Clear skies and early morning mist and then fog rarely produces a great deal on the land and today was no exception. A few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were seen in the bushes, a Wheatear was seen in the Desert and two Rock Pipits were feeding at the fishing boats. Overhead passage was also pretty slow with a trickle of Siskins and Reed Buntings and four Grey Wagtails flying south. A Marsh Harrier also flew over.
Seawatching was fairly productive with over three hours of watching producing singles of Sooty and Manx Shearwaters, a Great Skua, 22 Arctic Skuas and 12 Mediterranean Gulls. Sandwich Terns continue to be seen in large numbers with at least 300 offshore this morning.
Three Hummingbird Hawk-moths and a Scarce Bordered Straw were seen during the day a nd a Delicate was trapped overnight.
3rd Oct
The main event on the land was a big movement of hirundines with very conservative estimates of 5000 House Martins and 2000 Swallows whilst a Merlin, a Wood Lark, three Yellow Wagtails, nine Grey Wagtails, 35 Siskins and 60 Reed Buntings also flew over.
Seawatching was also fairly slow but did produce the occasional unusual bird including two Velvet Scoters, a Black-throated Diver, a Manx Shearwater, 10 Arctic Skuas,180 Kittiwakes, 12 Mediterranean Gulls and 400 Sandwich Terns.
At least three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Several Ivy Bees Colletes hederae were seen at the Observatory and on Ivy at the Old Lighthouse Garden. This appears to be a new species for the recording area.
Eight Cattle Egrets were seen on the RSPB Reserve again although they have moved around to Dengemarsh now.
Seawatching was also fairly slow but did produce the occasional unusual bird including two Velvet Scoters, a Black-throated Diver, a Manx Shearwater, 10 Arctic Skuas,180 Kittiwakes, 12 Mediterranean Gulls and 400 Sandwich Terns.
At least three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Several Ivy Bees Colletes hederae were seen at the Observatory and on Ivy at the Old Lighthouse Garden. This appears to be a new species for the recording area.
 |
| Ivy Bee Colletes hederae Dungeness 3rd October 2018 |
2nd Oct
Very quiet on the land but quite busy offshore this morning. Of note were at least ten Arctic Skuas, ten Mediterranean Gulls, a Grey Plover, a Knot, 22 Dunlin, 27 Kittiwakes and a Mute Swan which came in from the east while numbers were provided by over 400 each of Gannet and Sandwich Tern.
Eight Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
A Delicate moth was trapped overnight.
Eight Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
A Delicate moth was trapped overnight.
1st Oct
There were still a few Chiffchaffs arriving today along with the first four Redwings of the autumn and a Firecrest but it was otherwise fairly quiet in the bushes.
A Buzzard, a late Yellow Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail,16 Siskins and 12 Reed Buntings flew over the area.
There was a large feeding frenzy of Gannets, various gulls including 12 Mediterranean and 300 Sandwich Terns this morning but actual movement was very slow with just seven Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua of note in nearly three hours of watching.
At least ten Porpoises and three Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
A Clancy's Rustic was a notable catch in the mothtrap overnight.
The Buff-breasted Sandpiper continues to be seen, albeit distantly, in the fields behind Scotney and four Cattle Egrets were still present on the RSPB Reserve.
A Buzzard, a late Yellow Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail,16 Siskins and 12 Reed Buntings flew over the area.
There was a large feeding frenzy of Gannets, various gulls including 12 Mediterranean and 300 Sandwich Terns this morning but actual movement was very slow with just seven Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua of note in nearly three hours of watching.
At least ten Porpoises and three Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
A Clancy's Rustic was a notable catch in the mothtrap overnight.
The Buff-breasted Sandpiper continues to be seen, albeit distantly, in the fields behind Scotney and four Cattle Egrets were still present on the RSPB Reserve.
30th Sep
Another morning with decent numbers of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps in the bushes but not much else. Overhead passage was very light but a Great White Egret over the trapping area was of note.
The sea was very quiet in the morning but an afternoon seawatch produced a Pomarine Skua, four Arctic Skuas, two Great Skuas and 17 Mediterranean Gulls.
Seven Porpoises were feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still in the fields behind Scotney Pit and six Cattle Egrets were still being seen on the RSPB Reserve.
The sea was very quiet in the morning but an afternoon seawatch produced a Pomarine Skua, four Arctic Skuas, two Great Skuas and 17 Mediterranean Gulls.
Seven Porpoises were feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still in the fields behind Scotney Pit and six Cattle Egrets were still being seen on the RSPB Reserve.
29th Sep
More of the same with another decent arrival of Chiffchaffs and a few Blackcaps along with the first two Jays of the autumn, five Firecrests, a late Willow Warbler, two Whinchats and nine Wheatears around the area. Visible migration was pretty slow but a Wood Lark made a brief appearance in mid-morning and a Rock Pipit also flew over. Three Great White Egrets also flew over the recording area.
