Big Sit - 4th October 2007

I'm a little saddened, as I settle on the straw bales in my Big Sit circle at 6am for my sixth autumn event. Dense fog blankets the area, it is still, with a quarter moon and a few stars shining, but the traffic noise from the Staplehurst Road is persistent. A stag croaks from the Deer Park and the first Little Owl calls, as the eastern horizon begins to lighten. A Blackbird calls and three minutes later a Tawny Owl hoots from the reservoir oaks and a Carrion Crow caws. Another Tawny Owl hoots from oaks just below the slope beneath me and several more Blackbirds greet the new day.

High cloud drifts across the face of the moon from the west and a low-flying aircraft almost obscures the screech of a Barn Owl just after 6.20am. Noting all three owl species is a promising start, despite the conditions and a Robin sings to acknowledge it. The calls of a Magpie and a distant Pheasant are the next I hear and a Blackbird flying overhead provides the first sight record and calls from this species dominate the scene at present. A Wren sings but the poor visibility means a long wait before much can be seen. Another Pheasant calls, a mere 150 metres distant, but there is no chance of seeing it in the thick fog. Calls from several Canada Geese (number 10 at 6.57am) indicates that a small flock is flying over and a few Jackdaws call as they arrive from their roost to the east. A Dunnock calls from near the old orchard and a Green Woodpecker yaffles just after 7am. A Chaffinch , calling as it flies overhead, is followed by the calls of a distant Moorhen and a Jay from within the barn dell. The first Woodpigeon flies close enough to be seen.   It is 7.30am now and no sign of the fog lifting, in fact it appears to be thickening - really sickening. It is so frustrating, the few birds visible are just silhouettes and calls are crucial to separate several similarly shaped species. A GS Woodpecker is the next species I hear, as a Meadow Pipit flies over and lands in the wheat stubble behind me and a short while later a Yellowhammer calls (number 20 at 7.56am). Shortly after 8am a few birds are just visible in the top of the much favoured hawthorn tree but they remain silhouettes and I'm not sure whether I'm looking at Redwings or Song Thrushes. Fortunately, the sun catches the head of one - a Redwing - at least eight of them appear, as the sun shines from an increasingly blue sky. The visibility over the Greensand Ridge is suddenly crystal clear but the fog still enshrouds the Weald. A remaining thrush in the hawthorn turns out to be the first Song Thrush of the day. A lone Goldfinch perches on the nearby power-line, a Blue Tit appears on top of the hawthorn, but the identification of a possible Greenfinch and a small group of finches remains unconfirmed, as the fog frustratingly drifts north from the Weald and reduces visibility once again.

A Skylark (number 25 at 8.37am) calls, as it circles low overhead and cloud now totally obscures the blue sky. Shortly before 9am the fog is as thick as ever and by this time in 2006 I'd noted 35 species - but none of the owls on that occasion. I feel colder now than I've felt all morning and there is little chance of adding anything new, while the conditions remain as they are - and for how long, I wonder? Nearly an hour passes before I hear the calls of a Rook as it flies over and Bob appears out of the fog at 9.45am, having seen both Chiffchaff and Blackcap - species I anticipate seeing in the nearby hawthorn, but later in the day they'll become more difficult to see. The fog again begins to lift a little and I can see two cock Bullfinches in the top of the hawthorn - a welcome addition - and Bob spots a couple of LT Tits nearby, perching on the power-line, as I glimpse a Mistle Thrush slipping behind the trees in the barn dell. The reservoir is sufficiently clear by 10am and the resident three Mallard (number 30 at 10am) swim into view.

Three Pied Wagtails fly SE - an unexpected bonus, as they have been particularly scare since the spring. Two Starlings fly into the old orchard, a Great Tit flies towards the Deer Park and a Stock Dove slips silently behind the barn dell oaks. A Goldcrest suddenly appears in the top of the hawthorn - another most welcome addition - a Herring Gull flies S, a BH Gull is visiting the reservoir, where a Coot swims into view. A Mute Swan is now just visible on Monk Lakes, two kilometres to the south, but it is still extremely misty and visibility remains poor for the time being. A flock of about 40 Redwings flies SW and a Kestrel (number 40 at 10.55am) appears over the wheat stubble to the north. A flock of 22 Canada Geese flies NE - no Barnacle or Greylag Geese with them sadly - and the sun provides a little warmth, as a break in the cloud appears. Two Swallows appear over the Deer Park, eight more fly SW overhead and four Greenfinches circle over the old orchard, as a flock of about 100 Starlings flies W. Another Pied Wagtail flies over, NW on this occasion, a Cormorant flies NE at 11.23am and Bob leaves ten minutes later, as a southwesterly breeze begins to blow.

