Great Day

A great day today set to a F6 easterly wind. 

I started the day off at 530am at Ferry where there was an amazing arrival of 5 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Little Stint, 4 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper and also 2 LRP, 12 Avocet, the Black-tailed Godwit and a Yellow Wagtail. The stints were at the back of the pool in poor light and were difficult at first to identify and while I was trying to sort them out news broke from Paul Bowley of 5 Poms already past the Bill. 

I therefore abandoned the stints, quite sure they were Littles (which were confirmed later) and headed to the Bill. It was one of my best days there HERE with a further 12 Poms (4 at 0820, a flock of 7 at 840 and a single bird around 930), 4 Arctic Skuas, 6 Black Tern, 51 Common Scoter, 16 Grey Plover, 12 Whimbrel, 185 Bar-tailed Godwits, 4 Turnstone, 86 Knot, 75 Sanderling, 22 Dunlin, 138 Little Tern and a few hirundines. Full log HERE

Due to the arrival and passage of waders, at lunchtime I drove over to Snowhill Marsh to check it out but there was only 4 Greenshank, 2 Barwits and 5 Whimbrels there but it was very exposed and windy. 

In the late afternoon another go at the Bill produced a few more waders but no more Poms unfortunately (one more was seen before I got back there by Justin). 

A great day! The Little Stints were a year tick. Now on 169 for the local year and 839 the world year list. 

Three pale phase and one dark phase Pomarine Skua (above)

Seven more distant pale phase Pomarine Skuas (six visible in this image- click on image and zoom in to see) 

Single Pom

2 pale phase Arctic Skuas

Summer plumage Knot with a Barwit (above) and Sanderling (below). Interesting that the Knot in the harbour are still mainly in winter plumage (pic from yesterday here) so presumably different age/population. Knot are basically one of our most common 'Nearctic' birds with birds in our region breeding in Greenland and Canada HERE. Not sure on the route they take but these ones decided to head north over Selsey village. According to Birds of the World birds either head north to stage in Iceland or first go to the Wadden Sea and then head west to Iceland to stage before moving onwards to the breeding grounds. 

Bar-tailed Godwits- over 200 today recorded by the log

Sanderling and a Dunlin

Dunlins and Sanderlings 

Knot and Turnstone 

Barwits (above and below)- can't get enough of them! 

Whimbrel numbers seem to be post peak with only 12 today and only 5 birds at East Head/Snowhill

Greenshank and Little Stints at Ferry at dawn. Better image of a stint here

Barwits

The north easterly was almost gale force today and there was one bird that seems to be enjoying it, Bar-tailed Godwit. 

The Bill was a bit more lively this morning HERE with 39 Barwits, a couple of Whimbrel , a Manx Shearwater going west, a Bonxie and over 90 Little Terns in a feeding flock near the beach. A in-coming Cattle Egret was interesting. 

The Ferry still had the Garganey, Wood Sandpiper and the winter plumage Curlew Sandpiper and Avocet numbers were up to 15. Shoveler are hanging in there with 3 birds and a LRP and the summer plumage Blackwit is still there too. The 2 Greenshanks were still in the Channel. 

After some paperwork and some garden work I spent the afternoon at East Side HERE where there had been a clear influx of waders with a nice summer plumage Curlew Sandpiper (found by the North Wall crew earlier in the day), 65 Grey Plover, 8 Whimbrel (either a clear out or they were hunkering down from the wind), 35 Knot, 195 Dunlin and the bird of the moment an impressive 135 Barwits. Also had a Cuckoo calling from North Wall area and there was a bright Chiffchaff that I would like to have got more on. 

The forecast has a shift to a due easterly for tomorrow and a lighter warmer southeasterly on Friday which is basically a perfect wind for this time of year. Currently clearing the decks of all work and responsibility to do an all-dayer on Friday. 

Barwits moving east past the Bill

Great Skua

In-coming Cattle Egret- a Bill oddity

Summer plumage Curlew Sandpiper with Dunlin

Spot the Curlew Sand in with Knot, Grey Plover and Dunlin (the latter also below). As usual to have a proper look at any photos on blogger click on them first for a higher res image . 

