Month: November 2023

Another morning with light NE winds and the coldest of the season so far with a frost in our sheltered little garden. Thrushes were more noticeable, though hardly numerous with 10+ Song thrushes and c40 Blackbirds on Fox hill down. A Brambling, 5 Redwing and a late Ring Ouzel in Langdon Hole

Just west of Fan Bay I picked up a flock of 18 White fronted Geese flying in V formation out over the channel. They were heading for the cliffs and came in off the sea at Fan bay and continued North. A new species for me here on the patch, they were later followed by 4 Golden plover who took a similar line in off the channel.

More Redwings in Top wood but not much to report until a Great white Egret flew over lighthouse down and the valley, coming over my head near the bottom wood and moving off inland. Nice views and In no way a common bird here as far as I’m concerned only the 4th Ive had locally.

The 6 Snow buntings were along the tarmac path and in the first field West of the Lighthouse on the 28th but no sign today.

An increase in Goldcrests today but alas no Pallas’s warbler with them, Ive looked everyday and nothing this November sadly.

A 1st Winter Yellow Legged Gull was on the Pontoons in the Wellington dock, the Great Northern Diver was still near the life boats as were 2 Kingfishers and a Guillemot, 5 Common Scoter in the outer harbour.

A quick check of Shakey beach was predictably poor with the calm weather but the local male Black Redstart showed nicely. One of 3 smart adult males I know of around Dover at the moment.

Im off for Florida for 2 Weeks tomorrow. Hoping for some local Waxwings when I get back.

Northerly winds prevail and the Gull theme continues. 7 Different Caspian Gulls on the 25th: 6 in st Maragret’s bay (3 adult, 2 Second winters and a third winter) and then another adult from the cliff top. Strong sun light made it slightly hard work in the bay at least.

A Small female adult Caspian Gull above and a larger probably male bird below viewed from the cliff top.

One of two 2nd winters present at the bay (above). A quick circuit of the headland produced a Woodcock flushed from the cliff edge on lighthouse down and 6 Snow buntings that were flying around along the Tarmac path, a much flightier flock, which I eventually pinned down in one of the fields with the help of the Johnsons.

Fast forward to today (monday) 3 Snow buntings still in the field behind the newly dug out Gun emplacement at Fan bay and 4 Caspian Gull (3 on the Pontoons in Dover harbour (2 x first winter and a 2nd winter) and a 2nd Winter in the Bay at st margarets.)

Im seeing alot of Argentatus Herring Gulls since the recent increase in Gull numbers, adult below.

18mph North westerlies and a noticeably colder day yielded the autumn’s first Snow Buntings. I could hear one calling somewhere and suddenly it appeared over my head at Langdon hole and flew NE along the cliffs.

A few minutes later it was on the path in front of me as I arrived at the highest point in the cliffs just West of Fan bay, A very tame bird.

The second was a much brighter male along the Tarmac path as I walked home, it flew in from the track to the farm and fed along the edge as they do.

Earlier in the morning I had been studying the cliff face, as i have promised myself i will do every morning in November, when I realised there were 100+ large Gulls feeding (on what i don’t know) on a recent cliff fall, The best of which was an adult Caspian Gull, a rare age for Casps here! see distant pics below.

A trip to Deal later on revealed a first winter Caspian Gull. I could have got better photos but I got distracted trying (unsuccessfully) to catch a Common gull with its head caught in fishing wire. Keep an eye out for that.

The only other notable thing was 12 Crossbills low and North over the valley.

A bright morning with a moderate and straight Westerly gave me hopes for a late hirundine. My hunch was right as 2 Swallows flew along the cliff top near Fan bay, my latest here ever by 3 days.

Just as they flew through a Hen Harrier floated over and continued South out to sea where I lost it as a tiny dot. Colin had separately seen both of these two things and let me know just as I was texting him the same thing.

