Pallas's Warbler

Whilst I was wandering towards the Pines at ARC, Dungeness RSPB, a message came through the Stephen Message had found a Pallas's Warbler at Dengemarsh Gulley. I returned to my car and it wasn't long before I was walking down the badly pot-holed track towards the gulley having decided not to risk driving my car down the track. Martin, Owen and Colin were already there when I arrived and it wasn't long before I was also watching this superb green and stripey warbler. Superb find by Stephen and thanks to Owen for giving me a lift back to my car.

On the RSPB reserve from Dengemarsh at least three first winter Caspian Gulls amongst the bathing and roosting mixed large gull species.

Plus a female/1CY Black Redstart feeding within a cut grass field opposite Boulderwall Farm.

A little unexpected was to see two Curlew Sandpipers on ARC given that one had been around on Burrowes for several days and a second hadn't been seen to my knowledge. However, on checking Burrowes a working party were out across the islands on the pit which explained the complete lack of birds there, including any Curlew Sandpipers.

Spot the Brain Cell

Quite incredible, but maybe not unexpected that these two visitors to the Dungeness RSPB reserve have managed to gain the top prize in the very final episode of your favourite quiz show 'Spot the Brain Cell' by not only walking right past two large signs saying 'NO DOGS' but also a sign saying 'KEEP OFF THE BANKS'. Obviously not a brain cell between them but I cannot say the same for the dog.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

I wasn't in the area on Monday 22nd when a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was found at Jury's Gap in the same field used by the Golden Plovers and American Golden Plover. By the time I returned to the area in the afternoon of the 23rd, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper had apparently been flushed by a couple of people and hadn't returned. I checked the same field twice on the 24th to no avail and had more or less given up on seeing it. However, a phone call today from Martin got me cycling out to fields at the back of Scotney where he had relocated it. The sandpiper wasn't associating with any other waders although earlier it had been with a flock of Lapwing. 

Many thanks to Martin for the call and for also staying near the bird so I knew where to go.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

With the exception of Glossy Ibis, the RSPB reserve has been a bit quiet recently in respect of visiting shorebirds however, this flock of Knot at the Firth Lookout was a welcome sight especially as a single Curlew Sandpiper had joined them.

A flock of 22 Redshank were on the islands out from the picnic tables near Dennis's Hide.

A couple of Hobbies have recently been on the RSPB Reserve anywhere between Dengemarsh and Boulderwall. This adult Hobby was perched in Kenny's Fields.

On the 20th September there was a movement of hirundines comprising mostly Swallows but also House Martins and still the occasional Sand Martin. A mixed flock of c.2,000 House Martins and Swallows heading past the New Lighthouse and out to sea was an impressive sight.

Now that the wind has switched to the north-west the rewards of sea watching have become poor but before the switch in wind direction skuas, mostly Arctic, Sandwich Terns, Gannets, Shearwaters and the occasional Leach's Petrel, Storm Petrel and a Grey Phalarope could be seen off-shore.

Up to 20 Arctic Skuas have been lingering off-shore between Lade Bay and Rye Bay terrorising both feeding and migrating Sandwich Terns.

Arctic Skua chasing a Sandwich Tern

Manx Shearwaters

Arctic Skua

Our first Red-throated Diver of the autumn was on the 18th September.

This Yellow-legged Gull looks about as mean as they come!

Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper

After another Long-tailed Skua being seen from the Fishing Boats and photographed well on the 10th September I was back there early just in case it or another decided to appear. However, it was not to be but in an hour and a half of watching, 4 Balearic Shearwaters, a Manx Shearwater, a Merlin and Marsh Harrier in off and 15 or so Arctic Skuas along with plenty of Gannets off shore made it an ok start to the day.

It was a windy and showery day and on the way home for breakfast I decided to stop off at ARC and check the area from Hanson hide. There was no-one else in the hide and I made it just in time as heavy showers kept crossing the peninsular. As there wasn't any change in birds from the previous day and there was a gap in the showers I started to close the shutters and was just about to close the last one when the heavens opened and I caught a glimpse of 4 waders flying past the open shutter and landing on one of the islands in the deluge. 3 were Ruff but the fourth was something different. Through bins and in the pouring rain it looked like a Pectoral Sandpiper. I quickly setup my scope again and confirmed my id, a juvenile Pec and put the news out to the locals. The Pec showed well but preferred to stay within a group of resting Shoveler which kept on hiding it from view. After about 40 minutes, a Hobby flying over caused most of the birds to freeze and the Pec which was standing in water to get very low down. It flew off shortly afterwards, heading to the south west and gaining height. To my knowledge it hasn't been seen in the area again.  