Barwits in the harbour- the largest flock of 75 were in the centre again but there were also plenty closer in

Chiffchaff- the warblers were hunkering down in the strong wind but there were some sheltered spots along the East Side footpath. I would like to have heard this rather bright bird call or sing to rule out Iberian Chiff but it flew down the hedge and not much chance of it singing in the windy conditions. 

Jacob and I found a couple of moths by dusking yesterday evening. Sulphur Tubic, Esperia sulphurella (above) and Feathered Bright Incuvaria masculella (below). 

Arctic Terns

On the way to the Bill I stopped off at Ferry, the Wood and Curlew Sand and Garganey were all still present with a Greenshank and Whimbrels in the Channel.

The Bill was slow HERE but there was an interesting presence of Arctic Terns. Had about 60 'Commic Terns' moving east with over 20 feeding offshore in a feeding flock and all the birds that were close enough to photograph and identify were Arctic Terns so not sure how many Arctics but at least nine. There's quite an influx of Arctics across the country today with large numbers seen flying up the Severn yesterday evening.

Other than that it was very slow with 7 Whimbrel, 5 Barwit, 1 Knot, 1 Razorbill, 37 Little Terns feeding offshore were nice, 1 Red-throated and 1 Great Northern Diver, 2 Fulmar, a Hobby in-off and a few hirnudines. 

After a warm and summer like afternoon yesterday the moth trap was lively last night despite it feeling quite cold this morning in the strengthened and cool northeasterly. There were 21 species (the best night so far this year) with the first Hawkmoths of the year and  NFYs including Eyed and Poplar Hawkmoths, Treble Lines, Willow Beauty, Swallow and Lesser Swallow Prominent, Common Pug, Red-twin spot Carpet, Brown Silver-line, Turnip Moth and Rough-winged Conch. 4 Chocolate-tips together were nice. On the migrant front there were 3 Small Mottled Willows which are having a good Spring.  Now on 73 species for the garden year list and the all time list sits on 633-hopefully the climb will resume again soon.  There were several Green Longhorns, Adela reaumurella around the discovery area last week too, a species I haven't recorded at the Lodge. 

Arctic Terns (above) and Little and 'Commic' Terns (below)

Whimbrels- what with the good numbers moving last week will be interesting to see if there will be a second wave of these and Barwits

Eyed and Poplar Hawkmoths

Rough-winged Conch 

Willow Beauty- the first of many

Diminishing Returns

The anticyclonic conditions persist with a light northeasterly to easterly wind. The migrants have presumably poured through already as there seems to be less and less each day. We need a change in weather and fortunately there is change in the forecast with a strengthening easterly airflow for the next couple of days and then hopefully some southeasterlies and a southerly airflow later in the week. 

On the way to the Bill this morning I stopped off at Ferrry and the Curlew Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper and Garganey were all still present with Green and Common Sandpiper, LRP and a Greenshank in the Channel. On the way back from the Bill Ian and I stopped off again and did the Tramway too HERE where the highlight was a couple of Cuckoo. Later in the day I did Church Norton HERE and had another Cuckoo, three Wheatears and also a nice group of Knot with some summer plumage birds and plenty of Whimbrels right across the harbour. 

The Bill was quiet HERE the highlight being a flock of Sanderling on the Beach and the lightest of passage. I tried again in the late afternoon/evening with Marc, Adam, Chris and I and had a couple of Arctic Skuas (and missed a Pom by the customary 15 mins), 3 Kittiwakes, 4 Great Northern Divers and good numbers of Little Terns. 

In the late morning I checked out Medmerry and Stilt Pool on the Bike HERE. Highlights included 2 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed and Ringed Plover, a Wheatear and a Stonechat and good numbers of singing warblers on the banks. 

So the first day with no new year ticks. Hoping the change in weather shakes things up a bit. 

