Oct08NWKent

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.

Swanscombe © Andrew Lawson

September 08

The drake Falcated duck was back on the pond [feeding with some Heinz 57 varieties]

No Goosander yet (birds have been seen at New Hythe, Bough Beech and the other side of Tonbridge this week) but the Egyptian Goose was once again at Barden where there were also 85 Tufted Duck.

The lake had 53+ Mallard, 35 Black-headed Gulls, 10 Moorhen (up from the 4 or so of the summer) and 1 Coot. No Canadas (there'd been c.150 the previous week with 2 Greylags), or Cormorants (again, 3 the previous week).
As I came up to the eastern scrub, a movement at the base of a tree caught my eye . . . a medium small furry animal was looking at me! A Ferret! Presumably someone's cherished pet giving life in the wilds of Swanley Park a go . . .
. . . Entering through the first band of trees, I was even more surprised at the next thing. A few Blackbirds and Chaffinch were alarm-calling in a group of small trees/large bushes. Before I could round the corner to get better views, a Short-eared Owl flew up and over the bracken towards a further bit of cover. Not what I'd call typical habitat, but I guess it could have ended up there after being disturbed from the more open areas of long grass about. Very nice, and not one I'd have expected at all.
Anything else was going to be an anticlimax, but maybe 50 Redwing in the berry bushes were nice. Towards the west end, 15 Fieldfares were my first this autumn, and there were a further 30 or so Redwing. GSW's heard, Green Woodpecker seen, a female Sparrowhawk sailing over, quite quiet otherwise. Even the Dog walker numbers were down - only 7 or 8 seen. Maybe I was late, it was too cold, or the kids were going to walk them later on (it is half-term week).

Made a round trip around Harty, Shellness and Leysdown today. Some good birds about, here's what was of note:
Had a Barn Owl hunting by the roadside just outside Eastchurch on my way to Harty before dawn. A few hours first thing at Capel Fleet and the View Point produced Bearded Tit, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, a Peregrine Falcon and a Short-eared Owl.

As I stopped to view a close Kestrel by the footpath east of the Ferry Inn car park, I was surprised to flush a Woodcock form the base of the hedge by the roadside (only my second Sheppey record for this species).
Little of note on the Swale reserve or on the wader roost at Shellness. I did however find a smart male Brambling in the patch of scrub at the Shellness Reserve car park.
(Gavin Coultrip)

Having confirmed that the Red-backed Shrike was back at its favourite haunt again this morning (after missing it yesterday), I decided to take a drive over to Halling Common for a closer look and was rewarded with superb views in excellent lighting conditions. In the same area there was a pair of Stonechat and a Little Egret flew over, whilst later in the day there were 3 Curlew, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher along the river.

Red-backed Shrike © Ian Shepherd

It is in there somewhere.......

It was frosty and misty at Haysden this morning. Five Little Egret were still roosting and five species of finch were heard, mainly flying around, these included a couple of Siskin. The single Coot was still on the main lake and the Cetti’s Warbler let me know it was still around.

Went for the Red-backed shrike at about mid-day and it showed well in flight and occasionally sat in scrub viewable from the public footpath by the medway. Also noted were 3+ Green woodpeckers, 1 Kestrel, c25 Lapwing over and 1 Common sandpiper that flew up the medway.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

The Red-backed Shrike was still present on the west bank of the river today and seemed to be attracting quite a lot of interest - I have never seen so many other birders in the area before!

The Red-backed Shrike was back on the west bank of the river from 0900 to 1000 today, and with the sun behind me I had better views than yesterday, albeit still at a range of 200 metres. In good light I could see that the mask is actually dusky brown rather than black, and less clear cut than it had appeared yesterday. I was also able to make out grey scalloping on the whitish underparts, and the yellowish base to the bill which suggests that it is probably a 1st-winter bird rather than an adult female. If it shows up again tomorrow morning I might have to take a trip over to Halling Common to try and get a closer look.

An unexpected find this afternoon was a Red-backed Shrike on the west bank of the river directly opposite my house. Unfortunately I was looking into the sun so the views weren't brilliant, but it appeared to be an adult female with quite a well-defined black mask. This bird has probably been around for at least 4 days: I saw what I thought looked like a Red-backed Shrike in the same area last Saturday morning, but I was on the phone indoors at the time and by the time I got my scope set up of course it had disappeared!

