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Bockhill Diary 2004 Observations in this diary are recorded by the Bockhill Bird Group: comprising John Cantelo, Heather Chantler, Jack Chantler, Phil Chantler, Steve Clinch, Richard Heading, Nigel Jarman, Richard Jenkinson, Tony Morris, Gerald Segelbacher, Brendan Ryan, Julian Russell, Simon Warry; and visitors.
Sunday 21st November 2004 With most of the group occupied birding elsewhere in the county ( namely waiting for the Lesser Scaup at Scotney to cross the Kent/Sussex border) nothing of note was recorded today.
Saturday 20th November 2004 Very cold today with the beach at Kingsdown producing the two birds of note. The first was a Woodcock flushed from the Holm Oaks on the beach itself which flew inland and the second was a Marsh Harrier flying in off the sea at midday.
Tuesday 16th November 2004 Very quiet today with the only highlight being three Swallows hanging around over Kingsdown Beach this afternoon.
Sunday 14th November 2004 The numbers of Snow Buntings are continuing to drop with only seven being seen in the Big Field today. A late Swallow and two Firecrests were seen in the area and a Little Egret flew past on the sea.
Saturday 13th November 2004 Those braving the cold today were rewarded with 10 Snow Buntings in the Big Field. In the Bay 21 Rock Pipits made a peak count for the month.
Friday 12th November 2004 The weather turned very cold today with light drizzle - not particularly enjoyable birding weather! The Snow Buntings were showing well in the Big Field and one could get very close to them without them flying - they simply crouched down and didn't move. Todays top count was 19 with one very nice male in that number. Elsewhere, in the Farm Wood a small party of Goldcrests and mixed tits showed well. In the hedges the numbers of thrushes feeding on the berries included good numbers of Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Redwing.
Thursday 11th November 2004 Again few birds with 130+ Blackbirds in the area and at least 25 Snow Buntings in the Big Field, although "Bird of the day" (according to Jack and Tony) was a sighting of Kaddy the weather girl on the beach!
Wednesday 10th November 2004 Few birds today, although one Brambling and this Mediterranean Gull were both pleasing on the eye. The green colour ring appears to be quite worn, suggesting that this bird is quite old?
Tuesday 9th November 2004 Very few birds today, the highlights being two Woodcock, one Firecrest, one Black Redstart and four Redpoll over. Monday 8th November 2004 Hard work today with few birds in the area. The highlights being one Black Redstart, three Firecrests, six Goldcrests, six Snow Buntings in the Big Field and at least 140 Blackbirds with a few other thrushes for good measure. Sunday 7th November 2004 The more northerly wind produced fewer birds than yesterday with one Lapland Bunting, seven Redpoll, two Siskins, 390 Starlings in off the sea and three Little Egrets south. Birds in the fields and bushes were generally scarce with just single Blackcap and Black Redstart, although the seven Snow Buntings in the Big Field showed well in the morning.
Saturday 6th November 2004 A light NW wind produced a good crop of birds today, the best being two Woodlarks, nine Snow Buntings, 46 Redpoll sp, eight Common Redpoll, 2 Twite and a very late Turtle Dove over. There were also three Firecrests, three Woodcock, four Black Redstarts, a Kingfisher in the Bay and an elusive Yellow-browed Warbler late afternoon in the Farm Wood. The addition of Twite and Kingfisher to the year list today broke our previous best year total...and it's only the beginning of November! Friday 5th November 2004 A much colder day today with a trickle of hirundines still going south - 17 Swallows and two House Martins. In the area the highlights were a single Firecrest and a single Black Redstart. Of general interest was the presence of a large cliff fall just north of Hope Point bringing the cliff edge within a few feet of the coastal path.
Thursday 4th November 2004 A quiet day with movements of thrushes and hirundines (57 Swallows, one House Martin moving south). Wednesday 3rd November 2004 Numbers of thrushes continued to increase today and there were small numbers of crests in the area - one Firecrest and 20 Goldcrests. also of note was one Swallow. Tuesday 2nd November 2004 The SE wind produced seven Swallows, three Firecrests and several Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and Fieldfares in the area. Common Frogs singing in the pool by the Farm were the non-avian highlight. Monday 1st November 2004 Several hours in the area produced one Chiffchaff, two Firecrests, one Crossbill and five Swallows. Sunday 31st October 2004 Today's moderate NE wind produced very little in the area with single Chiffchaff and Firecrest, although the sea was more interesting with six Velvet Scoter, two Red-throated and one Black-throated Diver and two Purple Sandpipers north, with small numbers of a variety of duck and wader species. A single Harbour Porpoise was also present near the shore. HEC/JRC/RNH/NLJ/AJM/BAR/SRW Saturday 30th October 2004 A light easterly wind produced a few more birds with 25 Redpoll, 56 Tree Sparrows, 18 Reed Buntings, three Ring Ouzels, 112 Blackbirds, five Firecrests, 72 Goldcrests, six Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, one Marsh Harrier and a single Egyptian Goose flying north! JRC/PJC/RNH/NLJ/AJM/BAR/SRW Friday 29th October 2004 Despite reasonable weather there were only a few notable birds with four Chiffchaffs, three Firecrests, four Goldcrests, one Ring Ouzel and one Woodcock in the area. Movement on the sea included a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver, 92 Common Scoter, 15 Pintail, six Wigeon, 66 Brent Geese and three Red-breasted Merganser, all moving south. JRC/PJC/RNH/AJM This Red-headed Chestnut trapped in St. Margaret's last night is only the 3rd or 4th Kent record in the last hundred years:
