LONG RHNR CIRCULAR

27 March 2022 Starting from Dogs Hill Road I headed into the RHNR on a cold cloudy misty morning. The only birds of note at the western end were a small flock of Wigeon, 3 Cetti’s Warblers and a Little Egret. I met up with AP and JT near the Harbour Farm Pools where two Grey Partridge were flushed but no Little Ringed Plover was on view although one was seen there later on in the day. A Mistle Thrush was atop a pole at the Farm, not usually seen there. On approaching the Salt Pool two Black-tailed Godwits flew over along with two Ruffs. The Ruffs landed nearby, still in very pale winter plumage. A few Med Gulls were drifting over calling and Avocets were squabbling on the Salt Marsh Pools. The resident female Sparrowhawk was sitting on a stick out in the middle of the Marsh. Over at Flat Beach 20 Avocets were roosting in a bunch although plenty of others were busy feeding. The usual Bar-tailed Godwit was there along with a couple of Grey Plovers. The Golden Plover have nearly all gone now though there was a small flock flying around in the distance. Over at Ternery Pool one of the Black-headed Gulls was in residence to guard its nesting place on the nearest small island to the Crittall hide and the odd couple, a Greylag Goose and a Greater White-fronted Goose , were also reasonably close. JT says that there is another but different pair out near Castle Water and yesterday he had a pairing of a Greylag with a Pink-footed Goose, the Pinkfoot is possibly the same bird that spent time recently on Pett Level. While I was at the RHNR a Slavonian Grebe was on the sea off Pett Level, which of course I missed. Again a lack of Wheatears in the area, nearly April and only a few summer migrants have arrived.

KITES GALORE

25 March 2022 It is that time of year again when Red Kites drift eastwards along the South Coast going who knows where to and who knows where from, are they UK non breeders or migrants? One passed over my house early this morning and at least seven were in the RX area today. I caught up with another two circling over Castle Water in the RHNR. A local Raven decided to try to see them off with little success, they were just too agile. At Castle Water itself there was no sign of the BnGrebe today nor any Garganey and generally waterfowl numbers are definitely well down. To the right of the Halpin Hide one of the Cormorant nesting islands is now more visible and nests seem to be already well occupied. A Wheatear was finally seen at Pett Level this morning but it seems that migration of many summer visitors is stalled by cold weather in the south of Europe, for example it was only a maximum of 10 degrees C all last week in Cyprus with some snow, according to a friend.

RELATIVELY QUIET

23 March 2022 Another walk along the RMC from Pett Level to the Pannel Valley and then across the Level to Pett Pools in the company of AP. After an early start the mist slowly cleared and it was odd to find 20 Gadwall grazing in a field – Wigeon style – adjacent to the Canal along with 12 Egyptian Geese. Although the total circuit was quiet, with no new migrants, the Pannel Scrape was manic as a thousand plus Black-headed Gulls take up residence along with 200+ Med Gulls which are specifically on the high points of the largest islands. As usual visibility is only possible from the small corner hide. A pair of Egyptian Geese seem to have taken over one of the concrete islands and a male Pintail, one of three, swam past. A pair of Avocets was also present and one appeared to be swimming and up-ending. Small numbers of the usual Ducks were also around. Back towards the Pools only one Skylark was heard and three Pied Wagtails were seen but no White Wagtails or Wheatears yet again, although a Wheatear was reported from the RHNR yesterday. There was little else of note at the Pools, just the usual fare now that all the winter visitors have all departed except for a few Curlew and Wigeon. Many of the photos were taken into the sun today.

