Black-necked Grebe

The six Pink-footed Goose were back on Boulderwall Fields this morning and later re-located with a Greylag flock to Lydd Fields viewable from Dengemarsh Road. A glorious blue sky day with a light northerly breeze made photography tricky. Still plenty of displaying Goldeneye on Burrowes and New Diggings and the long staying Long-tailed Duck still on New Diggings. A single Water Pipit was feeding on Hayfield 2 and Richard found a Black-necked Grebe on Dengemarsh where a female Pintail was also present. Lapwing numbers appear to be building with a count of 1,114 across the reserve today.

Water Pipit

Water Pipit

Pintail (female)

Pintail is an annual visitor to the reserve but usually in low numbers.

Black-necked Grebe

Bleck-necked Grebe

Pink-footed Goose

A scan of Boulderwall Fields at RSPB Dungeness located six Pink-footed Goose of which all appeared to be adults. Despite Greylags and Canada Goose also being present the flock tended to remain together and separate from them.

Pink-footed Goose with Greylags and Canada Goose

A wander towards Dengemarsh hide recorded at least three Water Pipits on the Hayfields and 576 Lapwing on the islands on New Excavations. Wandering back to the Visitor Centre with Martin and Richard, a stop at Firth Lookout resulted in Martin picking up a Firecrest, always a gem of a bird.

Firecrest (male)

New Islands, New Hide and Gulls

The new islands created in 2024 at Dengemarsh, RSPB Dungeness are being used by good numbers of Lapwing and the occasional Snipe this winter. Gulls also seem to like roosting on them.

Lapwings roosting on the new islands at Dengemarsh

Bad hair day in the recent strong winds

Normally difficult to get a good look at Snipe on the reserve recently due to high water levels restricting where they can hide. This one was nice an obvious on the island with the Lapwings.

Saw this gull on Burrowes Pit through bins and immediately thought first winter Caspian but on checking my photos I now think it is a first winter Yellow-legged Gull. 

First winter Yellow-legged Gull

First winter Yellow-legged Gull

I then located this first winter Caspian Gull on the islands at Dengemarsh.

First winter Caspian Gull (centre) in flight with Herring Gulls of various ages

First winter Caspian Gull in flight 

First winter Caspian Gull (left) with Herring Gulls of various ages

Here is the new hide to replace the old Makepeace hide arriving and partially built. Hopefully not too long before it can be used. 

The replacement for Makepeace hide going up. I think the plan is for part of the roof to be a living roof which no doubt the Herring Gulls will love. 

Hybrid Gull?

I saw this adult gull on Burrowes Pit at the RSPB Reserve back on the 10th January and thought it was a Caspian Gull. However, on subsequently checking my photos it doesn't look right for Caspian. The bill and wing formula look wrong for Caspian and it is likely to be a hybrid of some flavour.
Maybe Yellow-legged Gull x Herring Gull? Any thoughts welcome.

Likely Hybrid Gull 10th Jan 

Also on the 10th the Great Northern Diver on Burrowes came close enough for a photo.

Great Northern Diver

A very cold and dull, overcast and misty damp day today. Despite checking Burrowes and New Diggings I couldn't locate either of the Great Northern Divers and only the one on Burrowes was seen yesterday, so maybe they have now gone. The Long-tailed Duck was still on New Diggings. At least nine Goldeneye were spending their time between Burrowes and New Diggings and at least three Water Pipits were on Hayfield 2.

Long-tailed Duck

Wintering Dartford Warblers

Wandering around the area and a surprise find of a couple of Dartford Warblers today in glorious calm conditions and sunny weather.

Dartford Warbler male

Dartford Warbler female

Red Fox

Two 1st Winter Caspian Gulls on Burrowes today and possibly three.

Caspian Gull 1st Winter

Caspian Gull 1st Winter

A single calling and displaying male Goldeneye just out from Makepeace viewpoint.

  

Male Goldeneye

Beardies and Bittern

Another lovely day around RSPB Dungeness. The Visitor Centre is now closed but a sightings board has been placed outside the entrance doors as a temporary measure until the centre opens again in two to three months time.

The reed bed from the Viewing Ramp

One of the two Bitterns being regularly seen on ARC from Hanson hide.

A flock of nine Bearded Tits were foraging on the reed seedheads including this fabulous male from the Viewing Ramp. 

Also on the reserve today were three Whitefronted Geese on Boulderwall Fields and five Water Pipits on Hayfields 1 and 2.

The Great Northern Diver was on Burrowes along with eight Goldeneye and the Long-tailed Duck still on New Diggings.  

Dungeness RSPB and Scotney Sand Pit

I'd only just got home from a survey at Hythe when Martin called to inform me that Owen had found a pair of Bean Geese near Scotney Sand Pit, so it was back out the door. A beautiful bright blue sky day with early morning temperatures of -4°C. The Bean Geese were of the Tundra form and with c.100 Greylags.

Tundra Bean Geese with Greylags

Tundra Bean Geese with Greylags

Back on the 9th I located a couple of Water Pipits on Hayfield 2 and showing well on the edge of the short grass. Colin and Sue then found a third and another was on Cook's Pool on the 10th, so they have finally arrived for the winter.

Water Pipit

Water Pipit