KOS 12th Jan Dungeness field trip (1 Viewer)

Hi all,

Mike Roser and myself will be leading a KOS field trip at Dungeness on Saturday 12th January.

This is free to all and not just KOS members.

Please meet at the ARC carpark for 09:30am. This car park is opposite the entrance track for the RSPB reserve. Worth arriving early and spending some time in Hanson Hide where 7+ Great White Egrests have been seen.

As usual, I will be scrutinising the gulls, but Dunge invariably turns up other good sps for the start of the New Year and past walks have turned up Glaucous Gull, Waxwing, Caspian Gull, 4+ Bitterns and memorably 3000+ Red-throated Diver in one hour....

It's an all dayer so please wrap up warm and bring lunch and a hot drink.

Hopefully see some of you then.

Warm regards, Andy Lawson.

Recommended! It should be a good day, Andy ...... and if anyone wants to get to grips with some of those pesky gulls Tittletattler's your man!. I'll try to get there, but I fear it's unlikely due to other committments that w/e
See - http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=247219 - (Post 9) for bare details of a recent visit,

John Cantelo said:

Recommended! It should be a good day, Andy ...... and if anyone wants to get to grips with some of those pesky gulls Tittletattler's your man!. I'll try to get there, but I fear it's unlikely due to other committments that w/e
See - http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=247219 - (Post 9) for bare details of a recent visit,

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Thanks John.

It does promise to be good and even the long range weather forecast looks kind!

Cheers, Andy.

Hi all,

Weather looking OK for Saturday with a NE breeze forecast and a small chance of occasional drizzle. Perfect for seeing birds at the fishing boats and on the Reserve especially as the threat of fog seems to have gone.

Be great to see as many faces as possible on Saturday whether they be hardcore larophiles or beginners.

My missus broke my flask yesterday so if somebody could bring a spare cup and share their coffee, that would be much appreciated.

Andy.

tittletattler said:

Hi all,

Weather looking OK for Saturday with a NE breeze forecast and a small chance of occasional drizzle. Perfect for seeing birds at the fishing boats and on the Reserve especially as the threat of fog seems to have gone.

Be great to see as many faces as possible on Saturday whether they be hardcore larophiles or beginners.

My missus broke my flask yesterday so if somebody could bring a spare cup and share their coffee, that would be much appreciated.

Andy.

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I'm afraid I can't make it, Andy - pity as I'd be happy to share a flask of coffee. Don't forget, though, that the RSPB Visitors' Centre has a machine that makes very good coffee at a bargain price.

John Cantelo said:

I'm afraid I can't make it, Andy - pity as I'd be happy to share a flask of coffee. Don't forget, though, that the RSPB Visitors' Centre has a machine that makes very good coffee at a bargain price.

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Might not be a bad thing John:

KOS walk Saturday 12th Jan.

OK.......

The weather is now looking rough on Saturday with the likelihood of a strong easterly wind and rain.

For me, this is perfect and I'd certainly consider a sea watch at Dunge or a river watch on the Thames in this weather. Grebes, ducks, divers etc should be heading our way and who knows what else.

What I should say though is that the field trip should now only be for the seriously hardy. It will be bitterly cold and wet by the looks of things and the rain could turn to blizzard like snow.

If you do come along, please wear thermals, have a waterproof coat at least (ie, and also trousers, shoes etc) hat, hot drink especially if we watching from the fishing boats for any length of time. The weather might also not be ideal for those using just binoculars.

Best to be honest, I reckon.

Cheers, Andy.

tittletattler said:

Might not be a bad thing John:

KOS walk Saturday 12th Jan.

OK.......

The weather is now looking rough on Saturday with the likelihood of a strong easterly wind and rain.

For me, this is perfect and I'd certainly consider a sea watch at Dunge or a river watch on the Thames in this weather. Grebes, ducks, divers etc should be heading our way and who knows what else.

What I should say though is that the field trip should now only be for the seriously hardy. It will be bitterly cold and wet by the looks of things and the rain could turn to blizzard like snow.

If you do come along, please wear thermals, have a waterproof coat at least (ie, and also trousers, shoes etc) hat, hot drink especially if we watching from the fishing boats for any length of time. The weather might also not be ideal for those using just binoculars.

Best to be honest, I reckon.

Cheers, Andy.

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Well, I hope that the weather moderates for Sunday as I'm working on the reserve on the 13th!

John Cantelo said:

Well, I hope that the weather moderates for Sunday as I'm working on the reserve on the 13th!

Click to expand...

Gets worse mate :t:

Hi all,

Just to reiterrate, the field trip tomorrow is really best suited to the hardy, almost trainspotterish minded birders (ie, like me). It will be hard work in the forecast conditions. But the rewards could be worth the suffering. This from the Obs latest sightings:

"10th Another excellent morning for birds feeding and moving around offshore with estimates of 8000 Razorbills and 3000 Guillemots, 250 Red-throated Divers, at least 2000 Great Crested Grebes, 250 Kittiwakes, two Mediterranean Gulls and 5000 Black-headed Gulls. A check of the bushes produced two Woodcocks, a Mistle Thrush and 21 Siskins.

9th A superb morning with the number of birds feeding offshore continuing to increase with conservative estimates of 18000 Razorbills and 12000 Guillemots, at least 2000 Great Crested Grebes and 250 Kittiwakes and a few other bits of interest including five Pintails, three Gadwalls, a Velvet Scoter, an unusual easterly movement of 504 Oystercatchers, a Great Skua and three Mediterranean Gulls. "

From the Reserve:

"10 January
Smew (4 redheads one drake); Goldeneye; Bittern; Great white egret; Kingfisher; Chiffchaff; Goldcrest (x4); Firecrest (x2)"

It must be good as Dave's never used the word 'superb' before!

I love it like this but it's not so pleasant if you're cold and wet! I've got a crew of three top drawer birders coming with me so that everything is identified correctly .

Please join us, but be prepared!

Cheers, Andy.