December 2008 Sightings         

Please email your sightings to Andy Lawson

If you live, or for that matter visit, any site in North or West Kent then I would be delighted to hear from you! Sightings would be appreciated from Sheppey in the North to Dartford & Tunbridge Wells to the West and then back to Maidstone in the East.

Wednesday 31st December Dartford

Cold snaps are always good for the patch watcher and today was a case in point.  The first 'frozen' field had 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Green Sandpiper and 22 Pied wagtail.

Dartford Marsh was alive with thrushes and finches with good numbers of Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Fieldfare.  A Little Egret flew over the old pig farm.

The Thames had 1000+ Dunlin.  I had just counted to 550 when something spooked them and many flew east.   48 Ringed Plover and 62 Redshank were noted but best of all was a Knot that flew up off the mud on the Crayford side and flew east.  6 Yellow-Legged Gulls were present: 3 adults, a 3rd winter, a 2nd winter and a 1st winter.  An adult Med Gull was present for a short while.  12 Gadwall flew over as did two Shoveler whilst 30+ Wigeon were on the other side of the river.

A frost free Littlebrook held 42 Tufted Duck and 2 Pochard which was a little disappointing considering that many other bodies of water locally were frozen.  A drake Pintail must have heard me complaining as it duly swam out from the reeds before disappearing back into them again.  My first drake away from the Thames. (Andrew Lawson)

Tuesday 30th December Cliffe RSPB

A visit to Cliffe today between 10.30am and 2pm produced good numbers of all the usual duck, including 20 goldeneye.

Waders included green sandpiper (2),  greenshank (3) , avocet (7) and  and black tailed godwit(100).

Raptor highlights from the Black Barn Mound were a female merlin and, shortly afterwards, 3 short eared owls in the air together being mobbed by a crow.

(Russell Brockett)

Tuesday 30th December Bough Beech

Unfortunately I dipped alot of birds at BB today.
I missed the following: male Hen harrier that flew through, 2 White-fronted geese and 1 Peregrine. I couldn't find the Bearded tit, but others did see it. The Great-northern Diver was still in residence, 8 Goosander, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Sparrowhawk, 20 Mandarin, c45 Lapwing over, 1 male Tawny Owl calling!, 2 Nuthatch and 3 G S Woodpecker.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Tuesday 30th December Swanscombe

My car told me that it was -1C as I arrived at Swanscombe and it felt like it as I walked out to the frozen pools. 13 Water Rails were recorded including 9 showing on the pool south of the Eurostar tunnel and another 4 on the pool to the north of the tunnel.  Of the 9 birds, 5 were feeding together around the stream that flows into the pool.  Water Rails are not particularly tolerant of each other and they frequently fought, chased and squabbled.  Except, that is, for my chum 'Godwitrail' who was once again out on the middle of the pool forcing is head through the ice and feeding with two Black Tailed Godwits.

7 Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper and 7 Lapwing were also feeding around the stream whilst 32 Teal and a Little Grebe rested on a small unfrozen section of the pool.

The Water Pipit was once again showing well on the Northern Pool but the highlight were at least 2 Bearded Tits which I heard five times but, alas, didn't see.  This is only the 2nd time I've recorded Bearded Tit here with the last record being 20 odd years ago.  As I scanned the reeds for the Bearded Tits I notched up 10 Reed Buntings.  A dozen Song Thrush were present as were 14 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing.  21 Stock Dove and 3 Cetti's warblers were also present. 

Post script:  Later in the day, whilst waiting at the traffic lights at Stone (adjacent to the Dartford Tunnel toll booths), I was amazed to see a Bittern flying south overhead.  Luckily I had my bins next to me and I quickly got onto it before it disappeared and just before the lights changed!

(Andrew Lawson)

Monday 29th December Leysdown, Sheppey

went to Sheppey yesterday and saw 5 snow buntings on the beach near the car park just south of Leysdown

(David Taylor)

Monday 29th December Haysden

I started at Hawden (-2o) where there were a record 60 Wigeon. Pochard were recorded on all three main lakes and a single Wigeon was on Barden where there were also four Redpoll and eight Skylark flew north. Just one Kingfisher this morning, in the Shallows, one Egyptian Goose, today at Haysden, a Little Egret east along the river and the usual Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Bullfinch and a couple of Mistle Thrush.

