Outdoor Meeting - Saturday 4th February 2006

New Hythe

I hoped that someone would join me on the KOS walk round New Hythe on Sat. 4th. There was the usual ad in KOS News and I put something on kosnet. There were 2 early phone calls, so I would not be alone. Further calls and emails meant that we would have enough for a football team; by Friday evening I even had a full subs bench. I arrived to find that we would be able to field 2 full sides. There were plenty of experienced and eager eyes, most of which saw most of the best birds on the 4 and a half hour, 5 mile circuit. The weather was milder and brighter than we had experienced on the last 3 chill and raw days. The Ferruginous Duck missed the chance to perform before a mass audience, but seemed to prefer the comfort of the reeds. The Long-tailed Duck was more obliging and we all enjoyed good views of Wigeon, 45 Shoveler, loads of Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, Green Sand, 2 Kingfishers, 4 Mistles and 4 Siskins. Some saw Goosander and Little Egret in flight. An adult Argentatus Herring Gull was perhaps the most unusual bird. A few hardy souls with hardy soles went with me round the Lunsford circuit in the afternoon and were rewarded with BN Grebe, Smew and another Sparrowhawk. No one got lost, fell in anything or broke anything, because, being KOS members, they were too sensible. Between us we recorded 55 species, but no Cetti’s.

Martin Coath