Rainham RSPB

March 20th
A bright morning and out at dawn, hopefully to connect with the Little Ringed Plovers that were seen, and hopefully Wheatears.
I checked Aveley Bay first and located a single Dark Bellied Brent Goose mixed in with the Shelduck at low tide. Also present were a single Curlew, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 4 Dunlin and 63 Redshank. A good start with the Brent so I headed for the Reserve and did a circuit.
I relocated the Brent Goose again on the Target Pools feeding with Wigeon; I am presuming it was the same bird and also a Tiercel Peregrine in the usual spot.

Dark Bellied Brent Goose

Distant record shot

Pintail are still present with 12 birds seen including a partial leucistic female, no Golden Plover, looks like they have definitely gone.

Partial leucistic female Pintail

Elsewhere around the Reserve I picked up a male Sparrowhawk hunting, at least 9 calling Water Rails, 4 calling Chiffs and at least 7 Little Egrets.
I also heard my first Marsh Frog and good to see 14 Common Snipe in front of the visitor centre.

Reed Bunting

Snipe

Little Grebe

Comma

Not something you see everyday on the Thames, a Paddle Steamer

After this I headed for the Stone Barges to search for the ‘white wingers’, 2 Iceland’s had come up in the morning. I was the only one there and there were bloody thousands of Gulls, I gave it 20 minutes and failed miserably to locate one, there’s just too many and I have not got the patience to stand there forever. As mentioned before, try as I might I just can’t get into them unless there Med’s.
I did see one Water Pipit on the Barges coming into summer plumage, a little stunner, surprisingly there only seemed to be the one.
No LRP’s and no Wheatears but a good morning’s birding none the less.

Surveying

March 15th
Out in Essex again for what turned out to be an excellent survey, although it did not start off too promising with thick fog, this soon cleared though to reveal a glorious day.
Christ that sun make you feel good, it obviously affected the birds with many already paired and males holding to territory singing, I counted no less than 27 singing Skylarks.
The habitat that I cover is a massive private area, mostly grazing marsh, flooded dykes, large reed beds with Hawthorne spread out all over the site. This make it a magnet for farmland species like Corn Bunting, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer, with the weather all were on territory singing.
Yesterday probably ranks as the best day I have had there in quality of species seen with no less than 5 Schedule 1 species seen, Marsh and Hen Harrier, Avocet, Cetti’s Warbler and Bearded Tit all making an appearance.

Male Marsh Harrier in the fog

With a bit of auto contrast

On top of this I also had Short Eared and Little Owl, Dark Bellied Brent Goose and a Woodcock, the survey will shortly be ending, a pity it has been a pleasure to cover.

Woodcock heading off into the sun

Short Eared Owl

If this was coming towards me,wouldn't have been too bad.

I managed to get some photos, none too clever, due to firstly, the fog; secondly all wanted to fly into the sun or away from me, not complaining though, how could you seeing this variety of species?


Barking Outfall

I recently had only my 2nd record since I have been watching the site, about 12 years, of Bearded Tit with 3 birds seen in the Creek reed bed. A major rarity here I suspect that they go un noticed due to the fact that you can’t get anywhere near the reed beds, they are quite vast.
It seems that the Thames Water footpath will eventually open as they are doing some major works along it; they are also creating a new habitat. It looks very good and it was the sole reason that I could get close to the reed bed, also heard was Cetti’s Warbler. Photos below

