White-fronted Geese

Lade - mild, dry sunny, sw 2 - 0800hrs - Nothing much to report on the local patch apart from two Great White Egrets and Goldeneyes up to 12 in number, including three drakes, plus the usual wildfowl and Marsh Harriers.

                                White-fronted Geese, Burrowes

RSPB - 1000hrs - On the way up the access road the expected Tree Sparrows were active on the Boulderwall feeders while the drake Ring-necked Duck was asleep on Cook`s Pool amongst the Tufted Ducks and Coots. Opposite the Dipping Pond the two Long-eared Owls showed well roosting close together in the willows. On Burrowes the surprise package was a flock of 43 White-fronted Geese on the islands in front of Makepeace hide, before they eventually flew off in the direction of Lydd. I could find no sawbills on the lake, or elsewhere around the reserve, but did count 10 Goldeneyes, two Pintails, 500 Lapwings, two Snipe and a Water Rail from Scott hide. A male Peregrine flushed the Lapwings and gulls, while Chiffchaff, Cetti`s Warbler, Bearded Tits, Great White Egret, Raven, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Stonechat and Green Woodpecker were all noted around the trail. There were few birds on ARC.
  At Kerton Road the Eastern Stonechat was still frequenting the broom scrub on the western side of the quarry about 200yds from the entrance. Elsewhere today, the Taiga Bean Geese remained at Pett Level, 55 Bewick`s Swans were at Horses Bones Farm near Lydd, but there was negative news on the Camber Red-necked Grebe.

Drake Eider

Dungeness - mild, cloudy, sw 2 - Our first visit of the year to the Patch was enlivened by a cracking drake Eider swimming amongst a couple of hundred gulls in front of the boil. Eiders are normally noted down here on passage off the Point so it made a change to see one sat on the sea. A few Gannets and auks were fishing offshore while 100 Brents and two Mergansers passed up-Channel. All was quiet on the land with just a few Mipits and Pied Wagtails around the power station, a Kestrel and a 1st winter Caspian Gull by the Fish Hut.

                                Drake Eider, The Patch

  On the RSPB reserve two Long-eared Owls showed well at roost behind the Dipping Pond, while the Ring-necked Duck and Slavonian Grebe were on, ARC and New Diggings respectively. Elsewhere, the usual egrets, harriers and wildfowl were present around the reserve. As the afternoon wore on heavy rain set in making for a wet end to the day.

                                Long-eared Owls, Dipping Pond

Displaying Marsh Harriers

Dengemarsh - grey and grim, mild - A circular walk around Dengemarsh was notable for a pair of Marsh Harriers whistling to one another and displaying over the main reedbed. In the stillness and fine drizzle, Cetti`s Warbler, Bearded Tit and Chiffchaff were all noted around the reedbed, plus the usual egrets and ducks on the lake with Snipe and Redshank elsewhere. The weedy field by Springfield Bridge attracted a small number of Linnets, Reed Buntings, Mipits and a hunting Sparrowhawk, but the hayfields and flood were devoid of bird life. The farmland was similarly lifeless apart from a couple of Skylarks and flocks of 60 Mute Swans and 50 Canada Geese. We also had good views of a Brown Hare on the shingle by the return trail.
  Chatting to a couple of birders along the way they reported the Stejneger`s Stonechat at Kerton Road, the Ring-necked Duck on ARC, Slavonian Grebe on New Diggings, Long-eared Owl at roost behind the Dipping Pool and 55 Bewicks Swans at Horses Bones Farm behind Lydd.
  Driving back across the causeway road I noticed several birders being asked to move their cars by the police on the basis that they`re "causing an obstruction". This has become standard practice by the peelers of late, and I`ve given up stopping along this stretch of road for that very reason. If you have to view the lakes from the causeway road your best bet is to park in the ARC car park or by Long Pits and walk, but take care as speeding traffic can make it hazardous.

The Risky Twitcher

This past week we`ve been inundated with twitchers down here travelling from afar to tick off the grey Stonechat (aka Stejneger`s) at Lydd-on-Sea, and probably adding a wintering Ring-necked Duck to their year lists along the way as well. Some of my more sane (non-birding) friends have commented on the number of "old blokes" they`ve noticed recently loitering by the roadsides hereabouts, peering through paparazzi style camera lens: "Is it someone famous on a film shoot, or perhaps the Orient Express is coming down the power station railway line", they enquire, to which I reply, "nope, they`ve come to see a small grey bird." You`re kidding me", said one local, "I could`ve sworn one of `em said he`d come all the way from Newcastle!...surely not...must be mad..blah, blah, blah...
  Now, I`m not about to launch into an anti twitcher post, as I`ve done a limited amount myself in the past, and it`s a free world, so whatever floats your boat and all that, but I am fascinated by the psychology behind the pursuit, all of which has been ably covered in Tales of a Tribe by Mark Cocker.
  However, there was an encounter the other day that left me somewhat bemused at the risks people take for their tick. I was birding Lade pits (only one mile from the pale Stonechat) when a heavily sweating fella rushed up to me and said, "have you got it?" Being a wind-up merchant I thought I`d have a bit of fun, so replied, "yep, over there by the reedbed, been here a week or more now, smart bird a Slav Grebe". He was, of course less than impressed, being as he was looking for the chat, and after a brief conversation it transpired he was on a flyer from work, and only had limited time, and did I know where the said bird was likely to be.
  Looking to the south I could see a huddle of twitchers already gathered around what I presumed to be the Stonechat, so switching to tour guide mode redirected him. I was about to point out a Great White Egret and a perched Kingfisher when he was off and sprinting like Usain Bolt towards the quarry without so much as a thank you very much or kiss my arse! As he disappeared towards the throng I stood and mused what a funny old world it is. He`d probably driven like the hammers of hell to get here, when he should`ve been at work, and spent five minutes on the bird before hurtling back to wherever. A very risky business indeed.

