BIG SIT - 16th May 2006

Both Little and Tawny Owls call as I settle down for the May Big Sit at 3.55am and a Cuckoo also calls. It is still and cloudy at present and the forecast suggests showers, possibly heavy late in the day. I'm trying a new site this year, high on the edge of the Greensand Ridge, with a more extensive view across the Weald and about 100 metres from the barn dell and the 'rarity' hedge. I can hear Canada Geese calls and a Mallard quacks but loud calls from a distant Peacock don't count. A Woodpigeon coos and the first Blackbird sings at 4.05am, as I strain to hear the start of the dawn chorus, having stiff competition from the traffic noise along the Staplehurst road. A Carrion Crow calls and a second Tawny Owl hoots. The calls of a Moorhen emanate from the reservoir and at least three Blackbirds are singing before a Song Thrush joins the dawn chorus, followed by a Robin , as clouds drift eastwards and the sky begins to lighten. A Pheasant calls but I'm finding it difficult to hear additional passerines amongst the almost deafening chorus of Blackbird song. However, a Mistle Thrush call is clear enough and at 4.25am the first sight record involves a Barn Owl flapping silently along the rarity hedge towards the upper barn. A Coot calls and I can just make out the song of the 'rarity hedge' Garden Warbler and then the clear loud song of a Wren . Another Barn Owl alights on a post by the reservoir and is just visible through my telescope in the gloom. A Green Woodpecker 'yaffles' at 4.42am, a Rook calls as it flies to the recently drilled arable north of the reservoir, a Jackdaw follows and a Turtle Dove 'purrs' from the orchard. A GS Woodpecker drums and numerous corvids are dropping onto the arable, where two Canada Geese are also feeding. In the improving light it is possible to see a pair of Mute Swans on the fish farm lakes, where I hope to identify several additional species, even though the lakes are some two kilometres to the south. A Starling flies by below me and as I train my 'scope on the large bramble by Wierton Lane a LT Tit drops onto it - presumably with food for its nestlings - as anticipated.

Several BH Gulls are flying over the fish farm lakes and a Collared Dove calls. The lone Mallard duckling swims across the reservoir as I scan for an additional species, without any success. Looking north I see a Kestrel hovering and a Magpie flies along the rarity hedge just after 5.30am. Bob arrives at the reservoir at 5.38am just as my 30th species a Stock Dove drops down to feed on the arable. A Chiffchaff alights on a power line about 100 metres distant and is obviously singing, though sadly, I can't hear it. Three Greylag Geese fly around the fish farm at 5.50am and I can see and hear a Common Whitethroat singing from the top of the rarity hedge. Two Herring Gulls and a distant Grey Heron fly in a northerly direction and a Chaffinch alights on one of the power lines. A Swift flies from the direction of Wierton Place, where a few pairs may breed and a BH Gull flies over the reservoir, as a continually scan the island for a glimpse of a Reed Bunting. A Sparrowhawk flies towards Spindlewood as Bob joins me for a little while at 6.30am having counted over 200 corvids on the reservoir arable. Two drake and a duck Tufted Duck alight on the reservoir and unfortunately get harassed by the objectionable resident male Coot, who scares virtually everything off, particularly potential breeders like the Tufted Duck. Two Turtle Doves fly across the slope below us, a lone Swallow flies S, three LBB Gulls fly NE and a GC Grebe - the first this month - is now present on the reservoir. At last, the barn dell Blackcap sings at 7.05am and another Herring Gull flies NE as I contemplate breakfast. A cock Yellowhammer perches atop one of the alders lining the orchard, a Nuthatch - a first record for a May Big Sit - calls from close to its nest in the oaks below us and a Great Tit flies towards the rarity hedge. Large flocks of racing pigeons totalling several hundred birds are flying NW, a Grey Heron flies N over the patch. As a bank of cloud slowly drifts southeast, blue sky replaces it and the sun shines for breakfast. A Cormorant flies NW overhead and Bob hears a Dunnock singing as he leaves at 7.45am. The pair of Canada Geese, with their three recently hatched goslings, is still present on the reservoir, from which the Tufted Duck have flown. Scanning distantly I can see a Lapwing flying over the pasture by the River Beult and fluffy cumulus clouds are now drifting over in a light breeze. As a female Cuckoo 'bubbles', the male calls and they fly west into the oaks then back east together.

