| Sightings | January 2004 |
| 1st |
The year began with
miserable weather but two hours seawatching during
the morning produced 140 Gannets, singles of Little
and Mediterranean Gulls and a trickle of duck
flying west including 31 Wigeon, two Shovelers
and three Red-breasted Mergansers. There were
also about 100 Kittiwakes feeding offshore
and 700 auks also flew west.
A drake Red-breasted Merganser was also found on the Long Pits and other birds seen in the area included two Firecrests in the moat and a party of at least eight Long-tailed Tits at the Long Pits. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd |
Most of the interest was
again at sea where there were lots of auks and a few
ducks moving west. During three hours this morning
just under 3000 auks were seen, the vast majority
being Guillemots. Ducks on the move included
66 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 40 Pintail,
eight Eiders and 25 Common Scoters.
The usual second-winter Mediterranean Gull
was also on the beach and a hundred or so Kittiwakes
were feeding offshore.
A Dartford Warbler was heard at the north end of the Long Pits. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd |
Limited coverage produced very little in the
Observatory area.
Of interest from the area, a Ring-necked Duck was reported at Scotney Pit. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th |
A large movement of
birds at sea during the first two hours of daylight
with 200 Red-throated Divers, 220 Gannets,
11 Shelduck, 15 Wigeon, 25 Eider,
five Little Gulls and 900 auks, mainly Guillemots.
There were two Shovelers, a Kingfisher and a Chiffchaff at the Long Pits. The female Ring-necked Duck was still at Scotney.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th |
Very quiet in the
Observatory area except for a movement of 1300 Guillemots
during the first hour of daylight.
An unusual Bewick's Swan is present amongst the flock, currently numbering 166 birds, at Old Romney. Whilst this is outside the area normally covered by this website it might be of interest and three images are shown below.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | A large of movement of auks during the morning with 4700 Guillemots and 127 Razorbills flying west. Two Little Gulls also flew west and a further individual was feeding at the Patch along with a first-winter Mediterranean Gull. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | Much quieter at sea with about 400 auks passing through and 200 or so Guillemots sitting on the sea. There were also two Mediterranean Gulls and two Little Gulls feeding offshore. Twenty-four Brent Geese and a party of 11 Eiders flew east. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | Very quiet. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | Quiet in the bushes and limited coverage at sea produced three Little Gulls feeding at the Patch. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | Limited coverage. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | No reported coverage. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | Appalling weather for most of the day limited coverage to a look at the sea where a few auks and Kittiwakes were feeding offshore but there was little else to be seen. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | Another windy day produced very little except for four Little Gulls and about 300 Kittiwakes feeding offshore. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | The wind and frequent heavy rain continue and are resulting in increasing numbers of gulls offshore but nothing to exciting amongst them with six Little Gulls and 500 Kittiwakes being the highlights. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th |
The number of gulls
feeding offshore continues to increase with an adult
Mediterranean Gull, eight Little Gulls
and an adult Yellow-legged Gull of note along
with 500 Kittiwakes. Good numbers of auks
were also present including an above average
proportion of Razorbills with at least 500
being seen.
A quick check of the bushes at the Long Pits failed to reveal anything of significance. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | Still windy and the number of birds feeding offshore continues to increase. One adult Mediterranean Gull and two Little Gulls were seen along with 2000 Black-headed Gulls, 4000 Herring Gulls, 2000 Great Black-backed Gulls and 700 Kittiwakes. There were also about 1000 Guillemots and 300 Razorbills. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th |
Still lots of gulls at
the Patch including two Little Gulls, two
first winter Yellow-legged Gulls and 300 Kittiwakes
and a thousand or so auks feeding offshore.
There was a Firecrest in the moat and a Dartford Warbler was seen on the Point. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th |
Still large numbers of
gulls and auks offshore with three Little Gulls
and two Mediterranean Gulls of note.
There was a Firecrest in the moat and a Chiffchaff and at least 12 Long-tailed Tits at the Long Pits. A Great Northern Diver also flew over the area. Also of note, the female Ring-necked Duck was relocated on Lade Pit. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th |
Little change with huge
numbers of gulls at the Patch including five Mediterranean
Gulls and two Firecrests in the moat.
The female Ring-necked Duck was still on Lade Pit. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | Four Mediterranean Gulls and a Little Gull at the Patch although overall gull numbers were down on yesterday. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21st |
Little change with four Mediterranean
Gulls and a Little Gull still at the
Patch and about 500 Guillemots feeding
offshore.
The two Firecrests were still in the moat. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22nd |
Little change again with
two Mediterranean and a Little Gull
amongst the huge numbers feeding at the Patch and
good numbers of Guillemots also feeding
offshore. There was also a flock of 40 Gannets
offshore and two Red-breasted Mergansers flew
west.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23rd |
Seabirds continued to provide most of the interest with at least 2500 Guillemots and a few Razorbills offshore and two Little Gulls feeding along the tide line at the fishing boats.
However, the highlight of the day was a first-winter Caspian Gull found in the large gull roost near the fishing boats at high tide.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25th | Little to be seen except for continuing huge numbers of gulls. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26th | Little change with two Little Gulls and two Mediterranean Gulls at the Patch and good numbers of Guillemots offshore. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27th | Single first-winter Little Gull, adult Mediterranean Gull and first-winter Yellow-legged Gull amongst huge numbers of gulls at the Patch and around 2000 Guillemots flew east during the morning. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28th | Despite the drop in temperature and a light dusting of snow there was little change in the birds seen with just an adult Mediterranean Gull amongst the hordes of gulls at the Patch and a Firecrest in the moat. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29th |
A heavier fall of snow
across much of Britain resulted in a huge increase
in gull numbers feeding at the Patch. Conservative
estimates were 6000 Black-headed, 3000 Common,
8000 Herring, 50 Lesser Black-backs
and 1000 Great Black-backs but the only
unusual bird to be seen was a first-winter Mediterranean
Gull.
A Dartford Warbler was also seen on the Point. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30th |
All the interest was
again at the Patch and offshore in increasingly
windy weather. Gull numbers continue to rise with
about 30,000 birds present including 5000 Common
Gulls, 2000 Great Black-backed Gulls and
1000 Kittiwakes whilst less common gulls
included two first-winter Little Gulls and an
adult Mediterranean Gull. Large numbers of Gannets
also passed through, but more unusually, there were
also up to 50 birds feeding over the Patch during
the morning. Also passing west in good numbers were Red-throated
Divers, Guillemots and Razorbills.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 31st | Awful weather reduced observations to a bit of seawatching where a Velvet Scoter flew west and an adult Mediterranean Gull were seen. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