(Andy Appleton)

Sunday 28th December Haysden

I passed a few Bullfinches as I walked through the car park area; before I got to the top of the flood-barrier five or six Waxwing flew low east, I could just hear a short trill above the vehicle noise before they disappeared behind the A21 and I could get a decent look at them - I turned around immediately but despite searching never came across them again and doubts started entering my mind and so, although pretty certain they were Waxwing, I won’t be counting them as a patch tick - next ones could be a long wait! After that little else noted but colour was provided by Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher.

(Andy Appleton)

Sunday 28th December Bough Beech

A quick hour at the res this afternoon produced the juvenile Great-northern Diver still present and showing very well, the female Bearded tit in scrub inbetween the Oast and the Roy Coles Flood, also showing very well. On the feeder there was no sign of any brambling but a Marsh tit was present and at least 10 Pheasant feeding underneath. A lone Snipe was on north lake with plenty of Teal, B H, Common and Herring gulls. A few Gadwall and about 60 Pochard were on the south basin.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Saturday 27th December Knole Park, Sevenoaks

A brief family walk in Knole Park produced two Stonechats - male and female - by the keeper's cottage.   

(Dave de Silva)

Saturday 27th December Vinter's Park

A nice little grebe, one heron and 13 mallard in Vinters Park yesterday, but little else.

(Bill Stoneham)

Boxing Day Wouldham

There were 4 Waxwing on the west bank of the river today, feeding on hawthorn berries and rose-hips, and looking very dapper in the bright Boxing Day sunshine.  Meanwhile there were 10 Curlew and a Common Sandpiper along the river, single Little Egret, Water Rail, Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail on the marshes north of the village, and a male Blackcap and up to 3 Siskin in my front garden, the last having only recently discovered the nyjer feeders and started providing some competition for the regular Goldfinch flock.

(Ian Shepherd)

Christmas Eve Sevenoaks KWT

To note that I logged the following at Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve this afternoon:

Teal 50

Gadwall 6

Tufted Duck 20

Pochard 20

Shoveler 6

Kingfisher

Blackheaded and Common Gulls many

Lesser Black Backed Gull

Snipe 5

Cormorant 10 

However, the highlight was a flock of 12 Dunlin which circled the main East Lake a couple of times before briefly settling on an island and then disappearing. I have seen Dunlin over the years at Sevenoaks but never this many at once.

(Russell Brockett)

Tuesday 22nd December Wouldham

My second new house tick for the year was seen late this morning in exactly the same area as the first (ie, October's Red-backed Shrike), and took the form of a female Waxwing perched on top of a hawthorn bush on the west bank of the river where it passed several minutes and quite a few digested berries.  There appear to be plenty of hips and haws left on the bushes in this area, so hopefully it will decide to stick around here for a while.  Alternatively there are still some berries on the Cotoneaster in my front garden (just a short flight across the river), which it is welcome to come and try before the local Blackcap finishes scoffing the lot!

(Ian Shepherd)

Tuesday 22nd December Sevenoaks KWT

I was on the reserve for 4 hours this morning and managed a total of 59 speices, I could have got over 60 if sparrowhawk, fieldfare and redwing had shown themselves but they didn't!
123 Siskin, 26 Robin, 70+ Blue tit, 18 Great tit, 10 Canada goose, 4 Greylag, 77 Lapwing, 3 Mute swan, 2 Nuthatch, 7 Jay, 68 Tufted duck, 36 Gadwall, 110 Coot, 24 Moorhen, 5 GSW, 3 Grn Woodpecker, 10 Redpoll, 27 Chaffinch, 3 Dunnock, 27 Blackbird, 22 L T tit, 4 Pied wagtail, 2 Wigeon, 6 Shoveler, 42 Teal, 23 Snipe, 13 Pochard, 1 Shelduck, c300 B H gull, 10 Common gull, 19 Cormorant, 13 Wren, 15 G C Grebe, 4 Little grebe, 2 Water rail, 2 Herring gull, 36 Crow, 6 Jackdaw ( would have been this number x100 when they leave roost!), 50 Woodpigeon, 13 Magpie, 1 Treecreeper, 4 Song thrush, 2 Bullfinch, 4 Stock dove, 3 Mistle thrush, 3 Goldfinch, 1 R N parakeet, 5 Starling, 1 male Kestrel, 2 G Heron, 1 Kingfisher, 15 Feral pigeon, 2 Pheasant, 2+ Goldcrest, c30 Mallard, 1 ad L B B Gull, 1 Grey wagtail, 1 Greenfinch and 1 Collared dove.
Nearby, opposite the Beadle garage in Otford there were 2 Little egret.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Monday 22nd December Bough Beech

