Mediterranean Gulls

Pirate Springs - warm, cloudy, NE 2 - For our Ted walk this morning we birded the field in front of the golf links and along the foreshore from Littlestone to St Mary`s Bay on the high tide. The rough grassland attracted a couple of small flocks of Goldfinches and Linnets feeding on weed-seeds beside the fairways where a Stonechat and a Kestrel also noted, plus a few grounded Skylarks and Meadow Pipits on the hillocks and the fence line. I always think the habitat hereabouts looks suitable for a rare pipit, and in my time it has attracted the likes of Shore Lark, Red-backed Shrike, Lapland and Snow Buntings in autumn, but not today... However, along the beach a count of 68 Turnstones was of note, along with a scattering of Common Gulls, and towards St Mary`s Bay at least 110 Mediterranean Gulls on the sea and flying over. Further out a trickle of Sandwich Terns headed towards Dungeness and several Gannets fished the bay. On the walk back along the promenade, back garden tamarisks held one or two Robins, Great Tits and Chiffchaffs. 

                                 Turnstones, Littlestone

                                 Mediterranean Gulls, St Mary`s Bay

Kestrels

A mixed bag of weather over the weekend commenced with bright sunshine and light airs on Saturday, ideal for a walk across Dungeness where Kestrels and Chiffchaffs were everywhere in good numbers; even in our town garden the latter species continues to be present. Plenty of Swallows and House Martins were on the move heading out across the Channel. Sunday was cloudier with an increasing wind and our Ted walk took us to West Hythe for a four mile hike up to the bridge and back. Along the canal near the dam two Kingfishers were noted, plus several Grey Herons, a Little Egret, a Cetti`s Warbler but little else, while adjacent farmland delivered Kestrel, Common Buzzard and a smart adult Marsh Harrier. Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Long-tailed Tits could be heard amongst the tree cover. Overnight a rain band moved through making for a soggy seawatch from the fishing boats this morning (1030 - 1145hrs) where a trickle of Gannets and Sandwich Terns were noted, plus four Common Terns, 20 Brents, two Common Scoters and a Red-throated Diver on the sea.

                                  Saturday sunshine, Dungeness foreshore

                                  Kestrel, Dungeness

                                  Grey Heron, West Hythe

                                  Dungeness fishing boats

Golden Plovers

Cool and cloudy, rain, NW 3 - A grim morning with a nippy wind out of the north causing a drop in temperature to 12C. We checked out the sandpit at Scotney first thing, just before the rain band passed over, and where the water levels had risen significantly since my last visit a week ago. A flock of around 300 Golden Plovers swirled overhead calling evocatively, and a reminder that winter is not far away. Waders in the pit included 20 Lapwings, three each of Common Sandpiper, Dunlin and Ringed Plover, two Green Sandpipers and an Avocet, while wildfowl numbers had declined to a handful of Teal, Shoveler, Shelduck and Egyptian Geese. Also noted several flocks of Linnets and Meadow Pipits feeding amongst the rough grass, a few Chiffchaffs in the bushes, a trickle of Swallows over, a couple of Stonechats and a Kestrel. 

                                  Golden Plovers, Scotney

                                 Scotney sand pit

The rain then set in for a while, so we retreated to the Kerton Road Cafe for a natter. Once the wet stuff relented a check of Kerton quarry and Lade pits resulted in little of note, and there was no sign of the Black-necked Grebe on north lake.

Wheatears

Mild, showery, SW 5 - Following two days of trudging around wind-swept farmland seeing very little of note, apart from a Hobby and a few Skylarks, it was back to the coast this morning. We did a long walk along the foreshore and across the Trapping Area and Desert where the highlight was at least 20 Wheatears, the majority scattered across the railway track ramp. A few Chiffchaffs were in the lighthouse garden and two Common Whitethroats in gorse scrub. Offshore from the fishing boats plenty of Gannets were feeding out in the Channel along with several Sandwich Terns and a distant Arctic Skua while a trickle of Swallows struck out for the French coast..

                                 Wheatears, Dungeness

We called in at Burrowes where the water level is rapidly rising (forgetting that the islands were being cleared of vegetation today!) so all that was on offer was hundreds of Sand Martins over the lake. At Boulderwall at least six Cattle Egrets were following the stock and a Great White was on Cook`s Pool.

