I made my spring trip to Dunge at the beginning of the week. I headed down in the late afternoon on Monday 6th. I went straight to the seawatching hide at about 5.30pm. Within 30 mins my first Pomarine Skua went passed and until 7.30pm another 3 flew East. I also had 1 Arctic and 1 high Bonxie over the hide. Then news of a Montagu's Harrier came in over the entrance to the RSPB, so I jumped in with Andy L and made my way round there. We didn't get even close - it might have been a Hen anyway.
Next day I was up at 4.50am and after a walk around an empty moat I headed to the sea again. I stayed until 9.00am and had another 9 Poms, 1 Arctic and 1 Bonxie. Later, back at the sea during the early evening, I had a flock of 8 Velvet Scoter heading East. Elsewhere, I headed over to Scotney to look for the Long-tailed Duck which I found on one of the back pits with a Wood Sandpiper as a bonus. Finishing off at Denge Marsh there was a booming Bittern. Migrants were thin on the ground with only Yellow Wags in any abundance. 3 Hobbies over the Water Tower by ARC was nice though. The trapping area and desert was hard work for a few Chiffs and Willow Warblers.
Finally on the last day, Wednesday 8th, I went for another early seawatch, which was cut short by heavy and persistent rain. It did yield 1 Pom, 8 Velvet Scoter, 1 Roseate Tern and 1 Black Tern.
A total of 94 species over a couple of days wasn't bad, despite no particularly exciting arrivals...
The moth trap only yielded 3 Tawny Shears.
Thursday, 9 May 2013
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Spring Update - 30th April 2013
I've managed to catch up with a good number of spring migrants now and even a good Kent rarirty.
I started to pop down to Riverside CP in Gillingham in the evenings hoping to catch up with owls or even hear a crake. I have really targetted around Rainham Dock East and the Motney Reedbeds. In the last few weeks I've seen a good fall of Chiffs on 15th April when I picked up my first singing Nightingale as well. I am pretty sure there were two singing a couple of nights later, but have only had one since. Also in the second half of April at Riverside I've seen Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler, with the reisdent Cetti's singing throughout.
I took a walk from Broadstairs round the coast to Margate on Sat 27th April and whilst it seemed fairly quiete, I did pick up my first Wheatear of the spring and a really unusual Lark which I flushed from Foreness.
Then on Sunday 28th I got news of a Bonaparte's Gull at RSPB Elmley. I jumped in the car with a bike in the boot and cycled furiously down to Wellmarsh Hide where the 1st winter bird showed brilliantly. I managed a few photos:
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This one seems to show the features pretty well. You can even see the bubblegum pink legs...
Also one one of my evening visits to Rainham Dock East, I was looking through the viewing screen when a Long-eared Owl swept into the trees, perching on a fallen log for a while before flying off. Fantastic!
Most recently, I was sitting in the garden on 30th April when a Med Gull flew over calling. Not long after this, I heard a Herring Gull and casually looked up. I was kind of surprised to see it mobbing a Hobby.
I started to pop down to Riverside CP in Gillingham in the evenings hoping to catch up with owls or even hear a crake. I have really targetted around Rainham Dock East and the Motney Reedbeds. In the last few weeks I've seen a good fall of Chiffs on 15th April when I picked up my first singing Nightingale as well. I am pretty sure there were two singing a couple of nights later, but have only had one since. Also in the second half of April at Riverside I've seen Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler, with the reisdent Cetti's singing throughout.
I took a walk from Broadstairs round the coast to Margate on Sat 27th April and whilst it seemed fairly quiete, I did pick up my first Wheatear of the spring and a really unusual Lark which I flushed from Foreness.
Then on Sunday 28th I got news of a Bonaparte's Gull at RSPB Elmley. I jumped in the car with a bike in the boot and cycled furiously down to Wellmarsh Hide where the 1st winter bird showed brilliantly. I managed a few photos:
+-+Copy.JPG)
This one seems to show the features pretty well. You can even see the bubblegum pink legs...
Also one one of my evening visits to Rainham Dock East, I was looking through the viewing screen when a Long-eared Owl swept into the trees, perching on a fallen log for a while before flying off. Fantastic!
Most recently, I was sitting in the garden on 30th April when a Med Gull flew over calling. Not long after this, I heard a Herring Gull and casually looked up. I was kind of surprised to see it mobbing a Hobby.
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