March 2007 Sightings

Wouldham - Ian Shepherd ©

Please email your sightings to Andy Lawson

If you live, or for that matter visit, any site west of the A249 between the Sheppey bridge and Maidstone and then west to Dartford and Tunbridge Wells (roughly...) then I would be delighted to hear from you.

Saturday 31st March Dartford

This morning I had 3 Greensands; 2 on The Darent by the bridge and 1 on the Thames foreshore. Also further along the Darent there were 3 Little egrets together.
regards
(Phil Royston)

Saturday 31st March New Hythe

40+ Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 6 singing Blackcap and countless Chiffies at New Hythe between 7 and 9 this morning.
(Steve Nunn)
www.newhythe.blogspot.com

Saturday 31st March Dartford

There were still 30-40 large gulls on Littlebrook today including 2 Yellow Legged Gulls; a small female 3rd summer Yellow Legged Gull and a large 2nd summer male Yellow Legged Gull.
Also of note are 5-10 pairs of Lapwing in the flooded field adjacent to the Dartford by-pass along with 8 Redshank, a pair of Shelduck, a pair of Lesser Black Backed Gulls, 1 Green Sandpiper and a Snipe.

(Andrew Lawson)

Thursday 29th March Wouldham

Saw my first Sand Martin south of the village this morning and there are now several singing Chiffchaffs in the same area (first recorded here on the 16th), but no sign of any other spring migrants yet.  However there are still 2 over-wintering Common Sandpipers along the river, and up to 5 singing Cetti's Warblers in the nearby marshes.
(Ian Shepherd)

Wednesday 28th March Northward Hill RSPB

I had my first Blackcap of the year, singing outside Bromhey Farm this morning and 2 Med Gulls over the field behind the office.

The drake Garganey was still on the reserve at Northward Hill yesterday but is proving elusive. Also yesterday a Merlin and a Marsh Harrier, a Black-Tailed Godwit, several Snipe and a pair of Yellowhammers again along the entrance track to the Marshland carpark.
Barn Owls & Little Owls are still being seen around Bromhey in the evenings.

(Gordon Allison RSPB)

Wednesday 28th March Hoo

3 Chiff Chaffs showing well along footpath near Hoo Junction Crossing.

(Charlie Vint)

Tuesday 27th March Cliffe Pools RSPB

Apart from two separate sightings of Swallow last week and an early Garganey at the beginning of the month Cliffe has not produced many migrants yet this spring. Even during the winter Blackcap, usually a wintering in good numbers and often heard in song in January, and Chiffchaff have eluded me.

With the advent of the warm spring weather I resolved to visit Clife in search of migrants. I even persuaded my wife to accompany me.

We arrived mid morning and as we walked down Allen's Hill we were greeted by a Jay bouncing along the hedgerow. This habit is often misinterpreted as the bird searching for eggs to predate, unlikely this time of year, but may have something to do with setting up a territory.

As we got on the main track I heard a brief snatch of a Chiffchaff singing along Pickle's Way, my first of the year and my 103rd Cliffe year tick.

As we walked along to Boatrick House there was a great deal of activity in the bushes with Dunnock, Blackbird, Chaffinches and Goldfinches all very vocal, the salt water pools, however, were largely empty apart from a few GC Grebes, Coots and a couple of Gadwall. This was due to the high water levels resulting from Westminster Dredging's latest bout of pumping. This had submerged most of the wader habitat. The Black Barn Pools were a different matter. A few Redshank fed along the muddy edges and the over-abundant vegetation hid most of the wildfowl. What was probably a fox flushed out at least 106 Teal, 19 Pintail and good numbers of Shoveler.

Black Barn 4 also held 269 Black-tailed Godwits. As the tide was dropping the disturbance flushed these up and they headed out to the Thames but not before they showed their fine breeding plumage. These, apart from the odd Redshank, are the first sign that waders are starting to use the Black Barn Pools which augurs well for the spring.

