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

A flock of 21 White Storks drifted over the RSPB reserve on the 31st.

Bitterns

An early afternoon visit to Hanson Hide on the RSPB Reserve led to a new birding experience of two Bitterns in view at the same time. A scan from the hide along an adjacent reedbed edge revealed a Bittern stood at the edge of the reeds seemingly warming itself up in the sunshine against the cold north-easterly gusty wind. What I didn't realise was that a second Bittern was also in the reeds just to the right of the one I was focused on. Bitterns are highly territorial and it looks to me like these two Bitterns were potentially having a bit of a tiff.

The Bittern on the edge of the reeds then lept in to the reed bed seemingly chasing the other Bittern.

There then appeared to be a Bittern face off which lasted for 15 minutes before the furthest Bittern disappeared deeper in to the reeds. For all of this time of about 30 minutes, I was the only person in the hide.

On the other side of the reserve there were two beautiful adult Bewick's Swans on Burrowes Pit.

Then of course there are the gulls on Burrowes Pit. Yellow-legged Gull first winter (centre), first winter Caspian Gulls (right) and lower left with Herring Gull and first winter Great Black-backed (rear).

Bittern

Whilst sea watching was providing some great late autumn excitement with sightings of Leach's Petrel, Little Auk and Grey Phalarope I was at ARC on the RSPB reserve. As usual this side of the reserve was devoid of other visitors and after a wander to the pines I ended up in Hanson hide and suddenly out popped or rather jumped a Bittern in to one of the recently cleared channels cut in to the reed bed.

Yesterday, Martin found a Slavonian Grebe on Burrowes Pit. It was still present today and showing well from Makepeace or now re-named Shirley Coward hide. The grebe did become a little agitated along with all the nearby gulls and duck when two Peregrines landed on nearby islands.

 

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.