Woodcocks and Dusky Warbler

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, se 2 - 1000hrs - We spent most of the day wandering around the peninsula in balmy, almost summer-like weather conditions and getting further views of the Dusky Warbler in a private garden at the Sanctuary. Inevitably we bumped into some old birding faces from Bedfordshire amongst a steady procession of twitchers paying homage to the warbler.
Out on the desert and along the edge of the trapping area Barney was on top form flushing at least 3 Woodcocks, our first of the autumn; also noted 2 Coal Tits of the continental variety, 2 Chiffchaffs, 10 Goldcrests, 20 Robins, 2 Stonechats, 3 Black Redstarts, 30 Goldfinches, 20 Linnets, 5 Reed Buntings, a Grey Plover over calling and a trickle of Skylarks overhead. There was no sign of the Yellow-browed Warbler seen earlier in the north-east corner of the trapping area.

                                Woodcock flusher

After a bite to eat we spent the afternoon by the fishing boats where there was limited seabird activity apart from a few distant auks, Gannets and Kittiwakes, plus 5 Brents and 2 Red-throated Divers west bound. We then joined Mick the gull aficionado who was on site at high tide with his usual bucket of fish guts, bread and popcorn to entice a Caspian or Yellow-legged Gull into camera range, but there was little happening so we yarned on a bit before departing to watch 30 blokes from the southern hemisphere knocking lumps out of one another at Twickenham.

                                Gulls and Turnstone, Dungeness

Gravel pits

Lade - mild, cloudy, se 3 - Decided on a tour of the local gravel pits this morning commencing at the local patch where, due to a brisk southerly wind, north lake was the favoured water for over a thousand Coots, grebes and wildfowl. There was plenty of activity in the shelter of the willow swamp with a large mixed tit flock dragging in several Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs and at least one Firecrest. Also noted Kingfisher, 2 Cetti`s Warblers and calling Water Rails.
ARC/New Diggings - From the causeway road 2 Black-necked Grebes, a Great White Egret, two Ravens over and a late Swallow.
Scotney - All the usual feral geese, Lapwings, Goldies, Wigeon and diving ducks, plus 5 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlins, 2 Redshanks, a Ruff and several Marsh Harriers and Kestrels out back.
Pigwell  - Pretty quiet wildfowl wise but a passerine flock in the bushes by the farmhouse proved interesting with a number of finches, tits, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Reed Buntings and Goldcrests. A recently ploughed fields attracted large numbers of corvids, Woodpigeons, Stock Doves and 30 Skylarks.

                               Barnacle Geese, Scotney

Greatstone Beach - Checked the sands from the Tavern this afternoon on an ebb tide where there were thousands of Black-headed and Common Gulls present. All the usual waders including 100 Knots, 25 Barwits and 15 Ringed Plovers.

Seabirds

Dungeness - mild, dry, cloudy, se 4 - Haven`t done much seawatching of late due to being away and the winds being `wrong` before that. However, with a favourable southerly airflow we did a couple of hours at either end of the day from the fishing boats with the regulars.
A steady flow of several hundred Gannets, Kittiwakes and auks made up the bulk of the seabirds passing down Channel, most of `em close to shore with the Gannets plunge diving for fish en-route.
In the morning singles of Pomarine and Arctic Skuas, 2 Red-throated Divers were logged plus several small flocks of coasting Pied Wagtails, Mipits, Goldfinches and a Swallow, while in the afternoon the additions were 10 Sandwich Terns, 15 Brents, 20 Common Scoters, 6 Dunlins, an aberrant white-winged Herring/Yellow-legged Gull, a Med Gull and a Gadwall.  
The Dusky Warbler was again present in cover in the Sanctuary area.

Night flight

Lade  - warm, dry, sunny, s 2 - One of the great joys about living down here on the edge of the sea on the Dungeness National Nature Reserve is the ebb and flow of two of our most charismatic waders as they move between roost sites and feeding grounds at high and low tide respectively. Oystercatchers and Curlews are birds I see and hear on a daily basis and currently there are about a 1,000 present on the bay.
Yesterday evening whilst sitting in the garden in balmy weather conditions, moon-watching, the tide turned and over they came. The Curlews are always first and tend to fly high over the cottage, but my favourites are the Oystercatchers with their constant clammering and low angle of flight. You can hear the swish of their wing beats and see their white bellies as they almost skim the roof. A marvellous spectacle.

                                Grounded Song Thrushes, Lade

Song Thrushes are birds I only see down here on the coast in the autumn and last night there was a drop in of around 15 birds scattered across the shingle scrub along with several Redwings and Blackbirds. Goldcrests were still present around the willow swamp, while south lake was packed out with the usual wildfowl, Coots and grebes.
An evening visit to Mockmill yielded a single Short-eared Owl hunting over the sewer which spent some time defending its catch from a female Kestrel that persistently harried it on the ground. Huge numbers of corvids flew over at dusk, mainly Jackdaws, to roost over the Oppen pits way.