WHAT NO WHEATEARS

16 March 2022 It still does not feel like Spring since as of today no Wheatears have yet to appear at Pett Pools or on the RHNR, though five were seen yesterday at Dungeness. AP and I started early at the RHNR on a very dull morning, later joined by TW. Flat Beach held the usual large numbers of birds but no Golden Plover today, perhaps like the wintering Lapwing flocks they have now finally departed. Avocets seemed to be everywhere along with 20 Grey Plover, 100 Dunlin and a lone Bar-tailed Godwit of note. On the coast an easterly movement of 4 Herons, 15 Pintail and groups of 70 and 45 Brent Geese was clearly return migration of winter visitors. At the Ternery Pool islands were being bagged for nesting including by one pair of Common Gulls and many pairs of Black-headed Gulls. This led to much squabbling between the Black-headed Gulls and a calling first Sandwich Tern of the year flew over. Nearer to the Barn Pools a possible Little Ringed Plover zoomed past and a fine juvenile GbbGull was on display. Over on the Salt Pool the Spoonbill was absent but pairs of Pintails and Gadwall were close to the paths. Finally a view back onto the Ternery Pool allowed a distant view of the Red-breasted Merganser scratching its head with its foot, a bird that has been around for a few weeks and at the Car Park Martello Tower the usual nesting pair of GbbGulls are back in residence. Three Garganey were also seen by other birders during the morning at Castle Water, so some further signs of Spring but still no Wheatears.

PANNEL VALLEY CIRCULAR

06 March 2022 I carried out a rapid circular walk from Pett Level today, up the RMC to look at the Pannel Valley Scrape, then across the Level to the Pools. I was hoping to see plenty of Med Gulls, but not today. Along the RMC a small gull roost nearby was mostly of GbbGulls but three adult LbbGulls were also present. The fields held small numbers of Black-headed Gulls of varying plumages and Common Gulls but no Meds. A Little Egret was sheltering from the cold brisk breeze behind some reeds. Near the Pannel Valley a passing Grey Heron had to take evasive action to avoid an angry Black-headed Gull. At the Scrape it was good to see that all the islands had been well cleared ready for the coming breeding season. Still fairly quiet today, it will be manic in another month. There were only four or five Med Gulls visible but of interest were two roosting flocks, a 12 and a 6, of Pintails, not a duck often seen on the Scrape in these numbers. Male Teal were parading about looking very smart. Back across to the Pools a large White Goose was seen with a few Greylags and is presumed to be a cross Greylag / Farmyard Goose, but an attractive bird nonetheless. At the Pools two other regular hybrids, the over-size White Duck and the over-size Mallard type seem to be acting as a pair. A few more Med Gulls were seen, they are in almost full summer plumage now, one was close to the Road by the Red Pig eatery. One of the local tame Rooks was again on the Sea Wall ignoring the walkers.

TWO LIFERS

03 March 2022 Just like London buses, I have had no new lifers for about a year and then two come along together, a Green-winged Teal and a Caspian Gull both on Flat Beach in the RHNR. Last Sunday AP and I were blown off the Reserve having not seen much. Much better today however with only a breeze but still overcast when I arrived. The Iceland Gull that we missed last Sunday was today sitting on stanchions at the River Mouth as the tide came in, first watching a passing flock of about 100 Brent Geese and then watching a couple of fishermen on the shingle. I was able to get reasonably close but the photos are still grainy due to the poor light. It reminded me of a famous Iceland Gull that overwintered for 27 years ( 1955 to 1983 ), first seen as a three year old at New Brighton on the Mersey Estuary. It is quite possible that there are two around here at the moment, one at Rye Harbour, the other at Dungeness or just one that likes to commute..

Back at Flat Beach a group of Kent Telescope wielding birders had already found the Green-winged Teal, now asleep on the edge of the water. It had been active earlier. Scope views showed the vertical diagnostic white bar but being hidden in the foliage it was difficult to pick up with the camera. It is in the centre of the second photo, honest, very unsatisfactory, if only it had been in full view like some of the other male Teals. A 1st winter Caspian Gull was also scoped giving good views but by the time I got my camera on it it took off and headed out over the shingle ridges towards the sea. Anyway it is the first definite one I have ever seen, pity about the lack of a record shot. Otherwise there were good assorted wader roosts at high tide including a feeding Bar-tailed Godwit and many Sanderling. Some of the Oystercatchers were again manic and it was good to see the Redshank in near summer plumage and the return of the Avocets. Over at the Salt Pool the Spoonbill was absent, having been seen at Castle Water earlier but there was a small group of roosting Pintails.