January 2008 Sightings Join the KOS!!
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.
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Motney Hill © Jamie Medford |
Wednesday 30th January Grain
Roas & PS. Outfall. 13.00 to 16.30 hrs. 2/8 cloud, NW 2, LT. 11.30 hrs. HT. 17.45 hrs. 6 oC. at 12.30 hrs. A fine afternoon after overnight rain. Excellent visibility. Roas, 13.00 to 13.30 hrs. Low Tide. TQ 87 Y.
Little Egret - 1 at barge.
Brent Goose - 15.
Gadwall - 23 offshore. with 6 Teal.
Shelduck - 5.
Oystercatcher - 2050 feeding along tideline.
PS. Outfall, 13.30 to 16.30 hrs. Rising Tide. TQ 87 X
Brent Goose - 254.
Black Brant - 1.
Shelduck - 2.
Mallard - 2.
Peregrine - 2 at PS. chimney.
Oystercatcher - Roas birds flew sw. into Medway on rising tide but not counted. Also 324 arrived from ne. ( Essex ) during this period.
Golden Plover - 1 arrived at the south groyne with a Grey.
Grey Plover - 3.
Sanderling - 95, some roosting at Outfall.
Redshank - 57, as above.
Curlew - 108 flew sw. into Medway.
Purple Sandpiper - 2 roosting at Outfall.
Turnstone - 18, as above.
Kittiwake - 5 following ship into Medway, few Gulls around generally.
Long Tailed Tit - 7.
The Purple Sandpipers initially resting at the far end of the north groyne until almost forced to swim on floating weed on rising tide. Then joined the feeding Turnstone at the near end of the same groyne, near the railings with Redshank & Sanderling.
The Black Brant feeding close to the south groyne at first, later between both groynes on the rising tide. Although occasionally feeding & swimming with D/B. Brent, the Brant was usually solitary due to aggression from the latter. So frequently feeding on groynes & swimming alone, following various groups around.
( Janet & Trevor Bowley)
Wednesday 30th January Sevenoaks WR
It was another fine day with good light. Best birds were Little Egret, 2 Egyptian Geese, 16 Gadwall, down again, 12 Shoveler, 44 Teal, still only 76 Tufted and the usual furtive Ruddy Duck, watching out for Defra marksmen.
The cast also included 25 Redwings, Chiffchaff, 10 Siskins and, top of the bill for here, 18 Yellowhammers. Others saw 70 Snipe and 2 Redpolls. In 3 hours I managed 59 species and at least 4 others were reported.
(Martin Coath)
Sunday 27th January Sheppey
Arrived at Capel Fleet late morning to find a few birders already looking
for the Rough-legged Buzzard.
Eventually found on a bale to the south. At this point it flew onto carrion
in the field below; probably an Adult Hare as it was quite large. It then
proceeded to devour the prey. We watched the RLB for a considerable time.
In the fields in between us and the RLB were about a dozen Bewick Swans with a few Mute Swans.
Across the fleet to the north flocks of Lapwings and Starlings were
constantly being spooked by a BoP, this turned out to be a Merlin which
gave great views as it flew over my car!
Later we heard that a Peregrine had also been seen in this area.
Many fine views of both Male and female Marsh Harriers and juveniles.
Two different Ringtails were seen both adult females.
We continued on towards Harty Ferry Inn stopping just past the old Church
and looked over the Swale.
Seemed like a very high tide. Very few Geese to be seen apart from
Greylags and 1 Canada Goose, with more Mute Swans. Lapwings by the hundred
and Starlings.
Walked down to the fields and towards the Gate at the bottom of the
fields. Scanning for the Hooded Crow. Plenty of Rooks, some Carrion Crows
and Jackdaws.Eventually we spotted the Hooded Crow in the middle of the
far field. Having put a newly arrived birder onto it we left to see if we
could find any sign of the White-fronted Geese.
A Ringtail was seen hunting in the area, along with several Marsh Harriers.