100’s of large Gulls were moving into the wind along the cliffs in what seemed like an actual movement from the North sea into the channel (rather than a disturbed flock).

Made up by predominantly Herring Gulls, including many Argentatus and Great Black backed Gulls and after a few minutes I picked up a 2nd winter Yellow–legged gull followed by a 2nd winter Caspian Gull (below)

A 1st Winter and later on another 2nd winter Caspian gull (below) were added to the count, I would imagine many more were moving as I only gave it 40 mins or so all in all.

Colin and I walked through the Valley and had 5 Chiffchaffs, 4 Firecrest (added to 3 at Langdon) I also saw 19 Grey Partridge at the East end of the patch.

The 22nd saw a small arrival of Woodcock, I had one nearly take my head off on Fox hill down but at least 3 others were seen by Russ B and the Johnsons. I also counted 121 Lapwings moving West.

A switch round to Northerly winds delivered an enjoyable but squally and wet morning up the cliffs, therefore my camera mostly stayed in the bag.

I watched a pair of Peregrines fly out to sea over the harbour as I climbed the cliff, expecting them to intercept a racing pigeon or perhaps woodcock even. However they had gone out to buzz an incoming Short eared Owl which they half knocked out of the air. I lost sight of the three of them behind some trees but I hope the Owl made it in safely. A Golden Plover and 2 Snipe flew in off also. Other notables include a Hen Harrier hunting over the top fields, a Marsh Harrier was seen here too and a Woodlark flew around with the Skylarks before dropping into the middle of one of the big fields.

9 Firecrests were counted between lighthouse down and the valley, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, a Great–spotted woodpecker was in Top wood along with a party of 20 or so Blackbirds plus a single Redwing.

A juv Common Scoter was the only notable thing in the harbour along side the incoming pre roost gulls.

A Great Northern Diver has been in the Harbour for the past few days, found by David T. I saw it there on the 17th along with 2 Sandwich terns, a Razorbill a Kingfisher and 3 Shags.

Gerald S had a Great shearwater(!) south from the bay on the morning of the 18th, also Sooty Shearwater and a Pom. I got there around lunch and saw some Little Gulls and a 1st Winter Yellow Legged Gull but nothing else.

A blustery walk around the Valley with visiting friend Laurence P on the 19th was highlighted by a Glossy Ibis which appeared at height over lighthouse down (not sure if it came in off the sea or tracked down the coast) and flew SW towards the Lighthouse. Apparently a first for the site which is pretty cool.

We went on to check the Gulls at Deal beach and had a polish ringed Caspian Gull, my first there in quite some time.

Fulmars have returned after their annual absence, a welcome sight and sound from the house.

More weather from the West and a few ‘Ground Hog days’in the past week. Highlights include 4 Little Gulls from the Bay on the 8th, Ring Ouzels in Fan Bay on the 9th and 11th, 153 Brent Geese East along the cliffs on the 12th, a 2nd Winter Caspian Gull the same direction and same date too.

A juv Common tern, several Sandwich terns and The Adult Shag Remain in the Harbour, where an interesting 4th winter Yellow–legged Gull was noted on the 8th – Black bill, p4 spot and head streaking including streaks to chin and forecrown reminiscent of Atlantic populations of YLG – Not Atlantis however due to the mirror on p9 etc interesting bird.

A smart adult YLG on Shakey Beach was the highlight of the following days gulls.

Our street has been pretty birdy recently with at least 2 Firecrests in the ivy along the back gardens, very vocal Tawny owls currently, 2 Black Redstart including a singing adult male on my neighbour’s roof and the reintroduced Choughs have finally made it to the cliffs and were flying about noisily on the 12th.

Attention has been focused on the harbour and the sea since the storm. Russ, Brendan Chris and I watched from st Margarets the following day and saw some Little Gulls and up to 6 Leach’s Petrels although fairly distant. Russ also picked out a Euro Storm petrel but I didnt get onto it, a quick check of the valley produced 2 Brambling perched in Top wood but nothing else of note.

