Raptors Galore at Dungeness
Target species today are ring ouzel, firecrest and merlin as Sue and I set off for the RSPB reserve in the SW corner of Kent. It is a weird and sombre environment, a landscape dominated by the ugly power station with the pylons marching away across this inhospitable, flat, shingley landscape. But home to many birds it is. Driving down the track the first of the marsh harriers appears to the left flying gently over the expanse of scrub. A kestrel hovers a bit further along, then perches; it is a juvenile.
We proceed around the reserve in an anit-clockwise route; the light is best this way, stopping frequently and searching for the elusive firecrest and ring ouzel. So many cetti's, must have heard over 10 throughout the reserve. Dunge is something of a stronghold for them. A few chiffchaffs still about and less than 10 swallows are counted hawking over the marshes all day.
The first hide sees a female marsh harrier giving terrific and prolonged views quartering the marshland.....she is hungry. This is truly an amazing day for MHs for us. |=)| We would have altogether over a dozen, probably about 15 sightings I think of at least 4 different birds, male, female and at least two different immatures.:t: Marsh harriers have been somewhat elusive for me but suddenly in the last few weeks I am finding them in quite striking numbers here in SE England. The woman in the visitors centre informs us that they have successfully bred for the first time at Dunge this year. Good news!
Also from the first hide we watch a merlin who flies in fast and disappears behind some reeds. Sue IDs a common gull perched on a post in the pool in front of us. A large flock of great black back gulls roosts in another poart of the reserve. We hear reed bunting and later see one. Four redwing fly over. A sparrowhawk chases something unsuccessfully and is pursued by crows.
Between the hides we hear the "bing, bing" of bearded tits but it is windy and they don't show. |=(| Two buzzards circle in the distance towards the power station.
We are pleased to see many of the ducks have returned, loads of whistling wigeon, 2 snow geese, one the blue variety hang out with the greylag. Vagrant or feral, I don't know but I am pleased to see them as they are lifers for me. Tufties, shoveller, gadwall, a lucky ru**y and 2 pochard are seen on the various pools. Waders are very low in numbers today, only snipe seen.
Leaving the main part of the reserve, we get more excellent views of another marsh harrier , this time a male. The crows don't like him and give him a bad time. Later we find ourselves at the Hanson ARC hide but not much here as heavy work with diggers is in progress on one of the islands but on the path to it a delightful and charming charm of goldfinch:-O enchant us before flying off to feed on the teasels. A green woodpecker is on a telegraph pole; more kestrels too.
We decide to return home via Walland Marsh to the north. A large flock of common gull are roosting in a field, news to me that they are so abundant here.:t: Sue knows of a corn bunting roost at a grain store.....we go in search. No luck unfortunately but guess what we see....yes, another marsh harrier; female this time flying slow and low in their laid back way.:king:
Feeling the distinct lack of waders today, we decide to call in at Pett pools on the way home, which was so productive only a week ago. But it is a very different story today....only shelduck on the pools. But we do see our ninth kestrel of the day.:t: It is low tide on the beach and I count 40 curlew but give up, there are many more. Grey plover, redshank, turnstone, dunlin, ringed plover, oystercatcher,little egret are all feeding in the sand and shingle. We see the second charm of goldfinch of the day, this one larger than the one at Dunge. And in Pett Level village we are surprised by about 40 house martins and a few swallows still flying about.
Not so successful with our target species of ring ouzel and firecrest but it was more than made up for by the raptors!:-O
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