5am start and off to Dungeness with Rick Stead. Coffee at Maidstone and into the sea watch hide overlooking the channel by 7.30 in drizzle and poor light. Disappointingly, virtually nothing moving over the sea, 1 red throated diver along with 30+ Great crested grebes on the water and plenty of cormorants and gulls.
Off to The Observatory and a wander to the Long Pits produced very little apart from 2 Stonechats, form rubicola so a return to the beach where 3 Black redstart were messing about in the power station compound and a Peregrine over the huge building that put up the pigeons and gulls. Meadow pipit and Pied wagtails on the power station wall.
We then checked around the new lighthouse where a solitary male Wheatear was recorded, somewhat distantly and then another near Prospect Cottage before we parked for a wander to the ARC Pit and into the renovated Hansen Hide. Few day listers here including the first Marsh Harrier of the day and a singing Willow warbler before heading on to the RSPB Reserve. Near the entrance, a pair of Glossy ibis, distant Cattle egret and a pair of Garganey.
The Visitors' Centre was closed due to staff shortages so out on to the Reserve. Disappointingly, the first 3 hides have been replaced with viewing screens for some reason. Not ideal in poor weather. Very little from the Christmas Dell hide, but a Reed warbler was singing away just outside. Views from the Denge Marsh Hide, plenty of shoveler, more Marsh harriers and a selection of regular geese. A wander around to The Mound where both bittern and Bearded reedling were heard and more Marsh Harriers.
Back at the car, we headed into Lydd for sandwiches before a drive down towards Denge Marsh Gully but the road was being repaired and therefore closed. As we ate our late lunch an obliging Kestrel hovered nearby.
Several Cattle egrets in the sheep field as we returned for one final check on the sea. A few gannets on the horizon and a flock of 8+ Common scoter flew up channel before we set of for home. No hassle yet again getting through the Dartford tunnel meant I was back home by 7pm.
Super day, disappointing photos but a good day list and several year listers, so all's good.
Species list for the Day:
- Red throated diver
- Little grebe
- Great crested grebe
- Gannet (year lister)
- Cormorant
- Bittern (heard)
- Cattle egret
- Great white egret
- Little egret
- Grey heron
- Glossy ibis (year lister)
- Mute swan
- Greylag goose
- Canada goose
- Shelduck
- Mallard
- Gadwall
- Shoveler
- Wigeon
- Teal
- Garganey
- Pochard
- Tufted duck
- Common scoter
- Marsh harrier
- Common buzzard
- Sparrowhawk
- Kestrel
- Peregrine falcon
- Moorhen
- Coot
- Oystercatcher
- Ringed plover
- Lapwing
- Dunlin
- Redshank
- Curlew (heard)
- Black headed gull
- Common gull
- Herring gull
- Lesser black backed gull
- Great black backed gull
- Stock dove
- Wood pigeon
- Collared dove
- Green woodpecker (heard)
- Skylark
- Meadow pipit
- Pied wagtail
- Wren
- Dunnock
- Robin
- Black redstart
- Wheatear (year lister)
- Stonechat
- Blackbird
- Cetti's warbler
- Reed warbler (heard, year lister)
- Willow warbler (heard, year lister)
- Chiffchaff
- Great tit
- Blue tit
- Bearded reedling (heard)
- Magpie
- Jackdaw
- Rook
- Carrion crow
- Starling
- House sparrow
- Chaffinch
- Linnet
- Greenfinch
- Reed bunting.
I have a slightly complicated year list rule. If I hear a common species, eg Willow warbler, I add it to the year list as I will definitely be seeing one but uncommon birds heard, such as bittern, are not added until I actually see one. I don't see a bittern every year.
These additions take my year list to a reasonable 138 species for 2022.
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| Early morning Dunnock |
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| Pied wagtail on the Power station wall |
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| Female Black redstart in the power station compound |
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| Another Meadow pipit |
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| Distant male Black redstart |
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| Ringed Pied wagtail |
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| Male Linnet |
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| Distant male Wheatear |
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| Grey heron from the Hansen Hide |
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| Pair of Teal |
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| Oystercatchers at the ARC pit |
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| Distant Glossy ibis near Boulderwall Farm |
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| Glossy ibis |
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| Glossy ibis wingspan |
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| Drake Garganey |
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| Common gull on the RSPB Reserve |
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| Egyptian geese |
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| Male Marsh harrier |
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| Female Marsh harrier |
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| Herring gull from the beach |
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| Yet another Meadow pipit on the power station wall |
1 comment:
super day out Jono and after a slow start we saw some fab birds. I look forwards to the next trip.
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