Monday 18 March 2024

Wheatears

Mild, cloudy, dry SW3 - We started the morning on the local patch at Lade where a decent spread of common diving and dabbling ducks were still present, mostly on south lake, that included 35 Shovelers and seven Goldeneyes. At least ten pairs of Great Crested Grebes have taken up territories while several Little Grebes could be heard trilling around the willow swamp. Passerines were in short supply with a couple of singing Skylarks and a Stonechat on the Desert, plus two each of Chiffchaff and Cetti`s Warblers around the ponds. However, the highlight was a person playing the pan-pipes by the swing-bridge, a first for me here!



                                  Wheatears, Dungeness

Moving onto Dungeness where a walk along the beach produced our first three Wheatears of spring by the new lighthouse. It was also good to see the first returning Linnets, plus Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Pied Wagtail all ramping up for the forthcoming breeding season. A singing Chiffchaff in the old lighthouse garden and a Peregrine perched on a pylon were the only other birds of note. On the bird reserve the Boulderwall fields were busy with the usual feral geese, Wigeons, Lapwings and a Great white Egret, while the Black-necked Grebe was reported from Denegemarsh and the two divers on Burrowes.

Sunday 17 March 2024

Redwings

Mild, rain, S 3 - Another wet start to the day but remaining mild. Fieldfares have been far more numerous than Redwings this past winter across the Marsh countryside but recently the latter thrush has been in the ascendency. This past week, first thing in the mornings, small parties of Redwings have been seen in the town park, having presumably dropped in overnight; while last night more birds were heard passing over heading eastwards. A few more singing Chiffchaffs have been noted during our Ted walks, plus daily Raven sightings, my first Brown Hare and a flock of 20 alba wagtails on a horse paddock on Thursday that contained a spanking White Wagtail. 

This evening I joined Chris P for the final harrier roost count of winter on Walland Marsh where 15 Marsh Harriers came to roost along with a male and female Hen Harrier. Very little else was noted in the general area apart from the usual vocalising Cetti`s Warblers, Reed Buntings and Waters Rails, plus several Common Buzzards, a Grey Heron, a Great White Egret and a Barn Owl at Midley on the way home. 

Saturday 16 March 2024

Scaup

 Warm, dry and sunny, light airs - Perfect weather for a birding session with my 13 year old grandson. We kicked off at the ARC in the Hanson hide where the highlight was superb views of Common Buzzards and Marsh Harriers over the main reed bed and a pair of each thermalling over the shingle towards the airport. All the usual wildfowl seen but no sign of any divers. Moving onto Boulderwall fields where we jammed in on the Glossy Ibis that flew over the Lydd Road and landed at the far end of the pool along with a host of feral geese, Wigeons, Teals and Shovelers, plus several Lapwings and Curlews and a Great White Egret. Burrowes yielded a Great Northern Diver at the Makepeace end of the lake along with a Goldeneye and a 3rd year Yellow-legged Gull on an island in front of the VC. We finished the afternoon with a Scaup on the lake behind the caravan park at Scotney. Apparently, we noted 55 species (he does love a list!) during the three hours in the field. 

                                 Sleepy Great Northern Diver, Burrowes

                                 Marsh Frog, ARC

                                 Ticking off the Scaup!

Friday 15 March 2024

Jack Snipe

Dungeness - mild, cloudy, SW 3 - We spent the morning on the peninsula walking the Long Pits where at least ten Chiffchaffs were present, across towards the lighthouse and back through the flooded Trapping Area and Desert where the highlight was a Jack Snipe flushed by Ted, a scarce bird this winter. Precious few land birds were noted apart from several each of  Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Skylark and Stonechat, a Sparrowhawk and a Black Redstart on the power station fence. We searched for a reported Wheatear by the war memorial without success, although two were seen later in the day. An hour from the seawatch hide delivered the expected Kittiwakes, auks, Red-throated Divers and Gannets, plus five Harbour Porpoises and a Grey Seal.