Thursday 28th October 2004 The best birds today were as follows: a single Great Northern Diver, one Marsh Harrier, one Black Redstart, two Ring Ouzels, 170 Swallows, four House Martins, four Firecrests, three Chiffchaffs, 54 Lapwing and 37 Golden Plover. PJC/CDP/RNH/AJM Wednesday 27th October 2004 Highlights for the day were three Ring Ouzels in the area, plus a few species moving on the sea, including 21 Brent Geese, 35 Shoveler, 50 Pintail, 85 Wigeon, four Little Gulls and single Arctic Tern, Knot, Arctic Skua and Red-breasted Merganser. JRC/PJC/AJM Tuesday 26th October 2004 An excellent day in the field with one Shorelark, one Snow Bunting, three Buzzards and three Ring Ouzels in the area, together with six Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap. There was also a good visible migration with 87 Tree Sparrows, eight Brambling, 25 Reed Buntings, 70 Stock Doves, 41 Golden Plovers, 400 Starlings and 12 Corn Buntings, with good numbers of finches also moving NW. Two "eared" Owls also came in off the sea but remained unidentified. A single Hooded Crow came in and sat in the Farm Wood before being chased off out to sea again by the local corvids. JRC/PJC/BAR/JSR Monday 25th October 2004 One Shorelark was still present in the Big Field, with 30+ Goldcrests, two Firecrests, one Wheatear, five Chiffchaffs, two Ring Ouzels and many finches moving through. JRC/PJC/BAR A non-avian highlight was this Dewick's Plusia trapped in Kingsdown last night:
Sunday 24th October 2004 Birds of note today were the two Shorelarks showing quite well in the Big Field, four Firecrests, a Black Redstart, two Tree Sparrows, several Corn Buntings and Redpolls and quite a good movement of finches and Swallows south. HEC/PJC/RNH/NLJ/AJM/CDP/BAR/SRW Saturday 23rd October 2004 The Serin was still present between the Farm Wood and the golf course and two Shorelarks were present this afternoon in the Big Field. JRC/PJC/RNH/NLJ/BAR/JSR/AJM Friday 22nd October 2004 Highlights today included three Shorelarks in the Big Field and a Serin in the area. HEC/JRC/PJC/AJM Thursday 21st October 2004 The best day this week with 12 Chiffchaffs, two Firecrests, single Woodcock, Black Redstart and Brambling, and two excellent Shorelarks in the Big Field this morning. JRC/NLJ/AJM/CDP/BAR Wednesday 20th October 2004 Despite very poor weather 60+ Goldcrests and a single Firecrest were in the Farm Wood, although there was very little else of note. JC Tuesday 19th October 2004 The only bird of note today was a single Pied Flycatcher. AJM Monday 18th October 2004 A slightly better day with a Firecrest, two Black Redstarts, one Woodcock, 30 Tree Sparrows, 11 Reed Buntings and eight Siskins; the latter being the highest count this autumn. Most noteworthy was an obvious movement of several hundred Red Admirals, many of which were seen "coming in" off the sea. JRC/PJC/AJM
Sunday 17th October 2004 A very slow day today with just two Ring Ouzels, single Firecrest, Short-eared Owl, Crossbill and Woodlark to brighten up the day, although 69 Tree Sparrows were noteworthy. JRC/PJC/RNH/NLJ/AJM/BAR/SRW Saturday 16th October 2004 Unfortunately most of the previous days birds had cleared out overnight with just a few remnants in the form of three Ring Ouzels, three Firecrests and one Short-eared Owl together with a big movement of hirundines. The aberrant Robin that caused some discussion on Kosnet a few weeks ago was still present and showed well around the monument. JRC/PJC/RNH/BAR/SRW
Friday 15th October 2004 What a day! The two Richard's Pipits were still in residence at Kingsdown, the Yellow-browed Warbler showed briefly near the village hall, a Shorelark flew in off the sea and was present in the Big Field this morning. Also present were four Redstarts, two Black Redstarts, two Short-eared Owls, 25 Tree Sparrows, a late Lesser Whitethroat and over 1500 House Martins moving south. Find of the day was however a superb PALLID SWIFT found by Phil Chantler just before 5pm over the Farm Wood which showed well before drifting towards Kingsdown Golf Course and then showed again there until dusk before flying low along the clifftop having been jinxed by a Sparrowhawk. JRC/PJC/RNH/NLJ/AJM
Thursday 14th October 2004 (National Radde's Day!) Unfortunately today did not live up to expectations, although the two Richard's Pipits were still showing very well all day in Kingsdown. Here is a photo of one of the birds, and a photo of the other bird can be found on the highlights page:
Other highlights today included a Lapland Bunting flying around the pipit field, at least 15 Firecrests around Bockhill and good numbers of Swallows moving south. NLJ Wednesday
13th October 2004
We then walked the whole clifftop to the Monument and the rest of the area. Over 30 Firecrests were seen with a flock of 10 together in the Farm Wood , five Ring Ouzels and 12 Chiffchaffs. NLJ
Tuesday
12th October 2004 Monday
11th October 2004 Sunday
10th October 2004
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