November 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.

Sunday 30th November Haysden

Five House Sparrows and 25 Redwing were at Ensfield Farm with Chaffinches; on Haysden Lake there were two drake Goosander and a drake Pochard, a Bar-headed Goose circled the lake with Greylag Geese a couple of times and two Egyptian Geese were by the lake this evening. At least 60 Cormorant roosted, but no Little Egrets. Kingfishers were noted at Haysden and Barden where a young Great Crested Grebe still chases its parent around. At Hawden there were 18 Wigeon (and three came into Haysden this evening), four Teal and a load of Lapwing. Other birds noted as I walked around included Treecreeper, a couple of Nuthatch, 20 Siskin and Marsh Tit.

(Andy Appleton)

Saturday 29th November Elmley RSPB

After a very wet day at Elmley on Saturday I can report the following highlights:
Snow Bunting on seawall east of Swale hide (TQ974667), Bewick Swan over west which appeared to drop down near mouth of Conyer Creek. Jack Snipe by the footpath towards Windmill Creek and a Short-eared Owl hunting south of Wellmarsh Hide.

(Adam Whitehouse)

Saturday 29th November Capel Fleet, Sheppey

An afternoon at Capel fleet today produced 1 Rough-legged buzzard by the prison, 3 Short-eared owls, 3 Hen harriers and 5 Marsh harriers. Also good numbers of Golden plover, Lapwing and RL partridge.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Thursday 27th November Elmley RSPB

Stonechat, Whinchat, Golden Plover (200+), Marsh Harrier(6), Merlin (3), numerous Redeshank, Turnstone, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Curlew, Ringed Plover, and excellent numbers of Wigeon, Shelduck, Pintail, Shoveler, Teal but we saw only one Pochard. Little Egrets and Pheasants everywhere.

(M.Mellors and I. Kesterton)

Tuesday 25th November Grain 

Roas  Bank,  offshore  &  Outfall.  09.30  to  13.30  hrs.  0/8  cloud,  NNW  4,  4  oC  at  09.00  hrs.   HT.  10.50  hrs.      

    Great  Crested  Grebe -  1  swimming,  1  south. 
    Black  Throated  Diver -  2  ads.  in  SP.  arrived  from  the  east  at  10.10  hrs.  &  settled  offshore.  Later  at  11.05  hrs.  both  flew  NE  into  the  estuary. 
    Brent  Goose -   59,  majority  feeding  at  ebb  tide.  
    Shelduck -  1  NW. 
    Pintail -  3  NW. 
    Scoter -  swimming  flocks  of  8  &  20.  Also  8  NW. 
    Peregrine -  1  NW. 
    Ringed  Plover -  20  Roas,  ebb  tide. 
    Grey  Plover -   4  as  above. 
     Golden  Plover -  2  NW. 
     Lapwing -  82  NW  in  5  flocks. 
     Knot -  25  Roas  ebb  tide. 
     Dunlin -  23  NW. 
     Sanderling -  1  Roas  ebb  tide. 
     Turnstone -  6  as  above. 
     Purple  Sandpiper -  1  PS.  Outfall,  HT.  roost  with  Turnstone,  per  MJ  Gray. 
     Herring  Gull -  540  NW,  coastal  movement  only. 
     Common  Gull -  59  NW.  inc.  only  4  FW.
     LBB.  Gull -  2  ads.  NW. 
     Med.  Gull -  1  ad.  NW. 
     Kittiwake -  1  ad.  NW.  
     Arctic  Skua -  1  DP.  following  Gulls  behind  ship.  
     Kingfisher -  1  at  PS  Outfall,  per  MJ.  Gray. 
     Meadow  Pipit -  2  NW. 
     Skylark -  3  NW. 
     Fieldfare -  10  west  across  Grain  road.

(Janet  &  Trevor Bowley)

Monday 24th November Grain 

14/00  to  15.30  hrs.   8/8  cloud  am.  to  2/8  pm.   Frequent  rain  &  showers  08.00  to  14.20  then  clearance.  N  or  NNE  4 - 5,  exc.  visi.  after  rain.  6.5  oC  at  13.30  hrs.  LT.  16.30  hrs.      

