A calm and cloudy morning produced a few bits and pieces on both land and sea. The highlights of the morning exercise walk and scanning from the Moat were a Red Kite, a Marsh Harrier, a Swallow, three Willow Warblers, two Blackcaps and four Firecrests although for the hardened observatory patch worker a male Pheasant and a Red-legged Partridge were sadly almost as significant. A Great Crested Grebe was also seen on the Long Pits.
The early morning seawatch also produced some goodies in the form of a Great White Egret north along the shore, a Mediterranean Gull, 15 Sandwich Terns and the first Arctic Skua of the spring.
We also recorded another "Noc Mig" session and this really came up trumps with a Stone-curlew calling at 0017hrs (listen below) as well as four flocks of Teal and one flock of Common Scoters at 0235hrs. Most of the night was quiet for Redwings but in the early hours passage increased considerably with 208 calls counted.
https://soundcloud.com/user-452592608/stone-curlew-nocturnal-flight-call-am03042020-dbo-dungeness-kent
Two Porpoises were feeding offshore and a Stoat was also seen.
These images taken today may also be of interest.
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| Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Long Pits 3rd April 2020 |
The early morning seawatch also produced some goodies in the form of a Great White Egret north along the shore, a Mediterranean Gull, 15 Sandwich Terns and the first Arctic Skua of the spring.
We also recorded another "Noc Mig" session and this really came up trumps with a Stone-curlew calling at 0017hrs (listen below) as well as four flocks of Teal and one flock of Common Scoters at 0235hrs. Most of the night was quiet for Redwings but in the early hours passage increased considerably with 208 calls counted.
https://soundcloud.com/user-452592608/stone-curlew-nocturnal-flight-call-am03042020-dbo-dungeness-kent
Two Porpoises were feeding offshore and a Stoat was also seen.
These images taken today may also be of interest.
 |
| Shepherd's Cress Teesdalia nudicaulus Dungeness 3rd April 2020 One of the special plants of Dungeness is in flower at the moment. |
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| Comma Polygonia c-album Dungeness 3rd April 2020 Its been a fairly slow start for butterflies so nice to see three of these today |
Slow Worm Anguis fragilkis Dungeness 3rd April 2020