Of interest this morning were the Great-northern Diver still present on the south basin, plus 8 Goosander there ( 2M, 6F) female Bearded tit by the oast house showing very well and calling, 1 Brambling on the feeders, 1 Water rail, 3 Snipe, 1 Skylark over, 2 Goldcrest, 3 G S Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Reed bunting, 8+ Mandarin and 2 Redpoll over.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Sunday 21st December Cliffe RSPB

One female Hen Harrier flew low across the Bay heading out towards Cliffe Fort 08.00am

(Adrian Rough)

Sunday 21st December Haysden

I couldn’t find the Firecrest that had been seen this morning, but did see two drake Shoveller on Longfield Lake, four Little Egret, a couple of Kingfisher, 12 Pochard, a load of Tufted Duck and some Wigeon on Haysden Lake as well as Marsh Tit and as it got dark the Cetti’s Warbler gave a quick burst of song again.

(Andy Appleton)

Saturday 20th December Grain 

Power Station  Outfall  &  Smithfield  marsh. 15.15 to 16.15 hrs. 4/8 cloud, SW 3,  12.5  oC at 15.00  hrs. HT 18.45 hrs. Roosting  waders at PS. Outfall on the rising  tide. There  was  just  enough  time  to  see  the  Brent  &  Sanderling  on  the  rising  tide  with the  tideline  c. 100 metres from the promenade to the south of  the outfall, all the Brent  &  Sanderling  were  present.

    Grey  Heron -  1. 
    Cormorant -  4. 
    Brent  Goose,  D / B,  460,  all  adults. 
    Peregrine -  1  on  PS.  chimney. 
    Sparrow hawk -  1  hunting  the  hedges  of  Smithfield  marsh  at  dusk.
    Sanderling -  117,  feeding  to  south  of  groynes,  later  most  roosting  with  other  waders.
    Grey  Plover -  4  roosting  on  groynes  with  other  waders. 
    Knot -  1,  as  above. 
    Purple  Sandpiper -  2,  as  above.  
    Redshank -  47,  as  above. 
    Turnstone -  18,  as  above. 
    Grey  Wagtail -   1  recently  in  grass  bungalow  field   adjacent  to  Smithfield  marsh, no  doubt attracted by muck spreading last week, kindly  donated  by  local  Water  Buffalo. 
    Cetti’s  Warbler -  1 singing to west of road near bollards, Smithfield marsh.    (Janet & Trevor Bowley)

Saturday 20th December Sevenoaks WR & Bough Beech

I spent part of the morning and afternoon at sevenoaks WR and of note during my visit were: 5 Little grebe, 43 Snipe, c50 Siskin, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 3 G S Woodpecker, 1 Grn Woodpecker, 18 Cormorant, 2 Mute swan, 1 Bullfinch, 3 Grey heron, 8 Pochard, 1 Wigeon, 60 Tufted duck, 56 Teal, 34 Gadwall, c480 Lapwing, c350 B H Gull, c25 Common gull, 10 Herring gull, 1 L B B Gull, 1 G B B Gull, 6 Shoveler, 1 Stock dove, 4 Canada goose, 6 Greylag, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Mistle thrush, 1 Song thrush, c20 Redwing, 2 Treecreeper, 1 Kestrel, 3 Jay, 1 Grey wagtail and 17 G C Grebe.
The afternoon at bough beech produced 1 Mediterranean gull ( 1st winter), the juvenile Great-northern Diver still present and showing well, 5 Snipe, 6 Goosander ( 3M, 3F) and c600 Jackdaw roosted.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Saturday 20th December Dartford Marsh, Broadditch Pond & Swanscombe

22 Yellow Legged Gulls were loafing on the Thames foreshore at Dartford amongst the LBBS, GBBS and the dozen or so Herring. 