Noticed huge numbers of Stock Doves , with many fewer Wood Pigeons.
Few passserines but then it was both vvcold and vvwindy!
To Harty Ferry Inn looked over the fields and Swale
a few Wigeon, Shelducks and Mallards about.
Driving back towards the Raptor Viewpoint we kept our eyes open for Grey
& Red Legged Partridge (none seen) and other passerines. Besides the occasional
Robin, a few Blackbirds seen.
We spied a finch flock stopped and whilst it was mixed no Bramblings there.
Then we saw at the same time Geese in the sky and there were the flock of
37 White-fronted Geese flying towards Elmley. We cross examined the flock
no Barnacle among them!
At the Raptor watch point we saw upwards of 30 different Marsh Harriers
flying in every direction most far away, a Common Buzzard and again the
Rough Legged Buzzard.
An Owl was spotted in the distance by the time we refound it, it had flown
up the Fleet and was very close a lovely Barn Owl. As we were above it we
could see just how dark were its upper wings!
Having started the day with a Little owl at Elmley it was a fitting end
to the day. The sky held the most beautiful sunset, deep reds and bright reds.It was
truly a wonderful drive off the Island and on to the Motorway!
(Corinna Smart and Bob Whatley)
Sunday 27th January Cliffe RSPB
I always keep a Cliffe year list mainly because ticking off even a common bird gives a little fillip to brighten up those dull days. This year however has been slow. People often ask me why I go birding, I was beginning to wonder myself as even the finding of a Pomarine Skua and Glaucous Gull on my last visit only took me to 89 for the year so far. So the target today was to get to 90. I had a banker. Although Rock Pipits become scarce at Cliffe after the New Year as the more southerly breeding birds move back to their breeding grounds, not to be replaced until late February/ early March by those wintering further south in Europe, there is usually one or two on the sea wall near the Coastguards. The Reserve was quiet but the 23 Goldeneye, including 6 drakes added some interest.
As I cycled along the sea wall I picked up a 1 st year Mediterranean Gull amongst a gull flock following a boat down River. The rising tide had pushed 5 Rock Pipits off the foreshore and I flushed three on to the sea wall, with them was another bird with white underparts, less diffuse streaking and white in the tail – a Water Pipit, only my 3 rd or 4 th record at Cliffe. I also ticked a Bar-tailed Godwit as it flew by. Whilst watching from the second viewing mound 35 Corn Buntings came in to roost in the scrub and the Barn Owl was quartering the area.
Dave Rood joined me and said that he had just seen a Short-eared Owl, he had also seen it about a week ago but it had eluded me, so I suggested he should do the decent thing and find it for me. On cue it appeared in front of us. We both enjoyed a beautiful sunset and finally made our way to our cars. As we reached our cars a Little Owl called, one of my few recent records near to the Village. So having started out hoping to get the list to 90 I ended up with reaching 96 including one scarce species for the area. That’s why I go birding!
(Paul Larkin)
Sunday 27th January Grain
Grain PS. Outfall & West Lane 13.30 to 16.30 hrs. 2/8 cloud, SW 2, later calm from 14.00 hrs. A superb evening. 13.30 to 15.00 hrs. PS. Outfall area, rising tide, TQ 87 X.
Little Grebe - 2 in pool adjacent to fort.
Little Egret - 1 sw. into Medway.
Cormorant - 2 in estuary.
Brent Goose - 116, leaving to sw. in small groups.
Black Brant - 1 ad. at Outfall with Brent, return of the “ Houdini “. Feeding along rising tideline at less than 80 metres in exc. light. Often chased by nearby Brent.
Moorhen - 2 in pool adjacent to fort.
Peregrine - 2 on PS. chimney.
Sanderling - 60 at Outfall, some of which roosted there on the rising tide.
Redshank - 38, as above.
Turnstone - 21, as above.
Black Tailed Godwit - 1 at Outfall, flew sw.
Peacock - 1 along Port Victoria road.
Bumble Bees - seen at Allhallows am. & Grain pm.