The walk out to the sea wall was uneventful but it was disturbing to see the Environmental Agency still removing scrub and digging out the reeds in the ditches so close to the breeding season.

The area around the Coastguard's Pool only produced a pair of Stonechats, the cock bird being particularly colourful in breeding dress. A pair each of Wigeon and Gadwall were on the Thames. The hoped for Wheatear on the sea wall did not appear but several Meadow Pipits were displaying over the salt marsh in the Creek and no doubt their nests will be washed out as usual during the high tides, some birds never learn!! The only other bird of interest was another Chiffchaff singing near the Quarry Cottages, so the lack of migrants continues but it was a pleasant day none the less.
(Paul Larkin)

Monday 26th March Grain areas: 

Port Victoria Road, Smithfield  Marsh,
Cockleshell Beach,  Outfall, Moat & Wood, Clubbs Pit, West Lane, inc. Bucks  Pound, Mosco Pool.
11.00 to 15.30 hrs. 0/8 cloud,  e 2 - 3,  cool breeze  near sea wall, warm sun in  sheltered areas,  8 oC. at 08.45 hrs. HT. 06.30 hrs. 
Port Victoria Road & Smithfield Marsh,  11.00 hrs:
  Peregrine -  1 at PS. chimney.
  Stonechat -  1 pr. SM.
  Cetti's Warbler -  1 singing , as yesterday, along closed PS.  access road
to w. of SM 
Cockleshell Beach & Outfall,  11.30 hrs.
  Brent Goose -  12 near Outfall.
  Stonechat -  1 ad. m. singing on territory to sw. of  gate at end of PVR.
                 -  5 on CB, inc. 3 ad. m.  & 2 f.
Wood & Moat,  12.30 hrs.
  Great Spotted Woodpecker -  1.
  Jay -  1.
West Lane & Bucks Pound,  14.15 hrs.
  Little Grebe -  2.
  Shelduck -  20.
  Teal -  8. 
  Gadwall -  2.
  Shoveler -  3.
  Tufted -  32.
  Pochard -  27.
  Redshank -  1.
  Green Sandpiper -  1.
  Pied Wagtail -  3.
  Goldfinch -  flock of 10 in horsefield.
  Stonechat -  1 pr.
Mosco Pool,  15.10 hrs.
  Great Crested Grebe -  1 ad. pair displaying.
  Little Egret -  1.
  Tufted -  8.
  Pochard -  15.

(Janet & Trevor Bowley)

Sunday 25th March Northward Hill

22 Avocets on the Islands in the main lake by the pumping station. 14 Displaying Oystercatchers in the Fields. 48 Wigeon still visable and 120+ Teal. 3 singing Chiffchaffs in the wood. Great spotted woodpeckers vocal in the wood as well as many Tit flocks and Finches.

(Richard Jones)

Sunday 25th March Knole Park & Sevenoaks WR

At Knole Park early morning a flock of 12 Brambling showed well near the Keeper's Cottage, as well as the usual Mandarin, Ring-necked Parakeets and, as always, two species of Woodpecker. 

Later at Sevenoaks WR, a female Ruddy Duck, the same two species of Woodpecker and several Chiffchaff.

(Andy Appleton)

Sunday 25th March Dartford.

37 Teal in the flooded field along with quite a few pairs of Lapwing. 6 Little Grebes on the New Diggings. A few more gulls on Litttlebrook today but mainly Black Heads and one or two Herring amongst the dozen or so Lesser Black Backed. Six Bewick's Swans were seen at a site in NW Kent in the afternoon.

(Andrew Lawson)

Bewick's Swans - Andrew Lawson ©

Saturday 24th March Haysden
 
At Hawden the four White-fronted Geese (two adult and two first year birds) showed well today.  There were also two Shelduck, a drake Gadwall, two female Pochard and 16 Wigeon here.

