Cuckoo

Lade - cold, cloudy NW4 - The cold, northerly airflow looks set to continue and as a result not a single hirundine was seen over the lakes this morning; normally by now there are plenty flowing through but this blocking weather system from the north must be causing a log-jam somewhere to the south where, apparently, there is something of a heatwave. On a brighter note I heard my first Cuckoo of spring calling briefly from the far side of south lake, while Lesser Whitethroats continue to out number Common Whitethroats; hopefully they haven`t suffered from the long-term drought in the Sahel region of Africa. Around the shelter of the ponds there was a decent cacophony of warbler song, including Sedge Warblers that have arrived this week, and a couple of Greenfinches, but little else. I checked the beach from the Tavern viewpoint on a falling tide but could only find a few Oystercatchers and Curlews amongst a scattering of gulls.

                                  Sedge Warbler, Lade

We finished off the morning at Dungeness, which was virtually birdless, and onto a walk down to the pines and around Tower pits where the obligatory warblers were noted. From Screen hide a male Marsh Harrier and a Great White Egret flew over the ARC lake and a pair of Shovelers displayed in front of the Cormorant colony, and that was about it.

Little Gull

Dungeness RSPB - cold, showery, NW 4 - A grim morning for a guided walk for seven guest around the circular trail with a biting wind and occasional cloudbursts. Whilst sheltering in Dennis`s hide a first year Little Gull sporting a pinkish breast showed well amongst 50 Black-headed Gulls and three Common Terns. Eight species of warblers were logged during the walk, but due to the blustery wind most were only heard, although we did see several Sedge Warblers from the 50 odd singers present and one cracking view of a Cetti`s by Dengemarsh hide. Otherwise, all the usual suspects were noted including two Marsh Harriers, two Common Buzzards, a Great White Egret, several Shovelers, Shelducks and Pochards and ten in bound Swallows. The hayfields were largely empty due to disturbance. 

                                 Little Gull, Burrowes.

                                 Sedge Warbler, Dengemarsh

                                 Shelduck, Dengemarsh

Purple Heron

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny WNW2 - Our Ted walk this morning took us for a circuit of Long Pits just as news came through that yesterdays Purple Heron had been seen flying over the lakes. Eventually, whilst chatting to JTM, we picked up said bird soaring over the Trapping Area as it headed over the power station and out to sea. Around the pits there was a decent spread of Chiffchaffs, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Reed and Cetti`s Warblers, Blackcaps and a Willow Warbler, while a Ring Ouzel was seen earlier. Several Small Coppers were also on the wing, exquisite little butterflies and my first of the year.

                                 Small Copper, Dungeness

On the bird reserve we walked down to the viewing ramp over Hookers where a Bittern was `booming` regularly as well as a flight view of another as it briefly sat atop a clump of reeds sky-pointing. Whilst chatting to Colin T we also enjoyed perched views of a Cetti`s Warbler and flight views of Bearded Tits, while two Avocets flew over calling. Also noted, several Ravens, Med Gulls calling overhead, two Marsh Harriers and two Great White Egrets. 

Hoopoe

 Warm, dry and sunny, SW 4 - Superb weather for a guiding day with Mark from Lexington. We started down at Greatstone where yesterdays Hoopoe had kindly stayed over affording cracking views in the sand dunes as it probed the sandy soil for invertebrates. Moving onto Lade where Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler were noted by the ponds along with Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler and several Common Whitethroats. Next stop the ARC where more common warblers were heard along with ten Shovelers on the lake and the first of several Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards

