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Local weather

Update

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6th Feb

Sea watching this morning recorded, Black-throated Diver one, Red-throated Diver 20+ 42W, Fulmar two,  Mediterranean Gull one, Kittiwake 2+4W, Mediterranean Gull 1+5W, Common Scoter one, Wigeon seven, Gannet 30+37W 22E and Guillemot two W.

A Black Redstart behind the sea watch hide.

A Grey Seal offshore.

Elsewhere, Black-necked Grebe and 1st winter Caspian Gull at Dengemarsh (RSPB), White-fronted Goose five Lydd Fields, two Dengemarsh and six over ARC (RSPB), Long-tailed Duck and Red-throated Diver on New Diggings (RSPB).

5th Feb

A quiet day in the Obs recording area with very light winds resulting in nothing much happening on the sea.

Elsewhere the flock of Bewick's Swans remain at Coldharbour Lane, Walland Marsh, the long staying Long-tailed Duck on New Diggings (RSPB) with a Red-throated Diver there and two Spoonbills briefly on Boulderwall Fields then Dengemarsh (RSPB). The Black-necked Grebe remains on Dengemarsh (RSPB). 

4th Feb

A 1.5hr sea watch this morning recorded: Brent Goose 61E,2W, Common Scoter two W, Kittiwake 51W,26E, Mediterranean Gull 6W,13E, Razorbill 19W, Guillemot 33W and 3 offshore, auk sp. 35W,19E, Red-throated Diver 108W, 9E and Gannet 51W,83E.

A single Grey Seal and Common Seal offshore.

Elsewhere the flock of 48 Bewick's Swans remain at Coldharbour Lane, Walland Marsh.

3rd Feb

Another tough sea watch for those in the hide this morning. Highlights from an hour recorded: Wigeon four W, Kittiwake three E, Razorbill 10E, Auk sp. 11W,11E, Red-throated Diver 5W, 3E, Fulmar one E, Gannet 17W 5E and Cormorant 672W,14E!

Woodcock at the Long Pits.

Grey Seal three and Common Seal two offshore.

The Long-tailed Duck remains on New Diggings (RSPB) and 2 Water Pipits on the Hayfields (RSPB).


2nd Feb

Sea watching this morning for an hour recorded: Gannet 36W 49E, auk sp. 27W 17E, Kittiwake two W, Red-throated Diver 10W,6E and a single Shelduck west.

Elsewhere the long staying Long-tailed Duck remains on New Diggings (RSPB), eight White-fronted Goose were on Boulderwall Fields (RSPB), Black-necked Grebe on Dengemarsh (RSPB) and 48 Bewick's Swans on Walland Marsh.


1st Feb

Results from a poor hours sea watch this morning included: Great Crested Grebe three E and 13 offshore, Oystercatcher one E, Kittiwake five W, Guillemot one W, auk sp. five E, Red-throated Diver 7W, 2E and Gannet c.30 feeding offshore.

A single Grey Seal offshore.

Elsewhere, Bewick's Swan 48 Coldharbour Lane, Green Sandpiper four Midley, Red-throated Diver on New Diggings (RSPB), Pink-footed Goose six, White-fronted Goose eight on Boulderwall Fields (RSPB), Black Redstart  three at the Power Station, Black-necked Grebe Dengemarsh (RSPB), Water Pipit three Hayfields (RSPB) and Tundra Bean Goose four at Scotney.

31st Jan

Two sea watch sessions today, covering 3.5 hours.

The morning session recorded: Brent Goose 5W 2E, Shelduck one W, Velvet Scoter five W in a single flock, Common Scoter 7W 3E, Great Crested Grebe 11E, Kittiwake 26W, Mediterranean Gull four W, Guillemot 7W 5E, auk sp. 17W, Red-throated Diver 11W 5E, a single Fulmar and Gannet 68W 11E. 

The afternoon session recorded: Common Scoter seven W, Kittiwake 56W, Guillemot 143W 8E, Razorbill 31W, auk sp. 244W 36E, Red-throated Diver 36W, a single Fulmar and Gannet 186W 11E and still plenty of Cormorants offshore!

A Grey Seal and Common Seal offshore.


30th Jan

Three hours of seawatching today over two sessions. This morning session from the hide, in a cool NNW breeze recorded: Shelduck two E, Great Crested Grebe 17E, Kittiwake 74W, auk sp. 313W,12E, Red-throated Diver 46W,14E and Gannet 24W 8E. The afternoon session from the fishing boats, recorded: Common Scoter three W, Great Crested Grebe 15E, Kittiwake 13W, Red-throated Diver 13W, Guillemot 77W 3E, Razorbill 202W, auk sp. 1,088W and Gannet 28W. 

Two Grey Seals and a single Common Seal recorded from both the hide and Fishing boats.

Elsewhere, six Pink-footed Goose, Long-tailed Duck, Water Pipit and Black-necked Grebe were at RSPB Dungeness and a single Tundra Been Goose at Scotney.


29th Jan

Large numbers of gulls were streaming west past the seawatch hide this morning. With only a single observer, many birds were likely missed but timed counts between 07:45 to 09:15 recorded: Kittiwake 54W, Black-headed Gull c.7,500W, Mediterranean Gull 15W, Common Gull c.800W, Herring Gull c.4,500W and Caspian Gull 3+W. Other species included: Common Scoter four E, Guillemot 18W, Razorbill six W, auk sp. 47W, Red-throated Diver 46W 3E and Gannet 9W.

Elsewhere, 6 Pink-footed Goose, Firecrest, 3 Water Pipits, Great Northern Diver and at least 23 Goldeneye were recorded at RSPB Dungeness and 48 Bewick's Swans remain on Walland Marsh.

   

28th Jan

A challenging first two hour morning sea watch session with salt spray entering the sea watch hide this morning. However, persistence recorded: Common Scoter two W, a flock of 120W Dunlin, Kittiwake 42W, Great Black-backed Gull 83W, Lesser Black-backed Gull five W, auk sp. 68W,21E, Red-throated Diver 37W, Fulmar 15W, Sooty Shearwater three W and Gannet 321W,27E.

A second afternoon two hour session recorded: Brent Goose two W, Kittiwake 32W, Black-headed Gull 1,231W, Mediterranean Gull seven W, Common Gull 546W, Caspian Gull three W (2x1w + 2w), Great Black-backed Gull 67W, auk sp. 41E,22W, Red-throated Diver 6W,2E, Fulmar one W.

A Little Gull was seen from the Fishing Boats.

A Grey Seal and Common Seal offshore.