At 14.00 hrs. a single engine light aircraft arrived at low altitude from the west & circled over the estuary before moving east to Sheppey. As before, white above & bottle - green below, HA SMD on wings, Hungarian flag. It was too much for the Brent, they noisily dispersed into the Medway., although most of the waders remained.
15.00 to 16.30 hrs. West Lane, Grain Marsh, Reserve Pool TQ 87 T. Little Grebe - 6.
Little Egret - 5.
Mute Swan - 10.
Mallard - 2.
Teal - 10.
Tufted - 20.
Pochard - 11.
Moorhen - 78.
Coot - 19.
Water Rail - 1.
Merlin - 1 along sea wall.
Hen Harrier - a ringtail east along the sea wall after arriving at low altitude from the Thames, so probably a migrant.
Snipe - 1.
Curlew - 170 roosting on sea wall at Whitehall beach area, also 47 feeding on marsh.
Pied Wagtail - 12 in horse field.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 hammering on telegraph pole, at top of West Lane.
Stonechat - 1 ad. m.
Magpie - 16.
A wildfowler had placed 5 decoy “ Brent “ in line on top of the sea wall, seemed very amateurish & quite useless at HT. (Janet & Trevor Bowley)
Sunday 27th January Haysden
I flushed a Green Sandpiper at Longfield, and saw my first Greenfinch and Sparrowhawk for Haysden this year - local birding when the world and their dogs are out on a Sunday afternoon is hard work! Quite a few groups of Long-tailed Tits about, a few Treecreeper were noted, just two single Goldfinches seen (no flocks seen this year), six Pochard at Barden and 100 Lapwing at Hawden.
(Andy Appleton)
Saturday 26th January Southfleet
The Falcated Duck was still present at Southfleet duck pond today viewable from the car as I drove past.
(Barry Wright)
Saturday 26th January Bough Beech
I have been to bough beech for a couple of hours and of note were: 6 SNIPE, 35+ CORMORANT, 20+ G.C. GREBE, 40+ WIGEON, 40+ TUFTED DUCK, 100+B.H GULL, 100+ COMMON GULL, 50+ HERRING GULL, 15+ L.B.B GULL, 13+ SHOVELER, 1 KINGFISHER(CALLING), 15+ POCHARD AND 20+ CANADA GEESE.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)
Thursday 24th & Friday 25th January New Hythe
I had a good week for ducks in NW Kent, starting with the Falcated Duck at Southfleet last weekend, them thanks to the blog managed to see the Smew at New Hythe Thursday, and then at Cliffe on Friday 20+ Ruddy Ducks, at least 15 Goldeneye as well as plenty of Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Pintail, Wigeon, Shovelar, Tufted, Pochard and Shelduck.
Red head Smew successfully found in the
Motorway Lake, initially with some tufted ducks, and then hiding near
the motorway roundabout end.
A new bird for me, only seen at WWT Slimbridge, and I think they're tame..
(Dr
David Payne)
Wednesday 23rd January Leysdown and Capel Fleet, Sheppey
A lovely morning tempted me out for a midwinter watch from Leysdown
and Muswell ; the wind was light NNW though it had been a bit stronger
during the night. The most interesting birds were 3 Skuas, a Pomarine and [surprisingly] 2 Arctics both going N.
Apart from 285 Cormorants also moving N the most conspicuous birds
were c235 Divers mostly Red-throated but including 5 Black-throated.
Some were on the sea at varying distances but most were flying N. One
flock of 65 birds were disturbed by a boat probably 1.5-2 miles out so
no doubt there were others out there. There were also 60 G.C.Grebes, 1
large Auk, 2 Eiders, 20 Scoters and 9 adult Little Gulls. The Purple
Sandpiper was seen along the beach, though not by me.
At Capel I could see only 60-70 Whitefronts and 1 Barnacle Goose but
the usual raptors were present including the juv. male R.L.Buzzard, 2
Common Buzzards, 2-3 Peregrines,1-3 Merlins, several 'ringtail' Harriersand lots of Marsh Harriers including a pair displaying. Also 2 Barn
Owls but still no S.E.Owls.