     Brent  Goose -  15  feeding  offshore. 
    Scoter -  40  NW  along  tideline,  later  another  6,  all  ff /  imms  as  previously  this  month.
    Long  Tailed  Duck -   1  ad.  dr.  in  autumn  plumage   led  the  flock  of  Scoter  NW  towards the  Thames  at  15.00  hrs.  Although  the  Scoter  flock  completed  a  circuit  as  if  to  settle,  they  followed  the  LTD.  which  flew  on  some  distance  ahead.  The  LTD  showed  a  solid  dark  broad  breastband,  a  fine  dark  area  on  the  face,  otherwise white  from  head  to  under  tail,  extending  up  to  sides  of   tail  base, seemingly a deep vented  appearance,  &  all  dark  upper  &  under  wings.
    Lapwing -  11  NW. 
    Knot -  a  flock  of  90  west. 
    Common  Gull -  45  ads.  NW. 
    Pomarine  Skua -  3  imms.  NW. 
    Arctic  Skua -  1  DP.  NW.  The  Skuas  arrived  immediately  after  clearance  of  a  widespread  band  of  showers  across  the  estuary  at  14.20  hrs.

(Janet  &  Trevor Bowley)

Sunday 23rd November Shellness, Sheppey

There were 2 Snow buntings, male and female, c150m North of ' The Retreat' ice cream parlour today, showing very well down to c4 metres. Also; 20 Bar-tailed godwit, 47 Brent geese, 1 Grey plover, 1 Kingfisher, c300 Oystercatcher and c20 Common scoter there.
At 1630 there was a Short-eared owl at Elmley RSPB as well as 2 Marsh harrier, 2 Peregrine, 7 Little egret and a few Kestrel.

(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Saturday 22nd November Grain

Roas  Bank  &  offshore.          09.30  to  12.30  hrs,  2/8  cloud,  NNW  3 - 4,  am.  increasing  5 - 6  pm.  3  oC  at  09.00  hrs.
     LT.  14.00  hrs.   Pleasant  sun  during  sheltered  watch.

     Great  Crested  Grebe -   1  NW. 
     Red  Throated  Diver -  1  west. 
     Brent  Goose -  57  feeding  Roas. 
     Scoter -  9  NW.  8  swimming  offshore. 
     Oystercatcher -  N / C  today  but  many  hundreds  flew  to  north  Roas  area  in  lighter  winds
     as  tide  ebbed,  &  surprising  numbers  flew NE  towards  Foulness  throughout  morning.
     Ringed  Plover -  2  Roas. 
     Grey  Plover -  4  Roas. 
     Dunlin -  12  west  into  Thames. 
     Knot -  18  Roas. 
     Redshank -  2  Roas. 
     Black  tailed  Godwit -  1  Roas. 
     Turnstone -  6  feeding  near  barge. 
     Common  Gull -  5  NW. 
     Lesser  BB  Gull -  3  NW. 
     Herring  Gull -  690  NW. 
     Kittiwake -  13  NW.  inc.  3  FW. 
     Stonechat -  1  m.  nearby.

(Janet  &  Trevor Bowley)

Saturday 22nd November Bough Beech & Pembury

Went to BB today and as soon as I pulled into the causeway, I was told that the Great-nortern Diver was at the dam end, so we drove off to there where it gave superb views and at lose range too. No sign of the bearded tit but 1 Marsh tit, 3 Snipe, c110 Wigeon, 76 Pochard and a Sparrowhawk.

A stop at pembury waterworks on the way back where there were c60 B H Gull, 1 Common gull with them, 2 Tufted duck and a Little grebe showing very close.

(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Saturday 22nd November Burham

A walk around a bleak and windswept Burham early yesterday afternoon produced very little except 176 Greylag Geese, but only one Canada Goose and 6 Red-legged Partridge. A bird that I have not seen in this location for many years.

(Bill Stoneham)

Friday 21st November Grain

Offshore  &  Roas  Bank   LTC. 10.15  to  14.15  hrs.  6/8  cloud,  NW  4 - 5,  occ.  6,  dull  am.  Less  windy  from  12.00 to 12.45  hrs. when  NW  3 - 4. but  NW  5 - 6  from  12.45  to  13.45  hrs.  Good  visibility.  Dry.  10  oC  at  09.00  hrs.  LT.  12.10  hrs.  Later  8  oC  at  15.00  hrs.  Sunny  periods.