                                  Hoopoe, Greatstone

                                  Yellow Wagtail, Scotney

Scotney produced at least five stunning Yellow Wagtails outback, plus 20 Avocets, 50 Mediterranean Gulls, a pair of Teal and a Green Sandpiper along the Jury`s Gut Sewer, while a Little Owl showed briefly at Pigwell. Back at the bird reserve we logged a smart drake Garganey at the far end of Cook`s Pool as well as six Cattle Egrets and a Great White Egret. Burrowes was quiet with just a single Common Tern of note amongst 50 Black-headed Gulls and the usual wildfowl, while the hayfields held three Little Egrets, six Avocets, Redshanks, Lapwings, Shelducks and a Greenshank over calling. We finished the day at Dungeness with three Wheatears on the beach, a few seabirds and an incoming Swallow. The warmth also brought forth a rash of flying insects including Peacock butterflies and Hairy Hawker dragonflies. A good days birding in great company during which we logged 78 species with the Hoopoe the undoubted highlight. 

Warblers

Lade - warm, dry and sunny, SW3 - A fruitful morning on the local patch with a big arrival of spring warblers. My first Reed Warblers of the year were singing in the various reedbeds, along with several Common Whitethroats, Sedge and Cetti`s Warblers, Reed Buntings and Linnets around the main track and ponds, plus passage Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff in the willow swamp. The highlight of the morning, however, was my earliest record of  Common Sandpiper on the margins of south lake.

                                   Common Whitethroat, Lade ponds

Moving onto the bird reserve where numerous Sedge and Reed Warblers and Common Whitethroats  were singing around Dengemarsh. The fields at Boulderwall held a few displaying Lapwings, a pair each of Shoveler and  Shelduck but littles else, while two Marsh Harriers drifted over. Elsewhere today a Hoopoe was found in the sand dunes at Greatstone.

 

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Rouzel and Redstart

Dungeness - 0845-1230hrs - Warm, dry and sunny, SE2 - At long last the wind relented overnight to a pleasant zephyr making it worthwhile spending the morning birding the bushes for migrants on the peninsula.  After several attempts I managed protracted views of a male Ring Ouzel at the top end of the Desert and briefer views of a stunning cock Redstart by the pilot path in the Trapping Area. Both these summer migrants are becoming more difficult to encounter, particularly in spring, so it was a real treat to see them both today. Also noted: three Wheatears (one of the Greenland race) several Willow Warblers and my first Whitethroats of spring, plus 10 Chiffchaffs, 10 Linnets, two Blackcaps, four Cetti`s Warblers, two Ravens, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard and a Marsh Harrier over Long Pits. 

                                 Ring Ouzel, Desert

                                 Ted cooling off

Over the weekend the strong winds from named storm Kathleen rendered birding locally largely pointless. However, yesterday I noted my first Swallow over the New Cut while there has been a noticeable and welcome increase in Greenfinches, presumably birds from the near continent having moved in with the Linnets. As the overnight temperature was 11 C on Saturday/Sunday I ran the garden moth trap for the first time this year, resulting in a single Mullein Moth. 

                                 Mullein Moth

Common Terns

Thursday - Dungeness - mild, cloudy, showers, SW5 - 0645-0845hrs - A two hour seawatch from the hide with the locals this morning produced a limited up-Channel passage of seabirds with Sandwich Terns making up the numbers and my first Common Terns of the year the highlight: Sandwich Tern 37, Gannet 18, Red-throated Diver 7, Common Scoter 8, Common Tern 6, Med Gull 1, Arctic Skua 1. A few more Swallows around today but otherwise the strong winds so far this week has made for difficult birding conditions. 

                                  Chiffchaff, Lade

Friday - Lade - mild, sunny, SW 5 - The blustery winds from a southerly vector continued throughout the morning as we scoured the local patch for any signs of incoming migrants, of which the only evidence was a Willow Warbler singing deep within a gorse thicket beside south lake. Elsewhere the usual Chiffchaffs and Cetti`s Warblers were in good voice around the willow swamp, plus several Skylarks and Linnet on the desert along with a Stonechat and Meadow Pipit. Two pairs of Egyptian Geese noisily chased one another around the site as a couple of Curlews flew over from the bay. There has been no change to the birds on the RSPB reserve since my last visit.