Domestic duties saw me driving past Broadditch Pond and I was pleased to note that I didn't even have to drop below 40mph in order to see the Fabricated Tick, whoops, sorry, I meant to say Falcated Duck!

On to Swanscombe. Really growing on me this new look Swanscombe is.  The southern wader pool is looking very good at present and four day feeding Water Rails agreed with me. These birds are amazing and with a bit of patience, a decent DSLR could blow them away. Two of the birds were feeding very close to the path which is essentially the same spot that I took the photo at the top of this page.   The other two birds were feeding along the right hand edge of the pool along with 2 Green Sandpipers and a Water Pipit.  The latter is a 'pool tick' for me.  Water Pipits can be found in their ones and twos on the Thames foreshore but this is the first one I've seen on these pools.  It later flew to the Northern Pools.

Another 'Pool tick' was a single Dunlin although this bird had a broken leg that stuck out at right angles from its body.  3 Black-tailed Godwit, 48 Teal, 24 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, 4 Stonechat, 2 Redpoll sp over & 22 Chaffinch and a Brambling were also logged. Very pleasant.

(Andrew Lawson)

Thursday 18th December Knockholt nr Sevenoaks

A walk up chevening lane near ' The Three Horseshoes' pub  which produced the regular Buzzards, with 3 seen circling above; also here were 1 male Yellowhammer, 1 Grn Woodpecker, c100 Crow, Jackdaws, a few Herring gull over, 1 G S Woodpecker, 2 Coal tit and 1 ad G B B Gull flew over south, surprisingly a bird that has eluded me for the patch until today!

In the fields by New Stable Farm were c30 Fieldfare, c50 Redwing, 2 Mistle thrush, 2 Grn Woodpecker, just 1 Skylark, c15 Goldfinch, c25 Starling and the usual Ring-necked parakeets were calling somewhere.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Wednesday 17th December Sheppey & Bough Beech

Of interest on this sunny but very chilly day were 2 ringtail Hen harrier, 7 Marsh harrier, c1100 Golden plover, c20 Corn bunting, 16 Reed bunting, c10 Linnet, 2 Kestrel and 2 Short-eared owl. Numbers of marsh harrier were probably higher, but we didn't stay until dark to check out the roost. Also good numbers of Chaffinch, Fieldfare, Redwing and House Sparrow.

Spent a while at Bough Beech reservoir in the evening where there were at least 13 Goosander including some stunning males; also 10 Mandarin, 3+ Snipe, 45 Cormorant, c150 Jackdaw to roost and c7000 B H gulls to roost. The Great-northern diver was seen by others.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw and Graham Nicholls)

Sunday 14th December Conyer

At Conyer on Sunday 14 December I had 3 Waxwings ( 2 over to West and another feeding in the scrub area). Also one Long Eared Owl.  

(John Tilbrook)

Sunday 14th December Sheppey

Out for the duck count with Peter Oliver to-day we finally caught up with the Rough-legged Buzzard. We had a good view of it on a bush under Harty Hill. From there it flew off high towards the prisons and should have given a lot of watchers along the road a sighting. Later we saw it sitting in a very small bush perhaps a mile west of Capel Corner where it stayed for about 2 hours. It looks like a juvenile to me.
We also saw 4 Hen Harriers, 3 Common Buzzards, 3 Peregrines and 2 Merlins. There were 13 Bewicks Swans [4 juveniles] in the big flock of Mute Swans towards Bells Farm, some Bearded Tits in the Fleet and 2 Bramblings at Mocketts Farm. I just missed the Bittern in Capel Fleet.

(Dick Elvy)

Sunday 14th December Yantlet  area,  Stoke  Lagoon  &  Grain  Marsh

09.00  to  14.00  hrs.   8/8  cloud,  calm,  later  N  2.   3  oC  at  08.30  hrs.  later  3.5  oC  at    14.30  hrs.  WEBS  &  LTC  completed  from  the  headland  east  of  Allhallows  to  Yantlet    Estuary  only,  between  09.00  to  10.00  hrs.  A  typical  dreary  December  day.       

