Dengemarsh

Dengemarsh - mild, sunny, SW 5 - Spent the morning walking the circular route around the marsh from Springfield bridge and back. With all the recent rain the hayfields and flood looked in good nick for the forthcoming breeding season, and indeed there was several pairs of Lapwings displaying despite the brisk wind. Shoveler, Shelduck, Teal and Grey Heron also noted on the flooded fields. On the main lake the expected grebes and wildfowl, while the field opposite the hide had a large mixed flock of Wigeon, Teal, Greylags, Lapwing and Golden Plover, plus several Snipe and at least six Ruff. Also plenty of Reed Buntings and Cetti`s Warblers on territory, plus Tree Sparrow, Marsh Harrier, Great White Egret and Stonechat. The farmland section was predictably quieter with just a few Skylark, Meadow Pipit and a single Corn Bunting of note. From the bridge we had good views of Raven coming and going with food for young. Thunderous explosions emanating from the Army ranges kept the flocks of wildfowl and plovers on the move.

                               Dengemarsh flood

White-winged Gulls

Lade - cold, misty, murky, drizzle - A grim morning during which we just completed our circuit of the local patch before the rain set in. The Long-tailed Duck and Goldeneyes were still on south lake and a 1st winter Glaucous Gull and Little Gull flew along the foreshore heading south.

                                Male Ringed Plover

Dungeness - Much drier this afternoon with a brisk wind out of the south-west and sunshine. A wander around the point delivered Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Stock Dove and Pied Wagtail showing signs of breeding, plus a pair each of Stonechat and Ringed Plover. A 1st winter Iceland Gull was amongst the gulls on the beach, while it was good to see a Brown Hare bounding over the shingle. On the sea, hundreds of Cormorant and Great Crested Grebe fishing close to shore, plus a few auks, Gannet, Kittiwake and Red-throated Diver further out.

March migrants

Dungeness - 0800hrs - mild, cloudy, sw 2 - A stroll down to the Patch delivered yesterdays 1st winter Iceland Gull still hanging around on the beach with hundreds of its commoner congers. Offshore 100 Red-throated Divers moved between the bays.

                               Iceland Gull, a typical spring passage migrant

Lade - Moving onto the local patch where the Herring Gulls along the coastal strip went into meltdown as we approached south lake. Up went the Jackdaws, Crows, Starlings and Feral Pigeons joining the gulls in a great swirling mass and noise of birds. Eventually, I located the cause of their actions, a stratospheric Red Kite that drifted steadily northwards over New Romney.
  On the lake a large gull roost had assembled comprising at least 500 Common Gulls, another typical spring migrant. The Long-tailed Duck put in a brief appearance as did a Dartford Warbler, while Grey Wagtail (rare here), Snipe, Redshank, Cetti`s Warbler, Green Woodpecker and Marsh Harrier were all noted.

                                A few of the hundreds of Common Gulls present

  This afternoon we checked out the Kerton Road quarry where a couple of Skylarks sang from on high in the warm sunshine. Shelduck, Oystercatcher and a pair of Stonechats also noted.

A wader day

Dungeness - cold, overcast, S 2 - 0830hrs - Spent a most enjoyable day guiding for Trevor and Janet. We kicked off with a highly profitable one hour seawatch from the concrete road during which time we rattled up 50 Red-throated Diver, 70 Brent Geese, 20 Guillemot, 15 Common Scoter, 20 Gannet, 20 Kittiwake, Shoveler and a Mediterranean Gull, all east bound. A pair of Skylark also showed particularly well.
Littlestone - As the tide was still out we scanned the foreshore opposite the old lifeboat station where there was extraordinary numbers of gulls and waders running into several thousands. Dunlin, Sanderling and Oystercatcher each numbered over 700, while good numbers of Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Knot, Grey Plover, Turnstone, Redshank (50) and Ringed Plover made for an impressive supporting cast. All the common species of gulls noted, plus several Mediterranean and one Little Gull from the Varne boat club.
RSPB - We spent the afternoon on the bird reserve where the Boulderwall fields and lagoons were full of birds, mainly Golden Plover, Lapwing, Wigeon and Starling, plus three Smew on Tanners pool, Great White Egret, Stock Dove, Kestrel and the usual Tree Sparrows, tits and finches on the feeders. On Burrowes a 1st winter Glaucous Gull was present on an island in front of the VC, while at Dengemarsh, Marsh Harrier, Snipe, Raven and a large flock of Linnets were logged. We finished the day at ARC with 500 Wigeon on the still partially frozen lake and two singing Reed Buntings.
  A cracking days birding in fine company during which time we noted 70 species of birds. The highlight was the large numbers and variety of waders on Littlestone beach.

