My last visit to Dungeness was August 11th last year so I've been waiting for these latest restriction easing measures and today I made the trip down the M20 to see the sea.
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| The patch |
I stood on the shingle bank next to the hide, four locals had positioned themselves in front of the hide so I kept a good distance away from them and the hide and started to scan the sea in anticipation.
Lot's of Gannets were immediately apparent and were a very welcome sight. A few Porpoise arched out of the waves and a number of Great crested Grebes and Cormorants sat on the water. My first Brent Geese of the year came flying through followed by many more groups in the couple of hours watching. Common Scoters came through in varying sized flocks and the Iceland Gull dropped to the patch with the crowd of mixed gulls. Sandwich Terns flew up and down constantly and a couple of Common Tern were seen flying up one being mobbed by a pale phased Arctic Skua. Red-throated Divers flew in both directions but quite distant and a single Great northern Diver flew high down the point.
On the way out I saw both Wheatear and Yellow Wagtail and on news from the locals I drove down to Greatstone-on-sea where I found a Treecreeper which is far from common here. The locals excitedly checked it for Short-toed but alas it was a Common Treecreeper but I picked up a couple of tips on ID for the future should I ever bump into a Short-toed. We eventually found the male Pied Flycatcher and enjoyed singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaff.
On the reserve I saw the Glossy Ibis in flight away in the distance behind Cookes Pool and had lot's of singing Cetti's and Sedge Warbler but still no Bearded Tits. A Bittern boomed whilst I was sitting waiting for Beardies and a pair of Raven flew over kronking away.
It was great to be on the the estate at Dunge today and I really hope it's not eight months before I get to see it again.
year list now 151
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