Bring me Sunshine!

I heard the first few birds singing as I was getting ready from about 6.30 this morning, I arrived at 7am, after a little bit of defrosting, me and the car. There was only a hint of mist here and there, otherwise it was a refreshing clear start. A Goldcrest was calling in the car park and 2 crows sat facing away from eachother looking like they'd had a domestic!  A couple of Great Spots drummed and at least 3 Green Woodpeckers were calling from their respective corners of the estate. Still the finches are flying out on their way to feed and still for me, the Redpolls are not playing ball. A Grey Heron fished from the walkway between the two lakes

A light mist over the top lake

Just after I took this picture I headed back up towards the castle and saw 4 larger birds coming from over the wood, these turned out to be GREYLAG GEESE (72), a bird which has become a bit more regular in recent years. A couple of Stock Doves called and a Nuthatch was busy in a nearby oak. Out in the fields the Skylarks, about 5 of them were really enjoying themselves filling the air with their song, a Mandarin flew over the alders along the stream and another single Yellowhammer came out of the freshly butchered hedges, I say butchered, I'm not sure what the correct term is they are not exactly pruned back these days, maybe flailed is a better word! There were good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfares this morning and 5 Greenfinches were near the car park.

A Blue Tit surveying the recent hedge flailing

Dunnocks were in good voice this morning

I think they thought I had food!

Back to the Patch

Two days without visiting the patch and I sort of missed it!! and I think that's sort of worrying! Anyway this morning was again windy but dry, Siskins and Redwings were heard throughout the visit as were a couple of singing Song Thrushes, I headed passed the lake and into the woods, there were loads of Blue Tits and a few Long Tailed, I did heard one Marsh Tit a Jay as well as couple of Treecreepers. Then a familiar honking call was heard as a CANADA GOOSE (71) flew over, my first new species on the patch since Jan. 25th. It was still a struggle to find much this morning but a Yellowhammer came up out of the winter wheat, I also stood and watched as a Skylark in full song gradually made his way higher and higher unperturbed by the strong wind, most impressive!

This was taken on a brighter day! and is where I found my only Long Eared Owl for the site a few years ago.

Birding elsewhere

I didn't manage a patch visit this weekend but was out birding all day Saturday and had a very brief excursion to Dungeness on Sunday. Four of us set out to east Kent on Saturday, we started at Stodmarsh and did a quick stop in the first hide then walked to where the boardwalk takes you back through the wood. Surprisingly there were good numbers of Marsh Harriers in the air from the hide battling the wind, possibly 6-8 birds in all, a Cetti's Warbler called from near the hide and small parties of Gadwall were dashing to and fro'. In the wood, Siskins were the order of the day with several flocks possibly totalling 100+ birds a few Goldfinches were mixed in and a Treecreeper and Great Spotted Woodpecker also showed briefly. After Stodmarsh we headed to Pegwell Bay hoping to meet the incoming tide, which worked out well, there were really good numbers of waders and gulls, a Merlin reported earlier didn't re-appear during our visit but the constant activity of the waders kept us interested, there were alot of Bar Tailed Godwits, the most I've seen for sometime and a couple of Black Tailed were also seen one close to the hide. I did have a glimpse of a bunting dropping in, infront of the hide which was almost certainly a Lapland but it didn't show itself again. Our final stop was Grove Ferry here we added the first Pintail of the day from the ramp and 2 Hen Harriers both female heading towards Stodmarsh. It was a tricky day in the constant wind but it was good to be out and be in good company.
Sunday, really was a brief stop at Dungeness, I stopped three times for a quick scan and managed to see 6 Bewick's and 9 Smew, including a stunning male, the third stop for Glaucous Gull was unsuccessful. I couldn't really have expected much more!

Just a quick post

What a difference a day makes, in the words of Randy Crawford (and various others!), mind you the whole week has been fairly changeable. The light didn't get much above gloomy this morning but one of the first birds that went whizzing through, possibly wind assisted, was a male Kestrel. Which so far has been seen about the same amount of times as Peregrine this year. After a good selection of finches yesterday, Bullfinch, Linnet and Chaffinch were the only ones noted today. A Grey Heron was at the lake and a couple of Treecreepers called from around it. Finally, a few Fieldfares and Redwings looked like they were heading out to a nearby orchard, maybe 30-40 in all.

