More patch visits

I have managed a couple of patch visits since my last post and added a couple of nice birds, firstly a WOODCOCK was flushed on Friday (17th) afternoon, just before I came across a smart COMMON REDPOLL and then a male PEREGRINE flew south west as I watched over 450 COMMON GULLS going the same way as it got to dusk.

A short visit yesterday morning added 15 GREYLAG GEESE heading north and a single SISKIN plus another interesting Redpoll which I couldn't decide if it was Common or something else. A KESTREL was also new for the patch year list.

This morning started well with a BUZZARD by the car park and then great views of the FIRECREST, unfortunately not in the best light as I could only get around 1/30th of a second exposure even on ridiculously high ISO, which was shame but I certainly enjoyed watching the bird feeding out in the open for about 5 minutes or more. In the wood a nice flock included 2 MARSH TIT, 1 COAL TIT, 10+ BLUE TIT, 2 GREAT TIT, 12 LONG TAILED TIT, 3 NUTHATCH, 2 GOLDCREST, 2 G.S. WOODPECKERS and 3 TREECREEPER, which kept me entertained for quite a while, further on in the wood another smaller flock included the bird I was really looking for LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER  (57), I managed a couple of shots but despite good light the bird seemed determined to stay in the shade most of the time!

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

First real patch visit

After some busy weekends and bit of birding elsewhere I finally got to the patch this morning, what a great morning to be out too, with sun and hardly any wind. I started by checking if there were any Snipe around, I didn't find the hoped for Jack but was happy with 7 COMMON SNIPE, also here were the first of 8 BULLFINCH seen today. Moving up to the car park I managed to find a couple of GREENFINCH. FIELDFARE and REDWING were in evidence all morning, as were a handful of LESSER REDPOLL also seen flying around. Heading to the lake a NUTHATCH called and I heard a crest call, which I was sure was a FIRECREST, eventually it gave itself up, a really great start to the year on the patch, it was forever on the move but I did manage a couple of shots. In the woods I added MARSH TIT, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST and COAL TIT. In the fields there were 23 MEADOW PIPIT, 6 SKYLARK, 4 YELLOWHAMMER, a REED BUNTING and a couple of LINNET. A COMMON BUZZARD flew west and a GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL flew north, not the most common of the gulls here. Finally a LITTLE OWL called and a SPARROWHAWK shot across the lane as I headed home. I finished on 47 species which makes 49 for the year, as I popped in late on Friday to listen for TAWNY OWL, which did call, I also had the bonus of a calling WATER RAIL then as well!

Blue Tit

Firecrest

Firecrest

Nuthatch

Interesting Redpoll - Hemsted Forest, Kent

On Thursday 9th this bird was found by Steve Broyd and subsequently Stephen Message, who got several video grabs as follow here. Any comments are welcome, I'm hoping there will be plenty of opinion.
The bird was seen close to where the Crossbills have been being viewed from, where everyone stood to look at the Oak and drinking pool just take the next left turn and head down the dip until it levels out and view the alders in that area.

Sheppey and Oare

Still neglecting the patch a bit at the minute, with busy weekends and work but a couple of days out over the last week were very enjoyable with generally calm days and a bit of brightness thrown in.
Saturday we arrived at Elmley at around 7.15ish the entrance track produced a couple of BUZZARD, BARN OWL and a possible MERLIN, with good numbers of CURLEW and LAPWING present. A brief stop at the farm found at least 2 BARN OWLS in residence in the owl box also 2 PEREGRINE were stationed on gate posts to the north of the car park, we scanned for SEO in the rough areas but with no success there were a few MARSH HARRIERS though, also just a lone BLACK TAILED GODWIT was in the pools again north of the farm buildings. As we left Elmley a small covey of GREY PARTRIDGE were viewable in fields near the entrance to the reserve. Next stop was Shellness point via Muswell Manor a good flock of finches was near the barn at Muswell including good numbers of GREENFINCH and CHAFFINCH, it was nice to find 1 BRAMBLING in amongst the flock. Shellness point was really quiet the sea/swale was a long way out, we did add the expected waders KNOT, BAR TAILED GODWIT, SANDERLING to name a few but no sign of any Snow Bunting. The high and lowlight of the day was firstly watching a MERLIN chasing a Pipit then landing not too far away for brief scope views then later it was seen on one of the posts on the saltmarsh, as we were leaving the drama unfolded as 2 PEREGRINE drifted over and started harassing the MERLIN, it took flight and within 50 yards or so 'BANG' it was in the talons of the larger female PEREGRINE, I've rarely seen Peregrine actually take a bird but for it to take the Merlin was certainly not what we were expecting at all! Our last stop was the raptor view point we gave it a good go but didn't really add many species a couple of GREEN  SANDPIPERS were whizzing around and another MERLIN sat for a while without incident, 73 species at the end of the day was nice as it seemed a quiet day at times.
On Tuesday this week Dad and I went to Oare Marshes, the water levels understandably high after the recent conditions. There were several Ruff on the west side as we drove up to the car park, we spent the first 5 minutes just watching from around the car park a WATER RAIL was seen disappearing into a ditch next to the approach road and REED BUNTINGS were very evident, as was the explosive CETTI'S WARBLER announcing its presence nearby The light was superb as we walked the sea wall towards Dan's Dock, the were good numbers of COMMON SNIPE and CURLEW, a BUZZARD was seen on the south side of the reserve and the odd MARSH HARRIER commuted across the Swale. After a quick bite we headed to the sea wall hide there were lots of DUNLIN and REDSHANK, with a nice gathering of 94 AVOCET at the mouth of Faversham Creek. 1 CORN BUNTING flew up from the saltings along the east path and there were 20 or more PINTAIL scattered around the east flood with more of both TEAL and SHOVELER also present. Another enjoyable day 64 species and a misty drive home.

