Lade - mild and dreary - Truth be told December is my least favourite time of year and the grey drizzly weather summed up perfectly my mood as we trudged around the local patch. That said there were a few Goldeneyes on the lakes and plenty of waders on the beach, but nothing much else of note.
Things weren't much better at Dungeness where the most exciting event was nearly getting run over by a gravel truck along the sea wall en-route to the Patch! On the bird reserve the Ring-necked Duck remained anchored on the pool at Boulderwall while all the usual wildfowl and gulls were on Burrowes. A search of the beach between St Mary`s Bay and Littlestone also drew a blank for the Snow Buntings.
Its the whole Christmas thing I have a problem with, it drives me nuts every year, the excesses of it all, the crap people buy that they could well do without, the faux joviality and that damn song by Slade being played all the time! Added to which December is a quiet month at Plovers with few guests in (they`ve probably all sensibly buggered off abroad to get away from the ho-ho-bloody-ho!). The thing is I`m not normally a miserable sod, and I know come the day after Boxing Day when its all over that I`ll buck up, but until such time I suppose I`ll just have to grin and bear it.
Tuesday, 13 December 2016
Sunday, 11 December 2016
Patch gold
Lade - mild, sunny, sw 2 - Following the Mordor-like gloom of yesterday this morning dawned bright and sunny, perfect for a thorough tour of the local patch where birds were everywhere. A Dartford Warbler in Mockmill scrub was followed by several Snipe, a pair of Stonechats, Reed Buntings and a Song Thrush. The bay Curlew flock flew into roost nearby (all 620 of them) which I now consider a treasure trove considering their current Red Listed status.
Great White Egret
On the lakes plenty of wildfowl including three Goldeneyes and 120 Shovelers. Around the margins and the willow swamp a Great White Egret, several Water Rails and Cetti`s Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and a Kingfisher. Raptors included the obligatory Marsh Harriers, Kestrel and a Merlin.
Oystercatchers
The walk back along the beach on an ebb tide delivered all the usual shorebirds where 745 Oystercatchers were logged amongst hundreds of Sanderlings and Dunlins, plus two Grey Seals on the bay.
On the lakes plenty of wildfowl including three Goldeneyes and 120 Shovelers. Around the margins and the willow swamp a Great White Egret, several Water Rails and Cetti`s Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and a Kingfisher. Raptors included the obligatory Marsh Harriers, Kestrel and a Merlin.
The walk back along the beach on an ebb tide delivered all the usual shorebirds where 745 Oystercatchers were logged amongst hundreds of Sanderlings and Dunlins, plus two Grey Seals on the bay.
Friday, 9 December 2016
Bewick`s Swans and Fiery Skies
Walland Marsh - mild, overcast, s 2 - We started the day out on the Marsh at Horses Bones Farm where at least 13 Bewick`s Swans were feeding distantly in a field of winter wheat. A Great White Egret was noted on an adjacent sewer margin and a small flock of Redwings flew overhead.
Great White Egret, Walland Marsh
ARC - All the usual wildfowl here including Goldeneye, Pintail and a single redhead Smew. From Screen hide brief views of a Water Rail and Bittern, plus a Great Spotted Woodpecker on a power pole and couple of Chiffchaffs, Reed Bunting and Cetti`s Warblers in the scrub. From the water tower a scan of the Desert towards the airfield turned up several Marsh Harriers, a pale Common Buzzard and a distant ringtail Hen Harrier.
Long-eared Owl, Dipping Pool
RSPB - On the fields at Boulderwall plenty of Wigeon, Lapwings, Golden Plovers and the like, plus Great Whites and a Cattle Egret, several Snipe and the wintering drake Ring-necked Duck. Despite the low afternoon light the Long-eared Owl showed reasonably well in the willows behind the Dipping Pond. On Burrowes all the usual wildfowl and gulls, including Caspian/Yellow-legged types from the islands in front of Makepeace hide.
Elsewhere today the Black-throated Diver remained on Brett`s pit at Scotney, more Caspian Gulls were found at The Patch while the five Snow Buntings were reported along the foreshore between St Mary`s Bay and Littlestone mid-week. So, anyone coming down this weekend should be assured of a decent days birding around the Peninsula.
One of the meteorological events of this past week have been the spectacular sunrises and sunsets across the flatlands, as testified by the fiery skies over Lade Bay yesterday morning.
ARC - All the usual wildfowl here including Goldeneye, Pintail and a single redhead Smew. From Screen hide brief views of a Water Rail and Bittern, plus a Great Spotted Woodpecker on a power pole and couple of Chiffchaffs, Reed Bunting and Cetti`s Warblers in the scrub. From the water tower a scan of the Desert towards the airfield turned up several Marsh Harriers, a pale Common Buzzard and a distant ringtail Hen Harrier.