Paul Holt called me Saturday afternoon to say he had a/the Juv Sabine’s Gull in the harbour but despite being at home and getting out instantly I missed it but there were more Kittiwakes than I’d seen so far this season and an adult little gull. Sunday was another Harbour and seawatch session – Shakey beach was devoid of large Gulls but 2 adult little gulls fed close in. Nice to watch despite the strong sunlight. 2 Black Redstarts were in their usual spot, the first ive seen for a couple of weeks.

The afternoon was spent looking in the harbour again: 3 Sandwich tern a single juv Common Tern, a Red throated Diver, Adult Little Gull and over 100 Gannet were counted. Thebot Gannets stayed around the Eastern mouth of the harbour and constitute the highest count ive had inside the harbour walls.

Today was a light SW after a night and early morning of heavy rain and rain to the south continuing, with highlights as follows: a Great White Egret flying East first thing, 6 Crossbill west over Langdon, what looks like a different Dartford warbler in Langdon hole whilst walking back home around lunch time – another poor photo below, difficult to get close to!

64 Swallow and 1 House martin West along the cliffs, a high number this late in the year but i still expect to see swallows for another 2 weeks perhaps longer, last year’s latest bird was the 20th Nov i think.

The weather apps predicted gusts of up to 100 mph just off shore between Folkestone and Dover around 8am this morning, in reality I believe 80 mph was reached locally but still a significant weather event.

I battled the conditions over to the western end of the harbour and found relative shelter against the sea wall. There were around 50 Large Gulls on the beach, and 100+ sat on the water.

Visibility was poor at first but good enough to pick up some kittiwakes, several little gulls and a Juvenile Sabine’s Gull flying mid harbour, the latter a bird I’ve really hoped to find locally and especially in the harbour. At times it was the only bird in flight but photography was a challenge at this point in the day and I only managed to get a record shot of it sat on the water before it flew around at height and I lost it.

Little Gulls were present in differing numbers throughout the day and a high count of 15 at once, although surely more were involved.

A fleeting view of a Storm petrel sp early on was later resolved when a Peregrine appeared low over the water chasing (unsuccessfully) what I realised was a Leach’s storm Petrel, into view. The bird was lost towards the ferry port. Another 2 Leach’s were seen by Russ B heading for the outer harbour 20 mins later. If we are to treat each Leach’s as a different bird I went on to have another 4 sightings in the harbour, and 2 flew East on Shakey beach were a Bonxie also flew East and 3 Sandwich terns fed close in.

Other birds of note were 3 Brent Geese, a 1st Winter Caspian Gull, a juv Common Tern, a single Razorbill, 2 Goosander West,an Adult Shag and a Sandwich tern. A fun day and hopefully the damage isnt too bad. More sea/harbour watching to come i should think.

The past couple of days have turned out dryer than Ventusky has predicted and full wet weather gear has been stripped off and carried rather than worn on most mornings.

Highlights have included a Dartford warbler in the Fennel field on the 31st,(only my second here) the same morning Steve Ray had an adult male Hen Harrier over the farm, I also counted 8 Ring Ouzel between the radar station, Langdon Hole and Fan Bay, including a pretty tame male, Lots of Finch movement first thing and c70 Swallow east. A flock of 23 winter plumaged Dunlin flew South West at head height past the lighthouse on the same day.

The below Water spout was a dramatic thing to watch pulling water up from the channel.

Anticipation for the upcoming storm Ciaran and the potential damage it could cause has me in abit of of tizz, If the house is in one piece thursday am i’ll check the harbour and maybe the sea. 2 Razorbill a Red–throated Diver and a first winter Common tern were present on the 30th, Gannets, Kittiwakes 2 Curlew and a 1st Winter Yellow legged gull were all from todays afternoon seawatch from the bay.

Some nicely replaced wing coverts below.