It is only 8.15am but with a total of 48 species already noted adding species from now on is going to be a real challenge, though some resident ones should call, sing or appear within range like Dunnock, Blue Tit, Jay, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Linnet, while Kingfisher, Lesser Whitethroat, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting will require some good fortune and I hope that I might just hear the 'winnowing' of the Little Grebes from the lake in the Deer Park. Two more Swallows fly W at 8.40am and it is now cloudy once again. A Blue Tit appears in the rarity hedge and a pair of Common Whitethroats is frequenting a heap of brushwood just 50 metres along the ridge. At 9am I can see three Commic Terns feeding over the fish farm lakes, occasionally alighting and I have a gut feeling that they are probably Common Terns (the 50th species, as I confirm the identification later in the afternoon). At 9.25am I believe I am looking at an adult GBB Gull as it flies NW but the profile view is brief and I am not 100% certain of my identification, though I associate specks of white on the upperparts with this species. It doesn't fly close enough to a second dark backed gull to compare sizes accurately. This bird may also have been a GBB, though more likely an intermedius LBB Gull at this time of year. A Jay flies into the large Ash in the rarity hedge at 9.35am and fortune smiles at 10am when a lone Pied Wagtail flies NE. About thirty minutes later I can at last put Dunnock on my list as one perches in the top of a Hawthorn in the rarity hedge. A few patches of blue sky are appearing again and I can feel some warmth from the sun, which makes me believe that a Hobby or a House Martin should appear.

Mary and Mike Tuckey join me for just a few minutes at 11.10 and they've seen a drake Mandarin on the Deer Park lake. The sky is cloud-covered again and the wind is freshening from the south, as forecast - will it bring any new species I ask myself, a migrant wader would be most welcome. I hear later that a Honey Buzzard flew W over Linton Park shortly after noon - how did I miss it? Another Jay flies along the rarity hedge and the female Sparrowhawk circles high above me at 11.45am. An hour later a Mistle Thrush is singing well from the Ash tree but his calls were heard much earlier. A graellsii LBB Gull flies S as lunchtime approaches and the sun attempts to shine through the high cloud-cover.

At 1.15pm I take a break and visit the fish farm to confirm, if possible, the identification of the Commic Terns. I return by 2.10pm having found a Common Tern roosting at the same spot and also seen my first Little Ringed Plover of the year. However, a high bank largely obscures the area it was frequenting and at that range such a small wader would be difficult to see, unless it ran or flew. The Mandarin drake was still on the lake and as I write I think I hear a snatch of Lesser Whitethroat song, but I guess I was mistaken. It feels much warmer now and as long as it remains dry I'll be trying to improve on this new record total. Skywatching at 2.25pm proves rewarding as I discover four House Martins flying over Wierton Place. The Garden Warbler continues to sing, another Jay flies over and I continue to scan for missing species like Hobby, House Sparrow, the finches and Reed Bunting and hoping the Mandarin might fly into view. I realise that I can see two distant Spotted Flycatcher territories and if they should fly they'd be identifiable, but I've left it a little late and the light is now poor at 3pm and heavy dark clouds move northeast. Sadly, it looks like rain approaching. I take a break at 3.15pm thinking to return if it brightens later.

Back after heavy rainfall at 5.40pm I'm hoping it will clear properly and a few additional species might show themselves. However, it is still overcast and misty so distant identification of the passerines still wanted will be limited and its not really Hobby weather. There might be an additional duck species on the reservoir but it disappears under the near bank before I can identify it and doesn't reappear. In retrospect I should have checked the reservoir for confirmation, as a duck Mandarin flew from there early the next morning! A pair of Tufted Duck is present again. I take shelter under my umbrella as another shower falls. It eases but the sky simply doesn't look like clearing. The Garden Warbler sings again but the only finches I can find are Chaffinches. It would be nice to see a Bullfinch instead of the various Jays that keep flying by but I call it a day at 7.15pm.

As I leave David and Laura rave about the attractive pair of Grey Wagtails that is visiting their garden and the man-made waterfall regularly, and sure enough the male is feeding on the lawn at present - but it doesn't count and wouldn't have been visible from my 'circle'. It has been a successful Big Sit but disappointing that rain interrupted play.