    Red  Throated  Diver -  1  NW  offshore,  then  swimming. 
    Great  Crested  Grebe -  2  NW.   group  of  3  swimming.
    Little  Egret -  1  at  offshore  pools. 
    Cormorantt -  10  fishing. 
    Brent  Goose -  75  feeding  Roas  near  Whitehall  beach,  also  5  offshore  later.  3  SW  from  estuary  into  Medway  &  5  NW.
    Shelduck -  1  Roas. 
    Wigeon -  1  f.  NW. 
    Scoter -  2  groups  of  10  swimming  offshore.
    Red  Breasted  Merganser -  2  NW. 
    Oystercatcher -  2510  feeding  along  tideline.   During  the  ebb  tide  period  280  of  these  flew  NE  towards  Essex.
    Ringed  Plover -  3  feeding  near  barge. 
    Grey  Plover -  5  Roas. 
    Knot -  3  Roas. 
    Sanderling -  90  Roas. 
    Dunlin -  430  Roas. 
    Curlew -  174  Roas. 
    Turnstone -  5  at  barge. 
    Black  Headed  Gull -  20  Roas. 
    Common  Gull -  35  NW. 
    Herring  Gull -  74  Roas.   345  NW. 
    GBB  Gull -  35  Roas. 
    Kittiwake -  474  NW  towards  Thames,  inc.  18  flocks  between  10  to  60  &  8  groups  of  less  than  10.   Numbers  of  FW  in  the  flocks  varied,  with  one  flock  of  14  included  10,  one  flock  of  23  all  adults  &  one  flock  of  31  included  10  FW.  Many  flocks flew  along the  tideline,  some  resting  offshore  briefly,  always  a  delight  to  watch.
    Grey  Wagtail -   1  north  along  beach.

(Janet & Trevor Bowley)

Thursday 20th November Sheppey

Spent about an hour at the raptor ramp on Sheppey today from about 12.15. 9 marsh harriers, but the bonus was a fantastic female hen harrier. Also 2 kestrel and 4 little egret

(Bill Stoneham)

Wednesday 19th November Bough Beech

A fine Great Northern Diver made a for a pleasant lunch-time excursion and whilst twitching this bird a drake Red-crested Pochard was also seen with 30 Pochard and an Egyptian Goose was on the North Lake with several Snipe. GND is my 187th bird for the reservoir and my third BB tick of the autumn (after Grey Phalarope and Bearded Tit).  Although I didn’t look for them the Bearded Tit was still down by the Oast House this morning, four Common Scoter were seen yesterday and two female type Goldeneye were present on Monday.

(Andy Appleton)

Wednesday 19th November New Hythe

A glorious three-hour walk around the lake complex at Snodland/New Hythe today, starting at 11.30, resulted in the following observations:

Little Grebe 1, GCG 13, Cormorant 11, Little Egret 1, Mute Swan 14, Greylag Goose 18, Canada Goose 14, Mallard 13, Gadwall 21, Shoveler 11, Pochard 4, Tufted Duck 236, Goldeneye 1(female) Sparrowhawk 1, Kestrel 1, Water Rail 2(both heard), Moorhen 13, Coot 158, Black-headed Gull c200, Herring Gull 6, Woodpigeon c50, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Wren 13, Dunnock 8, Robin 10, Redwing 14, Blackbird 14, Goldcrest 3, Great Tit 3, Blue Tit 9, Long-tailed Tit 16, Magpie 4, Jay 5, Carrion Crow 5, Chaffinch 3 

(Bill Stoneham)

Sunday 16th November Sevenoaks NR

Today was my first visit in a while after being captivated by birding at bough beech! Wildfowl numbers were: 74 Tufted duck, 16 Pochard, 33 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, 22 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 13 G C Grebe, 5 Mute swan. Gulls were much in evidence with c490 B H Gull, 16 Common gull, 5 L B B Gull and 10 Herring gull. Just 2 Grey heron and 2 Water rail calling near the 'Snipe Bog Lake'. Also 47 Cormorant, 4 G S Woodpecker, 4 Redwing, c30 Siskin, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Jay, 2 Stock dove, 7+ Snipe, c25 L T tit, 1 Nuthatch and a few Goldcrest scattered about.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Sunday 16th November Dartford & Swanscombe

A few large gulls were in the first flooded field amongst the 500+ Black Headed Gulls.  There were about 20+ Herring Gull and 10+ LBBS but as yet, no Caspian.  However, 3 1st winter Yellow Legged Gulls were present.  2 Snipe flew over.