Feb. 3rd

The lightest morning so far and the birds seemed to be enjoying it as much as I was. I think someone had turned up the volume on the birdsong CD, there was plenty to listen to. The lake was busiest and it is where I spent most of my time. It wasn't busy on it but around it, Siskins were everywhere again, there were more Redpolls around today but I only managed to get good views of about 3 birds unfortunately none were Mealy. Probably the highlight was a Brambling calling as it flew over as there haven't been many around here this winter. A Sparrowhawk was over the wood again but didn't cause much panic in the smaller birds today. Five species of Tits were seen, Coal Tit being the one that is normally hardest to find. The ever present Treecreepers and Nuthatches were joined by a Goldcrest to add to the liveliness of the scene.

Raining Catkins!

A couple of Chaffinches deciding where to go next.

The walk back to the car park included a flyover Yellowhammer, lots of Chaffinches and a few each of Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Linnet. Pied Wagtail is starting be around more in the last few days, after being difficult to catch up with in previous weeks. Dad managed to see Little Egret this morning while he was out.

Misty Morning

We seem to get quite a few misty mornings at the castle, it can be clear at home, about 1 mile away and often misty at the castle, I think it's just to do with the stream running through and temperature etc.. Back to this morning or actually a brief visit in darkness last night. I thought I would listen again for Owls on the way home, I stood for about 40 minutes just listening. Apart from the distant drone of traffic and the odd closer car passed in the lane, it was fairly quiet. There is something almost therapeutic about being out in the dark, especially as it was a very calm evening. I did hear a Snipe at about 5.50pm and another fast flying something a couple of minutes later! A scan round the field with a very average torch did produce a couple of eyes shining back at me on one occasion, a Fox, I would imagine, eventually a Tawny called at around 6.10 and I headed home.
This morning then, as I say it was pretty misty, the Dunnocks were singing well and a Mistle Thrush sang from a stand of aspen. Three Robins chased round the car park and a Green Woodpecker called almost non-stop for the 40 or so minutes I was there. The lakes weren't giving anything away and the usual Siskins and the odd Redpoll were calling as they went over. A few Redwings were feeding in the field near the moat and 5 Blackbirds were gathering the last scraps of rotting fruit under a small apple tree, fairly uneventful really but there is always tomorrow. Stephen got a few pics of the Mealy Redpoll from yesterday, so I've included them here.

Stephens shots of yesterdays 'Mealy/Common'

New month new birds?

I seemed to be ready earlier today but still arrived at the castle at 7.10? Anyway it was almost like a Jekyll and Hyde scenario as I got out of the car, yesterday it was pretty noisy this morning there was hardly any song to be heard, it did start up as I made my to the lake. There were at least 3 different Bullfinches calling and just the odd Fieldfare and Redwing going over. I heard Redpolls going over on at least 6 occasions but none stopped. The Heron flew off the lake again as I approached and just 1 Moorhen appeared and no Mallard this morning, I always get my hopes up when nearing the lake, one day there'll be something else there, I'm sure. I continued through the wood and had 4 calling Nuthatch and 3 Treecreepers, Siskins were in evidence again mainly heard and not seen. Walking along the stream I could hear Long Tailed Tits and maybe 3 Jays a couple of Green Woodpeckers also had their say. Since Warren, of the Pittswood patch blog, had mentioned finding Bluebells coming through, I've been keeping an eye out to see when ours were visible and today there was one coming through by the stream. Once in the fields a single Skylark called and there were a few Goldfinches feeding in some alders.One Black Headed Gull patrolled the winter wheat. I headed back to the car park adding Linnet and Greater Spotted Woodpecker and a couple of immature Herring Gulls, the final turn back to look across the fields revealed a further 16 Black Headed Gulls had arrived but little else, a Greenfinch called in the car park as I reached the car. So no new birds for me today but a creditable 36 species in under an hour. Later I got a text from Stephen, he had managed to track down a flock of 12 Redpolls that contained a Common/Mealy Redpoll, a well deserved find as they have been giving him and me the run around this winter. This is the 73rd species recorded at the castle this year.

A murky view across to Park Field