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Local weather
Update
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22nd Dec
A check of the trapping area produced a new species for the year in the form of a lovely Siberian Chiffchaff which was consorting with a small flock of birds which also included four Firecrests and a Common Chiffchaff. A Dartford Warbler was also found and a Little Egret flew over.
Good numbers of Gannets and auks were feeding offshore and a first-winter Caspian Gull made a brief appearance on the beach.
Good numbers of Gannets and auks were feeding offshore and a first-winter Caspian Gull made a brief appearance on the beach.
Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus tristis Dungeness 22nd December 2018 (photos by Gill Hollamby) |
Just a small part of the large feeding flock of birds offshore. |
19th Dec
A Jack Snipe was found in one of the wet flashes at the Long Pits and three Firecrests and a Chiffchaff were seen in the trapping area.
There was very little movement offshore but three Caspian Gulls (two first-winters and an adult) were seen in the small roosting flock at the fishing boats.
There was very little movement offshore but three Caspian Gulls (two first-winters and an adult) were seen in the small roosting flock at the fishing boats.
18th Dec
Another windy day resulted in a decent movement of seabirds and including three Velvet Scoters, 75 Red-throated Divers, four Fulmars, 1300 Gannets, 316 Kittiwakes, an adult Little Gull, 1524 Guillemots and 29 Razorbills and also a Pomarine Skua of particular note.
A first-winter Caspian Gull and a first-winter Yellow-legged Gulls were among the gulls roosting at the fishing boats.
A Grey Seal and two Porpoises were feeding offshore.
A first-winter Caspian Gull and a first-winter Yellow-legged Gulls were among the gulls roosting at the fishing boats.
A Grey Seal and two Porpoises were feeding offshore.
16th Dec
After a night of violent winds and torrential rain the day dawned surprisingly calm and sunny. Seawatching was the order of the day again with over three hours this morning producing six Shoveler, two Teal, seven Eider, 289 Common Scoters, a Velvet Scoter, 275 Red-throated Divers, 138 Kittiwakes, 15 Mediterranean Gulls and a few auks of note.
Four Firecrests were also seen in the trapping area.
Four Firecrests were also seen in the trapping area.
15th Dec
A morning with strong and increasing, very cold south easterly winds and heavy rain at times. Over four hours of seawatching produced eight Eider, 1282 Gannets, three Fulmars, 1312 Kittiwakes, eight Mediterranean Gulls, 775 Guillemots, 125 Razorbills and 668 auks sp. An adult and a first-winter Caspian Gull were among the gull flock gathering at the fishing boats.
13th Dec
There were plenty of Gannets, Kittiwakes and auks offshore and a Great Skua and 21 Mediterranean Gulls were seen offshore. A couple of checks of the bushes produced seven Firecrests and 20 Goldcrests but the windy and cold conditions made observations difficult.
Two Porpoises were also seen.
Two Porpoises were also seen.
12th Dec
The obvious highlight of the day was the catching of this superb Long-eared Owl in the Heligoland Trap this afternoon.
The only other coverage was of the sea where it was fairly quiet although three Eiders, a Great Skua and a Mediterranean Gull were of note. Two Ravens were seen on the beach - the first in the Observatory area for some time - and a Black Redstart was seen around the Observatory..
Two Porpoises were also feeding offshore.
Long-eared Owl Asio otus Dungeness 12th December 2018 (photos by Gill Hollamby) |
Two Porpoises were also feeding offshore.
7th Dec
Another day with most of the coverage looking to the sea but apart from lots of Gannets, Cormorants and auks the only other bits of note were two Teal, 111 Red-throated Divers, a few Kittiwakes and a Great Skua. Two new Caspian Gulls (a first winter and a second-winter) were also seen around the fishing boats.
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans first-winter Dungeness 7th December 2018 A slightly odd-looking individual which may have some hybrid influence in it. |
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans second-winter Dungeness 7th December 2018 |
6th Dec
After the riches of yesterday the sea seemed a bit disappointing this morning but in fact there were actually more birds to be seen but just lacked any rarer ducks and auks. A four- hour watch this morning produced a Red-breasted Merganser, 292 Red-throated Divers, 772 Gannets, a Great Skua flying into the bay, three Mediterranean Gulls, 122 Kittiwakes, 718 Guillemots, 281 Razorbills and 925 auk sp. In addition, on the beach was another colour-ringed first-winter Caspian Gull and two Yellow-legged Gulls.
