A visit to Dungeness to survey for amphibians at the weekend revealed surprising patches of snow still lying on the shingle. I don’t remember such a cold winter as this down on the Marsh, and this is reflected in amphibian breeding behaviour. I found great crested newt eggs in late December 2008, and have still to find any this year.
A few weeks back I speculated that Read the rest of this entry »
In yesterday’s sunshine the waders on the shore were showing well, but they always provide an identification challenge. A small group of grey waders near the Mary Stanford Lifeboat House contained 3 species… largest, short-billed Grey Plover, medium sized longer-billed Knot and smallest, but longer billed Dunlin – most in this photo are Knot.
A red kite was moving south over the Camber Road towards Northpoint Pit and the oil refinary on Harbour Road today at 10.00am.
There has been one black-necked grebe on Dengemarsh and one Slavonian grebe on New Excavations. Twenty-three barnacle geese have been residing on Burrowes pit for the last few days. Smew have been on the ARC pit and New Excavations and twelve goosander have been on Burrowes pit (three male and nine female). Golden plover have also been seen at Dengemarsh.
Highlights over the past few days have included, 2 Bittern, 9 Smew (2drake), 3 Marsh Harrier (2 male) and 17 Ruff at Castle Water, 35 Fieldfare and 6 Redwing perched amongst willows at the viwewpoint, 2 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Scaup (2 drake) and 5 Goldeneye (1 drake) on Long pit, Spotted Redshank at Ternery Pool, Merlin along Shore Ridges, 38 Grey Plover, 15 Knot, 70 Dunlin and 300 Curlew feeding along the shore.
Drake Smew from the hide at Castle water.
From Monkbretton Bridge (New Road, Rye) this afternoon, looking north I could see the wintering Common Sandpiper on the river mud by the railway bridge, and looking south 10 small waders busily feeding with Lapwings in the field between the old primary school and the river. They didn’t look like the expected Redshanks, even less like Golden Plover, and one seemed to have a whitish head and orange legs … so I got closer, along the cycle path, and sure enough they were Ruff - the largest and palest clearly a male, the rest mostly or all females. Perhaps they had come over from Castle Water? Anyway, new for my home tetrad TQ92F and almost a house tick!
I found this recently dead Common Shrew this morning beside a footpath and put it in a life-like pose… in life they are too quick to photograph. Shrews are often found like this and it is a good means of identifying our 3 species - Common, Pigmy and Water (please let us know if you find a Water Shrew). Click here for more information.
Sunday and Monday 14th and 15th Feb 2010. Tide up on both days,but only high tide on Monday, most of the pools were frozen by Monday, with only the birds keeping the water free from being frozen. Wigoen have built up to 1500/2000, increase of most dubberling ducks, with Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard in much larger numbers, the only duck down in numbers were Teal with only 60. Its nice seeing Pintail with six to be seen, but you have to look for them, because normally their roosting under the bank on the back of the third pool ( moving east). There were 40 Brent, 12 W.F.Geese on the marsh along with the usual Canada’s and Gray Lags. On Sunday in the bay, at last there were some Common Scoter on the sea, with 60 just off Winchelsea Beach. G.C.Grebe seem to be spliting up or pairing up, because the numbers have dwindled away. I had the largest numbers of Tufted Duck, I’ve seen with 66 on one pool. Waders are still in good numbers, with addition of 2 Knot, 1Ruff, 6 Golden Plover, 1Ring Plover. Also of note 1 Goldeneye on the sea, and a adult Kittiwake on the pools. Good watching Pete.
Highlights from Castle Water hide this morning included 5 Bittern, 8 Pintail, 230 Shoveler, 2 Marsh Harrier, Chiffchaff and a party of Long-tailed Tit which gave close views infront of the hide. Good numbers of Gadwall and Teal were present on the main pit, while at least 400 Wigeon frequented the grassy banks on the new excavations.
Long-tailed Tit from the hide.
Following a bit of a thaw the reserve is now fully open. There are still one or two icy patches on the access track but these can be avoided.
Highlights yesterday included: six red-head and one drake smew, eight goosanders, two Slavonian and three black-necked grebes, a red-throated diver and bittern.
