Dungeness Nature Reserve Bulletin
1 May 2008
Bird news (April 2008)
In April migration goes on apace, with greater numbers of birds of more species arriving in this month than any other. By the end of the month nearly all our migrant species have arrived. Passerine species in particular pass through in large numbers and by the month end even the first swifts have appeared.
During the early part of the month there were up to three Slavonian grebes recorded and two black-necked grebes. At least two male garganeys, perhaps three, were present at Denge Marsh. A hen harrier was seen on 8th and 24th and marsh harriers peaked at five on 12th. A common buzzard flew over on the 5th, a merlin was seen on 12th and single hobbies on 3rd and 10th. Peregrines were seen occasionally and single ospreys passed over on their way north on 10th and 16th. There was a good variety of waders present although numbers were not high. Two avocets were recorded on 3rd with grey plover on 6th and 8th and up to four knots on three dates. Other waders included occasional dunlin, the first little ringed plovers of the season (8th), ruffs on 5th and 17th, six black-tailed godwits on 3rd and single bar-tailed godwits on 16th and 19th. Whimbrels were recorded from 13th, building to a maximum of 13 on 18th, three greenshanks were seen the same day and one the next. There was a green sandpiper on 14th and singleton common sandpipers on 18th and 19th.
The only gulls of note were up to four Mediterranean gulls on three dates. The first tern was a single Sandwich tern on 1st followed by five on 22nd and lower numbers on a couple of other dates. There were daily common terns from 20th and 30 Arctic terns on 23rd with a few remaining until the following day. Four little terns were seen on 24th and a few delightfully elegant black terns passed through in small numbers towards the end of the month.
The first cuckoo was heard on 19th, and swifts turned up on the 25th. Hirundines (swallows and martins) passed through in small numbers as the month progressed. Single ring ouzels were seen on two occasions but the highlight of the month was the male white-spotted bluethroat found on the western edge of Hooker’s pits on the 8th.
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House martin - photograph by David Roche (all rights reserved) |
Following the first sedge warbler sighting on 31st March other warblers arrived in good numbers throughout April. The first dates were as follows: willow warbler (4th); reed warbler (9th); common whitethroat (12th); lesser whitethroat (21st). Single blackcaps were recorded on 6th, 8th and 22nd and a grasshopper warbler was heard near the Hanson-ARC hide on 26th.
A coal tit near Boulderwall Farm on 5th was an unusual record. Less unusual for the reserve were the tree sparrows now firmly re-established as a breeding species. In addition to the ten or more pairs in the Boulderwall Farm area there were regular sightings of a pair in the bushes near Hide 1.
Management news
Most of the month has been spent on monitoring work. Breeding birds have been surveyed, including ducks, great crested grebes, lapwings, wheatears, bearded tits, Cetti’s warblers, reed buntings and redshank. As with many sites and, as with previous years, there are gains (Cetti’s warbler), losses (redshank) and levels maintained (lapwing and mallard)! Other wildlife has also been surveyed, with our residential volunteers doing a lot of work on medicinal leeches and great crested newts.
As visitors will be aware, water levels across the reserve continue to be excessively high which, for some such as redshank and lapwing means good news, but for others such as our seabirds, there is much reduced island space for nesting.
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Great crested grebe |
RSPB Dungeness Nature Reserve
Tel: 01797 320588
mail: dungeness@rspb.org.uk
