Spring migrants

Dungeness - cold, cloudy, sw 4 - A superb day guiding across the peninsula for our guest with a rush of spring migrants including our first Sedge Warblers of spring on the bird reserve, plus 10 Swallows, 20 Sand Martins, two Willow Warblers and 10 Chiffchaffs, a Little Gull on Burrowes, the Crane again on the Boulderwall fields and a cracking male Merlin over. Also on the reserve, 10 Ruff, two Dunlin, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Marsh Harrier, four Buzzards, six Tree Sparrows, two Goldeneye and Raven.

                                Little Gull on Burrowes

  At the point two sessions seawatching delivered hundreds of Brent Geese and Common Scoters through, plus a good supporting cast of Sandwich and Common Terns, Mergansers, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Gannets, auks, Mediterranean and Little Gulls; also on the sea today the first Manxie of spring and several each of Great and Arctic Skuas (MC). On the land Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, 50 Linnets, 10 Mipits, five Skylarks, three Black Redstarts, four Wheatears and six Stonechats.

                  

                                Black Redstart and Stonechat around the Old Lighthouse

                                Two Wheatears on the beach

Common Terns and Crane

Lade - cold, dry, sunny, NE 4 - Another cold morning with a brisk wind whipping in off the sea, and as a result a mixed flock of 20 Swallows and Sand Martins soon pressed inland. A pair of  Goldeneye remained on south lake and a Marsh Harrier cruised over scattering the few remaining ducks.

                                Cowslips and Wood Anemones

Birdwatching Break - After picking up Raymond from Ashford station we called in at Faggs Wood where a circuit delivered the expected resident species such as Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Buzzard, common tits and finches, plus singing Chiffchaffs and Blackcap. Dropping down onto the Marsh at Warehorne bridge ten distant Buzzards soared over Hamstreet woods.
  Moving onto the coast at Littlestone, Redshanks, Turnstones, Curlews and Oystercatchers were the only waders on show along with a few distant Sandwich Terns. A seawatch from the fishing boats at Dungeness delivered two superb close Red-throated Divers in summer plumage on the sea, a trickle of Gannets, Kittiwakes, Sandwich Terns, two Mergansers and our first two Common Terns of spring. Several Porpoises were offshore and a couple of Wheatears noted opposite Jarman`s.
It was then onto ARC, from Hanson hide, where a `booming` Bittern, a Ruff and a range of common wildfowl completed the afternoons birding.

                               Common Crane, Boulderwall fields

  An evening phone call from MC told of a Common Crane on the bird reserve at the back of Cook`s pool on the Boulderwall fields. We had distant views through the scope before the light faded, while Great White and Little Egrets noted flying to roost.

Firecrests

Lade - A weekend of two differing parts weather wise with warm sunshine and light airs on Saturday, followed by a much fresher feel today with a stiff north-easterly off the sea attracting crowds of kite-surfers onto the bay. On the local patch yesterdays migrants comprised two Wheatears and several Chiffchaffs, plus Black-necked Grebe, four Stonechats, 10 Linnets, 10 Mipits, Skylark, Marsh Harrier and Med Gulls over.

                                Wheatear and Linnet from yesterday

                                Displaying Oystercatchers

 Whilst cutting Barney`s coat this morning a first garden Firecrest of spring showed well in the firs trees and around the pond, as always a real treat even though they are regularly seen on passage here. An afternoon check of the lake resulted in another Firecrest and a Swallow through heading north. I must`ve spent a good hour watching two pairs of Oystercatchers as they went about their nuptials on the shingle, but mostly on the roof of a house in Derville Road. Definitely my favourite wader.
Dungeness - A morning seawatch from the point delivered a trickle of Brent Geese and Common Scoters up-Channel, a few Gannets, Sandwich Terns, four Teal, two Mergansers and a duck Eider that flew towards the Patch. On the land Stonechat, Mipit and Linnet noted, while the Peregrines were active around the power station complex.

Water Pipits

Dengemarsh - warm, dry and sunny, light airs - Once the sea fret dispersed (it didn't fully clear all day) it was a pleasant spring morning which encouraged several Marsh Harriers and Buzzards to thermal into the ether. We walked the gully which was fairly quiet apart from a couple of Wheatears at the bottom and a sprinkling of Linnets, Mipits, Reed Buntings and Chiffchaffs along the way. A Raven flew over calling and a flock of 50 Brents went up-Channel.