Dusky Warbler

Dungeness - mild, dry, sunny, se 3 - With John and Linda down for a days birding the portents were good as the fabled south-easterly airflow washed over the peninsula. We kicked off with a 30 minute seawatch from the hide during which time at least 50 Gannets, most of them very close to shore, passed up-Channel, plus singles of Med Gull and Brent Goose. As we made our way to the Patch hide we were delayed by several Black Redstarts, Mipits, a Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff, 10 Swallows and a number of Goldcrests along the way.
  We then flushed a small, brown warbler from the sea samphire by the power station wall and over the next hour or so had frustrating views of this little skulker as it flew between patches of cover. From the flight views the dark back appeared uniform in colour and eventually we glimpsed a strong off-white supercilium. I began to consider it being Dusky/Radde`s Warbler so alerted DW at the Obs who in turn informed the troops. The bill appeared to be tiny - and then it called twice, a hard and distinctive `check` note, similar to Lesser Whitethroat, which for me was the clincher, it had to be a Dusky Warbler. Unfortunately, it then flew along the wall, round the corner and out of sight in the direction of the lighthouse garden. However, it was relocated within the hour in Westbeach scrub, confirmed as Dusky Warbler and photographed by MC ( www.ploddingbirder.blogspot.co.uk ).
  Although the rarity stole the show this morning we also had plenty of other migrants around the point including: 20 Black Redstart, 20 Pied Wagtail, 20 Mipit, 50 Goldfinch, 20 Goldcrest, 10 Blackbird, and a Ring Ouzel in the moat.  Also seen this afternoon a Great Grey Shrike in the long pits/trapping area (TG) and a Dartford Warbler near the estate entrance (SG).

                               Black Redstart, one of the many seen today

Burrowes - The main spectacle here was a mixed flock of Great White and Little Egrets, Grey Herons and Cormorants feeding on a shoal of fish at the north end, while a redhead Goosander and 2 Goldeneyes were our first of the season. Also noted a 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull, Kingfisher, Chiffchaffs, Tree Sparrows, Snipe, Turnstone, Golden Plovers and Pintails, plus a Continental Coal Tit by the return trail.

                                Great White Egret, Burrows

Scotney - All the usual feral geese on the front fields, plus 300 Golden Plovers, 500 Lapwings and a Ruff. Outback more geese, egrets, a Black-necked Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Merlin, Peregrine, 4 Kestrels, 20 Skylarks, 2 Black Redstarts, 2 Swallows and a Stonechat, but no sign of the Rough-legged Buzzard.
A circuit of the range road revealed little apart from 5 Mistle Thrushes and Stonechats.
In summary a great days birding for the guests with 87 species clocked up in fine autumn weather.

Staying local

Lade  - warm, dry and sunny, light airs - A cracking morning with broken sunshine and hardly a breath of wind, ideal conditions for checking out the local patch. Virtually the first bird we saw was a Short-eared Owl flushed from cover by a spaniel, which then headed out over the desert and dropped down again onto a grassy ridge. Marsh Harriers and Kestrels were most apparent behind the `mirrors` plus a single Buzzard. The roosting Curlew flock was difficult to count but probably around 300 strong.
South lake was crammed full of even more waterfowl that normal, mainly due to the activities of a fisherman on north lake cruising around in an electric boat disturbing everything. I don't suppose it`ll be long before there`s an incident of sorts over here; a couple of weeks ago it was canoeists, today fishermen, none of them wearing life jackets.
A large passerine flock moved through the willow swamp included at least 18 Long-tailed Tits, several Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs, plus a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Cetti`s Warbler and Water Rail nearby. There was still plenty of Linnets and Goldfinches around and 2 Redpolls flew south calling.

                               Lade north

On a falling tide we checked the beach where eight species of waders were present plus hundreds of gulls, mainly Black-headed, plus 3 Meds and 2 Little Gulls, 5 Brent Geese and a Shelduck.
This evening with a glorious sunset in the offing I couldn`t resist another look for Short-eared Owls of which there were two quartering Mockmill, while hundreds of corvids flew to roost along with several Marsh Harriers.

Rough-legged Buzzard

Lade - mild, overcast, sw 3 - First off we checked both lakes where high numbers of wildfowl were still present. The water weed has become so thick in places that it now supports standing Lapwings. A late Swallow and 3 Chiffchaffs were the only migrants of note.
Scotney - We just missed the Rough-legged Buzzard from the double bends but had brief views later from the farm scanning towards Horsebones as it headed out onto Walland Marsh. At least 5 each of Marsh Harrier and Kestrel noted, plus scores of Skylarks, Mipits, Linnets, Pied Wagtails, 5 Corn Buntings and 2 very late Yellow Wagtails around the sheep flock by the farmhouse. The front pits were full of the usual feral geese and ducks, Lapwings, Golden Plovers, 5 Curlews, 2 Redshanks, Little Egrets and the like.

                               Yellow Wagtail, Scotney

Hookers - News came through this aft of a Great Grey Shrike seen from the back track to Lydd where we joined DW, GH and SG for a fruitless scan, although it had been seen just before we arrived. A couple of Great White Egrets and Marsh Harriers flew over before the rain came sending us scurrying for cover and home.