The water level at Swanscombe has dropped and this encouraged 2 Water Rails to leave the safety of the reeds and feed amongst the 60 Lapwing and 63 Teal.  12 Black Tailed Godwit and 2 Green Sandpiper were also feeding avidly in the fading light.

(Andrew Lawson)

Saturday 15th November Haysden & Cliffe RSPB

An early start produced a roost of 17 Little Egret and nearly four hours in the field resulted in Cetti’s Warbler, about 30 Siskins in total - the largest group included at least three Redpoll (my first for the year), Redwing, 31 Fieldfare, a couple of Yellowhammer and several Meadow Pipit at Haysden, Kingfishers, including three at Barden, Nuthatch and a couple of Bullfinch. 

The Spoonbill showed reasonably well on the Flamingo Pool this afternoon and appeared to be feeding well.  Despite the fact a group of non-birders were walking across the middle of the pools the following birds were also seen (mostly in flight and numbers very approximate) – drake Goldeneye, 1,000+ Dunlin, lots of Grey Plover and smaller numbers of Golden Plover, 100 Avocet, 15 Little Egret, 100 Little Grebe and far more wildfowl than at Haysden – Pintail, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveller, etc (Andy Appleton)

Saturday 15th November Bough Beech

Of interest today were: 1 female BEARDED TIT  showing very well  inbetween Oast and Roy Coles Flood, 10 Siskin, 6 Redpoll, 15 Shoveler, 1 Bullfinch, 14 Snipe ( 13 of which flew high South) 2 Sparrowhawk, 31 Pochard, 14 Mandarin, c90 Teal, 1 Kestrel, 26 Wigeon, 10 Gadwall, 70 Greylag, 70 Canada goose, c65 Starling over, c60 Lapwing, 2 Buzzard, 1 Brambling, 1 Marsh tit, 2 Tufted duck, 2 Nuthatch.
I have made a website dedicated to Bough beech with a recent sightings page.
http://www.freewebs.com/boughbeechreservoirbirds/
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Sunday 9th November Haysden

200 Lapwing were in fields along the lane this afternoon, the Egyptian Goose remains at Barden where there were also 85 Tufted Duck and at Hawden there were 24 Fieldfare.

(Andy Appleton)

Sunday 9th November Whetsted, nr Paddock Wood

I did my usual circuit today, walked from Hartlake road, along the medway, to the gravel pits and then back round. Along the river I noted: c60 Fieldfare, c60 Redwing, 3 Grn Woodpecker, 1 G S Woodpecker, 1 Pheasant, 2 Stock dove, 7 Skylark, c150 Woodpigeon, c75 Starling, 2 Meadow pipit, 6 Yellowhammer and 1 Sparrowhawk. On Pit 1 ( the one with no reeds) 2 Black swan, 8 Mute swan, 1 Greylag, 4 Little grebe, 2 G C Grebe, 10 Coot, 16 Tufted duck and 5 Pochard. On Pit 2 27 Coot, 8 Mute swan, c175 B H Gull, 7 Common gull, 3 Herring gull, 2 G C Grebe( 1Juv), 2 Moorhen and 3 Cormorant over.

(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Sunady 9th November Crossness

Highlights of a wander round Crossness marshes today; meditteranean gull, yellow legged gull, snipe, dunlin (too many to count), black-tailed godwit, common sandpiper, grey wagtail, bullfinch (patch tick1), goldcrest, gadwall, and teal. Getting more and more ring-necked parakeets too.

(Perry Grin)

Sunday 9th November Elmley RSPB

A juvenile little stint re-appeared on the Flood at Wellmarsh hide today. Elsewhere on the reserve, 2 peregrine & single merlin, buzzard, sparrowhawk & short-eared owl. 2 woodcock were still present in the oaks, where there were also small numbers of fieldfare, redwing, goldcrest & probably the lesser whitethroat again. A swallow flew through.

