New for the year - Sun!!

Poor attempt at an early Buzzard!

What a gorgeous morning, still slightly windy but it didn't detract from the mornings viewing. Today started as yesterday finished with two Buzzards flying across the entrance road also here were Snipe and Kestrel, I tried a couple of photos but the light wasn't great, just before 8am. I met up with Stephen and we added 3 Cormorants and 2 Little Egrets flying over fairly high also a Redpoll and a Meadow Pipit called as we passed the vegetable garden. I headed for the lake there was a nice flock of around 50 Siskin by the lower lake but there was nothing actually on the lake, Long Tailed Tits, Marsh Tits and Goldcrests were all busy feeding in the same alders as the Siskins.

Just some proof of the sun.

I left the woods behind and started walking the fields, I heard what was probably a third Buzzard of the morning, it circled the wood and drifted north. It felt almost spring like especially when several Skylarks burst into song, there were about 15 in all. A Yellowhammer flew up from by the stream, the first for a week or so and a Reed Bunting called from one of the hedges. Probably like alot of birders I almost constantly scan the skies, especially as raptors are one of my favourite groups of birds, this paid off again this morning when I saw 6 LAPWING (68) heading across the edge of the estate coming from the Frittenden direction. I think doing this blog has actually made me go out on to the patch a bit more than usual, so far the results have been noticeable, lets hope it carries on!! I met up with Stephen again who had seen possibly a fourth Buzzard of the morning perched in trees along the stream around the same time I'd been watching the last one drift away. I managed to see a Sparrowhawk as I made my way to the top of the fields then spent some time taking in the view, there were lots of birds flying about, mainly distant gulls and good numbers of thrushes, 44 species for the morning was about average.