Wednesday 31 December 2014

Suddenly some activity!

With the new patch being 'unreportable', things to put on here have been a bit scarce to say the least! A couple of visits back to Sissinghurst have yielded the usual suspects which included a couple of flyover SISKIN a week or so ago, a bird that I haven't seen mentioned much this winter and a wintering BLACKCAP in the garden of our house Boughton Monchelsea has been nice.
Anyway to the activity on the 28th Dec I headed to Chilham to look for the GREAT GREY SHRIKE. It was in it's favourite bush by the  when I arrived around 8am and stayed in view moving to the hedgerow by the playing field for most of my time there, eventually I left around 11.30 having thoroughly enjoyed my few hours watching the bird. It was generally not close enough for any meaningful photos but when it was hunting it did come a little closer on one occasion.
Monday 29th, I picked up Stephen and we headed to Pett Level, the LESSER YELLOWLEGS was soon located but distant and among the Greylags there were about 7 WHITE FRONTED GEESE. A walk round Castle Water at Rye was very pleasant, at least 3 MARSH HARRIERS were very active a SMEW was in amongst good numbers duck which also included a few PINTAIL. Stephen picked out a GREAT WHITE EGRET from the viewing ramp in with some sheep and a couple of LITTLE EGRETS. Next stop was Scotney gravel pit, we couldn't find the Scaup but did find the 2 BLACK NECKED GREBES at the far side of the pit. Soon we were along the Dengemarsh Road watching the long staying CATTLE EGRETS, a few photos later and we checked in to the RSPB reserve, here we added GOOSANDER, more SMEW another GREAT WHITE EGRET and BLACK NECKED GREBE. A search across the marsh proved fruitless for Bean Geese and Bewick's Swans but it was as I always say great to be out on such crisp clear winters day.
Finally the 30th saw me on the new patch nothing out of the ordinary was noted but I had a slight mission that I wanted to get a half decent KINGFISHER pic having been watching the area nearly 6 months I had a spot in mind to set myself down for a while, the results are below. After getting a few pics news of a Little Bustard on East Guldeford levels came through and I was soon out with Stephen again searching the marshes a 6 mile walk and 3 hours or so later we admitted defeat, highlight on the walk was probably the 480 GOLDEN PLOVER near the wind farm and the odd MARSH HARRIER. Hopefully someone will have better luck in the coming days.















Thursday 30 October 2014

An unexpected day out 25/10

Waking early Saturday and checking that there weren't any pressing chores to do!, had me thinking where could I go, Yellow Billed Cuckoo? Surf Scoter.. Norfolk??? I'm not as adventurous as I used to be so settled for a day on Sheppey, always a favourite of mine.
Arriving at the NNR reserve at around 7.15am, the gate was locked but the sign said open at 7am I decided to climb the stile and walk a 100yds down the track and watch the sunrise, whilst waiting for the reserve to open, I was kept company by a couple of REED BUNTINGS and a STONECHAT. A KINGFISHER called several times and my first BRAMBLING of the autumn flew over calling and heading south-west. An early Buzzard drifted through the mist and a Fox was very active hunting in the long grass. The gates eventually opened at 8am by which time I had racked up nearly 30 species.
Along the entrance track more Stonechats were seen plus at least 6 MARSH HARRIERS. Several people were looking for the Long Eared Owl/s in the orchard but it or they were not roosting in sight. From the screen on the bank a flock of AVOCET were added and further along the track I heard the 'ping ping' of BEARDED TITS which drew my attention, and a nice male showed well with others moving around in the background.
Before heading towards the hides a brief stop and chat with another birder, who had just had a WHEATEAR in the fields, this prompted a quick scan which found 2 birds, one of my latest sightings. A hundred plus GOLDEN PLOVER dropped into the fields while I was here, another the first of the autumn for me.
I then did something I don't remember doing before, I walked to Spit End, as the tide was coming in, there were plenty of waders and several Marsh Harriers to be seen, the highlight though was a PEREGRINE taking a wader from the many gathered at the waters edge, may not have been a highlight for the wader though! On the long hike back I stopped in South Hide where there was not a single wader to be seen despite the tide being a fair way in.
Next stop was a short drive and a brief look at the sea at Leysdown not much doing apart from the odd TURNSTONE, so on to the raptor watchpoint along the road from Capel Fleet, I sat and had a quick coffee listening to Liverpool struggle against Hull, when two birds flew by which turned out to be a Marsh Harrier chasing a SHORT EARED OWL, I could just watch these birds for hours, I parked at the edge of one of  larger passing spaces and waited the bird came passed on a number occasions in lovely light, I can never get exactly what I am after but below are some of the images I got, probably as good as I have had of these great birds so far. The final highlight was a ring tail HEN HARRIER that a couple of guys had been watching which I picked out flying next to the SEO, which had moved closer to Capel Fleet, a really enjoyable day out, always better when unexpected :-)