(Gordon Allison, RSPB)

Sunday 9th November Swale NNR

The 67 Whitefronts remain on the Swale NNR and were easily viewable to within 100yds of the seawall this morning. They really are remarkably tame. Fortunately they don't seem to be crossing the seawall to the waiting wildfowlers, as one complained to me this morning.
The ringtail Hen Harrier was also about but spent a lot of time quartering the maize strips at the rear of Elliots Farm.

(Derek Faulkner)

Saturday 8th November Haysden

A quick trip to Hawden produced three Little Egrets and a Kingfisher.

(Andy Appleton)

Friday 7th November Haysden

Sparrowhawk and Kestrel at Haysden today - also the Cetti’s heard again and a drake Pochard. A very quick look at Barden produced Egyptian Goose and three Gadwall. Four Mistle Thrush were nearby.

(Andy Appleton)

Friday 7th November. Ditton, nr Maidstone

A couple of Hawfinches showed well in Ditton Quarry, off Kiln Barn Road, Ditton (c. TQ715574). The birds were seen briefly in a large Ash tree in the shrubby area at the SW corner of the disused quarry at 13:15 before flying down to some cherry trees on the earth bank bordering the Quarry and East Malling Research Station land.
The site can be accessed by parking in Ditton Community Centre car park (Kiln Barn Road) and walking SE across the playing fields to the quarry entrance/allotments.
http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/.
(Adam Whitehouse)

Tuesday 4th November Bedgebury

arrived home from Bough Beech about 9am and as it was the last day of my son’s extended half-term I suggested a cycle round Bedgebury - not good for a huge variety but a few Siskin and Redpoll were seen, mainly in flight - and a single Marsh Tit showed along one track – but no Crossbills seen or heard this morning. 

Lake Louisa generally holds between zero and ten Mallard – so I was just a little surprised when I counted 700 of them on this small lake. I checked all visible birds but couldn’t find any Black Ducks!  One of the wardens didn’t recall seeing anything like this before and had stopped here ‘a couple’ of days previous. No other duck species were present.

(Andy Appleton)

Sunday 2nd November Bough Beech

When I got home from  the west country yesterday I saw that a SLAVONIAN GREBE had been reported, so I new where I was going today! I arrived at 9:45 and straight away got onto the bird which showed very well on the south basin catching and eating fish, sleeping, preening and wing-flapping. What more could I ask for!?

The day was really enjoyable with totals of: 44 Pochard, 37 Wigeon, 25 Mandarin, 10 Skylark over, 9 Redpoll over, 2 Common sandpiper, 1 Dunlin over calling, c70 Fieldfare, 2 Sparrowhawk, c60 Lapwing, 6 Shoveler, 8 Pheasant, c130 Starling over in groups, c25 Siskin, 4 Reed bunting, 1 Marsh tit, 1 House sparrow, 1 Nuthatch, c10 Linnet, 6 Gadwall, 3 L B B Gull, 1 Snipe, 2 G S Woodpecker, c15 Greenfinch, 1 Kingfisher, 10 Meadow pipit, 11 Redwing, c70 Teal, 1 Kestrel, 7 Collared dove, 1 Mistle thrush, 1 Stock dove, 23 Tufted duck and c1000 Black-headed gull's roosting late afternoon.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Saturday 1st November Shellness, Sheppey

The following is a summary of birds seen at Shellness on Friday by a number of observers.
Diver sp.4, Great Skua c10, Pomarine Skua 1 {plus 2 at Warden Point], Gannet 3, Leachs Petrel 2 [unfortunately I missed these], Kittiwake 33, Little Gull 48, Common Scoter 80, Eider 2, Brent Goose 360, Widgeon 45, Teal 35, Pintail 4 Gadwall 1, Tufted Duck 2. [the wildfowl apart from the Scoters were coming in].
Also moving were Starlings 550, Skylarks 160 and S. E. Owls 4 of which came in. 1 presumably a tired bird landed on the beach another was severely harassed by 2 GBBs but suceeded in avoiding them, eventually climbing to a considerable height.
(Dick Elvy)