PATCH WATCH - 1st May 2005

The weather forecast was promising for the 13th May 1st Patch Watch, essentially dry and warm, with sunny periods. I parked my car by the reservoir at 3.40am and as I walked up to the barn, a warm southerly breeze blew. As usual the glow of light over Maidstone dominated the northern sky, but as I stood on the ridge the only sounds I could hear were from distant Marsh Frogs to the south, until around 4am when a Mallard ‘quacked' from the vicinity of the lake. A few constellations could be seen amongst the scattered clouds and the light from a half moon glowed from behind the clouds low in the southeastern sky. The only Little Owl to call was heard at 4.25am, followed quickly be a Moorhen and a Cuckoo . I heard the calls of Canada Geese , as I strained to hear an obvious hoot from an owl. A Song Thrush started to sing at 4.35am and calls were heard from a Pheasant and a Coot , from the direction of the reservoir. A Blackbird sang at 4.40am, as I returned to the barn, where Bob was sitting patiently, to be rewarded by the sighting of a Barn Owl as it flew from the barn, so silently that I missed it! At last hoots were heard from a Tawny Owl (my 10th species for the day) to complete the anticipated trio – between us, Bob hadn't heard the Little Owl.

Around 4.45am a Carrion Crow clearly made its presence known and songs were heard from both Wren and Robin . As we headed back to my car by the reservoir, a Woodpigeon cooed, and the first of at least a dozen ‘fisherman' cars arrived. Unfortunately, the 1st of the month is the opening day, following six weeks when no fishing has taken place. By the reservoir, as the light improved, calls and song were heard from a number of species, including Great Tit , Chiffchaff , Collared Dove and a Chaffinch . A Green Woodpecker ‘yaffled' and the song of a Common Whitethroat (number 20 at 5.20am) was heard from a newly occupied territory in the southeast corner of the patch. A Mistle Thrush could be seen perched high in an oak, a Blue Tit called, as we walked along the southern boundary, and a Greenfinch was also heard calling. As we walked around the northern edge of Bishop's Wood, one of the ‘Gravitt's Cottage' Swallows could be seen in flight and the anticipated flock of Rooks was busy feeding and calling from the pasture along Peens Lane. To our surprise the next song came from a Garden Warbler in the vicinity of the Lesser Whitethroat's territory and that bird then sang as well, while a GS Woodpecker tapped at his nest hole in Bishop's Wood. A Dunnock perched on the power line above its territory and the first of a number of Herring Gulls flew N (number 30 at 5.40am). As we continued north along Peens Lane, two Stock Doves flew S, the first Starling was noted a House Sparrow was seen close to Gravitt's Cottage. A presumed second Lesser Whitethroat was seen and later heard singing and Jackdaws were feeding amongst the Rooks. A BH Gull flew S and as we moved into the Deer Park the first of several Nuthatches called and a lone LBB Gull flew E. The next sight was a most welcome one, as the Treecreeper can be extremely elusive at this time of year; there was in fact a pair and they were carrying nesting material to behind the loose bark of an old oak.

We searched the spruce coppice for Goldcrest, without any success and continued towards the Atlas Cedar. Five more Herring Gulls flew SE, a Grey Heron flew N and a small flock of Goldfinches (number 40 at 6.25am) flew over and alighted in trees along Church Hill. The Atlas Cedar also failed to produce a Goldcrest or a Coal Tit, though they had been seen there on recent visits and just a Blackcap was heard making snatches of song. We headed back around the southern edge of the Deer Park and Bob was able to hear song from a high-flying Skylark , which he pointed out to me. It seemed to be moving rapidly N, but returned, presumably to the set-aside field just to the south of the area. As we left the Deer Park, Bob heard a call from a LS Woodpecker and happily, a pair was quickly located in the tops of the oaks and were observed feeding – the first May 1st sighting since 1999. Two more Herring Gulls flew NE and a distant Turtle Dove ‘purred'. We headed back for my breakfast via the style below the barn, where another Lesser Whitethroat sang and the first Magpie was seen. A Kestrel flew from the lower barn, followed quickly by another welcome bonus, as a female Sparrowhawk displayed over the poplar wood and flew virtually overhead, providing excellent close views. Two more LBB Gulls flew S, as we reached my car at 7.20am, with 48 species on my list and 49 in total. Sadly, one of Bob's feet was playing up and he planned to return home to rest it. As he got into his car he noticed two Swifts flying high W and came back to point them out, but I failed to see them. Another LBB Gull flew S and the first Small Tortoiseshell flew by.