Male Bearded Tit

Turnstone








Short-Eared Owl - overload


Sunday 5 October 2014

A Week off work and to date

With nothing planned I wasn't sure what the week would bring but a couple of local walks and a couple of days each in Devon and Hampshire were pretty pleasant. Good weather nice scenery and a few birds nothing spectacular just some nice stuff during the w/c 22nd Sept.
The local walks were one around Hollingbourne which produced 2 WHINCHAT, 2 STONECHAT and 2 HOBBY, consistent at least also loads of SWALLOWS, HOUSE MARTINS and MEADOW PIPITS. Then a second walk a little further from home but just into East Sussex at Rye Harbour was fairly quiet although CURLEW SANDPIPER was nice and 3 RUFF dropped in. A small flock of Brent Geese were on the flooded beach with several LITTLE GREBE diving around them.
An early start on the 24th saw us in Devon for 9am not much doing GREY WAGTAIL at Cockington was the highlight, we then headed to Berry Head for some reason the Gyrfalcon I've seen a picture of many times over the years wasn't there! not to worry a WALL BROWN butterfly and a pod of about 8 COMMON DOLPHIN were enough to keep me entertained as was a call that I'm pretty sure was Cirl Bunting that I heard as I got out of the car. Again plenty of Pipits, Swallows and Martins were around and a few CHIFFCHAFFS. Onto Becky Falls and the first DIPPER of the trip plus a HOBBY, next stop was the hotel in the middle of nowhere at a place called Portsmouth Arms where the Northcote Manor Hotel was set in lovely grounds with views to Exmoor from the croquet lawn! The next day we walked A bit of the river Lyn with more DIPPERS, GREY WAGTAIL, BUZZARDS and RAVEN. The way back to Lynmouth along the coastal path we found several STONECHAT and a fine PEREGRINE sitting resting on the rocks. The last morning in Devon we walked near Saunton Sands, I was surprised to find 4 DARTFORD WARBLERS on the peninsula above the Saunton Sands Hotel.
After the walk a 3 hour drive to the New Forest was uneventful and we were ready to explore a bit more the following morning. A walk the hotel recommended to us which was very disappointing as I hadn't realised it actually took us out of the forest, which was surprising with all that forest they advertised as being through their garden and straight into it!
A second walk in the afternoon, this time of our own choosing was more productive, a few DARTFORD WARBLERS again, plus CROSSBILL many SISKIN, loads of SWALLOWS, MARTINS and PIPITS still. A group of FALLOW DEER were the first I've seen for several years. The last day away we headed for Acres Down here we had STONECHAT, BUZZARD (6+), WOODLARK and best of all GOSHAWK, we saw 2 and apparently they are doing quite well the first was very distant and the second a silhouette much closer but even so still great to see.
Becky Falls



Dipper

Lynmouth

Small Copper

Croyde

Saunton Sands - Devon

Acres Down - New Forest



So holiday forgotten and a busy week at work, the new patch got neglected. A short visit Saturday the 4th didn't produce much a COMMON SANDPIPER was still around the GREYLAG GOOSE flock was up to maybe 150 or so birds a couple of EGYPTIAN GEESE were also around and a few CHIFFCHAFFS called. Also there were 4 TEAL and a female TUFTED DUCK.
This morning a GREEN SANDPIPER replaced the Common and several KINGFISHERS hovered and whizzed around, 20 LAPWINGS flew south and a flock of 12 TEAL flew east. The highlight came when I heard a familiar call I looked up and a BEARDED TIT flew over it went down in some reeds not far away, I was lucky to see it again and get a couple of record shots before it continued on its way, a brilliant surprise and hopefully not the last, the patch moves to 91 species since 4th July.

