Dungeness Day

 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:

1. Red throated diver
2. Little grebe
3. Great crested grebe
4. Gannet (year lister)
5. Cormorant
6. Bittern (heard)
7. Cattle egret
8. Great white egret
9. Little egret
10. Grey heron
11. Glossy ibis (year lister)
12. Mute swan
13. Greylag goose
14. Canada goose
15. Shelduck
16. Mallard
17. Gadwall
18. Shoveler
19. Wigeon
20. Teal
21. Garganey
22. Pochard
23. Tufted duck
24. Common scoter
25. Marsh harrier
26. Common buzzard
27. Sparrowhawk
28. Kestrel
29. Peregrine falcon
30. Moorhen
31. Coot
32. Oystercatcher
33. Ringed plover
34. Lapwing
35. Dunlin
36. Redshank
37. Curlew (heard)
38. Black headed gull
39. Common gull
40. Herring gull
41. Lesser black backed gull
42. Great black backed gull
43. Stock dove
44. Wood pigeon
45. Collared dove
46. Green woodpecker (heard)
47. Skylark
48. Meadow pipit
49. Pied wagtail
50. Wren
51. Dunnock
52. Robin
53. Black redstart
54. Wheatear (year lister)
55. Stonechat
56. Blackbird
57. Cetti's warbler
58. Reed warbler (heard, year lister)
59. Willow warbler (heard, year lister)
60. Chiffchaff
61. Great tit
62. Blue tit
63. Bearded reedling (heard)
64. Magpie
65. Jackdaw
66. Rook
67. Carrion crow
68. Starling
69. House sparrow
70. Chaffinch
71. Linnet
72. Greenfinch
73. 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.

Early morning Dunnock

Pied wagtail on the Power station wall

Female Black redstart in the power station compound

Another Meadow pipit

Distant male Black redstart

Ringed Pied wagtail

Male Linnet

Distant male Wheatear

Grey heron from the Hansen Hide

Pair of Teal

Oystercatchers at the ARC pit

Distant Glossy ibis near Boulderwall Farm

Glossy ibis

Glossy ibis wingspan

Drake Garganey

Common gull on the RSPB Reserve

Egyptian geese

Male Marsh harrier

Female Marsh harrier

Herring gull from the beach

Yet another Meadow pipit on the power station wall