Spotted Flycatchers

Lade - Warm, dry and sunny, SW4 - Once last nights rain band had moved through it turned into a pretty decent day, although the wind picked up through the afternoon. There was good numbers of wildfowl and wetland birds for the monthly count across Lade and Kerton quarry with south lake holding the majority of birds; Shovelers were still present in good numbers and the escapee leucistic White-cheeked Pintail was located in the willow swamp pool. Totals as follows: Dabchick 22, Black-necked Grebe 1 (north lake), Great Crested Grebe 42, Cormorant 20, Grey Heron 9, Little Egret 12, Great White Egret 2, Mute Swan 12, Canada Goose 25, Wigeon 10, Gadwall 22, Mallard 42, Teal 20, Shoveler 520, Pochard 180, Tufted Duck 210, Lapwing 55 (Kerton), Water Rail 1 (heard Lade), Moorhen 6, Coot 260. The sheltered, sun-dappled scrub around the ponds was jumping with passerines feeding on insects, mostly Chiffchaffs, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, plus several Blackcaps, two Spotted Flycatchers and a Garden Warbler.  Two each of Sparrowhawk and Kestrel were also noted.

                                 Fox, hiding in the ponds

                                  White-cheeked Pintail and Pochard, Lade

                                  Spotted Flycatcher, Lade ponds

We then moved onto Dungeness to check out a private garden where a Bonelli`s Warbler had been seen yesterday. but the only migrants noted were a few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps, plus a Spotted Flycatcher.

Hirundines

Mild, cloudy, showery, E2 - A muggy weekend with occasional heavy showers and rumbles of thunder produced very little of note around the New Romney farmland, apart from Sunday morning when a heavy passage of hirundines moved south, mostly Swallows, that was also recorded at the point. The poplars beside the Hope Lane stables attracted swarms of hirundines feeding and perched amongst the tree-tops and it was inevitable that when a Hobby put in an appearance, they scattered skywards. In the hedgerows a few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were present, plus several Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and Stonechats along the field margins. On Friday we had a long wander around Dungeness with very little to report. Called in at ARC where the entrance track to the car park has now been repaired and a mirror positioned at the junction with the Lydd Road to aid with pulling out safely.

                                  Stonechat, New Cutt

                                 Hirundines, Hope Lane

                                 ARC entrance track

Avocets

Warm, dry and sunny, NE 3 - Another fine early autumn day with a brisk wind off the sea tempering the heat which reached 21 degrees by early afternoon. A visit to Scotney sand pit this morning was quiet by recent standards on the wader front with only six Avocets and two each of Common and Green Sandpipers noted; although I suppose it`s to be expected with the main wader passage now winding down. However, there were many more wildfowl since my last visit at the weekend with 20 Wigeon and a Pintail the highlights amongst 100 Teals, 50 Shovelers, 20 Gadwalls, 20 Mallards and three Shelducks. A couple of large flocks of Linnets and Meadow Pipits were active over the far side, while several pulses of Sand Martins moved through. Moving onto Kerton quarry where 50 Curlews were at roost plus at least 12 Kestrels scattered around the lake and over the Desert hovering in search of prey.

                                  Avocets, Shovelers and Teal, Scotney

                                  Shelducks, Scotney

                                 Scotney sand pit 

Yesterday morning a guided walk for RSPB proved to be a truncated affair due to the ongoing conservation work around Dengemarsh, so I elected to concentrate on Burrowes and ARC. From Dennis`s hide Martin had located two Caspian Gulls and a Yellow-legged Gull amongst a flock of Herring and Black-backs; the second year, ringed, Caspian was a particularly distinctive bird. Elsewhere across the lake there was little of note apart from 20 odd Golden Plovers amongst hundreds of Lapwings, a Common Sandpiper and the usual Sand Martins, egrets, wildfowl (including 20 Wigeon), Cormorants and grebes. Over the road from Hanson there was even less with Lapwings the only waders scattered within the expected dabbling and diving ducks, plus two White Wagtails, all three egrets and a Glossy Ibis; nine more Cattle Egrets were in the Boulderwall fields, dutifully following the suckling herd.