Bearded Tit - new to patch today

Bearded Tit again

Monday 8 September 2014

A few recent pics

The new patch continues to produce new birds, 4 GADWALL were new on Wednesday this week when there were 2 GREENSHANK, 2 GREEN SANDS and a COMMON SAND, unfortunately my visit was just 20mins so who knows what else was around. Sunday morning I added MEADOW PIPIT as the autumn the first signs of autumn movement for this bird, there were also 3 YELLOW WAGS, 2 GREEN SANDS, COMMON SAND, 3 EGYPTIAN GEESE, at least 3 KINGFISHERS and loads of CHIFFCHAFF, I tried hard but couldn't find any Pied Flys or anything else different. Also added Sunday was a WATER RAIL, a bit earlier than I would expect at Sissinghurst.
Talking of which a couple of recent visits have produced SAND MARTIN, WHEATEAR plus yesterday HOBBY, YELLOW WAGTAIL and TURTLE DOVE.
Below are a few various pics from recent walks around Kent.
Squirrel in Twisted Hazel

Common Tern

Greylag Geese

Strange Fuschia pic!

Southern Hawker

View from the White Cliffs

Silver Spotted Skipper

Reed Warbler

Monday 4 August 2014

Pastures new

Finally I have just a few moments to just to say I have moved from Sissinghurst to Boughton Monchelsea. I have managed to find a new patch but it is private and the owners aren't too keen on news coming out about what is there, which I will respect. This does give me quite a dilemma as I enjoy attempting to chronicle what I see. So far it has been very productive with 77 species since July 4th, so I will keep watching, as I think the potential is good for an inland site. I'm hoping to aid Don Taylor, (not that he needs my help :-) ) once we get things sorted in the new house, on his patch some weekends as access for me at the new patch is not as easy at the weekend.
I will do the odd post of any birding/mothing type things I do and I will have to come up with a different title for the blog, so watch this space for sporadic posts!!!!!!!!!!!!
A few random photos taken recently

Small Tortioseshell

Great Crested Grebe

Tree Lichen Beauty from the new garden

Small Ranunculus from the new garden

Monday 26 May 2014

Back on patch and a photography present :-)


Pictures first for a change :-)

Swallow

Garden Warbler

An intent looking Little Owl

Large Red Damselfly

Mediterranean Gull
The patch has been neglected over the past couple of weeks, so the list has no doubt suffered, I know I have missed another Red Kite at least! I did manage to add 4 HOUSE MARTINS (82) at the end of a guided walk back on the May 12th. Since coming back from Suffolk, I have managed a couple of walks, a CUCKOO (83) calling early on the 23rd was good, I was starting to wonder if I would get one on the patch this year. On Saturday from the house a couple of MEDITERRANEAN GULLS flew north and seemed to go down nearby. A walk Sunday morning produced 47 species which included KINGFISHER, LITTLE OWL, COAL TIT, a singing REED BUNTING. I also came across a family of NUTHATCHES and found a second nest with young in being fed regularly. The highlight was finally finding SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (84) although just one which is slightly worrying as we normally have at least three pairs here. There were a few Damsels and Dragons around, Beautiful Demoiselle, Blue tailed Damselfly, Large Red and Azure as well as well as a Four Spotted Chaser and several Downy Emeralds. Butterflies were scarce though with  just an Orange Tip, Brimstone and about 4 Common Blues. Back at home and 11 MED GULLS dropped into a field opposite us giving a chance for a couple of pics.

On Friday I attended a photography course that my Wife bought for me for my birthday back in December. The course was on how to take pictures of birds in flight and how to set-up etc.. It was a really enjoyable day and not sure how much I retained from the day but certainly it was good practice and I did use a different set-up to the one I normally use and will give it a go in the coming weeks. Here are a few results from the day......