Two more Skylarks call as they fly NE, while I am trying to locate a GC Grebe on Monk Lakes, but the poor light and hazy conditions make it almost impossible. A large flock of well over 100 BH Gulls is more visible on the higher, most westerly area but I feel it will still be difficult to identify a Mediterranean or Common Gull amongst them. Having written that, a lone gull flies up and heads slowly NW, weaving and dipping in the improving sunlight as it goes - it is clearly an adult Mediterranean Gull - a splendid bonus and a first for an autumn Big Sit. Fifteen minutes later, at noon, I manage to identify a GC Grebe as it deigns to swim into the open on its favoured lake.

The warmth from the sun is appreciated but it doesn't make scanning the fields and lakes to the south for Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, possibly Tufted Duck and Lapwing any easier. An early breakfast calls for an early lunch at 12.30pm and an assessment of the state of play. With 45 species already noted a first total of 50 for an autumn Big Sit looks possible. In addition to the four species just mentioned, a Sparrowhawk must be a strong possibility; Common or LBB Gulls are possible; Collared Dove and House Martin should certainly appear; a Fieldfare would be the first of the autumn; Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Nuthatch should really have been noted earlier in the day, but might still appear or call, and maybe a Linnet will fly over. However, House Sparrow is a most unlikely addition, as none has yet been seen this month. Five from a reasonably likely eight or nine gives me confidence, particularly as the visibility will improve as the sun moves round. Time will tell, meanwhile I'm enjoying my egg and lettuce rolls.

A Small White alights and flies on, as I continue to search for additional species. Another small flock of hirundines to the south proves to be nine Swallows. Two more BH Gulls visit the reservoir, over which another Kestrel hovers. Shortly before 2pm a loose flock of at least 40 Swallows flies SW and another Kestrel flies into my binocular vision, but there's no sign of a House Martin or a Sparrowhawk. Five minutes later about 120 Swallows suddenly form a tight flock and fly up towards a dark cloud over the Deer Park against which I discover a Common Buzzard soaring - a real bonus and another first for a Big Sit here, bringing the cumulative total for the six years to 66 species.

My partner Trish and her friend Margaret stop for a chat around 2.30pm - and to take a few photographs - on their sloe-picking walk. Twenty minutes later, the sun has moved sufficiently far round for me to be happy about the identification of two Grey Herons that have been standing still in a field by the River Beult for some time and are now actually moving - they're not plastic sacks blowing in the wind! Just before 3pm, a few House Martins do appear, circling over the old orchard and a short while later a flock of 23 flies rapidly N. With the improving light conditions, my hopes of finding Greylag Goose and Tufted Duck increase but the lack of confirmed sightings of a Sparrowhawk continues to frustrate me and where are the local Collared Doves? I only need two more species for the magical 50.

Nearly and hour-and-a-half passes before a Collared Dove eventually deigns to appear, atop the dead pine adjacent to the old orchard. There are just a few scattered clouds now and the light wind has veered to the northwest, but that 50th species continues to elude me. Around 4.50pm BH Gulls commence flying N and I'm wondering whether a Common Gull might be amongst them. Within a few minutes of this thought the 50th species appears - a splendid adult male Sparrowhawk is flying along the rarity hedge towards me, chased by two Magpies. After such a foggy start, I feel it is an amazing achievement.

At 5.25pm a flock of 150 BH Gulls flies N to the west of me and smaller flocks continue to pass overhead. I glance down, during a break in the movement, to see a Barn Owl flying away in the dark shadow of the rarity hedge, chased by a Jay and half-a-dozen Magpies. Someone has lit a bonfire to the northwest and the smoke drifting across the area is none too pleasant and is marring the clarity of vision; a Herring Gull flies N and disappears into the smokey atmosphere. Just after 6pm two more Herring Gulls and 73 more BH Gulls fly N - I note a total of 352 in a little over an hour but no new species with them.

The temperature is dropping rapidly as the sun sets and it is time to go home and celebrate. I feel extremely pleased with my efforts and take a few photos of the sunset, before leaving.