The sea was very quiet with just a single Arctic Skua and 62 Wigeon of interest.
Only one Porpoise was noted feeding offshore.
A Delicate moth was trapped overnight and a Clouded Yellow was seen during the day.
Elsewhere, the Reserve held nine Cattle Egrets and 23 Great White Egrets came in to roost at ARC and the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still in the fields behind Scotney Pit in East Sussex..
The sea was very quiet with just a single Arctic Skua and 62 Wigeon of interest.
Only one Porpoise was noted feeding offshore.
A Delicate moth was trapped overnight and a Clouded Yellow was seen during the day.
Elsewhere, the Reserve held nine Cattle Egrets and 23 Great White Egrets came in to roost at ARC and the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still in the fields behind Scotney Pit in East Sussex..
28th Sep
The wind increased rapidly from mid-afternoon but before then there were a large arrival of Chiffchaffs, at least 100, and smaller numbers of Blackcaps but again not a great deal else.
Overhead passage was also limited with two Rock Pipits and a Grey Wagtail of interest.
Over three hours of seawatching produced a Great Skua, about ten Arctic Skuas and seven Mediterranean Gulls.
Six Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was in the fields behind Scotney Pit but remains very hard to see and at least seven Cattle Egrets were with the cattle near Boulderwall Farm on the RSPB Reserve.
Overhead passage was also limited with two Rock Pipits and a Grey Wagtail of interest.
Over three hours of seawatching produced a Great Skua, about ten Arctic Skuas and seven Mediterranean Gulls.
Six Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was in the fields behind Scotney Pit but remains very hard to see and at least seven Cattle Egrets were with the cattle near Boulderwall Farm on the RSPB Reserve.
27th Sep
Good numbers of Chiffchaffs again and small numbers of Blackcaps but not a great deal else on the land and a steady movement of Swallows and House Martins south during the day.
Very quiet offshore with just four hunting Arctic Skuas, a Mediterranean Gull and an Arctic Tern this afternoon.
Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
The warm weather saw plenty of butterflies on the wing with three Clouded Yellows and a Holly Blue of note.
Very quiet offshore with just four hunting Arctic Skuas, a Mediterranean Gull and an Arctic Tern this afternoon.
Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
The warm weather saw plenty of butterflies on the wing with three Clouded Yellows and a Holly Blue of note.
26th Sep
Another morning with plenty of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps in the bushes and a big movement of hirundines overhead with at least 7000 Swallows and 2000 House Martins passing through. Other grounded migrants included two Lesser Whitethroats, 15 Whitethroats, a Spotted Flycatcher and six Wheatears whilst a Buzzard, a Hobby, 200 Sand Martins, four Grey Wagtails, four Yellow Wagtails, ten Siskins and 30 Reed Bunting added to the variety of birds passing overhead.
The sea was very quiet in the calm conditions but a Grey Phalarope was seen off the fishing boats again.
Five Grey Seals, a Common Seal and six Porpoises were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.
There was a good selection of butterflies on the wing with a Clouded Yellow and two Painted Ladies of note and also several fresh Meadow Browns.
The Buff-breasted Sandpiper made a brief appearance at Scotney and Cattle Egrets continue to be seen on the Reserve.
The sea was very quiet in the calm conditions but a Grey Phalarope was seen off the fishing boats again.
Five Grey Seals, a Common Seal and six Porpoises were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.
There was a good selection of butterflies on the wing with a Clouded Yellow and two Painted Ladies of note and also several fresh Meadow Browns.
The Buff-breasted Sandpiper made a brief appearance at Scotney and Cattle Egrets continue to be seen on the Reserve.
25th Sep
A calm, cold and clear morning brought another decent drop of migrants with 70 Chiffchaffs and 50 Blackcaps making up the bulk and also a Spotted Flycatcher.
Passsage overhead was quite good with a Greenshank, a Hobby, 440 Sand Martins, 500 Swallows, eight Grey Wagtails and 20 Reed Buntings.
An afternoon seawatch produced 12 Arctic Skuas and another Grey Phalarope.
At least six Porpoise were feeding offshore.
A Clouded Yellow was seen in the moat.
Elsewhere, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was seen on one of the new pits behind the main pit at Scotney and nine Cattle Egrets were seen on the Reserve.
Passsage overhead was quite good with a Greenshank, a Hobby, 440 Sand Martins, 500 Swallows, eight Grey Wagtails and 20 Reed Buntings.
An afternoon seawatch produced 12 Arctic Skuas and another Grey Phalarope.
At least six Porpoise were feeding offshore.
A Clouded Yellow was seen in the moat.
Elsewhere, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was seen on one of the new pits behind the main pit at Scotney and nine Cattle Egrets were seen on the Reserve.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)