Also present today were 2 Common Buzzard over the downs, a Peregrine perched on its favourite pylon, and 2 Rook which flew over the house this morning, an uncommon and irregular species in this area.

1 Peregrine low to the north in late afternoon. Didn't look too big so presumably a male.

Two Kingfishers screamed past two Little Grebes on Haysden Lake this afternoon – apart from that one unsociable Coot still present (most Coot are on Barden) and 14 Mallard. At Barden the Egyptian Goose was present again, plus 20 Tufted Duck and plenty of Coot...

On a late afternoon/evening stroll around the reserve I saw good numbers of Siskin 40+ and Redwing 25. Also one Barnacle Goose from Willow Hide in the evening and at least 50 Ring Necked Parakeet over as the light started to fade and just a couple of Little Egrets.

The New Diggings had a few large gulls on them today, the first time that I've seen some on there this season. This is a good sign as it means that a 'Casp' or two will hopefully drop in soon as well.

Anyway, three of the dozen or so birds present were Yellow Legged Gulls with 2 adults and a 2nd winter.

The week at Wouldham: Regulars over the past week included 2 Little Egret and up to 3 Common Sandpiper along the river, plus 4 Stonechat and at least 3 Cetti's Warbler on the adjacent marshes. On Sunday I picked up 2 Goldcrest at Peters Pit reserve, whilst on Tuesday there were 2 Grey Wagtail at the sewage works, a late Reed Warbler on the marshes, and a single Brambling with a small flock of Chaffinch feeding on the arable. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was along the river on Thursday, a Peregrine was present yesterday, and today brought 4 Common Buzzard over the downs, the first Fieldfare and Redwing of the season, and a party of 4 Bearded Tit dancing over the reedbeds north of the village

I had from 9:45 to 1pm at the reservoir today and managed a total of 56 species without going for a walk round the nature trail etc. Birds of note were, 7+ Lesser Redpoll, 1 Redwing, 14 Fieldfare, c10 Siskin, 1 Reed bunting, 1 Skylark (over NW), 1 Little grebe, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Common sandpiper, 1 Green sandpiper and 4 Snipe. But the real highlight was a lone BARNACLE GOOSE I found in with the greylags. It was best viewed from the eastern side of the reservoir, though it spent alot of it's time asleep! In the whole time I was there, there seemed to be a large movement of Wood pigeons, mostly heading in a westerly direction. I estimated there to be c3-400.
(Josh Jenkins Shaw)

Started off by scanning the pool to the south of the Eurostar tunnel in the pre-dawn half-light. 73 Teal, 8 Shoveler, 17 Mallard, 15 Moorhen, 2 Black Tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 1 Little Egret were present. I could also hear a few Mipits and Redwing heading over. The pools to the north of the Eurostar held one more Black Tailed Godwit, 2 Little Egret and 2 Little Grebe. 2 Water Rails squealed.

I walked north along the footpath (Green Manor Way) and had the first 3 Stonechats calling urgently as I flushed them from the path. I had 13 Stonechats in total at this site at all points.

Stonechat © Andrew Lawson

There was a bit of vismig going on but the heavy machinery at the point made hearing stuff flying over difficult. I did however record 8 Redwing, 30+ Skylarks (1 flock 10 birds), 40+ Chaffinch, 18+ Reed Bunting (with many dropping in to feed), 2 Redpoll, 2 Siskin and a few Goldfinch. 3 Goldcrest, 2 Blue Tits, 1 Great Tit, 3 Robins and 4 Dunnocks were in the trees south of the point.

Cetti's Warblers were very vocal and 2 birds were also showy including one bird feeding along the top of a fence! 10+ were present but this number could easily have been doubled or trebled with more time and persistence.

I reached the radar at the point and recorded 8+ Yellow Legged Gulls including 3 1st winters. 4 Redshank, a Curlew, a Rock Pipit and a Grey Wagtail fed on the foreshore. 100+ Linnets fed on the thistles and two more Grey Wagtails flew over.

A quick stop at Greenhithe turned up 2 juvenile Grey Plover (good record here), 100+ Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 1 Oystercatcher and 3 Yellow Legged Gulls roosting on a jetty. On to Dartford.