A Buzzard flew east over Barden and a pair of Mandarin flew around Longfield Lake.  Not too many Chiffchaff singing in an unseasonably cold wind today.
(Andy Appleton)

Saturday 24th March Dartford

40 roosting Redshank in the flooded field adjacent to Bob Dunn Way and the River Darent was proof that the tide was extremely high today as these birds usually roost on the Thames foreshore.  Also 1 Green Sandpiper,7 Shelduck, the pair of Lesser Black Backed Gulls and a Little Egret over.

The New Diggings held 10 Gadwall, 9 Teal, 8 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard and 3 Little Grebe. Littlebrook was again disappointing.

The Thames at Greenhithe had one 2nd winter yellow legged Gull and 2 pairs of Oystercatcher.

(Andrew Lawson)

Thursday 22nd March Higham Creek via Cooling

A 2 hour walk from Cooling Church past the radar tower and down to Higham Creek produced 2 flocks of Avocets of 4 and 6 birds each, around 250 Black-tailed Godwit on the pool near the sea which wheeled around in spectacular formation when a Marsh Harrier appeared, 4 Lapwing, 12 pintail, 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Lapwing, 9 Redshank and 2 Teal. 6 Little Egrets were also on this pool.

The deeper pits had around 50 Coot, 3 Little Grebes, 8 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Tufted Duck and a nice pair of Goldeneye. A Cetti's Warbler gave a short burst of song in the fleeting sunshine and cold north-westerly wind.

(David Newham)

Thursday 22nd March New Hythe

A short visit before work today. Again very cold, 0 degrees but still and bright.
4 Little  Egret together on the scrape was a good start. 3 flew off fairly quickly but one staying put. Scanning the scrape I also found 2 Green Sandpipers feeding  together at the far end. A Meadow Pipit flew over and 2 Green Woodpeckers shot  past. A Water Vole  'plopped' and disappeared in the Millstream.
Over the railway towards the  Medway, just past the Heronry I flushed another Green Sand off of the river.  Chiffchaffs were really evident this morning with more than 10 singing around  the patch. As I walked past the sunken marsh a Grey Wagtail flew  over.
Spring has finally sprung with 4 Sand Martin over Brooklands  Lake.
3+ Goldfinch in Brooklands car park, 2 drumming GS Woodpecker along  the Millstream and a calling Bullfinch near the Water Works completed this  mornings sightings.

(Steve Nunn)

Thursday 22nd March Higham

Just seen my first Swallow of the year on telegraph wires along Bull Lane in Lower Higham (TQ717732).
Can't remember ever seeing a March swallow before.
(Gordon Allison)

Wednesday 21st March New Hythe

5 Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing at New Hythe in a quick (and very cold) visit before work this morning.....
(Steve Nunn)

Sunday 18th March Cliffe RSPB & Cooling Marshes

Our WeBS count out on Cliffe/Cooling marshes in a rather vicious west wind today, with an impressive hail shower, was rewarded with a lone male Wheatear along the sea wall and a couple of mad March Hares boxing each other on the meadows.

A welcome increase in water levels and promising signs of some effect with several displaying Lapwing and good numbers of Redshank on the marshes.
(Murray Orchard)

Saturday 17th March Haysden, Pembury, Sevenoaks & Bough Beech

Seven Fieldfares were near Ensfield Bridge just before 6am and I flushed a Little Owl five minutes later, my first sighting of this bird in 2007. Ten minutes later I had heard the first of at least 16 Chiffchaffs that I recorded in three hours between Haysden and Hawden. A Skylark was singing and six Redwing flew over (a seventh bird was seen a couple of hours later) and I flushed two Mandarin from a stream near Haysden Lake, and there were five Goosander (3 drakes) on the lake itself. Two Reed Buntings were seen between Haysden and Barden and a smart male Yellowhammer showed well.