The fields are quite a bit wetter now and there were a lot of Lapwings
and Golden Plovers. When something spooked all the birds between
Windmill and Capel there were about 6000 Lapwings and 8000 Golden
Plovers in the air at once.Adding another 2000 Golden Plovers flying
upstream at the Ferry makes the largest number I have seen for quite a
time .
I stayed to watch the Marsh Harriers going to roost when over 40 birds
jumped up from the reeds and whirled around. Not as many as seen on the
count day last week but pretty impressive nonetheless.
(Dick Elvy)
Wednesday 23rd January Wouldham
went to check on the Siskin flock at Starkey Castle this morning, and was surprised to find that there has been a substantial increase in numbers since I was last there on Sunday 20th. A quick initial count indicated that there were 22 or more feeding in the alders at the pond, but when they all took off it was clear that the total number was at least 40, and this was confirmed when they returned to resume feeding shortly afterwards. Perhaps this is the same flock that was present at Medway Valley Leisure Park earlier in the month, but wherever they came from it is certainly by far the largest flock I have yet seen at Wouldham. Also in the area in the last couple of days there have been 2-3 Little Egret on the flooded fields, 1-2 Common Sandpiper along the river, and 1 Peregrine.
(Ian Shepherd)
Tuesday 22nd January New Hythe & Sevenoaks WR
Yesterday was a rare calm and sunny day. I chose to spent it at exotic New Hythe. The star birds were a Little Egret flying over J4 of M20, the redhead Smew still on the Motorway Pit,Green Sand over the azure waters of the Medway, female Stonechat, 5 singing Cetti's and 2 Lesser Redpolls.
Overall, waterfowl numbers were down, probably due to Aythya dispersal' with Tufted down to 255 and Pochard to 36. Gadwall and Shoveler were up to 52 and 32 resp.. Coot were a little down to 610.
Dunnocks, Wrens and Blackbirds were well down, but 45 Robins was a good turn out. Tits performed well with 40 Blue, 34 Great and 21 Long-tails. The latter were mainly paired reflecting their earlier nesting season. Herons were already at the heronry.
I would like to thank all the birds which contributed to a respectable total of 61 species. I should perhaps have donated 61p, but there was no bucket.
This morning I was at Sevenoaks WR, where the stars were 25 GC Grebes, the highest total for several years, our first Sheld of the winter, 12 Shoveler, but only 20 Gadwall, 23 Snipe, a high figure of 170 Common Gulls and, I nearly forgot, a female Ringed Teal.
(Martin Coath)
Sunday 20th January Southfleet
Still there today and showed well as close as a few feet and the bird wasn't ringed !!!
(Mick Southcott)
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Falcated Duck, Southfleet © Mick Southcott |
Sunday 20th January Pembury, nr Tunbridge Wells
I spent the weekend birding in Pembury near Tunbridge wells. Of note were: 3 Green woodpecker. 2 great spotted woodpeckers, 2 bullfinch. 1 sparrowhawk, 400+ woodpigeon, 300+ fieldfare, 150+ redwing,200+ starling, 10+ wren/.2 mallard(on lake) skylarks and meadow pipits were heard. I also found what I think are barn owl pellets in a near by field.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)
Sunday 20th January Haysden
I got my first Treecreeper for the year and had a probable Lesser Spotted Woodpecker near Haysden. Amazingly I still haven’t seen Kingfisher this year possibly partly due to the recent flooding but did see a Coal Tit near Barden at the back of some nearby houses - this my only record away from the Powdermills. Very few ducks at Hawden – just four Pochard and a single Tufted Duck but there were two Rook with a few Carrion Crows, and one Redwing with over 100 Fieldfare.
(Andy Appleton)
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Falcated Duck, Southfleet © Dr David Payne Taken on 18th Jan. Presumably last year's bird? |
Friday 18th January Swale NNR
27 Barnacle Geese feeding with Greylags on the reserve this afternoon -
conveniently, right in front of the seawall hide.
