The white-tailed plover is still on site and seen most frequently around the ARC pits. At the same location, two wood sandpipers have been seen today. The great white egret is also still on the Denge Marsh and the purple heron chicks were seen for the first time over the weekend. It is not possible to say how many are present but it appeared to be at least two individuals. We are expecting the oldest chicks to fledge shortly.
An incredibly rare white-tailed plover is currently making its home around the ARC pits and some excellent, close views have been provided from the viewing screen over the past three days. This bird has been seen recently in Rainham and at Slimbridge but has so far remained at Dungeness for a longer period of time and will hopefully continue to do so for some time to come. Having now been on site for a week, the great white egret can also occasionally be seen in the Denge Marsh and a mediterranean gull has taken up residence on the shingle at the end of the main entrance track. Whilst the purple herons remain fervently engaged in feeding behaviour, there is still no sign of any fledglings!
The most unusual sighting for this week has been a feeding great white egret seen on the Denge Marsh on 7th and 8th July. An unusually large flock of nine little egrets were seen flying from the reserve towards Lydd on 8th July. The purple herons are still regularly seen from the Hooker’s pits viewpoint and Denge Marsh hide with the female having been seen more regularly of late. The bittern is not booming as regularly anymore although flight sightings of two or three a day continue. Numerous hobbies are seen daily and the Boulderwall kestrel fledglings have now left the nest. A family party of bearded tits, several cuckoos, marsh harriers and three common tern chicks were also of note.
The purple herons have been showing beautifully all weekend giving excellent views from the Hooker’s pits viewpoint and Denge Marsh hide. A bittern continued to boom regularly and on Saturday there was plenty of activity with three individuals seen in flight. At least six hobbies were seen and the red-footed falcon was spotted early on Saturday morning - this is actually a different bird than the one seen earlier in the month. A family party of bearded tits, several cuckoos, marsh harriers and three common tern chicks were also of note.
The pair of purple herons that started nesting on the reserve in early May, are believed to have bred successfully, with increased activity around the nest.
We are seeing more frequent changeovers at the nest, one bird returning from a feeding foray at regular intervals, presumably to deliver food to the awaiting chicks. As this bird approaches the nest often with head and chin feathers raised, its partner normally rises from the nest, after a short greeting ceremony that involves much calling from within the reedbed and departs to nearby marshland.
It is the first time ever that the UK has hosted a breeding pair of purple herons and we set up a round-the-clock Species Protection Scheme to give the birds as good a chance of breeding as possible. It seems to have paid off with the pair at Dungeness looking set to be the first to successfully breed in the UK.
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A male red-footed falcon was seen from the Hooker’s pits viewpoint at about 5 pm on Sunday but not seen again.
There were brief sightings of purple heron and bittern throughout the weekend. A spoonbill paid a visit to Burrowes pit again on Saturday. Also of note were eight hobbies, several bearded tits and two singing lesser whitethroats.
The lawn in my front garden is covered in red clover, but there are surprisingly few bees on it. This seems to be a general trend across our RX area.
The impact of the cold winter and late spring can be seen in the meadows on Dungeness at the moment. Delayed growth of vegetation means that flowers have been slow to open, and there are even fewer bumblebees than at Northiam to feed on them. Over the past week Read the rest of this entry »
Egyptian goose – one flew over Burrowes pit on 12th. Bittern - one booming at Hooker’s pits from 17th April, one or two individuals seen daily at Christmas Dell or Denge Marsh. Purple heron - one at Hooker’s pits on 13th. Spoonbill - one on Burrowes pit today. Common buzzard – single birds flew over on 10th and 12th. Hobby – up to nine all week. Curlew sandpiper – one in flood field near Denge Marsh road on 11th. Black-tailed godwit – six on 11th. Bar-tailed godwit – eight in fields near Christmas Dell on 11th. Whimbrel - several around the site all week. Greenshank - two on Denge Marsh today. Wood sandpiper – one on Denge Marsh on today. Little gull – one over New Diggings today. Common tern – 40 over Burrowes pit today. Little tern – one over New Diggings on 10th. Black tern – two over Burrowes pit on 11th.
A whiskered tern has been present since about 9 am - flying around over New Diggings and Burrowes pit and giving good views from the Visitor Centre or Hide 1. A bittern was heard booming early this morning and a hobby was seen over Burrowes pit. A steady stream of swifts and swallows have been passing through along with a few house and sand martins. Earlier in the week a little stint and a wood sandpiper were of particular note.
There are now two purple herons on the reserve. They put on a great show flying around over Denge Marsh and Hooker’s pits yesterday evening. Other sightings yesterday included hobby, four wood sandpipers, black-tailed godwit, cuckoo,whinchat and lesser whitehroat.