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. 

 

27th Jan

Two sea watching sessions covering just over three hours recorded: Brent Goose 10E, a drake Red-breasted Merganser, Kittiwake 256W,22E, Caspian Gull four (3W, 2x1W, 2W), auk sp. 86W,73E, Red-throated Diver 68W, Fulmar 11W,2E and Gannet 504W, 37E.

A single Grey Seal off shore.

Elsewhere, 5 White-fronted Goose at Cockles Bridge.

26th Jan

A three hour sea watch recorded Brent Goose six E, Red-necked Grebe one flew in from the west and lost in the troughs, Kittiwake 457E, Mediterranean Gull four E, Great Black-backed Gull 46E, Great Skua one E along the shoreline, auk sp. 94E 22W, Red-throated Diver 102E 2W and Gannet 1,831E 105W.

Singles of Grey and Common Seal and two Harbour Porpoise.

Elsewhere 11White-fronted Goose on Lydd Fields from Cockles Bridge.

25th Jan

Sea watching from the Fishing Boats recorded Greylag Goose three W, Common Scoter 12W, Kittiwake nine W, Red-throated Diver 367W (including one flock of 270) and Gannet 27 W.

Grey Seal two offshore.

Elsewhere it was a day of Geese with 11 White-fronted Goose at Boulderwall Fields, Dungeness RSPB Reserve, 4 Tundra Bean Goose at Scotney and 8 Pink-footed Goose from the Viewing ramp at Dungeness RSPB Reserve also 48 Bewick's Swans remain at Coldharbour Lane on Walland Marsh with 4 Green Sandpipers there.

24th Jan

In the wake of Storm Eowyn, two sessions of sea-watching recorded Brent Goose 90E,4W, Common Scoter five W, Kittiwake 103W, 9E, Black-headed Gull c. 300W, Common Gull c. 200W, Herring Gull c. 2,000W, Caspian Gull 7W (6x1w and a 3w), Yellow-legged Gull one W (3w), Great Black-backed Gull 373W, Lesser Black-backed Gull five W, Fulmar 1W 4E, Gannet 307W, Guillemot nine W, auk sp. 27W, Red-throated Diver 33W,4E. A Black Redstart again behind the seawatching hide at the Power Station. 

Grey Seal 2, Common Seal 1.

Elsewhere, 13 Goldeneye, the long staying Long-tailed Duck and 2x1w Caspian Gulls on the RSPB Reserve.

23rd Jan

Results of a seawatch between 07:50 and 09:20 included: Brent Goose 11E, Common Scoter 12E, Kittiwake 39W,12E, Red-throated Diver 258E,12W and Gannet 152E,34W, three Velvet Scoter off-shore. A Black Redstart was seen at the Power Station fence and two Grey Seals offshore.

Elsewhere, Goldeneye remain on the RSPB Reserve along with a 1w Caspian Gull on Burrowes. Four Goosander where seen at Northpoint Beach pit between Rye and Camber.

20th Jan

A check of the Long Pits produced three Woodcocks in the bushes and a Golden Plover was feeding on the beach at the Point. Over three hours of seawatching resulted in 446 Red-throated Divers being seen.

Two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

19th Jan

Little change with 17 Kittiwakes, 356 Red-throated Divers and 151 Gannets offshore.

A Grey Seal was seen offshore again.

18th Jan

It remains very quiet in the calm but very murky conditions. Limited movement offshore included 120 Wigeon and 201 Red-throated Divers.

A Grey Seal was seen offshore.

17th Jan

Very quiet with 166 Red-throated Divers passing by but very little of note being seen in fairly miserable conditions.

A Grey Seal was seen.

16th Jan

Still very quiet with just a bit of movement offshore including 89 Wigeon and 184 Red-throated Divers of interest.

A Grey Seal was seen offshore.

15th Jan

Very quiet with just 50 Wigeon offshore and a first-winter Caspian Gull at the boats of note.

A Grey Seal was feeding offshore.

14th Jan

A bit of movement offshore with 50 Wigeon and two Velvet Scoter east and a Mediterranean Gull, two first-winter Caspian Gull and 191 Red-throated Divers west. 

13th Jan

 Very quiet.

12th Jan

 A Woodcock at the Long Pits was the only bird of note reported today.

11th Jan

A very heavy frost and clear skies this morning. A Jack Snipe, a Common Snipe and a Woodcock were found at the Long Pits and two Dartford Warblers were seen at the Point.

10th Jan

A check of the land produced six Water Rails and a Chiffchaff in the Trapping Area, a Little Grebe at the Long Pits and a Snipe.

9th Jan

 Very quiet.

8th Jan

Very quiet with just a Jack Snipe at the Long Pits of note. A Mediterranean Gull was also seen offshore.

Single Common and Grey Seals were seen.

7th Jan

A cold, clearer day with seawatching producing 127 Kittiwakes, two Mediterranean Gulls, two first-winter Caspian Gulls and 90 Red-throated Divers.

Two Common Seals were feeding offshore.

6th Jan

Gale-force winds and lots of rain again. Seawatching was the only sensible option with a Grey Plover, 109 Kittiwakes, two Little Gulls east, two Caspian Gulls and ten Fulmars of note.

5th Jan

 Heavy rain and strong winds all day and just ten Shovelers and three Wigeon of any note.

4th Jan

Another very cold, frosty morning. A check of the land produced a Jack Snipe, a Long-eared Owl, two Dartford Warblers and a Firecrest while seawatching produced two Pintails, 265 Red-throated Divers and 98 Gannets.

3rd Jan

Very little to report on a very cold, frosty morning.

A Grey Seal was feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

2nd Jan

Seawatching was the most productive option today with 300 Brent Geese, two Shovelers, a Red-necked Grebe, 81 Kittiwakes, two Mediterranean Gulls, 889 Red-throated Divers and 169 Gannets of note. A Black Redstart was feeding by the Seawatch Hide.

A Grey Seal was seen offshore.

1st Jan

An abysmal start to the New Year with heavy rain and gale-force winds all day. Seawatching produced just 85 Brent Geese and two Velvet Scoters but very little else of any note except for a new Polish-ringed Black-headed Gull in the roost at the Point.

Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus   Dungeness   1st January 2025
This colour-ringed bird was ringed at Lodz, Poland on 7th May 2024

Happy New Year 2025

 A Very Happy New Year to all our ‘Friends’ and many thanks for your continued support. We hope to see many of you this year. 

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