                                   Jack Snipe (from the archives) ARC, 2013

Wednesday 13 March 2024

Black-necked Grebes

Dungeness RSPB - mild, overcast, SW4 - Following on from yesterday`s deluge at least it was dry this morning for my monthly guided walk around the circular route for six guests. There was still plenty of wildfowl on Burrowes, mainly comprising hundreds of Shovelers, Teals, Gadwalls, Pochards and Tufted Ducks across the lake, plus four Goldeneyes and two Shelducks. A distant Black-necked Grebe in breeding plumage was the highlight along with an adult Little Gull within a flock of 100 Black-headed Gulls, while several pairs of Common Gulls were inspecting the nesting boxes. The hayfields were disappointing with only a single Water Pipit and several Curlews, Lapwings and Shelducks of note. From the hide at Dengemarsh another distant Black-necked Grebe and a Goldeneye were present, plus 50 Wigeons and 20 Shelducks in the back field and two Great White Egrets and a Marsh Harrier from Hookers ramp. Other sundries noted during the three hour walk included at least 20 singing Cetti`s Warblers (only one actually seen!), a Grey Heron, a Little Egret, five Pintails overhead, several Reed Buntings and a Sparrowhawk.

                                   Common Gulls, Burrowes

Monday evening whilst letting Ted out in the garden I could hear the sound of Redwings migrating over New Romney in the dark. They have been few and far between hereabouts this winter but were certainly on the move two nights ago, as testified by the 4,000 recorded over Dungeness Bird Observatory. 

Monday 11 March 2024

Black Redstart

Dungeness - mild, misty, drizzle, NW2 - After walking the local farmland over the weekend and not seeing very much at all, a change of scene was in order, despite grotty weather conditions. However, we walked a circular route along the foreshore from the lifeboat station to the seawatch hide, around the trapping area, which was still widely flooded, and back across the desert where we flushed a Common Snipe. I was hoping for an early Wheatear, but instead had to be satisfied with my first Black Redstart of the year by the war memorial. Also noted two Chiffchaffs in the lighthouse garden, plus six pairs of Stonechats and a sprinkling of Pied Wagtails, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and Chaffinches along the way. A cursory look at the sea in poor visibility produced the usual Cormorants and Great Crested Grebes on the water, a few distant Gannets, Red-throated Divers, auks and a Grey Seal. We also called in at the Obs to say hello to Tom the new assistant warden.


                                 Flood water on the desert

On the bird reserve the Boulderwall fields attracted the usual numbers of feral geese, Wigeons, Shovelers, Shelducks, Curlews and a Great White Egret. Burrowes still had hundreds more Shovelers on the lake along with numerous Teals, Gadwalls and diving ducks; I couldn`t see any Great Northern Divers, although two were reported on ARC this morning.


                                  Ted relaxing after a hectic morning at Dungeness! 

Friday 8 March 2024

Water Pipit

Dengemarsh - cold, dry and sunny, E4 - The circular walk around the wetlands, mercifully in dry weather conditions, was pleasant enough despite the brisk wind out of the east. Passerines were few in number with only a handful of Skylarks, Reed Buntings, Pied Wagtails, Great Tits and Cetti`s Warblers on offer along the way, plus a Water Pipit in the flooded field by Springfield Bridge. The hayfields held 150 Teals, 20 Wigeons, 20 Shelducks, 10 Shovelers, 50 Curlews, 10 Lapwings, a Redshank, Little and Great White Egrets, while the obligatory Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards were on the wing. The highlight of the walk was a pair of Brown Hares, a scarce mammal in these parts nowadays no thanks to the illegal coursers, and my first of the year. All the usual feral geese and ducks were at Scotney, but I could find no sign of the Scaup on the pit behind the caravan park, although it could easily have been lurking in the reeds out of the wind.

                                 Shelducks, Hayfield 2

                                 Leucistic Badger, Lydd Road

It`s that time of year when Badgers become more active, particularly the sows as they seek out food and bedding prior to cubbing. The other day travelling from New Romney to Ashford I counted eight dead Badgers along the A259 alone, while this morning there was another two along the Lydd Road, including the leucistic animal above.