One of them is a hybrid Barnacle of some sort, possibly with a grey goose.
No sign of the Whitefronts today but there were around 40 yesterday.
(Derek Faulkner)
Thursday 17th January Sheppey
On Sheppey it was also rather quieter than I had expected. It took a while to locate a distant rough-legged buzzard but a close common buzzard interacting with marsh harriers was nice to see as were a flock of 24 corn buntings on the wires by the raptor watchpoint.
After
a nice lunch at the Ferry Inn [still nothing much visible on the
river] we found a small group of finches including several bramblings.
A closer view of a hen harrier restored the reputation for raptor
variety. We moved on to Elmley in the hope of Short-eared owls but
lucked out seeing a total of zero owls of any species.
The geese were more obliging with a large mixed flock of mostly
Canada geese and Greylags also having good numbers of whitefronts, a
few pink feet and one barnacle.
Top bird of the day was a really close encounter with a merlin. The
bird sat nicely when we watched it from the car on a gate post from 10
yards... then, as we drove by it sat there watching us eyeball to
eyeball at three feet holding station or three cars to pass without
flying.
Another welcome tick was number 101 for the year - Dunnock! My normal
garden two pairs seem to have abandoned me as has 'my' wren.
(Bo Boelens)
Wednesday 16th January South Medway
10.30 to 16.00 hrs. 0/8 cloud, later 4/8. SW 1 - 2, later calm. HT. 18.10 hrs. 6 oC. at 09.30 hrs.
Bloors Wharf & Rainham Creek, Motney Hill, Bartlett & Otterham Creeks, also Funton Creek & Bedlams Bottom.
An ideal day for this exercise, good visibility & late rising tide. Brent were absent along the South Medway & duck numbers were generally quite low. Areas not counted included Lower Halstow & Halstow / Twinney Creeks & Chetney. 10.30 to 11.45 hrs. Bloors Wharf & Rainham Creek.
Shelduck - 73 BW. 70 RC. Teal - 72 BW. 120 RC. Later to MH. Mallard - 15 RC. Shoveler - 47 BW. Pintail - 16 BW. Marsh Harrier - f. flew low to the north, may have roosted at Motney reed bed. Oystercatcher - 120 RC. Avocet - 6 BW. 60 RC. later to MH. Ringed Plover - group of 24 BW. unusual here. Lapwing - 820, as Dunlin, roosting on rocks at edge of small islands, BW. Dunlin - 400 roosting with Lapwings around small salt marsh islands, presumably resting at overnight roosts after yesterday’s gales & rain. BW. Also 700 feeding on mudflate around RC. Redshank - 20 BW. Black Headed Gull - 210 on islanda. BW. Common Gull - 60 as above. BW. 11.45 to 13.30 hrs. Motney Hill , inc. Bartlett & Otterham Creeks. Great Crested Grebe - 32 BC. Little Grebe - 12 BC.
Cormorant - 6 BC. Also 15 roosting on foreshore at Burntwick area. Little Egret - 1 OC. The only one of the day. Shelduck - 80 MH. 158 OC.
Mallard - 23 MH. Teal - 110 MH. From RC. Wigeon - 60 MH. Red Breasted Merganser - 3 BC. Sparrowhawk - 1 from OC. To MH. Oystercatcher - 71 MH. Avocet - 172 MH. & OC. Dunlin - 300 OC. Lapwing - 340 on island, MH. Redshank - 47 MH. Black Tailed Godwit - 17 MH. Bar Tailed Godwit - 1 MH. Med. Gull - 1 ad. WP. BC. Stonechat - 1 pr. MH. Reed Bunting - 1 pr. & 1 m, 2 ff. MH. Rock Pipit - 1 MH.
14.40 hrs. Horsham Marsh. Canada Goose - 61. Grey Lag Goose - 5. Shelduck - 48. Teal - 30. Pheasant - 10.