Reed Bunting

Avocet

Dunlin

Redshank

Reed Bunting

Shoveler

Marsh Harrier

A Weekend in Suffolk

Visiting friends in Suffolk is always a treat and some nice weather this weekend meant some good walking was to be had. I was hoping to get a few pics of Red Deer which can be seen around Westleton and Dunwich heaths. There weren't many birds around but after a while we did find around 6-8 DARTFORD WARBLERS a couple of crests and 2 COAL TITS on Dunwich Heath, none of them wanted to stay put for long, I managed to add LESSER REDPOLL, BRAMBLING and MEADOW PIPITS flew over. FIELDFARES and REDWINGS were sparse with only 3 REDWING and about 15 FILEDFARE seen all weekend.
We found Red Deer on both days but just one of them let me close enough for some pics, the rest were a fair way away. Here are a couple of pics from the weekend.

Green Wood on our friends lawn

Red Deer 'teenagers'

Red Deer

Red Deer, looked at us now and then whilst eating

Coal Tit

'Coal Tit finds caterpillar'

More Crossbills

A beautiful morning yesterday (Saturday 16th) saw me heading to Hemsted Forest for only the 4th time, in recent weeks, hoping to get a few pics of either the Two-barred Crossbill or a maybe a Parrot Crossbill. On my own for the first few minutes I enjoyed brief views of a 1st year male PARROT CROSSBILL and managed a couple of quick photos. It flew before the first birders arrived. A young PEREGRINE came and landed on the edge of the clearing and with no Crossbills for a short time I headed over to get a couple of shots, before reaching the Peregrine a dozen or so Crossbills flew almost over my head and landed in the favoured Oak. One slightly buzzy call drew my attention and there was the TWO BARRED CROSSBILL, I took more shots but was really the wrong side of the tree but did have some excellent views of the bird, I didn't really check the other Crossbills much as I was enjoying views of the Two Barred, I went back and joined the few gathered birders and found that at least one Parrot was also in that small group. The Crossbills put in several appearances in my two and a half hour visit giving flight views and different calls to try and decipher. Here are a few pics from the visit.

Early Parrot Crossbill

Two Barred and Common Crossbill

A couple more of the Two barred

Three species of Crossbill together

Three species together again

Not sure what's happening to Blogger this picture doesn't want to appear at the end of the blog as intended!!

Last Parrot of the morning for me

After visiting Hemsted, a quick walk round the patch at Sissinghurst didn't really produce a lot but 3 COMMON BUZZARDS were nice and one came close enough for a pic.

This morning was very grey and drizzly but it was brightened by the appearance of my first FIRECREST (103) of the year excellent, there were around 200 BLACK HEADED GULLS in the field s but despite a long search I couldn't find any Meds. I'm hoping for a clearer morning in the week and hopefully relocate the Firecrest for a couple of pictures.

Finally a post!!

After nearly two weeks of man flu! and some poor weather in the mornings, I got out this morning for an hour and it was a beautiful morning. I didn't see a lot, about a dozen SKYLARK came up from the field, while this years piglets decided to follow me thinking I had their breakfast. FIELDFARE, REDWING, REDPOLL and SISKIN were around in small numbers and a male SPARROWHAWK drifted low over the trees in the lovely early light. The new pond did have 2 MALLARD on it, again the light illuminated the drake wonderfully, I don't think my photo does it justice but it was worth a go. (click for larger image)

Hopefully I'll get a decent walk in at the weekend or another look at Hemsted.

We have lift off!