At Hawden the Redshank was still present with a Green Sandpiper and 26 Wigeon. One Stock Dove was all I got in Tonbridge Park. At least seven Green Woodpeckers were seen today.
Pembury - 1 each of Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, a few Coal Tits and 32 Goats were all I could muster this afternoon!
Sevenoaks - A single LRP and Green Sandpiper on the islands with about 20 Lapwing.
Bough Beech - An hour's visit late afternoon with the intention of looking through the Gull roost - just one Chiffchaff and having seen NO gulls I decided it was time to go home!
(Andy Appleton)

Friday 16th March Grain

We decided to complete our WEBs counts early, during fine weather. 10.00 to 13.15 hrs. Overcast with light rain o/n. 0/8 cloud, n 1, later w 2, 8 oC. at 09.00 hrs. HT. 10.20 hrs.
Great Crested Grebe - 2 NM.
Little Grebe - 2 ACM.
Little Egret - 2 KL. 4 ACM.
Mute Swan - 2 KL.
Grey Lag Goose - 59 ACM.
Canada Goose - 42 ACM.
Brent Goose - 270 ACM. inc. 2 imms. Nothing with them.
Shelduck - 52 NM. & ACM.
Mallard - 4 KL. 4 ACM.
Wigeon - 36 NM.
Tufted - 7 KL. inc. 6 dr.
Pochard - 8 KL. inc. 6 dr.
Ruddy Duck - 1 ad. dr. KL.
Long Tailed Duck - 1 f. KL.
Red Breasted Merganser - 2 NM.
Red Legged Partridge - 1 ploughed field.
Coot - 32 fields, KL. & ACM.
Moorhen - 49 fields, KL. & ACM.
Sparrowhawk - 1 f. a migrant soaring high overhead, KL. While studying the plumage of the LTD, I noticed that it tilted it's head to look at the raptor in the sky, otherwise would have missed it.
Merlin - 1 FY. m. perched upright on a ploughed field.
Oystercatcher - 2 ACM.
Ringed Plover - 2 at HT. roost on a ploughed field.
Lapwing - 2 on ploughed field, 2 ACM.
Redshank - 1 ACM.
Curlew - 10 ACM.
Long Tailed Tit - 4 KL.
Pied Wagtail - 2 fields.
Green Woodpecker - 1 ACM.
The Long Tailed Duck continues to look like a female, with an all blue/grey bill, extensive dark brown crown to nape, white neck & developing brown breast band.
(Janet & Trevor Bowley)

Thursday 15th March Northward Hill RSPB

Was tempted out to do a butterfly transect this morning - plenty of peacocks in the wood + several small tortoiseshells & commas & 1 small white. Also had a grass snake at the bottom of the wood & at least 3 singing chiffs & a Cetti's. A buzzard was flushed from the oakwood. Out on the marsh there's displaying lapwing & oystercatcher & redshank are just getting going. Avocets are coming in to the reservoir islands after dark & usually hang around until mid-morning. A barn owl has been regularly hunting around the Marshland Viewpoint from about 6pm Just as a reminder that we haven't said goodbye to winter just yet, a dapper male merlin was hunting small birds around Bromhey last night & small numbers of fieldfare & redwing are still roosting in the wood.
(Gordon Allison)