15.00 to 16.00 hrs. Funton Creek & Bedlams Bottom.
Great Crested Grebe - 8 FC. & BB. Shelduck - 157 FC. & BB. 110 off Barksore. 130 off Chetney Wigeon - 210 FC. & BB. Pintail - 140 BB. Merlin - 1 chasing waders. FC. Marsh Harrier - 6 flying south,, 15.30 to 15.45 hrs, inc. a group of 4, off Barksore & Chetney, high over Raspberry Hill, presumably to roost at Murston. Oystercatcher - 280 FC. & BB. Many others along Stangate Creek with other waders. Avocet - 343 FC. Lapwing - c. 2000 along CH. forechore & on islands towards Stangate Creek. Dunlin - 300 FC. Knot - at least 6500, probably 7000,, FC. No Godwits, small numbers of Curlew, Golden & Grey Plover, & Redshank N/C.
A long day for us, rather cream crackered later!
(Janet & Trevor Bowley)
Saturday 12th January Haysden
Hawden produced three Teal (two drake), five Gadwall (two drake), four Pochard and four Wigeon as well as a single Stock Dove. A slightly flooded Haysden Lake produced three Goosander, 11 drake Pochard, 22 Tufted Duck and 170 Lapwing. Other birds noted today included about 10 Bullfinch, Siskin, Coal Tits (Powdermills), Skylark, three Meadow Pipits and a single Fieldfare.
(Andy Appleton)
Saturday 12th January Dartford & Sutton-at-Hone
A male Blackcap fed in the garden this morning and a Red Admiral butterfly flew through.
The cressbeds at Sutton-at-Hone are always worth a look for wintering Green Sandpipers, Redpoll and Water Rails and whilst the former two were no shows, 2 Water Rails showed very well.
(Andrew Lawson)
Friday 11th January Grain
Kingfisher Lakes, Hoo Marsh, North Medway s/m. Fields to sw.
14.15 to 16.30 hrs. During morning, heavy rain & SSW 5 - 6, partial clearance from
12.30 hrs, 6/8 cloud, but var. SW 4, decr. to SW 1, HT. 14.30 hrs. 10oC. at 13.30 hrs.
We took a chance & completed a WEBs count in between the showers. Little Grebe - 4.
Little Egret - 2.
Canada Goose - 64, in cultivated field to north of KL. then to HM.
Grey Lag Goose - 20 HM.
Brent Goose - 600 in field to sw. now tolerating the coloured ribbons across the field, but very alert due to close proximity of footpaths.
Shelduck - 15. NM. s/m.
Mallard - 5. KL.
Shoveler - 5 KL.
Wigeon - 55. KL. & NM. s/m.
Teal - 72. KL. & HM.
Coot - 49. KL. & fields.
Moorhen - 127. KL. & fields.
Red Legged Partridge - covey of 13 in brassica field to north of KL.
Tufted - 13 KL.
Sparrow hawk - superb close views of male hunting the footpath alongside KL.
Grey Plover - 15. NM. s/m.
Lapwing - 150. NM. s/m.
Dunlin - 50. NM. s/m.
Snipe - 3. KL.
Redshank - 37. all areas.
Curlew - 54. all areas.
Bar Tailed Godwit - 1 KL.
Turnstone - 75 NM. S/m.
Kingfisher - 1 KL.
Stonechat - 1 pr. HM.
Weasel - 2 chasing each other, HM.
(Janet & Trevor Bowley)
Wednesday 9th January Trottiscliffe
Driving home from work at 3.30 on January 9th I came off the M20 at Junction 2 and used the back roads through Wrotham Water and Trottiscliffe to my home in Birling. I was hoping for a Common Buzzard as I have seen them in this area regularly. I wasn't disappointed with one up very quickly at TQ626599. Also a Little Owl in Birling near the church.
(Katharine Reader)
Tuesday 8th January Ensfield Bridge
I watched a Barn Owl near Ensfield Bridge for about 10 minutes before it eventually flew into my patch.