Sanderlings at the Bill

Male Garganey back on Ferry after disappearing yesterday

Adult summer Black-tailed Godwit- the only one around as far as I know

Whitethroat at Medmerry 

Small Mottled Willow. Despite the very cool night temperatures still had this, Dark Sword Grass and Rusty-dot Pearl last night so clearly a bit of insect migration going on. The forecast is for some milder nights so fingers crossed for more moth action as it's been very slow this year so far. 

Wood Sand, Curlew Sand and Black Tern

It was another rather slow day this morning at the Bill HERE with highlights including 2 Black Tern, 2 Little Gull, 1 pale phase Arctic Skua, a female Eider, a Red-throated Diver, 4 Great Northern Divers,  an increase in Common Scoters, a few Barwits and Whimbrels and a Hobby.

While at the Bill news broke of a Wood Sandpiper on Ferry and fortunately it was still there on my way home. The Cuckoo was still singing on Mill Lane. 

As it was Sunday after church we had a picnic and walk around East Head. Three Wheatears were running round the roped off area. 

In the evening there was a report of a probable Curlew Sandpiper that had joined the Wood Sandpiper on ferry so I went over there to have a look. It was right at the back of the pool in bad light but looks good from what I could see. 

Wood Sand and Curlew Sand were local year ticks and Black Tern a world year tick so now on 168 and 838 respectively. 

Wood Sandpiper and Redshank

Winter plumage Curlew Sandpiper- didn't actually see the white rump to confirm it wasn't a hybrid but looks like a Curlew Sand from what I could see of it  . Better pic Here

Common Scoters- an increase in passage today

Red-throated Diver flying east. Very few numbers on Spring passage this year.

Chocolate-tip. With night temperatures still down to 6 C the motht trapping is still very slow. A Silver-Y last night was the only migrant.

Holly and Isaac at East Head

Jacob birding the lane 

Down a gear

The anticyclonic conditions continue with clear blue skies and a northeast breeze. The wind had calmed down a lot today which seems to have slowed down migration. I did a 3.5 hour session at the Bill first thing HERE where the highlights included a group of 7 Arctic Terns (also 28 'Commics'),  4 Brent Geese (2 pairs moving east), 47 Common Scoter, 12 Whimbrel and 19 Barwits east, a dark phase Arctic Skua chasing the gulls, a Fulmar, 4 Wheatears (3f,1m) and a few hirundines. Later in the day there were 9 more Poms (a group of 3 and a single bird between 1515 and 1615 and another 5 at 1831) seen by the other guys. Full log and all news locally today HERE. 

After the Bill I quickly checked out Ferry where a Garganey had been found and then went over to Mill Lane for the Cuckoo that has been around a couple of days. There was also a male Wigeon, LRP, Common and Green Sand on Ferry and 2 Spotted Redshank, Greenshank and Whimbrel in the Channel. Cuckoo and Arctic Tern were year ticks and Garganey was the first time I've had a decent view of one round here (most often seen on seawatches moving with Common Scoters). Now on 165 locally and 837 for the world year list. 

As it was Saturday the rest of the day was family day. Back in the field full on on Monday but hoping to sneak out a bit tomorrow too. 

Dungeness had it's biggest day this spring yet with an enormous sea passage (with thousands of Little Gulls and Terns HERE) so clearly the lighter easterlies are not quite enough to push the flight lines this far west. This was confirmed with even lesser numbers in Portland further west than us. There was also a big passage off Cap Gris-Nez involving lots of Black Terns and Little Gulls. We seemingly, in comparative numbers terms, get about 10 percent of the passerines seen at Portland and 10 percent of the seabirds seen at Dungeness. 

I put the moth trap out last night despite the cold nights (the anticyclonic conditions are causing temperatures to drop to below 5 C). Only four moths 2 Muslin, 1 Common Quaker but also a first for the garden- a Great Prominent proving that it's always worth a spin on the moth trap. Now on 60 moth species for the year (also had Nettle-tap during the day) and 633 all time for the garden. 

Arctic Terns off the Bill (above and below) 

Brents still moving

Fulmar

Common Scoters 

Male Wheatear

Male Garganey

Great Prominent. A new for garden.