Wednesday 13th March Grain

13/03/2007, Port Victoria Road, Outfall, Cockleshell Beach, Wood & Moat, Clubbs Pit, West Lane, inc. Bucks Pound, Mosco Pool. 10.25 to 15.00 hrs. 8/8 to 4/8 cloud, nw 1 or calm, cool air in cloudy conditions, very warm sun in sheltered areas. 10 oC. at 09.30 hrs. HT. 06.05 hrs.
Stoke Fleet - F. Marsh Harrier
Port Victoria Road, Outfall, Cockleshell Beach, 10.25 hrs.
Brent Goose - 15 at Outfall.
Shelduck - 2 Roas.
Mallard - 1 pr. Smithfield marsh.
Sparrowhawk - 1 f. across Smithfield Marsh.
Peregrine - 1 pr. at PS. chimney.
Green Woodpecker - 1 pr. at Smithfield Marsh.
Long Tailed Tit - 1.
Stonechat - 1 pr. on fence opposite Firetower, s. of Outfall. 1 pr. on bramble in scrub area inland from Cockleshell beach.
Cetti's Warbler - 1 singing at s. end of PVR. from the sw. corner of the e. compound.
Seal - 1 swimming into Medway with flounder.
Wood & Moat, 11.45 hrs.
Green Woodpecker - 1pr. Wood, 1 at n. end of Moat.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 pr. Wood.
Long Tailed Tit - 1.
Reed Bunting - 1 m. at sea front.
Clubbs Pit, 13.00 hrs.
Green Woodpecker - 1.
Long Tailed Tit - 2.
Cetti's Warbler - 2 singing.
West Lane, inc. Bucks Pound. 13.35 hrs.
Little Grebe - 5 prs.
Little Egret - 2 GM.
Mute Swan - 4.
Canada Goose - 2.
Grey Lag Goose - 9.
Shelduck - 22.
Mallard - 18.
Gadwall - 8, absent during the winter period.
Teal - 8.
Tufted - 18.
Pochard - 9.
Moorhen - 16.
Coot - 16.
Pheasant - 7.
Peregrine - 2 on pylons, to w. of dam.
Green Sandpiper - 2 together.
Pied Wagtail - 10 in horsefield.
Green Woodpecker - 1 at Angling Lake.
Stonechat - 1 pr.
Magpie - 24.
Goldfinch - A flock of 12 at horsefield.
Mosco Pool, 14.45 hrs.
Great Crested Grebe - 1 SP. ad.
Little Egret - 1.
Shelduck - 2.
Mallard - 4.
Teal - 6.
Coot - 6.
Tufted - 6.
Pochard - 23.
Stonechat - 1 pr.
Cetti's Warbler - 1 singing from reedbed, w. end, n. of A 228.
(Janet & Trevor Bowley)

Monday 12th March New Hythe

2 Blackcap in song at New Hythe yesterday afternoon. 2 Slow Worms also present.
(Steve Nunn) www.newhythe.blogspot.com

Sunday 11th March New Hythe

2 Bittern on Streamside Lake, New Hythe on Saturday (18:10) and another on Sunday (18:10). On both occasions 1 bird has taken off from the depths of the reedbed and done at least 3 circuits of the lake before landing back in the middle of the reeds. Also Cetti's Warbler calling both evenings.
(Adam Whitehouse)

Sunday 11th March Haysden

A late afternoon visit produced a single Kingfisher, a singing Yellowhammer, seven Little Egrets and two Red-legged Partridges.  A Little Owl was again heard but not seen.

(Andy Appleton)

Sunday 11th March Dartford Marshes

One of the flooded fields adjacent to Bob Dunn Way held 10 Redshank, including 3+ pairs, and 8 Lapwing, also including 3+ pairs.  2 Pairs of Shelduck were also present as were 1 pair of Lesser Black Backed Gull and a lone Little Egret playing gooseberry.

(Andrew lawson)

Saturday 10th March Cliffe RSPB

3 Greenshank flew onto Black Barn Pool on Sat evening(10th) one bird was coloured ringed with what appeared to be orange bands on each leg.
(Keith Cutting)

Saturday 10th March Littlebrook Pools, Dartford

4 Yellow legged Gulls present including 2 2nd winter birds and 1 1st winter bird. The fourth bird appeared to have started scapular and mantle moult and had numerous grey feathers in its plumage and was therefore moulting from 1st winter plumage into 1st summer plumage.

(Andrew Lawson)

Friday 9th March Littlebrook Pools, Dartford

Another day, another Caspian Gull.  This bird was found late on Friday afternoon and flew off after 10 minutes at 6pm to roost.  Also present was a 2nd winter Yellow Legged Gull that was last seen on the 10th February (see photograph on that date)

(Andrew Lawson)

Thursday 8th March Haysden

A Buzzard showed well from the Ensfield Bridge Road to the north of Haysden this morning and there were at least four Lapwing in the area.
(10 yesterday).

