In praise of gulls - surely not...

Dungeness - mild, cloudy, drizzle, sw 3-5 - A grey old day with an increasingly rain-laden wind sweeping up-Channel - We wandered down to the Patch where several hundred common gulls were wheeling over the boil and sat on the sea, chiefly Black-headed and Herring Gulls. In amongst the throng were a couple of 1st winter Little Gulls fluttering along the scum line. Offshore 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and Red-throated Divers passed west with several Gannets further out. On the way off the estate I stopped to chat with DW who`d just located a 1st winter Caspian Gull on the beach roost amongst the larger gulls and actually made the effort to `scope it...

                                 Long-eared Owl, RSPB reserve

RSPB - The Long-eared Owl spent its third day roosting in sallows by the discovery pond and if anything was showing slighter better than on Wednesday. On Burrowes lake staff and volunteers have done a superb job of clearing the islands in front of the visitor centre of vegetation. Most of the wildfowl (including 4 each of Smew and Goldeneye) and gulls were at the Scott hide end sheltering from the wind, plus 2 Shelducks in front of Firth. From Makepeace hide an adult Caspian Gull showed well on one of the closer islands. Over the road on ARC plenty more wildfowl, including 4 Goldeneyes and 4 Shelducks, where there was also a report of a drake Smew earlier.
However, I`m becoming increasingly worried that I may be going gull ga-ga and moving over to the `Dark Side`, as I seem to be studying gulls more closely of late. It must be some sort of osmosis effect, absorbed from the Dungeness gull lords; I even found a Caspo on Lade last week, and Meds on the sands at low tide. There I go again, I`m even using the gully terminology - Caspo, Meds and all that.
If this carries on I may need counselling by the end of the winter...

                               Adult Caspian Gull, Burrowes

Roost watch

Lade - cool, dry, sunny, light airs - At last a dry day with plenty of sunshine and no wind, perfect for birding. This morning we checked the lakes where the Goldeneye was still present amongst c2,500 wildfowl. Cetti`s Warblers and Water Rails were particularly vocal around the willow swamp where a Firecrest was noted at the back of a tit flock. Several Marsh Harriers hunted the fields behind the `mirrors` along with Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.

                                Short-eared Owl, Lade

This evening we tramped across the shingle for a stake out at the north end of Mockmill in glorious setting sunlight. After chatting to BD (who`d seen the Long-eared Owl on the bird reserve this afternoon) we soon settled down in our usual spot to scan the flatlands. A Short-eared Owl quartered the rough grassland, occasionally pausing to perch and listen for prey from fence posts; and for once unaccompanied by corvids. What splendid birds they are, I don't reckon I`ll ever tire of watching them. It soon drifted out of sight and as the sun dipped beyond the horizon along came the Marsh Harriers, 7 in total heading towards the bird reserve to roost. Over a 1,000 corvids raced overhead, mostly Jackdaws, along with a flock of 300 Starlings, a straggle of Woodpigeons and 2 Little Egrets. A terrific end to a stunning winters day.

                                Sunset over Mockmill

Long-eared Owl

Dungeness - cold, overcast, drizzle, nw 2 - Following yesterdays washout this morning wasn't much better with occasional showers and poor light. An offshore wind made a seawatch pretty pointless, so we walked the tideline from the lifeboat station to the lighthouse where all the usual gulls and Turnstones were noted. On the sea were at least 50 Great Crested Grebes and a trickle of Kittiwakes.
A single Med Gull was amongst the gulls on the beach, although later on an adult Caspian Gull was present. The anglers along the foreshore were pulling in plenty of whiting, plus a few cod, and being as its Dungeness there`s always something of interest in the Channel, and this morning it was a stunning wooden sailing ship.

                               Pirates of the English Channel

RSPB - News came through this afternoon of a Long-eared Owl roosting in sallows by the discovery pond on the bird reserve. These highly nocturnal owls have become something of a rarity in recent years so it was a real treat to be able to enjoy this individual at a safe distance as it occasionally looked around showing off those penetrating orange eyes. Long gone are the days when double figure roosts of Long-eared Owls were regularly encountered during the winter period.
Also present on Burrowes, 4 Goosanders and a Smew, while a Bittern showed well from Screen hide at dusk.

