Dungeness - July

 So far behind in processing my photos. Selection of July highlights. 

Curlew Sandpiper

Female Red-crested Pochard

Lesser Emperor

Bittern

Green Sandpiper

Black Tern

Eclipse Drake Garganey

Eclipse Duck Garganey

Likely radio-active material from on-going power station de-commissioning. Maybe on its way to Sellafield?

Bar-headed Goose - this was a five goose species morning from Hanson - far too many in my opinion

Male Ruff

Sandwich Tern family

Hobby

Little-ringed Plover

In Lightroom there is a feature called 'assisted culling'. I haven't used it on this photo but i'd like to on these Canada Geese stomping all through the Common Tern colony!

Six of the 11 Wigeon that appeared on Burrowes on 14th July

Common Tern

I reckon this female Marsh Harrier must be a mature lady given the large pale areas on her forewings

Rye Harbour - Wednesday Outing

An early start saw Martin, Richard and I arrive very shortly after 06:30 at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve to have a wander and check out the Sandwich Tern colony. Despite the early start it already felt warm as we wandered the track that led around the reserve perimeter. Across Flat Beach and New Saltmarsh, there were good numbers of black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls with juveniles of both species present  along with Oystercatchers and juveniles, displaying Ringed Plovers, Avocets and three Greenshanks. Plenty of tern activity with birds leaving and returning with food including several Little Terns of which we could see what appeared to be three well grown chicks.

From Parkes Hide there were great views and lovely sounds of the seemingly chaotic Sandwich Tern colony which every now and then took a precautionary flight as a predator in the form of a gull or bird of prey loomed overhead.

A great few early morning hours on the reserve.

I just love the grumpy expression on the chick

There were a few waders visible from Parkes Hide, including this close juvenile Redshank.

Adult Common Sandpiper

It's always great to watch the comedy duo that is an adult Oystercatcher with its chick in very close attendance. Watching every move of its parent in anticipation of a food morsel, the disappointment shows when it misses the opportunity and the adult eats what it has caught.

Black-tailed Godwit

A flock of seven Black-tailed Godwits of the Icelandic race were at ARC for most of the day before a  released helium balloon floated across the pit and spooked the duck and godwits leaving the area in front of Hanson hide relatively devoid of birds. I don't understand why people litter the point with these damn balloons that are so dangerous to wildlife, especially marine life. Whenever I venture out in to the desert, i'm always finding the bloody things littering the area and I collect them and dispose of them.

Recently Red-eyed Damselfly has been in front of Hanson hide.

Broods of duck continue to appear on ARC. Tufted with eight ducklings and Gadwall with seven.

The Caspian Tern continues to sleep and rest on Burrowes in between short foraging trips to Dengemarsh. I could hear it calling this evening.

There is the usual late colony of breeding Common Terns establishing on Burrowes. At least 39 Common Terns this evening with potentially 10 sitting birds.

Dunlin

An early-ish morning visit to ARC revealed two Dunlin, one in almost full breeding plumage and the other moulting in to winter plumage!

Dunlin moulting in to winter plumage

The Caspian Tern was unusually still present and preferring to rest on the islands at Burrowes and flying off for short foraging trips before returning to Burrowes.

Caspian Tern

A great find by Gary Johnson of a Caspian Tern on the RSPB reserve at Burrowes saw many of the locals racing to the reserve as so often this species does not hang around for too long before flying off. Needless to say this one stayed around all day, sometimes disappearing for a short while before coming back to Burrowes.