Chiffchaffs

Lade - overcast, mild, drizzle, SW 5 -  Another day of strong winds and drizzle throughout made for difficult birding conditions. There seemed to be an overnight arrival of Chiffchaffs with at least five in the willow swamp, two in the garden and others around the bird reserve, most of them in song. Six Goldeneyes remained on south lake along with a pair of Shelducks. A check of the bay from Littlestone revealed eight species of waders with 25 Ringed Plovers suggesting birds on the move.
  Very quiet on the RSPB reserve today (unless large gulls and Cormorants are your bag) with no sign of either the Smew or Black-necked Grebe. The Ruff flock is still present, plus a few each of Goldeneye and Great White Egret and all the usual common wildfowl.
  The four Cattle Egrets were in the field by the allotments from the Lydd Road this afternoon while I could find no sign of the Whooper Swans in the rape-seed fields. A notable 200 Fulmars were logged past Dungeness this morning (per MC).

                                Common Gull, Burrowes

White-fronted Ruff

Dengemarsh - overcast, showers, W 5 - In a moment of madness and for a change of scene we walked the gully this morning in blustery weather conditions with rain at times. Needless to say it was a case of slim pickings with the only passerines being a few Meadow Pipits, Reed Buntings, Linnets, Chaffinches, two Stonechats and a Firecrest. However, the stony field by Hayfield 3 attracted a flock of 30 Lapwings along with two Redshanks, a Golden Plover and 12 Ruff, one a cracking white-fronted male. Also on the hayfields and flood several Shelducks, Shovelers and Teal.
From the bridge 50 Wigeon, two Egyptian Geese, a Goldeneye, two Marsh Harriers and a Great White Egret.

                                White-fronted Ruff

                                Dengemarsh Gully

On the way back to the reserve the 4 Cattle Egrets were in the field next to the allotments and the pair of Whoopers Swans amongst the Mutes from Cockles Bridge. The first Little Ringed Plover of spring was on Burrowes from Makepeace hide (MC).

Storm Gareth

Dungeness - mild, cloudy, SW 7 - Gale force winds courtesy of named Storm Gareth swept up-Channel this morning whipping the sea into a frenzy. As is often the case seawatching is rarely brilliant in such conditions although a 90 minute watch from a draughty seawatch hide did deliver three Bonxies, one quite close. Also noted plenty of Gannets, Kittiwakes, Cormorants, auks, 100 Brent Geese, 10 Fulmars, five Common Scoters, three Red-throated Divers, two Sandwich Terns and a Mediterranean Gull.

First Sand Martins

Dungeness - cold, dry and sunny, NW 5 - Following a weekend away in Dunstable it was good to get out and about again today despite the blustery wind. At the Patch two Mediterranean Gulls were the only interest amongst the gulls on the beach and over the boil, while a male Peregrine took shelter on a high perch in the lee of B station. There was very little action on the sea with just the usual Great Crested Grebes, Cormorants, Gannets and auks offshore. In the lighthouse garden at least one Brambling and a Reed Bunting amongst a flock of ten very tired looking Chaffinches in the bushes.

                                Scrub clearance, ARC

  On the bird reserve around midday our first two Sand Martins of the year battled into the wind over ARC from Hanson hide. The Cattle Egrets and Whooper Swans were still on station in the fields along the Lydd road where also Little and Great White Egrets noted, while the drake Smew and Black-necked Grebe were reported from the pits around the main circuit.

No change

Lade - mild and sunny, light airs - At least the morning was pleasant enough, but the wind and rain soon moved in this afternoon. Singing Meadow Pipit, Stonechat and Chiffchaff around the local patch were the highlights, plus displaying Sparrowhawk and Marsh Harrier, six Goldeneyes on south lake, 30 Teal around the willow swamp and a calling Mediterranean Gull over north lake.
  Elsewhere across the peninsula today there was no change with Smew and Black-necked Grebe on the bird reserve and the Cattle Egrets and Whooper Swans at Boulderwall and Cockles Bridge respectively.

First Swallow and Wheatear

Dungeness - mild, sunny, wsw 6 - A very blustery morning at the point first thing proved to be a fairly dull affair with one flock of 80 Brents through and the usual Gannets and gulls offshore. We joined MC at the Patch which was also quiet apart from a few gulls on the beach.
  Moving on to the bird reserve at the back of ARC by the pines our first Swallow of the year was struggling to hawk insects coming off the willows. Despite the blow plenty of Reed Buntings, Chaffinches and Great Tits were in song. From Screen hide a shoal of spawning red-finned fish in the shallows (which I assumed were probably Rudd) attracted the attention of a smart adult Grey Heron. It soon speared one about a foot long and proceeded to bludgeon it to death, eventually swallowing it whole, the entire process taking about 20 minutes. Needless to say such a meal took some digesting and the Heron was still sat motionless when I left after 30 minutes.

                                Gotcha!

                                Down the hatch

                                Burp!

  Whilst there news came through of a Wheatear found by JTM opposite the Lifeboat station. We were soon on site and welcoming a proper harbinger of spring to a very windy Dungeness.

                                          First Wheatear of spring

Southerly blow

Dungeness - mild, overcast, rain, S5 - Joined the regulars in the seawatch hide this morning for a couple of hours with a big sea running and a brisk southerly blow driving rain into the hide; ah, the joys of seawatching! There were plenty of Gannets going both ways making light of the sea state, a common enough sight here, but one that is always thrilling to watch particularly when they`re so close to shore, along with a steady flow of Kittiwakes and a dozen Fulmars. Moving up-Channel in small groups were up to 100 Common Scoters, 300 Brent Geese and 20 Red-throated Divers, some very close to the hide. Also in the mix all the usual Great Crested Grebes, auks, Cormorants and gulls.
  On the bird reserve the Black-necked Grebe remained on the Christmas Dell pools while the highly mobile drake Smew paid a visit to Tanners pool on the Boulderwall fields. Also noted two Great White Egrets and four Goldeneyes, but little else in the poor weather conditions.