A Common Seal, a Grey Seal and at least one Porpoise was feeding close inshore.
A Satellite was the only moth trapped overnight.
Elsewhere, the Hume's Warbler was seen again at Lade Pit and a Cattle Egret was seen in the fields at Boulderwall.
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans first-winter Dungeness 6th December 2018 This will probably turn out to be a Polish-ringed bird. |
Gannets Morus bassana Dungeness 6th December 2018 For much of the morning there was a huge feeding flock of Cormorants and these attracted large numbers of Gannets at times. |
A Satellite was the only moth trapped overnight.
Elsewhere, the Hume's Warbler was seen again at Lade Pit and a Cattle Egret was seen in the fields at Boulderwall.
5th Dec
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans first-winter Dungeness 5th December 2018 Colour-ringed 365:U from the Czech Republic. |
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans first-winter Dungeness 5th December 2018 An unringed bird. |
Caspian Gulls Larus cachinnans first-winters Dungeness 5th December 2018 Both individuals in this shot. |
A Dark Swordgrass moth was trapped overnight.
The Hume's Warbler at Lade was seen again.
4th Dec
After a long spell of wind and rain today dawned clear, calm and frosty. The fine weather resulted in a reasonable overhead movement with 600 Wood Pigeons, 115 Stock Doves, 260 Starlings, two Tree Sparrows, eight Siskins, two Redpolls and 14 Reed Buntings and a nice surprise in the form of eight Pink-footed Geese. There was also a small increase in grounded migrants with a Fieldfare and five Song Thrushes of note along with three Chiffchaffs, five Firecrests and a Bullfinch.
Large numbers of birds were feeding offshore and included 70 Mediterranean Gulls, 1100 Kittiwakes and 20 Razorbills of note.
Singles of Common and Grey Seal and a Porpoise feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, the Hume 's Warbler was showing well at Lade Pit in the fine weather and the Red-necked Grebe was still on the North Pit. The two Whooper Swans were still in the fields at the back of Scotney with two Pink-footed Geese and four White-fronted Geese still present. Two Cattle Egret were feeding in the wet fields at Boulderwall again
Large numbers of birds were feeding offshore and included 70 Mediterranean Gulls, 1100 Kittiwakes and 20 Razorbills of note.
Mediterranean Gulls Larus melanocephalus Dungeness 4th December 2018 |
Elsewhere, the Hume 's Warbler was showing well at Lade Pit in the fine weather and the Red-necked Grebe was still on the North Pit. The two Whooper Swans were still in the fields at the back of Scotney with two Pink-footed Geese and four White-fronted Geese still present. Two Cattle Egret were feeding in the wet fields at Boulderwall again
Hume's Warbler Phylloscopus humei Lade Pit 4th December 2018 |
3rd Dec
More wind and rain and fairly limited coverage again. The only birds of note were a Mediterranean Gull, a first-winter Caspian Gull and 32 Turnstones at the fishing boats and two Firecrests in the trapping area.
A Common Seal and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
There was no sign of the Hume's Warbler at Lade today.
A Common Seal and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
There was no sign of the Hume's Warbler at Lade today.
2nd Dec
Another fairly miserable day. Six Firecrests were seen in the trapping area and at the Long Pits and two Little Egrets which came in from the east.were about the only birds of note.
Most of the interest elsewhere around the area was at Lade Pits where a Hume's Warbler was found along with a Red-necked Grebe, two Goosanders, two Great White Egrets and two Caspian Gulls. The gull roost on Burrowes this afternoon produced three Caspian Gulls where a party of eight Goosanders were also seen.
Most of the interest elsewhere around the area was at Lade Pits where a Hume's Warbler was found along with a Red-necked Grebe, two Goosanders, two Great White Egrets and two Caspian Gulls. The gull roost on Burrowes this afternoon produced three Caspian Gulls where a party of eight Goosanders were also seen.
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