First Med Gulls

Lade - cold, showery, S 2 - Spent the weekend catching up around the local patch following our two day stay in Folkestone. Compared to last week the weather had turned almost tropical with the thermometer steadily climbing into single figures and the blasting east wind relenting. However, despite the snow quickly disappearing ice takes longer to thaw and south lake remained half frozen with a wide strip of brash ice between the clear water and solid ice formed by the gale force wind. Around a thousand gulls were roosting on the ice including our first two Mediterranean Gulls of the spring, plus a small flock of Dunlins. Three Goldeneyes were among the low numbers of ducks and grebes, while there was no sign of the Long-tailed ducks on either lake. At least one of the wintering Dartford Warblers had survived the cold spell, briefly calling and sitting atop the gorse.

                               Brash ice, Lade south


  Today we got out early, although there was no change from Saturday apart from a reduction in the ice cover on south lake to about a quarter. By late morning the rain set in from the south so we headed for home and a late breakfast.
 

Emma to the rescue

Folkestone - cold, freezing rain, E 4 - We`ve had to spend a couple of days in Folkestone on emergency grand parent duties as our Lucy was snowed in with Showstoppers in Dublin and not due back til Sunday at the earliest. Yesterday afternoon we ventured out along the Warren but the wind was so fierce it was unbirdable (if there is such a word!). However, despite the blasting winds and rough seas about 50 Mediterranean Gulls were loitering on the rocks below Copt Point, plus a couple of grounded Golden Plovers on the field behind the Martello tower.
  Today the roads and paths around Folkestone were treacherous due to the rain instantly freezing and forming sheets of black ice on the frozen ground. Around the Warren small flocks of Fieldfare, Song Thrush and Blackbird looked as though they`d just arrived from the near continent and a couple of Snipe flew over. In the garden at Grove Road, Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker foraged in the snow.
  Looking at the weather chart warm air pushing up from the south in the form of Storm Emma looks likely to be our saviour with a balmy 9C forecast by Sunday.

Wisps of Snipe

Lade - very cold, overcast, E 6 - Another savage morning of weather. While we`ve missed the heavy snow down here, and look likely too if the forecast is accurate, it is as usual the east wind that has been the overriding factor. I cannot remember feeling so cold, maybe its my age...
  Anyhow, we ventured out for three hours around the patch where the weather is starting to have an effect on the birds. Small wisps of Snipe broke cover from dry scrub and around the lake margins, presumably due to their normal feeding grounds on wet fields being frozen solid. A few Golden Plovers and Lapwings drifted over, while the Curlew flock roosted on the Desert by Mockmill sewer. Blackbirds and Moorhens were also around the margins and took no notice of us as they scratched away at the frozen earth searching for food. There are always winners though and a Kestrel was enjoying what looked like a Dunnock or Robin for breakfast.

                                Barney, oblivious to the "Beast from the East"                               

                                Jackdaws taking cover

                                Lade `mirrors` in the ice

About a quarter of south lake was iced over pushing most of the wildfowl onto north lake which seemed largely unaffected. Quite a few ducks had departed though and I could find no sign of the Long-tailed Ducks or Goldeneyes. Walking along the causeway and around to the swing bridge I noticed that the RSPB work party had done a good job on cutting back the willows and blocking off access points into the willow swamp used by fisherman.