Male Bearded Tit

Part of the reed bed

New habitat

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

March 12th

With the promise again of good weather I was out at 5.00am and heading down to my uncles Wood in Kent. It is a 200 acre mixed woodland which is run as a shoot, it is alive with wildlife and I have it all to myself. One of the big draws to it is not only is there no dog walkers but on 2 occasions over the years I have seen Goshawk. I have seen a male on its own come through the wood hunting just after dawn, but by far the best, was an adult female at tree top height followed by a smaller juvenile calling for all his worth. It was a stunning sight that will always stay with me, I know they are there or in the area but getting them up displaying and getting a photo is another matter.
When I arrived at the wood at dawn unfortunately the fog was too dense to see through so I headed down to Rye Harbour in the hope that it would be clear, it was I am pleased to say.
Massive habitat works are taking place and it looks as if they are creating more foraging and breeding habitat for waders, it looks very good.
I was hoping for a Wheatear but it was not to be, it can only be a matter of days with this weather and if the winds change to the right direction, I also had in my head an Osprey as the conditions were ideal, you have to be optimistic.
The Reserve never disappoints and the Gull colony was alive with activity and noise, mostly Black Headed but there were at least 50 Mediterranean Gulls present .Also mixed in with these on a couple of islands were 24 Sandwich Terns, with the sunshine they were already up calling and displaying.
I am not a Gull man but I have to say that Med Gulls are a favourite amongst them all, it is not that often you get to see this many together, I am used to seeing one or 2 in the winter on the Thames, seeing this many together is quite a spectacular sight.



Mediterranean Gull

Sandwich Tern

4 Avocets were also seen along many Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers which were already paired up.

After this I headed back to the wood to skywatch in perfect conditions, I had my first calling Chiffchaff and also saw my first Butterflies, a Brimstone and a Peocock.

A couple of the animals that passed in the wood as I stood still, Hare and Fox

Unknown Moth

I also had a couple of Moths flittering around the tops of Silver Birch, no idea as to their identity.
The hoped for Goshawks again never materialized but I did have a kettle of 5 Common Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel all up high enjoying the conditions.

Unusual to hear 2 Tawny Owls calling at 11.30am in bright sunshine, with the weather set to continue I am hoping that I can get back there again, one day I will get a photo of a Gos.

Local Stuff

With more time on my hand nowadays as I head gracefully into semi –retirement, I can now start concentrating on my birding a bit more. It is good at long last to not have to try and cram everything into a weekend, Peregrines take up a lot of time but now life is definitely easier.
Now able to bird during the week around family commitments also means I can start covering some of my old patches, one of these I visited the other day after having a good day there in the cold snap.
Stubbers OPC has been going for years, probably 45 or more, the 2 big lakes are not and never have been fished, it has also turned up some good birds over the years. Whooper Swans in 2001, Long Tailed Duck in 2004, Ring Ouzel, Slavonian and Black Necked Grebe all spring to mind.
The drake Scaup I am pleased to say is still present and sticking tight to the Pochard flock, a cracking looking bird that I suspect will go soon with the milder weather showing. Of the 3 redhead Smew and Goldeneye there was no sign.

Greater Scaup

Staying with waterfowl I also popped into the Ingrebourne Valley during the week, on the chance that the Whitefront may still be present, it is, and it also showed quite well for a bit of didgiscoping.As with the Scaup I expect this will go soon also, with a bit of sunshine I managed to get a couple of decent shots of it.The reservoir has been a favoured haunt for Whitefronts over the last 4 years with up to 4 showing in some winters, of course it is mainly due to the fact that they latch onto the large Greylag flock.

White Fronted Goose

Also seen on the visit was a Common Buzzard, another Little Owl was located, this now makes 3 separate birds for the Valley or thereabouts.

Shore Lark - Shoeburyness

I am not sure what weather there was to come but without doubt I picked the worse morning this week on Wednesday, you know what forecasts are like, sometimes they err a bit, this morning they were bang on unfortunately.
I decided to head down to Shoeburyness given the fact that a Shore Lark and some Snow Buntings have shown recently, the forecast was strong winds, overcast and heavy rain from the south west. On arrival just after dawn it was windy and overcast, not too bad I thought and headed down the beach and got very lucky and located the Shore Lark after about 200 metres. I tucked myself away near a bramble bush and was preparing to take some digi shots when a mutt came out of nowhere behind me.Obviously young, he wanted specifically to chase Shore Larks as he totally ignored the Oystercatchers, the last I saw of the Shore Lark was heading over the fence to the safety of the MOD land.
I am a dog person, always have been, but of late I find myself resenting owners letting their dogs run amok and half the time they have not got a clue where they are, Ingrebourne Valley springs to mind.
I did manage to get a couple of distant photos beforehand but basically they are just record shots.

