Double D

Saturday, October 10

 

The Den and Dungeness

A straightforward journey down yesterday afternoon, marred by the inability to access the property until after 7 due to Covid cleaning rules. The instructions also said that the owner would  meet us on arrival and hand over the keys. As instructed, I phoned him - twice - to inform of arrival time, and had to leave a message on both occasions. Hm. No-one to meet us and it was pitch dark. I eventually phoned the letting agency and they gave us the number of a key safe. We were in, but too late to put the moth trap out.

I later received a text from the owner, saying that it had been a long day and he was just home. Information in the cottage brochure said that occupants would no longer be met as Covid distancing could not take place in the cottage. Fat lot of use when the letting agency's information is different.

 

The cottage is lovely, and very well and tastefully, furnished and equipped. But... it's tiny. The whole of the bedroom/living room/ kitchen area would fit into - with room left over - the lounge of the Yorkshire cottage. We soon got used to it, finding spots to stash belongings, bags etc.

A very leisurely start to the day. Dungeness is only a 25  minute drive away across Rhomney Marsh. The marsh is famous for its sheep grazing land, criss-crossed by rivers.  

I also noticed several impressive white-painted clapboard houses, reminiscent of the USA's east coast. No sign of any of the 14 quirky churches said to be around. Edith Nesbit, author of the Railway Children, is buried in one of the churchyards.

Dungeness is a place like no other. A wilderness of shingle, shrubs, stunted trees and houses, the Atomic Power station and a lighthouse dominating the view. The track out to the Observatory takes one past the very popular Fish Shack and the Britannia Inn. Both were crowded and the roadsides full of parked cars.

We left it all behind to take a small track around the power station to the end house of a terrace which look like old Lighthouse worker cottages. At the edge of the dunes and shingle, it's in a prime position for netting migrant birds and for trapping moths. 

 

 

An empty Robinson trap against the outside wall, one enters via the side gate. Pam went to investigate and was made very welcome by one of the Obs staff, who produced a potted Palpita Vitrealis, our first of the year, a very green Red/Green Carpet and a Yellow-line Quaker. Not a vintage catch, nor was to-day's netting catch. Siskin, Goldfinch and Redpoll. They were trapping Firecrests but not for two days. When told that we would probably visit most days, he volunteered to keep the best moths for us to see. Thank you.

On the drive back, we were able to pause so that I could snatch some photos of Prospect Cottage. It was the home of filmmaker Derek Jarman (1942-1994) who made a garden that fitted into the landscape. The garden is open to all who wish to wander through as its no longer a private home but publicly owned.

 

Driving onto the RSPB reserve through shingle banks and scattered vegetation, we came upon a mass of  Greater Black-backed Gulls loafing about, distantly. This gives one an idea of the terrain.

 

Dungeness RSPB Centre is still closed due to Covid restrictions. Voluntary staff are set up outside under a small awning, checking membership, dispensing advice etc. As Blue Badge holders we are allowed to drive round, but only one of the three hides is accessible as it's both big enough for distancing, and the many open windows  produced a whistling through draught to-day.Very little to see here, Mallard, Wigeon, Shoveller, Gadwall, Tufted ducks, Teal and Coot.

On to view the cows on a farmer's field near the entrance gate  where Cattle Egrets had been reported. We tried hard two years ago to see this species here and failed. To-day we succeeded. Five Cattle Egrets were feeding very actively amongst the cattle. Never still, always distant.

 

A Great White Egret flew in. 

The light became even worse, and it started to rain. We drove 'home'.