Whoopers on Walland

Sunday 28th October:

 

Walland Marsh, 08:30 to 09:30
2 Whooper Swan (with Mutes near Midley drying barns), 2 Wigeon (a pair with small flock of Gadwall - Woolpack Inn), 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Mistle Thrush, 3 Tree Sparrow (Wheelsgate Farm)

 

2 adult Whooper Swans in oil-seed rape field with Mutes.
This is the same field that the Bewick's favoured last winter on Walland Marsh
- between Old Cheyne Court Farm and Midley Drying Barns.

 

 Lydd, 09:30 to 10:30

1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (in sheep field along Lydd Airport entrance road), 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, c100 Curlew (Caldecot Lane), 1 Green Woodpecker

 

A lone Dark-bellied Brent Goose (adult)
in the sheep pastures along the entrance road to Lydd Airport.

ARC Pits RSPB, 10:00 to 11:30
4 Pintail, 5 Shoveler, 1 Common Scoter (female/imm), 3 Goldeneye (females/imms), 1 Little Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Water Rail (heard), 2 Snipe, 1 Redshank, 1 Cetti's Warbler (heard)

Dungeness, 12:00
1 Yellow-legged Gull (adult - fishing boats)

Dungeness RSPB Reserve, 12:30 to 13:00
2 Pintail (drakes), 2 Goldeneye (females/imms), 4 Little Egret, 3 Great White Egret (all on Burrowes Pit from Dennis's Hide)

Appledore, 14:00
1 Grey Heron, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Swallow (flew SW along the RM Canal near Stone Cliff)

A mixed bag of a weekend

Saturday 20th October:

Dungeness, 10:00 - 16:00
1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Yellow-legged Gull (Adult near fishing boats), 1 Glaucous Gull (3W on beach by fishing boats), 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Ring Ouzel (Moat), 3 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush (Old lighthouse garden), 1 Blackcap (Old lighthouse garden), 1 Yellow-browed Warbler (briefly seen in the Trapping area), 1 Brambling (flew over), 16 Lesser Redpoll (flew over).

Yellow-legged Gull keeping a look-out near the fishing boats.

 

ARC Pits (Dungeness), 11:00 - Hanson Hide.
1 Goldeneye, 3 Little Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Little Stint, 1 Dunlin, 4 Cetti's Warbler (Calling), 6 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Lesser Redpoll (flying over).

Dungeness RSPB Reserve, 12:00
2 Little Egret, 3 Great White Egret (all on Burrowes Pit. 2 Makepeace Hide. 1 Dennis's Hide), 2 Grey Heron, 1 Yellow-legged Gull (adult in gull roost along entrance track.), 4 Bearded Tit (calling and circling over the car park), 1 Tree Sparrow (Boulderwall Farm).

Sunday 21st October - grim weather but the folks finally managed to catch up with the Goose after their trip to Norfolk.

South Swale NR, 12:00
1 Red-breasted Goose with Brents & Wigeon near Castle Coote, 1 Wheatear, Kestrel, calling Bearded Tits. Lots of Golden Plover and Lapwing in the flooded fields.

Twitch to see the RBG

Monday 15th October - South Swale NR.

An after work trip on Monday to see the Red-breasted Goose with the dark-bellied Brent Goose flock. A magnificent bird with a good supporting cast of waders, Little Egrets, pinging Bearded Tits, a calling Cetti's Warbler and 2 Marsh Harriers heading west to roost (male and female).

Resident Shelduck snapped

A quick look at Eastwell Lake this morning (13th) before rain stopped play.

The Ruddy Shelduck finally gave itself up for a photograph (which failed to upload).

Ruddy Shelduck - unringed and fully winged

Also present: 2 Cormorants, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 6+ Little Grebes, Nuthatch, 11 Siskins and 7 Redpolls over. 2 Wrens singing.

Osprey at long last

Saturday 6th - Eastwell Park, 10:00 to 11:00

The Ruddy Shelduck still present at the far end of the lake, strutting its stuff amongst the many Mallard. 38 Greylag Goose, 1 Teal, 1 Pochard, 5 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Jay, 5+ Siskin.

Sunday 7th - Samphire Hoe, 10:50 to 12:50

1 Kestrel, 3 Rock Pipit (Western End), 3 Stonechat, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap. No luck with the Yellow-browed Warbler but plenty of Chiffchaffs.

Onwards to Collards Lake & Stodmarsh, 14:15

1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Osprey (Seen hunting over the NNR and river from the minor road overlooking Collards Lake - apparently two seen in the morning). Jay and Green Woodpecker.

Ruddy Shelduck

Sunday 30th September:

A Ruddy Shelduck (of unknown origin) was a bit of a surprise on Eastwell Lake. This is the second time I have seen this species here. Wildfowl numbers are starting to build for the winter.

Conningbrook GP, 14:00 to 16:00 - little of note.
1 Tufted Duck, 4 Cormorant, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, 9 Lapwing, 1 Chiffchaff, 30 Goldfinch (circa), 2 Bullfinch

Eastwell Park, 16:30 to 17:30, lake area
Ruddy Shelduck amongst the hundreds of Mallard, 10 Greylag Goose, 1 Canada Goose, 6 Shoveler, 1 Pochard, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Buzzard, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Jay. A Black Swan was also noted on the Saturday (29th) - whatever next?