RSPB - On the fields at Boulderwall plenty of Wigeon, Lapwings, Golden Plovers and the like, plus Great Whites and a Cattle Egret, several Snipe and the wintering drake Ring-necked Duck. Despite the low afternoon light the Long-eared Owl showed reasonably well in the willows behind the Dipping Pond. On Burrowes all the usual wildfowl and gulls, including Caspian/Yellow-legged types from the islands in front of Makepeace hide.
Elsewhere today the Black-throated Diver remained on Brett`s pit at Scotney, more Caspian Gulls were found at The Patch while the five Snow Buntings were reported along the foreshore between St Mary`s Bay and Littlestone mid-week. So, anyone coming down this weekend should be assured of a decent days birding around the Peninsula.
One of the meteorological events of this past week have been the spectacular sunrises and sunsets across the flatlands, as testified by the fiery skies over Lade Bay yesterday morning.
Wednesday, 7 December 2016
Velvet Scoter
Dungeness - mild, sunny, s2 - With a weather system originating from the Azores bathing the peninsula in a blanket of warm air it felt curiously unseasonal, but perfect for a wander along the foreshore where the usual gulls and Turnstones were encountered. On the sea a steady flow of Cormorants, Black-headed Gulls and Kittiwakes moved between the bays, plus a few Gannets, Red-throated Divers, three Brents and at long last a Velvet Scoter, which was new for the year.
A check of the Kerton Road triangle revealed a few Skylarks over, plus a pair of Stonechats and a Dartford Warbler in the broom scrub, although I failed to locate the grey Stonechat.
RSPB - The fields at Boulderwall were packed out with hundreds of Lapwings, Golden Plovers, Wigeon, feral geese, corvids, Stock Doves and Starlings, an incredible sight. The drake Ring-necked Duck remained on Cook`s Pool while the Cattle Egret was lurking in a ditch by the Corral. Also noted Great White and Little Egrets, Marsh Harriers and Kestrel, Mipits and Tree Sparrows.
Scotney - The Black-throated Diver was still on the lake by the quarry, where also a Black-necked Grebe plus a pair of Ravens over.
A check of the Kerton Road triangle revealed a few Skylarks over, plus a pair of Stonechats and a Dartford Warbler in the broom scrub, although I failed to locate the grey Stonechat.
RSPB - The fields at Boulderwall were packed out with hundreds of Lapwings, Golden Plovers, Wigeon, feral geese, corvids, Stock Doves and Starlings, an incredible sight. The drake Ring-necked Duck remained on Cook`s Pool while the Cattle Egret was lurking in a ditch by the Corral. Also noted Great White and Little Egrets, Marsh Harriers and Kestrel, Mipits and Tree Sparrows.
Scotney - The Black-throated Diver was still on the lake by the quarry, where also a Black-necked Grebe plus a pair of Ravens over.
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
Shovelers
Lade - mild, broken cloud, misty, light airs - We flogged around the local patch in superb winter weather conditions following a spectacular sunrise. A rolling mist partly covered the power station and water tower to the south and it was so still I could hear the Shovelers filter feeding on south lake well before I got there. A couple of Goldeneyes were also present amongst the diving ducks and a 1st winter Caspian Gull was in the gull roost. Passerines of note included two Stonechats and several each of Mipit and Reed Bunting, while two Marsh Harriers worked the farmland by the airport.
Shovelers feeding on south lake
A late afternoon visit to check for owls over the Desert drew a blank where the roosting Curlew flock was briefly disturbed by a passing fox. Elsewhere, the Ring-necked Duck was reported from Boulderwall on the bird reserve, the Black-throated Diver at Scotney and a small flock of Bewick`s Swans was on the fields at Horses Bones Farm on Walland Marsh.
A late afternoon visit to check for owls over the Desert drew a blank where the roosting Curlew flock was briefly disturbed by a passing fox. Elsewhere, the Ring-necked Duck was reported from Boulderwall on the bird reserve, the Black-throated Diver at Scotney and a small flock of Bewick`s Swans was on the fields at Horses Bones Farm on Walland Marsh.
Monday, 5 December 2016
The Great British Folk Festival
Skegness - Just returned from a brilliant weekend away at The Great British Folk Festival with our folkie friends from down the road, Stan, Kaz and Dan. While we`ve been to loads of outside summer festivals down the years, an indoor event in the winter was a first for of us all, and a big hit it proved to be.
The line up over the three days was pretty tasty with some old favourites such as Oysterband, Kate Rusby, Donovan and Lindisfarne, but also John Watterson (aka Fake Thackray) a performer I`d not come across before. The late Jake Thackray was a true craftsman of the English language noted for his satirical and witty folk songs, and John`s session on Sunday had all the warmth and respect that you would expect from a lifelong Thackray fan.