It was of course a bit noisy at Dartford but once I tucked myself under an elder bush by the seawall it was OK. 13 Yellow Legged Gulls of all ages were present and a very smart 2nd winter Med Gull flew west, landed, fed, then flew east again half an hour later. 25 Ringed Plover, 65 Lapwing and 4 Dunlin fed on the mud. 3 of the Dunlin were still in juvenile pluamge. 2 Bramblings and 2 presumed litoralis Rock Pipit also flew over.

adult Yellow Legged Gull © Andrew Lawson

Not much of a bruiser, this one, so probably a female

Yellow Legged Gull © Andrew Lawson

3rd winter (note the bill)? Again, a slight looking bird so possibly a female.

Yellow Legged Gulls © Andrew Lawson

Same bird as above with a larger 3rd winter so, presumably, the larger bird is a male.

Herring Gull © Andrew Lawson

Get off of my foreshore and go back to Essex!!

Note the short primaries due to moult. Yellow Legged Gulls complete their wing moult before Herring Gulls.

Several hours seawatching at Shellness today produced very little of note. However in the late afternoon Andy Shoebridge, David Bundey and myself stopped off at the raptor viewpoint along the Harty road and were rewarded with fine views of a male and female Hen Harrier together, a merlin, and 12 plus Marsh Harriers.

Harty Ferry (07:00):     5+ Marsh Harrier
                                2x Kestrel
                                Sparrowhawk

Warden Point (08:30): Yellow-browed warbler, briefly in a sycamore at cliffs edge, east of Monastery also:
                                5+ Goldcrest
                                Blackcap (male & female)
                                Chiffchaff
                                2+ Redwing

A look around Cliffe RSPB reserve today over the high tide (11.00 - 15.15) produced the following highlights:-

RADAR POOL:-
Little Stint 3
Spotted Redshank 4
Greenshank 1
Golden Plover 4 (with Lapwings)

HIDDEN POOL:-
Com Redshank 435
Greenshank 2
Pintail 8
Shoveler 14
Teal 43
[all the above were on the "walkway islands"]

FLAMINGO POOL:-
B/N Grebe 3
Avocet 740
Grey Plover 293
Ringed Plover 155
Bl/T Godwit 107
Ba/T Godwit 18
Knot 2
Little Stint 5 (total 8)
Greenshank 1
Curlew 64
Green Sandpiper 5 (flock flew over)

The waders on the Flamingo were very flighty for some reason - the Avocets in particular. At one point the entire roosting flock were swimming on the water.
In addition there was a Marsh Harrier, a Chiffchaff and 5 Jays in the area. Wildfowl totals over the above pools included 195 Shelduck, 128 Teal, 30 Shoveler, 12 Pintail, 10 Wigeon, 149 Little Grebe and 68 G/C Grebe. Also 29 Little Egrets.

Two Mistle Thrush and two Meadow Pipits from the road, 25 Tufted Duck and two Grey Wagtail at Barden, two Rook and two Grey Heron at Hawden, two Stonechat still and two more Meadow Pipit near Haysden where both Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff were heard but not seen and a Kingfisher flew over Longfield Lake. Two separate sightings of Siskin in the area also this morning.

A look from the first mound this evening produced 1 Short eared Owl, a male Merlin and a ringtail Hen Harrier.

I encountered a snow bunting on Shellness beach near pill box + 4 yellow wagtails and a water pipit, also female redstart by car park.

A check at cliffe this evening produced a Ring Ouzel at lower hope point and a short eared owl on the marsh.

13.30 to 16.30 hrs. 2/8 cloud, W 1 or calm, LT. 12.50 hrs. 15 oC at 13.00 hrs. A fine warm afternoon but we should have been out earlier to take full advantage of the LT. Many of the Black Tailed Godwits may have previously left for Essex on the rising tide.

Little Egret - 32 feeding offshore between the Allhallows headland & Yantlet estuary at LT.   Later 4 arrived from Coombe Bay direction.
   Cormorant - 5 Y. est.
   Grey Lag Goose -   60 sw. over Grain marsh towards Binney farm.
   Shelduck - 206 along tideline east of Allhallows to Yantlet estuary.
   Sparrow hawk - 2 perched below overhang along hedge adjacent to Br. Pilot CP. - east side.
   Marsh Harrier - 1 imm. & 1 FCY. m. over NTY.
   Merlin - 1 brown f. steadily west upriver, briefly harassed by some Black Tails near Y. est.
   Oystercatcher - 490 Yb.
   Lapwing - 56 Yb.
   Ringed Plover - 60 Yb.
   Grey Plover - 59 Yb.
   Dunlin - c. 200 Yb.
   Knot - 54 Yb.
   Redshank - 332 Yb.
   Greenshank - 3 Yb. & 3 over nearby Gm.
   Curlew - 313 Yb.
   Bar Tailed Godwit -   15 Yb.
   Black Tailed Godwit - initially 905 Y. est. & 950 off Allhallows headland at LT.   All flew   to Yb. to roost on the rising tide.   From the headland, 1290 flew to roost at Yb. So 2195   roosting there, we could not see any BTG. to the west of the headland. Another 3000 +/-   could easily   have been feeding offshore between Coombe Bay to St. Mary’s. None was
seen to leave for Essex.
   Turnstone - 62 Yb.
   Wheatear - 1 sea wall.