(Andy Appleton)

 
Wednesday 7th March East Barming

After at least 3 months looking out of my kitchen window for Hawfinches, one finally returned this morning. A female briefly at 07:45 in the same field maple that the group frequented last year on the east side of Barming Parish Playing Fields (TQ723544) . It's almost a year to the day that I last saw Hawfinches here so this was quite unexpected. I got excellent views for about 5 minutes before she flew off high and to the west. (Please respects residents privacy).
(Adam Whitehouse)

Tuesday 6th March Hildenborough & Leigh

Four Little Egrets between Hildenborough and Leigh again this afternoon (six yesterday) - in flooded field just south west of A21 bridge by the B2027. They disappear when the flood resides and watching them could be dangerous - if watching while driving it tends to annoy other drivers when you head towards them on the wrong side of the road, and you'll get run over (probably by me) if you're on foot.
(Andy Appleton)

Tuesday 6th March Trosley Country Park

At least 2 Hawfinches (1 female, other only heard) in trees very near the main entrance to Trosley Country Park at 15:00 today.
(Adam Whitehouse)

Monday 5th March Haysden & Hawden

Arrived at Haysden Lake this afternoon in a squall. Most birds had sensibly taken shelter with only three unidentifiable shapes distinguishable through the gloom. However, the walk down from the car park was rewarded by a very excitable Chiffchaff heard and seen and a handsome Kestrel perched, both near the railway line.
I fared little better at Barden and Hawden Lakes. A Green Woodpecker was feeding right by the water's edge at Hawden and there were four Pochard present. Numbers of Canada and Greylag Geese seem down from a month ago and the Coots seem to have dispersed somewhat.
Haysden is becoming an increasingly unattractive location for me. People with dogs out-number those without by about 5-1. This afternoon I was leapt on by a muddy mutt (fortunately fairly small). The owner, who also had two other dogs, did not even apologise, perhaps because I poked it with my stick. On my last visit, when I complained to an owner about the boisterous behaviour of his dog he said that I shouldn't go to places where I knew there would be lots of dogs.
I would be sorry to avoid Haysden altogether. I have seen Whitethroat, Siskin, Lapwings and a Red Throated Diver there. It is a big enough Country Park for everyone to enjoy but I feel that non-dog owners are making all the concessions.
And I lost my hat!
(Pat Straughan)

Monday 5th March Borough Green

Thought you might like to know that while I was gazing out of a train window this afternoon at 16.55 I saw two buzzards soaring between the railway line and the M26. The train was about mid way between Kemsing and Borough Green stations. This sight brightened up a rather tedious rail journey!!
(Bill Stoneham)

Monday 5th March Hoo, Grain

Long-tailed duck still present yesterday pm at Kingfisher lakes,Hoo.
(Keith Cutting)

Sunday 4th March Trosley Country Park

A brief visit to Trosley Country Park this morning (Sunday) didn't feel particularly spring like with few birds around and only singing Mistle Thrushes adding any spring atmosphere. However, 3 Hawfinches dropped into trees near the car park just as we were leaving (and giving up hope of seeing them with all the Sunday morning activities/disturbances).
(Murray Orchard)

Friday 2nd March Mote Park, Maidstone

For interest: a high count of 25 Med Gulls this morning at Mote Park, with most birds on the playing fields.
(David Blakesley)

Friday 2nd March Horton Kirby

Yesterday I paid my first visit to this interesting site since late Dec. I never meet other birders there and hear little about it, but it has some good habitats and there are always plenty of common birds. Tufted and Coot remained around 30 each and Little Egret was bird of the morning. Song birds were of course more in evidence with 35 Robins, 25 Wrens and 15 Dunnocks. I logged 26 Blackbirds, but no Song Thrushes. Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits were active, but the only signs of winter were 10 Redwings. Green Woodpeckers, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher as well as the inevitable RR Parakeets added colour to a morning of 39 species - useful birdtrack fodder.
(Martin Coath)