-rumped Swallow and a Bee-eater.
By the time I arrived on site the multi-coloured job had gone awol so I headed for Hanson hide where together with several other birders we enjoyed superb views of the Red-rumper hawking insects over the lake along with hundreds of Swifts and hirundines. Unfortunately, a Hobby appeared which spooked the lot, and when they returned were much further out over the lake. Almost as good as the rumper was a cracking close Spotted Flycatcher in the willows by the hide, plus another singing Blackcap with an odd flourish at the end of its song.
Dungeness - After a fair bit of flying around the Desert and Trapping Area the Bee-eater (193) eventually settled down for a bit on the wires near the Light Railway car park where it performed quite well, calling and sallying forth to catch bees (surprisingly with much success on such a cool day). Then suddenly up it went, calling away, off high and out of sight to the north-west at 1400hrs.
Bee-eater, Dungeness
Scotney & Galloways - Joined MH for a quick scout around to look for Cattle Egret to the east of Lydd. No joy but we did notch up a chicken-shed Little Owl. Scotney was alive with hundreds of Swifts and lesser numbers of hirundines. On the grass a pair of Ringed Plovers and a Barnacle Goose was about it. The Galloways Road yielded plenty of Cuckoo v Mipit action, plus Kestrel, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat.
ARC - 1200hrs - Incredibly, in such unfavourable weather conditions, two cracking southern rarities turned up today in the shape of the season`s 5th Red-rumped Swallow and a Bee-eater.
By the time I arrived on site the multi-coloured job had gone awol so I headed for Hanson hide where together with several other birders we enjoyed superb views of the Red-rumper hawking insects over the lake along with hundreds of Swifts and hirundines. Unfortunately, a Hobby appeared which spooked the lot, and when they returned were much further out over the lake. Almost as good as the rumper was a cracking close Spotted Flycatcher in the willows by the hide, plus another singing Blackcap with an odd flourish at the end of its song.
Dungeness - After a fair bit of flying around the Desert and Trapping Area the Bee-eater (193) eventually settled down for a bit on the wires near the Light Railway car park where it performed quite well, calling and sallying forth to catch bees (surprisingly with much success on such a cool day). Then suddenly up it went, calling away, off high and out of sight to the north-west at 1400hrs.
Scotney & Galloways - Joined MH for a quick scout around to look for Cattle Egret to the east of Lydd. No joy but we did notch up a chicken-shed Little Owl. Scotney was alive with hundreds of Swifts and lesser numbers of hirundines. On the grass a pair of Ringed Plovers and a Barnacle Goose was about it. The Galloways Road yielded plenty of Cuckoo v Mipit action, plus Kestrel, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat.
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Winter returns
Lade - cool, sunshine and showers, nw 3 - With the temperature dipping to 7C just after dawn it was no surprise that there was little moth activity around the trap last night. However, of the paltry 6 species Lime Speck Pug and Pebbled Prominent were new for the year and another Brimstone was trapped.
Very quiet over the pits with a cold, blustery north-westerly suppressing both bird song and insect activity.
Brimstone
Pebble Prominent
Lade - 1600hrs - Following news of a Bee-eater over Boulderwall (SB) heading north I checked out the Desert and the rough ground behind the `mirrors` without success. However, there was plenty of Cuckoo activity while a male Whinchat was a bonus perched atop gorse in Mockmill Sewer. The cold and rain had driven down 100 Swifts and 50 House Martins over south pit.
Very quiet over the pits with a cold, blustery north-westerly suppressing both bird song and insect activity.
Lade - 1600hrs - Following news of a Bee-eater over Boulderwall (SB) heading north I checked out the Desert and the rough ground behind the `mirrors` without success. However, there was plenty of Cuckoo activity while a male Whinchat was a bonus perched atop gorse in Mockmill Sewer. The cold and rain had driven down 100 Swifts and 50 House Martins over south pit.
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