Five species of grebes

Lade - cold and sunny, light airs - We wandered south across the Desert first thing on a beautiful crisp morning to check the broom scrub for Dartford Warbler, but drew a blank. In the distance I could see the grey Stonechat perched on the boundary fence on the margins of Kerton Road pit as the first of the days twitchers slithered across the welded shingle to pay homage. On south lake two Great White Egrets were being hassled by a Grey Heron in the far reedbed and the Goldeneye count reached eight, while two Marsh Harriers checked out the fitness of the Coots and ducks, scattering them across the mill-pond like lake.

                               Dabchick, ARC

Rye Harbour - Pat joined us for a trip down to Rye this morning in glorious sunshine. En-route we noted two Goosanders and a Slavonian Grebe on New Diggings and the Red-necked Grebe on the fishing lake west of Camber. A circuit of the beach reserve delivered a fine spectacle of common waders and wildfowl on the salt marsh and pools, including two Pintail, a Ruff, three Snipe, 28 Dabchicks and a flock of 100 Skylarks. 
  We lunched in the recently renovated William the Conqueror pub by the quay (3 real ales, good grub, log fire and dog-friendly) and comes highly recommended; Barney was made up with the fire and milked it for all it was worth.
  Another visit to Scotney this afternoon delivered a Pink-footed Goose, 3 Tundra Bean Geese and a Black-necked Grebe, our fifth species of grebe today. Finally, from Hanson hide eight Bewick`s Swans flying in to roost on the lake was a fitting end to fine day in the field. 

Red-necked Grebe

Scotney - mild, cloudy, drizzle - 0900hrs - The usual Barnacle/hybrid Emperor Goose flock was grazing the front fields along with 100 Wigeon, two Redshank, Curlew and Ruff. Outback, stacks of Shelducks, feral Greylags, Canada and Egyptian Geese, plus 15 White-fronts, 3 Tundra Bean Geese and a Brent Goose. Marsh Harrier, Kestrel and Buzzard all noted, but we missed a ringtail harrier seen by a couple of visiting birders earlier. Passerines were again largely absent apart from several Corn and Reed Buntings, Mipits and House Sparrows.
Camber - The small fishing lake to the west of the village had a variety of ducks, grebes, Cormorants, egrets and herons on or around the water, but the main attraction was a splendid Red-necked Grebe, a rare beast in these parts, which eventually approached close to the cycle path and posed for a few piccies.

                               Red-necked Grebe, Camber

  On the way back east I stopped to check a flock of swans and Lapwings from the wind surfer`s car park, and to admire the marvellous civil engineering project that is the Broomhill Sands sea defences. The 1.3 mile construction of concrete, timber, steel and rocks runs between Camber and the Lydd army ranges and was finished last year to prevent the scouring action of the sea flooding this part of the Marsh. The project cost £30 million to complete and included shipping in huge boulders from Norway to take the brunt of the wave action. Money well spent methinks.  

                                Broomhill Sands

  Judging from the numbers of cars on site, the Ring-necked Duck and grey Stonechat were still present at Boulderwall and Kerton Road quarry respectively when I drove by around midday.
Littlestone Golf Links - 1500hrs - There was no sign of the reported Short-eared Owl this afternoon, although a Great White Egret flying across the fairways was a bit of a surprise, unlike several Stonechats perched atop vegetation. Hundreds of corvids, mainly Jackdaws, streamed along the coast towards St Mary`s Bay roost sites and beyond.

Merlin

Lade - cold, dry, sunny, sw 2 - A crisp morning with an overnight frost welding the shingle together making it treacherous underfoot. Despite a thorough search I could find no sign of the recent Slavonian Grebe, although it may have  moved to New Diggings on the bird reserve as one was  reported there today. A Merlin sat atop the wall `mirror` was later noted chasing a Mipit across the Desert. On south lake up six Goldeneyes and a Great White Egret, while Kingfisher, Chiffchaff, Water Rail and Long-tailed Tits were noted around the willow swamp.
  Called in at Kerton Road quarry this afternoon where the Stejneger`s Stonechat continued to attract twitchers from far and wide, including several familiar faces from Bedfordshire and past guests. The Stonechat was feeding in scrub on the western side of the quarry and for the most part obliged visiting birders by perching out in the open in typical chat-like fashion.
  At last knockings we scanned from Mockmill where four Marsh Harriers, two Great White and five Little Egrets headed towards the bird reserve to roost.