Pectoral Sandpiper keeping a low profile from a flyover Hobby

Balearic Shearwaters passing the Point

Manx Shearwater

Red-backed Shrikes

My first stop of the morning was to try and get more views of the American Golden Plover at Jury's Gap however, on checking the field used by the plover and the flock of Golden Plovers there wasn't a plover to be seen and not in the adjacent fields either. The bushes along the Sand Pit track held 6 Chiffchaffs and a couple of Blackbirds otherwise fairly light on other birds. I then headed to Boulderwall to wander the access track before the reserve gate opened and managed to see the 5 Glossy Ibis that were still mostly elusive feeding in ditches unless they flew about. On reaching the viewing mound I came across a couple from the BBC. They were recording introductions to classical music. I didn't realise or know that it was Dr Sian Williams who presents Classical Unwind on Radio 3, apparently a well known broadcaster. I stood quietly with them for a short while as they asked me for any information on the bird calls that they could hear to add extra information to the introductions. Whilst I remembered to put my phone on silent, my radio was still on full volume and a call came in from Martin which caused me to apologise for the noise and beat a hasty retreat.

Glossy Ibis

A Red-backed Shrike had been found by James near the Craters to the north of the Long Pits, so that was my next stop. My arrival was timed badly as a couple walked their dog through the gorse patch which the bird was favouring. Despite continuing to push the shrike further away from the observers as they continued their walk, totally oblivious to the birdwatchers. The bird eventually returned to the same location but remained wary.

Juvenile Red-backed Shrike at the Craters

After a short visit to the Bird Observatory, a message came through that another Red-backed Shrike had been found along the RSPB Access track. Whilst watching the shrike, Charlotte radioed that a flock of White Storks were over the Trapping Area and these eventually headed north east out to sea. 

The Red-backed Shrike on the reserve was more confiding and remained within a triangle of gorse and elderberry between the track and the Discovery Area. Unfortunately its right eye was missing and it had a deformed bill but had lovely well defined barring.

Juvenile Red-backed Shrike RSPB Reserve

The flock of White Storks comprised 61 birds, distant in the heat haze and riding the thermals.

Part of the White Stork flock

The flock of 61

Glossy Ibis and Montagu's Harrier

A productive early morning wander around the north east side of the Long Pits recorded: 6 Whinchats, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 23 Willow Warblers,  25 Chiffchaffs, 2 Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 43 Blackcaps, 5 Reed Buntings, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails, 24 Robins, 2 Wheatears,  a Green Woodpecker, 13 Whitethroats and 6 Lesser Whitethroats.

Martin who was at Jury's Gap messaged that 15 Glossy Ibis were heading towards the Point over the RSPB Reserve. I'd just returned to my car at the top of the Long Pits and was able to get some height as Jacob radioed that they were over the Trapping Area. There were 14 over the Trapping Area so bizarrely we had lost one in-between.

14 Glossy Ibis over the Trapping Area

In the early afternoon, Graham and Nicky found 8 Glossy Ibis at Boulderwall on the RSPB Reserve, so I headed there to find a huddle of locals checking photos taken by Graham. Turns out he had seen and photographed a ringtail harrier which looked to be either a Pallid or Montagu's. The harrier had flown over Boulderwall Fields in the direction of the Chicken Sheds along Dengemarsh Road. As I could get to that area quickly in my car along the bridleway I decided to head off to check the Hayfields and Dengemarsh area to see if the harrier was still around. Scanning the Hayfields, Lydd Fields and MOD land I could only see a Marsh Harrier and also saw Richard who had driven round to Springfield Bridge. I started to walk back towards Hayfield 3 from the Flood field and picked up the small harrier at the eastern end of Hayfield 3 flying towards Dengemarsh Road. With some excitement, I radioed out what the harrier was doing and then took loads of photos, nearly all of which are too blurry and useless but I have managed to salvage the ones below. Also check out Martins blog (Ploddingbirder) for one of Grahams photos of the Montagu's Harrier.

The locals who were still at Boulderwall, drove round to Springfield Bridge and Martin headed to Dengemarsh. The harrier was lost to view beyond the gorse line on the MOD land along Dengemarsh Road but Martin picked it up and was able to follow it for a while before it was lost to view again. Martin then drove round to Springfield Bridge and after a period of no sign, picked it up flying towards the security hut at Galloways and that was the last sighting.

I took a look at the gulls roosting at Dengemarsh and picked up a preening juvenile Caspian Gull plus a single Avocet. 

On returning to Boulderwall, 5 Glossy Ibis flew up from a ditch and showed for a short while before disappearing in to a ditch again.

Juvenile Montagu's Harrier

Juvenile Caspian Gull

American Golden Plover - 2nd Day

After a 2.5hr sea watch this morning which produced of note, a few Arctic Skuas, a single Balearic Shearwater and 3 Black Terns, I decided to head back for more views of the American Golden Plover hopefully this time in better light and less heat haze. Plus it was a little bit closer and in the company of over 300 Golden Plovers.

At one point it started to call several times but the easterly wind meant that you couldn't hear it.

Golden Plovers

American Golden Plover in front of wing stretching Golden Plover