    Great  Crested  Grebe -  3  swimming  offshore  Y.  est. 
    Little  Grebe -  3  SL. 
    Red  Throated  Diver -  1  swimming  offshore  Y.  est.    1  west  upriver. 
    Little  Egret -  17,   3  off  headland  &  4  Y.  est.  -  LTC.  Dispersed  to  Y.  creek  &  s/m  & Yantlet sluice fleet. Later  8  SL  &  2  along  fleet  north  of  SL. 
    Cormorant -  6  Y.  est. 
    Heron -  1  Y.  creek,  1  SL. 
    Canada  Goose -  2  SL. 
    Brent  Goose -  13   swimming  offshore  Y.  est.     40  flew  upriver. 
    Mute  Swan -  61,   37  SL.   6  Y.  sea  wall  fleet,  3  Y.  sluice  fleet,  6  flew  to  Gm.  inc.  22  y.
    Shelduck -   124,   50  SL.   17  Y.  creek,  &  51  Y.  est.   Also  6  flew  upriver.   69  LTC. 
    Wigeon -  3  Y.  est  &  1  SL.   3,  8  &  20  flew  upriver.
    Gadwall -  3  SL.   16  swimming  offshore  Y.  est. 
    Shoveler -  2  Y.  sluice  fleet.   7  flew  upriver. 
    Teal -  1  SL.  32  Y.  sluice  fleet.   18  flew  upriver. 
    Red  Breasted  Merganser -   1  ad.  dr.  flew  upriver. 
    Marsh  Harrier -  2  ff.  types  NTY  +  JRS  in  view.   1  imm.  SL. 
    Oystercatcher -  1560  Yb.    540  LTC.    
    Grey  Plover -  65  Yb.   27  Y.  creek  roost.   14  LTC. 
    Ringed  Plover -  8  Yb. 
    Lapwing -  210  over  Gm.   140  east  from  Lower  Stoke,  dropped  into  NTY  area. 
    Dunlin -  140  LTC.   110  Y.  creek  roost. 
    Knot -  650  LTC.  All  flew  NW  to  Essex  to  roost. 
    Redshank -  140  LTC.   110  Y.  creek  roost. 
    Bar  Tailed  Godwit -   1  Y.  sea  wall  roost  with  Curlew. 
    Black  Tailed  Godwit -  41  resting  Y.  est.  LTC.    Same  at  roost  Y.  sea  wall  with  Curlew.
    Curlew -   290,   125  LTC.   220  over  Gm.  to  roost  Y.  sea  wall  where  65  present.  
    Turnstone -  60  LTC.   46  Yb. 
    Bonxie -  1  east  downriver  at  10.35  hrs. 
    Stonechat -  1  pr.  in  field  to  north  of  SL. 
    Snow  Bunting -  9  sea  wall  near  stones,  unusually  spiralled  up  to  join  a  circling  flock  of  BH.  Gulls  high  overhead.
    Yantlet  sluice  water  level -  1.40  metres

(Janet & Trevor Bowley)

Sunday 14th December Swanscombe

My three year old had a party to go to in Greenhithe so after dropping him and the other half off I headed down to Swanscombe for last knockings.

Goldcrest, GSW, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush and Green Woodpecker were calling as I got out of the car and the first of five Cetti's Warblers logged started singing.

The Southern pool had 7 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 2 Green Sandpiper, 15 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Snipe whilst the Northern pool held 15 Teal and 3 more Shoveler and singles of Tufted Duck and Little Grebe.

Several Reed Bunting were calling and a few Mipits headed over as did a dozen or so Pied Wagtails.

As it got dark, the first of at least five Water Rails started calling.  To be frank, there could have been 10+ Water Rails as there was more squealing going on than in 'that scene' from the film 'Deliverance'. One bird decided to emulate the Godwits and headed out to the middle of the Southern Pool and then stuck its head under the water.  Two other birds also ventured out with one at the back of the pool and another which chased the original bird and forced it to utter a call I don't think I've heard before and I would describe it as a loud pitched piping call of about 3 or 4 notes. 