Quite often folk festivals chuck in a surprise act and this weekends `joker in the pack` was Bob Geldof. I didn't quite know what to expect but he was top notch, hammering out a mix of Irish folk and heavy prog-rock numbers, a weird world music song and finishing with some of the old Boomtown Rat`s favourites. The band was as tight as a drum with a core of Irish musicians, complete with a fiddle player in a suit and string vest - brilliant! Between songs Geldof held court on a number of topical issues in his inimitable style with subject matters ranging from global poverty and climate change, while slagging off everything from corrupt governments and the Catholic church, to folk festivals and the Daily Mail! His ramblings were well received by a raucous audience and, needless to say, peppered with plenty of expletives!
So, a great weekend of music, song and beer alongside like-minded souls, while the accommodation, food and, especially the staff, at the Butlin`s venue were also superb. The only natural history item of the weekend belonged to the roadside raptor count across the flatlands of Lincolnshire. Common Buzzards and Kestrels were just about equal in number, but what one Earth they find to feed on in that arable desert is something of a mystery, particularly the Buzzards.
Lade - Got home just in time to take Barney for a walk out back where we jammed in on a cracking sunset and a Short-eared Owl quartering the Desert.
The line up over the three days was pretty tasty with some old favourites such as Oysterband, Kate Rusby, Donovan and Lindisfarne, but also John Watterson (aka Fake Thackray) a performer I`d not come across before. The late Jake Thackray was a true craftsman of the English language noted for his satirical and witty folk songs, and John`s session on Sunday had all the warmth and respect that you would expect from a lifelong Thackray fan.
Quite often folk festivals chuck in a surprise act and this weekends `joker in the pack` was Bob Geldof. I didn't quite know what to expect but he was top notch, hammering out a mix of Irish folk and heavy prog-rock numbers, a weird world music song and finishing with some of the old Boomtown Rat`s favourites. The band was as tight as a drum with a core of Irish musicians, complete with a fiddle player in a suit and string vest - brilliant! Between songs Geldof held court on a number of topical issues in his inimitable style with subject matters ranging from global poverty and climate change, while slagging off everything from corrupt governments and the Catholic church, to folk festivals and the Daily Mail! His ramblings were well received by a raucous audience and, needless to say, peppered with plenty of expletives!
So, a great weekend of music, song and beer alongside like-minded souls, while the accommodation, food and, especially the staff, at the Butlin`s venue were also superb. The only natural history item of the weekend belonged to the roadside raptor count across the flatlands of Lincolnshire. Common Buzzards and Kestrels were just about equal in number, but what one Earth they find to feed on in that arable desert is something of a mystery, particularly the Buzzards.
Lade - Got home just in time to take Barney for a walk out back where we jammed in on a cracking sunset and a Short-eared Owl quartering the Desert.
Thursday, 1 December 2016
First Smews of winter
Lade - cold, frosty, sunny, light airs - A stunning morning for a wander down to the Kerton Road pit and back across the Desert to Mockmill. On the first `official` day of winter the clear overnight skies had delivered a frost on the shingle and ice in the sewers. A scattering of Reed Buntings, Mipits and Skylarks were flushed from the storm ridges while Mockmill held a couple each of Snipe and Stonechat, a Cetti`s Warbler, Sparrowhawk and Water Rail. As if to confirm winter`s arrival the first two redhead Smews were on north lake plus three Goldeneyes on south.
Dungeness RSPB - There was no sign of either the Cattle Egret or Ring-necked Duck at Boulderwall this morning, although the duck had reappeared by mid-afternoon, while the Long-eared Owl was also absent from its usual roosting perch. Two more Smews were on Burrowes, but mobile, along with 15 Pintail, five Goldeneye, two Blackwits and hundreds of Cormorants, wildfowl and gulls. The bird feeders in the car park were busy with tits and finches where I was surprised to see a Brambling, a scarce winter visitor in these parts.
Water Rail, ARC
Over the road on ARC we had cracking views of a Water Rail in front of Hanson hide and a very pale Common Buzzard, plus Kingfisher, Redshank, two Marsh Harriers and all the expected gulls and wildfowl.
We couldn't find the Bewick`s Swans at Cockles Bridge or anywhere else on Dengemarsh, but the Black-throated Diver was still showing well on Brett`s pit at Scotney.
Dungeness RSPB - There was no sign of either the Cattle Egret or Ring-necked Duck at Boulderwall this morning, although the duck had reappeared by mid-afternoon, while the Long-eared Owl was also absent from its usual roosting perch. Two more Smews were on Burrowes, but mobile, along with 15 Pintail, five Goldeneye, two Blackwits and hundreds of Cormorants, wildfowl and gulls. The bird feeders in the car park were busy with tits and finches where I was surprised to see a Brambling, a scarce winter visitor in these parts.
Over the road on ARC we had cracking views of a Water Rail in front of Hanson hide and a very pale Common Buzzard, plus Kingfisher, Redshank, two Marsh Harriers and all the expected gulls and wildfowl.
We couldn't find the Bewick`s Swans at Cockles Bridge or anywhere else on Dengemarsh, but the Black-throated Diver was still showing well on Brett`s pit at Scotney.
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