Cooling Marshes, Kent, 7th December 2014

Sunday 11 September 2011

Down at Dunge...

It was a glorious day at Dungeness yesterday; a breezy 25 degrees, t-shirts and shades...a last glimmer of life before summer slips into a coma.
Dad and I stopped at the RSPB reserve first, ticking off a decent number of migrants plus some usuals on the way round. While he tried out new bins in the visitor centre I picked out a Curlew Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper on Burrowes pool. From the Christmas Dell hide we were treated to great views of a male Marsh Harrier drifting over reedbeds but there was no sign of the Great White Egret that has been around Denge Marsh for a while (we found out later that it was there, but keeping a low profile on the far side) On the walk back to the centre, a pair of dark 'peachy' coloured wheatears darted about amongst the shingle and scrub by the entrance track. I suspect these were birds of the greenlandic race taking a much needed break on their arctic-africa migration. I'd hoped to track down the Cattle Egret that, like the Great White, has been kicking about for a while, but back at the centre we were told that it had just been seen flying off, possibly to the pools across the road. Oh well.
Curlew Sandpiper, RSPB Dungeness, 10/9/11
male Marsh Harrier soaring over reedbeds...always a treat
We headed off in search of lunch instead and found an excellent little pub on the shingle flats down by the power station. Sitting outside, we admired the endless parade of hirundines passing through. I've never seen so many together in the UK; everywhere you looked swallows and martins could be seen feeding acrobatically or momentarily resting, piled up on telegraph wires. An unexpected highlight amongt these flocks was an oddly late Swift which went whizzing overhead as we tucked into our chips. With the majority of swifts gone by early August, I'm not sure where this one has been; this bird charged through with all the grace and determination of someone whose alarm didn't go off and is late for their first day at work. A mooch on the beach bought more hirundine vismig - it was amazing to watch these small birds darting low over the waves, knowing it's just the start of their long journey.
Heading back we stopped off at the ARC pits opposite the RSPB entrance and squeezed into a busy hide. The Pectoral Sandpiper sighted the previous day was probably a bit of a draw but even without it there was still a lot on offer. Several hundred Golden Plover stood out amongst the Lapwing and numerous dabblers on the pools, but scope-less, I was reliant on others to pull out the stuff at the back. They obliged with a charming female Goosander and a drake Garganey in eclipse plumage. Finally, as  gorgeous evening light washed over the calm pools, my attention focused on several distant white blobs. One was certainly a Little Egret but as the other raised its head, revealing a stubby, yellow bill, I realised I was looking at a Cattle Egret. A regular but scarce UK visitor and fairly common across the channel, how long is it until they start sticking around for good?
The worst picture of a Cattle Egret you'll ever see. Who cares?! Life tick!
RSPB Dungeness & surrounds list (52) 10/9/11:
Linnet, Sand Martin, House Martin, Barn Swallow, Cetti’s Warbler, Oystercatcher, Mute Swan, Lapwing, Mallard, Coot, Pochard, Tufted duck, Gadwall, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed gull, Sandwich Tern, Great Crested Grebe, Greenshank, Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Common Tern, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Cormorant, Yellow Wagtail, N Wheatear (Greenlandic ssp.), Meadow Pipit, Common Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Starling, Rook, Lesser Black-backed gull, Greylag Goose, Swift, Dunlin, Teal, Wigeon, Cattle Egret, Golden Plover, Shoveler, Goosander, Garganey, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Black-headed gull, Pied Wagtail, poss .White Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Woodpigeon, House Sparrow, Kestrel

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