(Andrew Lawson)

Sunday 14th December Sevenoaks KWT & Bough Beech

I spent the morning at Sevenoaks WR and of note were: 1 Grn Woodpecker, 4 GS Woodpecker, c100 Siskin, 10 Lesser redpoll, c25 L T Tit, 3 Little grebe, 34 Snipe, 74 Teal, c250 Lapwing, 33 Cormorant, 13+ Gadwall, 43 Tufted duck, 7 G C Grebe, 11 Canada goose, 6 Shoveler, 2 Water rail, 6 Jay, 1 Mistle thrush, 6 Redwing, 1 Greylag, 2 Song thrush, 3 Grey heron, 1 Grey wagtail, 1 G B B Gull, 4 Pochard, 1 Sparrowhawk, c20 Goldfinch, and 1 Bullfinch.
Then the afternoon at Bough Beech produced 1 Great-northern Diver still, 2 Goosander, 3 Redpoll, 3 Brambling, 1 fem Reed bunting, c40 Fieldfare, 12 Canada goose and 22 Greylags. Others saw the Bearded tit as well.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Sunday 14th December Barming, nr Maidstone

Single Hawfinch showing welI on and off in Barming Parish Playing Fields (off South Street, Barming, Maidstone) this afternoon. Quite flightly but associating with a flock of Greenfinches that are feeding in the field maples on the eastern side of the playing fields (where houses back onto). Appears to be dropping down to feed on the ground at the base of these trees occasionally, mixing in with Fieldfares. Also seen perched high in silver birch by Pavillion. Please respect residents privacy!!!!! I seem to be having unbelievable luck with this species this year!
(Adam Whitehouse)

Saturday 13th December Sheppey

A while on Sheppey was fairly productive;
Along the Harty Ferry road and Capel Fleet area were 15+ Marsh harrier, a ring-tail Hen harrier, 1 Little egret, Lapwings, Redwings, Fieldfare, Blackbirds, Pheasants and Red-legged partridges. On the saltmarsh by the Ferry Inn there were c100 Shelduck that were soon disturbed by 2 more Marsh harriers and a Kestrel.
At Warden bay, there was a smart male Stonechat in the small car park there, a few Turnstones, Sanderling, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Curlew were on the beach along with many gulls.
At Leysdown, a few Meadow pipits about calling and a Rock pipit on the road near ' The Retreat' Ice-cream parlour, where there were snow buntings not long ago, though no sign of these. In a flooded meadow further along the road, were 5 Sanderling, 5 Turnstone, c20 Redshank, c30 Golden plover, 5 Curlew, a few Dunlin and about 20 Mallard.
Another afternoon check of Capel Fleet as it was getting dark revealed nothing, suppose it was too wet for owls.
Thanks
(Josh Jenkins Shaw and Graham Nicholls)

Saturday 13th December Hawley & Dartford

December + wet weather + other halfs wanting to shop = a brownie point day; a time when birders start to replenish the brownie point barrel that has been drained, scraped and generally been given a good kicking during the migrant/rarity laden months of September, October and November.  So myeslf and James decided to take our 3 year old terrors to some 'wear 'em out' type place in Greenhithe. 

On the way home, a mile away in Dartford, we visited Foots Cray Meadows (Sidcup) where the Woodlarks were, alas, not on show.  We also drove back through Hawley, an old stomping ground of mine, where we noticed all the Pigeons taking to the air along with swirling Starlings and a few corvids.  Sure enough, a Peregrine veered up in front of us; a large, pale adult female complete with a prey item held firmly in its talons. Also on the way home, we visited Dartford Marsh where 2 Barn Owls were on show. 

I think my other half is buying me a Satnav for Christmas......

(Andrew Lawson)

Friday 12th December Conyer

Checking the hawthorn scrub 3 Great Spotted woodpeckers and 2 Green Woodpeckers showed well along with Long-eared Owls; 4 moving deeper into the bushes and 1 staying to give good views.

