Sightings December 2009

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1st A bright, clear and cold morning for a change encouraged a few ducks to pass offshore including 26 Shelduck, 96 Wigeon, five Gadwall, four Pintail, 32 Teal and five Eider but very little else appeared to be moving.

On the land, two Snow Buntings made a brief appearance on the beach whilst there were two Black Redstarts around the Observatory building and two Chiffchaffs in the bushes.

The two Glossy Ibis were showing well on the Reserve again and the Cattle Egret was feeding in a field to the north-east of Lydd.
2nd Two Snow Buntings (presumably yesterdays birds) were found at the fishing boats during the afternoon and a male Black Redstart was feeding around the Observatory. 

Offshore, there was a small movement of wildfowl during the morning with the best being 13 Pintail, two Gadwall, a Goldeneye and 13 Red-breasted Mergansers.

On the RSPB Reserve, two Penduline Tits were seen alongside the track to the Hanson Hide at ARC, the two Glossy Ibis were showing very well along the main entrance track to the Reserve and the Great White Egret was still at Dengemarsh. 
3rd The two Snow Buntings were feeding on the Point again and a male Blackcap spent the day in the Observatory garden.

The two Glossy Ibis were showing very well along the main entrance track to the Reserve.
4th The two Snow Buntings were feeding on the Point again.

On the RSPB Reserve, one Penduline Tit was seen from the screen hide at ARC in the morning, the two Glossy Ibis were showing very well along the main entrance  track to the Reserve or at ARC and the Great White Egret was showing at either at Dengemarsh or ARC.
5th The two Snow Buntings were feeding on the Point again whilst offshore, a Great Northern Diver and a Red-necked Grebe were seen on the sea and 240 Gannets flew west.

Snow Bunting
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On the RSPB Reserve, the two Glossy Ibis were showing very well along the main entrance  track and the Great White Egret was still showing at Dengemarsh.
6th The two Snow Buntings were feeding on the beach at the Point again, usually just north of the two southernmost fishing boats.

The two Glossy Ibis were still on the RSPB Reserve.
7th The two Snow Buntings were feeding on the beach at the Point again and a Great Skua and a few Gannets flew west on yet another miserable day.
8th The two Snow Buntings were feeding on the beach at the Point again, a new male Blackcap was seen in the Observatory garden and three Chiffchaffs were seen in the bushes. Three Siskins and a Redpoll also flew over. Three Little Gulls were feeding at the Patch.

The two Glossy Ibis were showing well on the RSPB Reserve again.
9th The Blackcap was in the Observatory garden again and a Chiffchaff was seen in the now very flooded trapping area. A handful of finches flew south during the morning but there was no sign of the Snow Buntings. Very quiet offshore except for a feeding flock of 120 Great Crested Grebes.

The two Glossy Ibis were showing well on the RSPB Reserve again.
10th A Dartford Warbler was the only bird of interest.

On the RSPB Reserve, the two Glossy Ibis were showing very well along the main entrance  track or at ARC and the Great White Egret was still showing at Dengemarsh
11th A few birds offshore included five Eiders, an adult Mediterranean Gull and an adult Little Gull and four Chiffchaffs were seen at the Long Pits. 

The two Glossy Ibis were showing very well again near Boulderwall or at ARC.
12th An increase in the birds offshore with 17 Wigeon, eight Eider, a Black-throated Diver and 350 auks passing through and a first-winter Little Gull feeding.

On the RSPB Reserve, the two Glossy Ibis were showing very well along the main entrance  track or at ARC and the Great White Egret was still showing at Dengemarsh. The Cattle Egret was showing in fields to the north-east of Lydd again.   
13th Small numbers of auks and three Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. A party of five Snow Buntings appeared briefly on the Point.

On the RSPB Reserve, the two Glossy Ibis were showing very well along the main entrance  track and the Great White Egret was still showing at Dengemarsh. The Cattle Egret was showing in fields to the north-east of Lydd again.

14th Very little coverage but a Glaucous Gull was seen at the fishing boats.
15th Very little to be seen.
16th A Dartford Warbler and two Black Redstarts were of note on an otherwise very cold and quiet day.

Two Penduline Tits were seen on several occasions from the viewing ramp at Hookers on the RSPB Reserve.
17th A first-winter Glaucous Gull was located at Lydd-on-Sea which eventually flew south into the Observatory recording area and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was roosting at the fishing boats. A Shag also flew west offshore. A male Black Redstart was feeding around the Observatory and a Chiffchaff was seen at the Long Pits.

Elsewhere, two Penduline Tits were seen at Hookers with another individual at ARC and the Cattle Egret was seen at New Diggings.
18th Despite the first hard weather of the winter throughout Kent there was little sign of it here. A few birds did move south offshore during the morning with a Black-throated Diver, eight Shelduck, 142 Wigeon, a Red-breasted Merganser, a Goosander, a Great Skua and two Mediterranean Gulls of note. A handful of Lapwings and Skylarks also came in from the east.

A Snow Bunting was feeding with a small flock of Skylarks by the fishing boats and a Black Redstart was seen around the Observatory.
19th Still very cold but only the slightest dusting of snow encouraged some movement of birds offshore and a few birds arriving from the east.

The highlights on the land were two Snow Buntings at the fishing boats, 80 Skylarks, two Black Redstarts around the Observatory and a few Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and a Mistle Thrush. A Little Egret, two Chiffchaffs and four Redpolls were seen at the Long Pits. A Glossy Ibis also flew over the area in the afternoon.

Seawatching produced 300 Wigeon, 17 Gadwall, 139 Teal, three Pintail, five Shoveler, a Pochard, 20 Tufted Ducks and a Great Skua flew west and 185 Red-throated Divers, two adult Mediterranean Gulls and a Little Gull flew east. Twenty-four Golden Plovers and 37 Lapwings came in.
20th One of the Snow Buntings was still feeding near the fishing boats, two Black Redstarts were feeding around the Observatory and a Chiffchaff was also seen at the Long Pits. There were still a few Skylarks and Song Thrushes in the area and a Siskin flew.

It was very quiet offshore.
21st A light dusting of snow followed by a sharp drop in temperature overnight resulted in a very icy start to the day and induced a further small cold weather movement. Of note arriving from the east were a Buzzard and 25 Skylarks whilst several Song Thrushes, two Black Redstarts and a Snow Bunting were present. Offshore, 85 Wigeon and 80 Teal flew east and three Mediterranean Gulls flew west with an additional three birds lingering in the area. A Shag was also feeding at the Patch.
22nd The Snow Bunting was still present but there was very little else to be seen.
23rd A third-winter Caspian Gull was found roosting at the fishing boats and the Snow Bunting was still present. There was a notable increase in the number of birds feeding offshore with at least 300 Gannets, 100 Red-throated Divers and 400 Guillemots being seen during the morning. Three Peregrine Falcons were also seen as they chased a Turnstone over the sea.
24th A Merlin and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were of note.
29th A Goldeneye flew west and adult Little Gull and Mediterranean Gull were feeding offshore
30th A flock of six Gadwall flying west were the only notable birds. 
31st The Snow Bunting was feeding near the fishing boats again and adult Little Gull and Mediterranean Gull were feeding offshore. Three Great Skuas and large numbers of Red-throated Divers, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Guillemots were also offshore. Three Woodcocks, a Black Redstart and two Chiffchaffs were seen in the trapping area.