Dungeness

August 6th


With rain forecast for most of the morning and a moderate S S Westerly showing on the weather map the night before I headed down and arrived at 6.15am.
The forecast was bang on so I decided to go to the point and park myself up behind a boat, sheltered out of the rain and wind but also close enough to the sea to grab some photos.

It was very dark, ideal conditions for sea watching bar the rain, but as for photography not ideal but cannot complain as some species worked the shoreline and came quite close.

In all I gave it 3 hours, nothing earth shattering, no Shearwaters for instance but then again it is still very early but you never know what’s rounds the corner do you.

I was hoping for a Skua or 2 due to the conditions and the Tern passage, over the course of the 3 hours I would say at least 400 Commic Terns passed me going west, predominately Commons from what I could see. Sandwich Terns were also going in the same direction and numbered around 80 over the 3 hours.

Highlights from the session below.

Mediterranean Gull – 4 all juveniles
Common Scoter – 61 including a flock of 45
Kittiwake – 2 both juveniles
Swift – 14 west
Guillemot – 1 on the sea
Gannet – 34 largest flock 11
Harbour Porpoise – a minimum of 6 watched surfacing together but likely many more
Dunlin – 7 east
Arctic Skua – 1 @ 8.55am
Bar Tailed Godwit – 12 west
Whimbrel – 16 west slightly inland

I also had a Dolphin sp that I saw briefly in the scope a little ways out, much bigger than the Porpoises and appeared ‘2 toned’ from brief views.

Gannets on the move

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull

Common Scoter

Distant Whimbrel flock

Homeward bound I stopped at Arc and picked out a Garganey, I understand that there were 3 there later and also 4 Little Stints, they would have been a nice bonus but needless to say a good morning anyway.