SWW at Dungeness Saturday 17th August

Starting at the point on Dungeness we started with a sea watch in front of the power station and the first bird of note was an Artic Skua, loads of gulls were on the patch with a few comic terns and several Gannets feeding a bit further out. No sign of the Black Redstarts so we headed for the fishing boats for another look at the sea. It wasn't long before Paul spotted 3 Black Terns

Black Tern

The Little Gull flew past so close posing for photos but I had knocked the manual focus button so missed out on a pic.

On the reserve a couple Wood Sandpipers and a couple of eclipse Garganey showing fairly close but in bad light.

Garganey (eclipse)

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Couldn't resist this Egret

Little Egret

Hundreds of Sand Martins were over all the pits

Sand Martin

Very few Marsh Harriers today but this one put on a good show

Marsh Harrier.

 

Also seen on the reserve 2 Egyption Geese, a Black-necked Grebe and a Ruff. Over on the ARC pit 2 Dunlin, several Common Sandpipers another Ruff, 3 Snipe, 2 Greenshanks, several Ringed Plovers, and a couple of Little Ringed Plovers. As always a good day birding at Dungeness.

 

And even more Butterflies

 

Saturday at Dungeness we came across this Common Blue

 

 

Common Blue


Sunday we went to Brede Woods where it was a lot quieter than a fortnight ago with regards to butterflies. However we were rewarded with this Silver Washed Fritillary

Silver Washed Fritillary

A brief view of a Small Skipper

Small Skipper

Also numerous Speckled Woods

Speckled Wood (worn)

And more Butterflies Saturday 10th August

Late afternoon I took Frank for his walk back to Windover Hill in search of the Graylings. Walking up the hill loads of Chalk Hill Blues but not in the number of last week.

 

Chalk hill Blue

Also found a Small Copper

Small Copper

On the same flowers last week were several Painted Ladies but this week full of Small Tortoiseshell

Small Tortoiseshell

Also found this one, where the Graylings are supposed to be,  which I think is a Wall

Wall (possible)

This one back on the path near the car park is a definite Wall.

Wall

Back home this comma was on the Budliea.

Comma

Sunday 5th August - More Butterflies

Having had a first yesterday with the White Admiral I wanted more so interupted Paul J in the pub for suggestions as to where to go and was recomended Windover Hill.

Starting at Wilmington, walking over Windover Hill to Jevington and back via Friston Forest we picked up a good selection, not bad for a second attempt by a novice. I thought Butterflies would be easy to photograph but they don't stay still, you have to get up close, also they can fly quite fast!

Small Skipper

Small Skipper

Chalkhill Blues

 

Chalkhill Blue



Comma

Brimstone

Marbled White

Marbled White

Painted Lady

Species found where Chalkhill Blues by the hundreds, 1 Comma, 2 Marbled Whites, several Painted Ladies, loads of Gate Keepers and Meadow Browns, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Fritillary poss. Silver Washed,  Peacocks, 2 Small Skippers, Large and Small Whites, Brimstone. 

Saturday 3rd August Brede Woods - Getting into Butterflies

 With this lovely fine weather and several butterflies around the garden, I thought I would try Brede Woods for the late afternoon dog walk as I had never seen a White Admiral, apart from loads of Gate Keepers I also found.

Clouded Yellow



Small White

  Lots of Large Whites, lots of Meadow Browns




Meadow Brown



Ringlet

Ringlet

And eventually my target the White Admiral a bit worn with a hole in its wing.

White Admiral

White Admiral



White Admiral



 

(Most odd never having seen one before, 3 days later one turns up in the garden)



Sunday 28th July Dungeness Wood Sandpipers

A visit to Dungeness with Fred started off at the power station looking for the Black Redstart, but with quite strong winds there was nothing showing other than an oriental pissing up the side of the new hide. A look at the patch found loads of B.H. Gulls, a few common and Sandwich Terns. A walk around the Observatory and the Old Lighthouse found nothing so we went to the ARC pit. Loads of Lapwing, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Wood Sandpipers, and a Black-necked Grebe in summer plumage.





Wood Sandpiper amoung Lapwing

Roseate's Tern at last Sunday 21st July

Work being manic as usual at this time of the year, so much so I have had to stop my Tuesday evening Beach Watch at Rye.

On Sunday at last I was able to take a trip over to Rye to look for the Roseates Tern but being early morning the light was so bad that I was unable to view the Terns accurately.

So late afternoon I took another look in the 27 deg. heat and within 5 minutes from the Denny Hide I found 1 and then another Roseates. I was trying to take a pic at long range of the pair but I only ever got a pic of 1,  but sure there was 2 of them. ( 2 Reported and photographed at Dunge the next day)

A good tick for this year but still well behind compared to last.