                                Water Pipit country

  From Springfield Bridge a Bittern could be heard booming, while an immature Marsh Harrier glided over flushing the few wildfowl on the lake. The flood and hayfield 3 were devoid of birds apart from a few Greylags and there wasn't a sniff of a Lapwing, displaying or otherwise. At first glance hayfield 1 looked similarly barren until several Water Pipits popped up briefly and wandered along a flooded margin. Eventually after an hours searching at least eight were located.
  Elsewhere, on the field next to Lydd allotments the four Cattle Egrets were still present, as was a pair of Whooper Swans in the field by Cockles Bridge.

                                Barney enjoying the spring sunshine

Garganeys and Water Pipits

Dungeness - mild, overcast, light airs - A memorable day on the bird reserve for two species of classic early spring migrants: Garganey and Water Pipit. Four drake Garganey on ARC, viewable from Hanson hide all day, were joined by two pairs on Burrowes during the afternoon, making at least eight birds across the site. On the hayfields up to eight Water Pipits were reported, although typically these were more difficult to watch as they crept about in the long grass and flew around calling; at least two being pink-breasted individuals. Also noted around the reserve today 10 Ruff, two Ravens, a `booming` Bittern, 10 Sand Martins, four Goldeneyes and our first singing Willow Warbler at the back of Tower pits. 

                               Some of today`s Garganeys

                                Good to see the art of fieldcraft is alive and well...

A late afternoon check of the local patch to see whether any more Garganey had dropped in drew a blank. However, three Goldeneyes and a Black-necked Grebe were on south lake and two Med Gulls flew over calling.

Heron attack!

Dungeness - warm, dry and cloudy, light airs - Spent the first part of the morning on the peninsula searching for migrants on the Desert of which there were very few apart from several Chiffchaffs. There was, however, plenty of breeding activity from Reed Buntings, Stonechats, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.
  We then checked out ARC/Tower Pits where both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers noted at the pines along with a few tits and finches, plus a Golden Plover overhead calling forlornly, a `booming` Bittern, two Goldeneyes on the lake, a Sparrowhawk through and several soaring Buzzards and Marsh Harriers. At least 10 Tree Sparrows were active around the car park scrub.
  So, a pretty decent Birdwatching Break for Clare and Peter during which time we rattled up a respectable 93 species including a good combination of migrants and breeding birds.

                                Willow Trail

Lade - A late afternoon stroll over the pits in gloomy light delivered Black-necked Grebe and Goldeneye on south lake. A Grey Heron gliding along the coastal strip searching for ponds incurred the wrath of the local bully boys and was soon chased out of town by a gang of six Herring Gulls. The thugs soon had the heron pinned down on the shingle and could`ve caused serious damage until we intervened, after which the distraught heron eventually got airborne and dropped down into a reedbed for a breather before flying off inland apparently none the worse for its mugging.

                                One battered Grey Heron

Chats

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, light airs - A much better day for birding due to lighter winds. We worked our way around the peninsula where the highlights were several Black Redstarts (including a stunning male), Stonechats, Wheatears, Chiffchaffs, Linnets, Meadow Pipits and a Dartford Warbler, plus a Peregrine on a pylon by A station.

                                      Black Redstart and Wheatear, Dungeness

  En-route to the bird reserve we paused for a Black-necked Grebe on New Diggings and Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall. The circular walk produced 10 distant Buzzards soaring over the water tower; 10 Ruff, three Avocets and two Goldeneyes on Burrowes; Bearded Tit, Bittern and Water Rail vocalising from the viewing ramp, plus the usual wildfowl, Marsh Harriers, Cetti`s Warblers, Great White and Little Egrets.
  We completed the afternoon at the fishing boats with a 90 minute seawatch recording 15 Red-throated Divers, 20 Sandwich Terns, Common Scoter, Gannets and a flock of 18 Brent Geese, while at least six Porpoises fished close to shore amongst the Cormorants.

                                Brent Geese on the move