Walking to the seawall 14 Blackbirds and 26 Goldfinches flew up. On reaching the seawall overlooking the Swale, the mudflats were starting to uncover as the tide went out: 6 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Great Creasted Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 1 Eider, 1 Little Egret, c 1000 Wigeon along with c 1000 Dunlin, c 500 Knot, 38 Grey Plover, 22 Curlew, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, 35 Redshank and 71 Avocet were seen. Checking the grazing marsh 3 Marsh Harriers quarterd the grassland. Moving back through the hawthorn scrub 1 Long-eared Owl was still in view and c100 Fieldfares flew into roost, a Sparrowhawk flashed overhead and a Goldcrest with 9 Long-tailed Tits rounded of the visit.

(Dave Perrin, Dot Addley & John Burton)

Friday 12th December Cliffe RSPB

Great trip to Cliffe today in the frosty sunshine. Great Northern Divers (2) on Alpha Pool and the Spoonbill easily seen on Ski pool. Plenty of Goldeneye including Drakes on Flamingo, and a confiding Kingfisher, buzzing up and down next to Ski and Radar Pools. Lots of Fieldfare and Redwings as well.  2 Greenshank on Flamingo, along with quite a few Pintail.

(David Payne)

Thursday 11th December Haysden

Duck at Hawden this morning included 32 Wigeon, nine Pochard and six Tufted Duck. A Barnacle Goose was also noted, plus Treecreeper, Goldcrests, Fieldfare, etc

(Andy Appleton)

Wednesday 10th December Sheppey

It was a beautiful clear and sunny morning at Shellness with excellent visibility but the wind backed round to WNW by 9 am unfortunately. However Divers were quite active and I saw 87 during the morning most were distant but I could identify 15 Red-throats and 1 Black-throat. There were also 5 Little Gulls, 2 Eiders and a Razorbill. The most interesting bird was a Smew moving NW, quite unusual at Shellness. Over the marsh I could see 580 Brent Geese on the Harty wheat field and just make out the Hooded Crow in a bush on the edge of the reserve and there were also a Buzzard and a Peregrine.
Along Harty Lane 2 Buzzards, 2-3 Peregrines, 2-3 Merlins, 2-3 Hen Harriers, 6+ Bewick Swans and 26 Ruffs but I missed the RLB. In the evening 2 S. E. Owls at Capel Corner.

(Dick Elvy)

Tuesday 9th December Sheppey

On Tuesday 9th Dec we had a full days birdwatching on  Isle of Sheppey. At 7am we saw male & female Hen Harrier by the harbour (Ferry inn car park),  we got loads Marsh Harriers, 1 Merlin & S-E-Owl at Capel Fleet.  At 1pm we went to Shell Ness right at the end of the dodgy road by cottages we found a flock 30-40 snow bunting on the beach. A great day had by all!

(Don, Bob & Noel from Surrey)

Monday 8th December Wouldham

The main highlight on the patch this morning was a Long-eared Owl perched in a bush near the river in full view.  I had more or less given up hope of seeing this species locally this year, having failed to find it at the traditional roost site for the past two winters.  Other species noted today were 5 Little Grebe, 7 Curlew and a Common Sandpiper along the river, plus 2 Stonechat, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 3 Siskin on the adjacent marshes

(Ian Shepherd)

Sunday 7th December Cliffe RSPB

2.00 - 4.00 p.m.   Visit to Cliffe Pools in frosty but fine, bright conditions - perfect winter weather. Looked for Dartford Warbler which had been recently sighted in scrub near viewing mounds. No sign of this, but excellent views of Short-eared Owl hunting in scrub between Hope Mound and sea-wall - a bird that usually eludes me on visits to Cliffe so very satisfying. Apparently, there were two around earlier in the day.  

(Alan Lean)

Saturday 6th December Haysden

18 Little Egret left the roost this morning and a Little Grebe argued with a Great Crested Grebe on Longfield Lake at first light. Eight Pochard this morning - three drakes with 27 Tufted Duck on Haysden, a female with 80 Tufted Duck at Barden and four birds on Hawden. A male Sparrowhawk drifted across Hawden, four Wigeon flew in and several Common Gulls were present. Nuthatch, Bullfinches and Siskins all seen today, Long-tailed Tits seemed to be everywhere as did Goldcrest, although in smaller numbers.