(Andy Appleton)
Sunday 6th January Knockholt nr Sevenoaks
In a field next to my house today were: 1 Kestrel(male), 2 Green woodpeckers, 25 Meadow pipits, 2 Great-spotted woodpeckers and 24 Skylarks.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)
Saturday 5th January Haysden
A short visit in failing light produced 17 roosting Little Egrets and about 25 Lapwing.
(Andy Appleton)
Saturday 5th January Sheppey
Spent the day around Capel Fleet but we also visited Harty Ferry and the western end of the South Swale NNR.
Birds seen from Capel Fleet included 181 White Fronted Geese, 1 Barnacle Goose, 2 Green Sandpiper, 6 Ruff, between 5000-10000 Golden Plover, 20+ Marsh Harrier, 4+ Hen Harrier (3 adult females and 1 juvenile), 7 sightings of at least 4 Merlins, 3 Peregrines (1ad male + 2 dog-fighting juveniles), 2 Common Buzzard (including the white tail-based individual), Kingfisher, 15+ Corn Bunting, 2 Stonechats and 2 Bearded Tit.
The South Swale NNR had 1 Hooded Crow in amongst the numerous Carrion Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws whilst a redpoll flew over. The Swale held 200-300 Wigeon.
2 Bramblings were at Mockett's Farm.
(Andrew Lawson)
Friday 4th January Medway Valley Leisure Park, Rochester
The Alders in the car park opposite 'Frankie n Benny's' are attracting a flock of around 40-50 Siskin at the moment. They are quite used to the cars and people, so allow great opportunities to get close up views of them.
Also, on the river were a small group of Redshank, and a mixed Gull flock, and a male Sparrowhawk flew over.
(Simon Ginnaw)
Friday 4th January Swale NNR, Sheppey
There were 48 White-fronted Geese on the reserve early this morning.
(Derek Faulkner)
Wednesday 2nd January Grove Green & Allington, Maidstone
An interesting start to the new year. A nice male blackcap in my Grove Green, Maidstone back garden this afternoon and then a tawny owl flying over the A20 at the Coldharbour Roundabout near to Junction 5 of the M20 at Allington at 7:05 this evening.
(Bill Stoneham)
Wednesday 2nd January Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve
I have just been to Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve and of note were: 10 Shoveler, 2 Kingfisher, 1 Sparrowhawk, 10+ Great Crested Grebe (3 pairs courting) 40+ Cormorant, 1 Water Rail (calling), 1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 2 G.S Woodpeckers, 20+ Pochard and 22 Snipe.
(Josh Jenkins-Shaw)
Tuesday 1st January Bedgebury Pinetum
Arrived on site at 7.30am and immediately heard a Tawny Owl and then a Brambling as I left the car whilst a Kingfisher called as it flew across the adjacent pond. Mallards, Moorhens and a single Teal were also noted on the pond.
We quickly headed into the Pinetum and walked to our favoured spot and waited for more birds to leave their roost. Robins, Blackbirds, Wrens and a Song Thrush sang from perches deep within the forest and hidden by the mist.
At 7.40am the first of many siskins started to leave their roost as did many Brambling and these two species far outnumbered all of the other species seen or heard. Chaffinches and Greenfinches started to leave the roost 5-10 minutes later and then at 8am the first Hawfinch left the roost and obligingly landed on top of a nearby Oak where myself and James were able to watch it before it headed off into the forest followed by a 2nd bird. Other species noted included Redpoll, Bullfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Stock Dove, Grey Heron, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Redwing & Fieldfare, Carrion Crow and Pheasant.
We headed back to car via a patch of Birch wood where a roaming tit-flock contained Blue, Great, Coal, Long-Tailed and Marsh.
Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Jackdaw were recorded back at the car and a Jay flew across the road as we left.
James's account of our day can be viewed here:
http://www.freewebs.com/jameshunter2/wildlifeblog.htm
(Andrew Lawson)