There were 20 Bearded Tits on the reserve this morning..
There were also 16 Ruff on the reserve yesterday and given that they were on saltings directly opposite Oare they were probably the birds seen over there.
(Derek Faulkner)

Two Stonechats still present and a smart Whinchat - also Linnet and three Yellowhammer - and around the lake an outburst from the Cetti’s Warbler (first I’ve heard from this for weeks), a Kingfisher and a few Herring Gulls moving south.

Two Stonechats still Haysden, also five Yellowhammers on overhead wires. At Haysden Lake three Tufted Duck flew in, followed five minutes later by the first Pochard of the winter, a fine drake. Also here two Kingfisher (with two also nearby in the Shallows and one or more at Longfield Lake), one Grey Wagtail, a couple of Chiffchaff and a few Meadow Pipit. At the Shallows there seemed to be Thrushes everywhere - all however appeared to Blackbird and Song Thrush - a single Blackcap also here.

On to Barden where there were 31 Tufted Duck and 50 Black-headed Gulls, and the Egyptian Goose. In fields nearby there were 40 Lapwing and as I walked back towards Haysden 15 Siskin were feeding in trees on the other side of the river. About 20 House Martin and a couple of Swallow were at Hawden this afternoon.

4 Spotted Redshank, 1 Wheatear, 7 Stonechat, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Pintail, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Greenshank, 250+ Avocet, 2 Common Tern. Quite a movement of Chaffinch with 65+ overhead and a Swallow still around the sewage works as well as all the usuals.
(Jamie Medford)

An (intermittent) seawatch from Coombe Point 0730/0940 today (3rd) produced only 2 seabirds of any interest - an adult Kittiwake and a dark phase Arctic Skua, both flying W.. hordes of gulls - I'd say, mainly, Herring, but I didn't count them.
I DID count the Black-tailed Godwits, though - a staggering 6,850 between St. Mary's Bay & the Yantlet (2,450 SMB area & 4,400 Y area)
(JRS)

Brief visit - just one Stonechat showed itself, also 30 Lapwing, one Lesser Black-backed and one Herring Gull – all from the car.

A single Whinchat and three Stonechat were at Haysden this evening (there had been four Stonechat earlier). 16 Meadow Pipit, a couple of Linnet and a Yellowhammer were also noted and five Golden Plover had flown south over Barden Lake this afternoon.

Best birds today for me were 2 L. Egrets, Mandarin, 26 Wigeon, 12 Gadwall, 73 Teal, Pintail, 3 Buzzards, Sp. Hawk, Peregrine, 3 Green and 3 Common Sands, L. Owl, 9 G. Woodpeckers, 45 M. Pipits, Wheatear, 5 Chiffs, a Goldcrest bathing in a puddle and looking worried as they do, Treecreeper, 2 Nuthatches, 50 Linnets and 2 Siskins. I had 64 sp., but missed Hobby, Snipe, calling Tawny Owl and Redpolls. I was let down by Pheasant, feral Pigeon, Stock and Collared Doves and Greenfinch.

A 1st-winter little gull was at Cliffe Pools over the high tide today. In the wader roost on Flamingo 8 curlew sandpiper, 3 little stint, 350 avocet, 300 dunlin, 185 grey plover, 48 ringed plover, 117 black-tailed godwit, 18 bar-tailed godwit, 4 knot & 6 greenshank. 2 stonechat by Radar pool.
Frustratingly, a large, long-tailed raptor headed north over Northward Hill at 3pm being mobbed by a flock of jackdaws was probably a red kite, but it had disappeared in the few seconds that it took me to run back into the office to retrieve my bins, so another one that got away.
(Gordon Allison, RSPB)