(Andy Appleton)

Saturday  6th December Grain

Roas  Bank  west  to  London  Stone, -  LS,   Deep  Pit, -   DP,   North  Level -  NL,   Grain  &  Lees   Marshes,   GM  &  LM.   BTO  Winter  Thames  LTC.  &  BTO  Atlas  TTV.  for  TQ  87  U   completed.   11.00  to  16.00  hrs.  4/8  to  0/8  cloud,  cold  NW  3,   5  oC  at  10.30  hrs.   LT  11.45  hrs.    Another  fine,  clear,  sunny  day  but  hard  work  in  a  cold  NW.      

     Little  Grebe -  17,  inc.  7  DP.   10  in  sea  wall  fleets  along  NL.  
     Cormorant -  10  along  tideline. 
     Gannet -  1  ad.  west  
     Little  Egret -  9,  inc.  1  ne.  Roas,  2  LS,  2  sea  wall  fleets  along  NL,  4  GM. 
     Spoonbill -  1  imm.  flew  NW  overhead  over  DP  at  15.30  hrs.  unbelievable  luck. 
     Brent  Goose -   124  Roas,  later  several  flocks  arrived  from  Minster  area  as  yesterday,  late    
     pm  on  the  rising  tide.   
     White  Fronted  Goose -   9  arrived  from  the  NE  &  flew  SW  into  the  Medway.   
     Mute  Swan -  29,  inc.  15  DP  after  a  flock  of  9  Swans,  only  1  imm,  flew  south  past  the   sand  dunes.    Also  1  pr.  with  7  y.  GM  &  1  pr. with  3  y.  at  ne.  corner  of  NL.
     Shelduck -  138,  inc.  12  Roas  &  126  LS. 
     Wigeon -  42  DP. 
     Gadwall -  67  DP.
     Shoveler -  2  dr.  DP. 
     Tufted -  9  DP. 
     Coot -  34  DP. 
     Moorhen -  2  DP. 
     Marsh  Harrier -  1  2nd.  CY  m.  NL  &  GM. 
     Oystercarttcher -  2110.  Also  several  flocks  arrived  from  NE  Essex  &  flew  SW  into  Medway.  
    late  pm.  on  the rising  tide. 
     Lapwing -  1  Roas,  1  LS. 
     Ringed  Plover -  1  Roas. 
     Grey  Plover -  78  Roas. 
     Sanderling -  2  Roas. 
     Dunlin -  825  Roas. 
     Knot -  61  Roas. 
     Redshank -  55  Roas.  
    Curlew -  188  Roas. 
    Black  Tailed  Godwit -  2  feeding  at  reedy  edge  to  sea  wall  fleet,  LM. 
    Turnstone -  29  Roas. 
    Black  Headed  Gull -  520  Roas. 
    GBB  Gull -  126  Roas. 
    Herring  Gull -  157  Roas. 
    Stonechat -   f.  LM.    m  at  DP.  bollards.         

Spoonbill -  On  our  return  visit  to  Deep  Pit,  an  imm.  Spoonbill  flew  over  to  the  NW,  passing  overhead   at  15.30  hrs.  Much  longer  &  straighter  wings  than  a  Little Egret, diagnostic bill & black primary tips, otherwise all white  plumage.                                                 

(Janet & Trevor Bowley) 

Saturday 6th December Whetsted nr Paddock Wood

An afternoon visit to whetsted produced the following on the pits: On Pit 1, coming in the direction of Hartlake road; 3 Little grebe, 6 Mute swan, 6 Tufted duck, 2 G C grebe, a few B H Gulls and Coots.
On Pit 2; 4 Mute swan, 1 G B B Gull ( flew up and the flew North), 30+ Gadwall, 2 Pintail, 3 Shoveler, 2 G C Grebe, 30 Tufted duck, 30 Cormorant, 3 Black swan, 6 Little grebe and 6 Teal.
On Pit 3, the furthest easterly one; 20 Gadwall, 10 Tufted duck, 1 G C Grebe, a Moorhen, Coots and Mallards.

(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Wednesday 3rd December Halling

After an hour at Halling the Waxwing showed very well between the Baptist Church and the road bridge. Whist waiting for this to appear a male Blackcap was seen in trees behind the Church and a Sparrowhawk flew over.

(Andy Appleton)