                                Long-eared Owl, Dungeness RSPB

Winter approaches

Lade - cold, sunny, nw 2 - The past couple of days have been pretty similar on the weather front with overnight frosts, morning sunshine and afternoon cloud - proper winter weather at last. Yesterday the first Goldeneye of the winter dropped on to south lake, followed by a Smew this morning, plus a Short-eared Owl quartering the fields by north lake. Three Stonechats had returned to the desert scrub with a particularly showy Cetti`s Warbler by the ponds.

                                Great Black-backed Gull, Dungeness

Dungeness - 1430 - 1545hrs - We joined PB for a seawatch from the fishing boats where a steady flow of Kittiwakes and auks went to and fro, plus 10 Red-throated Divers, 12 Common Scoters, Gannet, Med Gull and Curlew eastbound, and 3 Gadwall, 2 Dunlins and a Knot heading west. Up to 30 Great Crested Grebes and several Guillemots were on the water and a Peregrine came in off the bay.
The adult Great Black-back with the dodgy wings was in the gull roost on the beach.

Dartford Warbler

Lade - cold, wintry showers, nw 5 - The much predicted icy blast from the north hit with a vengeance today delivering sleety showers and a rasping wind during the morning. As the day progressed the showers eased and the sun broke through, although the wind speed picked up to near gale force making it feel even colder. Needless to say walking across the shingle wastes to check the lakes was not at all pleasurable, and not that productive either with the massed ranks of wildfowl, grebes and Coots still present and seemingly oblivious to the bitter wind.
How weak us humans are by comparison. Barney too is not in the slightest phased by the cold and on the way back this morning he flushed a Dartford Warbler from the broom scrub between south lake and Leonard Road, only my second Lade record, although not too surprising considering their mini influx of late. As a special treat I fried him up a couple of bangers for second breakfast.
With reports of Little Auks appearing down the east coast today we checked the bay and north lake this afternoon just in case, but it was not to be, so we retired early to the comfort of a log fire and a book.

                                Its a dogs life...

Dusky Warbler

Dungeness - mild, overcast, w 2 - An hour at the fishing boats this morning revealed a trickle of Gannets and auks westward, plus 9 Brents, 5 Red-throated Divers and a Red-breasted Merganser; several of the closer auks proved to be Razorbills. A steady flow of coasting gulls included several Mediterranean Gulls.
Dengemarsh - With lighter winds we headed to the bird reserve where the Dusky Warbler was still present in bramble and sallows by the lake on the bend in the track south of the ramp. It was actively calling but frustratingly difficult to see with just a couple of glimpses offered up as it moved between clumps of scrub. Also noted from the bridle track were Firecrest, Goldcrest, 2 Stonechats, 20 Long-tailed Tits, Redwing and Song Thrush.
After weeks of unseasonably mild weather conditions the temperature fell away to single figures this afternoon as a cold front advanced from the north-west, which is set to deliver an icy blast from the Arctic tomorrow.

Folkestone Book Fair

Dengemarsh - 0800hrs - mild, overcast, sw 2 - We did a circuit of Dengemarsh first thing, commencing at Boulderwall, before the rain set in by late morning. The highlight was brief views of the `resident` Dartford Warbler in bramble scrub where the return trail meets the bridle path. There was no sign of the Dusky Warbler by the double bends, although it could easily still be lurking amongst the scrub somewhere. A few Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Stonechats and Goldcrests were also present along the way.
Elsewhere around the route the usual wildfowl, Cetti`s Warblers, Marsh Harriers and Great White Egrets noted, plus 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 10 Skylarks and a Kingfisher.
Folkestone Book Fair, 20-29th November -  Tomorrow sees the start of the annual book fest centred on the Quarterhouse in Folkestone`s Creative Quarter, with a variety of speakers to suit all tastes. We`re attending the talk on Sunday afternoon by Tony Juniper, a life-long campaigning environmentalist, entitled What has Nature ever done for us`, based on his recent book. The name Tony Juniper may be familiar to birders with a penchant for parrots, as it was he who co-wrote Parrots: A guide to the parrots of the world, when working as an ornithologist for Birdlife International.
For further details of this worthy event check out the website at: www.folkestonebookfest.com