A windswept Shore Lark

I retraced my steps and went back and tucked myself in to a large boulder cluster out of the wind, the idea being to watch the waders coming ever closer on the incoming tide. A large flock of Knot were present amongst many Oystercatchers, Turnstone and Curlew; I thought despite the very bad light I would be able to get good views as they got closer. It would take a while for them to get to me but I was in no rush and I was hopeful that the Shore Lark would return or the Snow Buntings appear.

Not to be – with perfect timing a Wind Surfer appeared and headed out onto the mud scattering all before him, as he showed so did the rain.
Sometimes you have to know when your beat, time to go.

Dungeness RSPB

I decided on a day out on Friday, I have not been to Dungeness RSPB for a good while, I have popped into the Centre every now and then but have not been out on the reserve for years, must admit it is an excellent reserve. Thinking back the last time I walked the trails was the arrival of a Short Toed Treecreeper, that was many years ago, probably around 15.
I nearly decided not to go on Friday, fog was quite dense at home around 5.30am but I went and glad that I did as I had a really good day. First port of call was a sea watch from 7.30 to 8.50am; visibility was not great, around 150 metres in the mist but it gradually cleared, although it stayed grey and overcast all day. Surprisingly there was quite a bit of movement, all going east with Gannet being the biggest mover. Sandwich Terns had also arrived, first of the year, no rarer species but an enjoyable sea watch, as follows.

Gannet - 265
Kittiwake - 6
Great Crested Grebe – a minimum of 60 all along the coastline
Guillemot – maximum count of 12 sitting on the sea
Razorbill – 25, all flying east. This included one flock of 18
Goldeneye – 1
Red Throated Diver – 4
Sandwich Tern – 26 going east, most small groups of 3 or 4

 Seal chasing fish near the beach

Success

Sandwich Tern

Kittiwake

After this I had a look for the Glaucous Gull which had been seen near the fishing boats and also 2 Snow Buntings nearby, no luck with either so I headed for the Reserve.
Driving down the entrance track and I had distant views of a Ring Tailed Hen Harrier along with a female Marsh Harrier both hunting. As I was watching them 2 distant white specks turned themselves into Great White Egrets, I knew one was here but I thought I would be lucky to see one let alone 2.Eventually they more or less circled back on themselves and I managed to get a few photos. There not great, the only way I could shoot anything was with a very high ISO, I am trying to sound as if I know what I am doing, the truth of the matter is I still don’t know how to work the bloody camera.
After seeing these 2 crackers I then headed for the trails, I picked up a drake Smew, 2 Redheads and no less than 8 Goldeneye. Moving on produced a very distant Bittern, 50 Golden Plover, 4 Bearded Tit and a total count of 4 Marsh Harriers including a superb adult male.

Great White Egret - 1st bird darker bill

2nd bird - yellow bill -  immature?

Marsh Harriers

Whilst watching from Denge Marsh Hide I relocated the 2 Great White Egrets at the side of a reedbed, eventually both flew and was then gob smacked to see another join them! All 3 did a circuit and eventually landed ½ way towards the visitor centre.
I have not seen 3 reported but wonder if 2 of the birds are immatures after reviewing the photos, with the 3rd bird being an adult, all 3 seemed comfortable with each other. It could be that the original 2 seen are male and female; the earlier flight certainly looked like a display flight, one following the other similar to Bitterns?

Immatures?

The 3 together

Heading back I was put on to the Long Tailed Duck at the centre, distant views but a cracking looking bird.

Tree Sparrow

To round off the day I watched around 25 Tree Sparrows in the bramble at the top of the drive, just don’t get to see enough of these little chaps.
An excellent day.