As usual, while taking breakfast, I pondered over the priorities in my attempt to reach 60 species. Of the resident species there were still a few tricky ones to locate, like Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit and Coal Tit, Jay and Bullfinch, and more straightforward ones like Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting and Linnet, with the possibility of hearing or seeing the Barn Owl – total of 57. Surely more Swifts and a House Martin or two would fly over - 59. The previous day a Cormorant had visited the reservoir and that wasn't going to happen with all the fishermen, three Greylag Geese had flown over, as had a Sand Martin. It was going to be quite a challenge and I'd need to scan the skies for a bonus such as a Hobby, or maybe an Osprey!

At 8am, I decided to first head northwards towards Spindlewood and a female Cuckoo ‘bubbled' as I approached Tanyard, from which a cock Pied Wagtail obligingly flew. The pair of nesting Linnets (number 50 at 8.17am) was ‘at home' and a few minutes later a Barn Owl flew from the barn and provided splendid views as it perched in the large Ash in bright sunshine. While I watched it, a Bullfinch and another Blackcap sang from the dell. While walking through the orchard a Holly Blue provided excellent views, the first Large White of the year was seen and an Orange Tip flew by, but it was the sight of a Jay that set the adrenaline flowing – I'd failed to find one the previous year. Another Grey Heron flew N just before 9am and I wondered whether the missing Cormorant might yet appear. It was time to venture into the final habitat of the area, the Sweet Chestnut coppice along the Greensand Ridge. The carpet of bluebells was a picture and a Speckled Wood fluttered by. Another Bullfinch called, while a further Blackcap sang, as did a Common Whitethroat from an area, along the northern edge, not previously known as a territory. In the northwest corner of the patch around 9.30am, another Jay flew across the path and both Blackcap and Chiffchaff sang, but there was no sign of the Willow Warbler that had held territory for a short while the previous spring. About 50 spikes of Early Purple Orchid were a splendid sight. While walking through the Church car park, I could just hear the distant calls of a Coal Tit , which I eventually located high in one of the Beech trees – another very tricky species to see locally – and another Nuthatch called. Just before 10am I sat in the Deer Park to peer at the Atlas Cedar for a while in the hope of seeing a Goldcrest, but it seemed to be birdless, so I put my faith in the Spruce coppice, where this species had also been seen during the previous few days and where I considered there ought to be a pair nesting. After a short while, I heard a most welcome burst of song from a Goldcrest (number 55 at 10.15am); it remained out of sight high in the dense branches, but did utter a couple more phrases of song.

I returned to my car by 11.30am and still hadn't found either LT Tit or Reed Bunting. The former was probably still incubating in a nest in a large bramble on the reservoir bank and a pair of the latter was usually present along the same bank or in the adjacent figwort patch – the presence of the fishermen was hindering my opportunities to add these two species. I decided to walk up to the barn and back by the figwort patch, keeping my eye on the sky and having a more prolonged scan from Spindlewood, as there is a splendid breadth of view over the Weald from there. Nothing came into view while I scanned, but as I reached the figwort patch I could see a small passerine perched on the power line pole frequently used by the Kestrels – it was a hen Northern Wheatear – a real bonus and only the second for a May 1st Patch Watch, but the fifth this spring. Bob reappeared at around 1pm and was also able to see it, before it flew and totally disappeared. While we enjoyed the adrenaline rush, a cock Reed Bunting flew over and it was time to take lunch, scanning the sky, as the Wheatear bonus had made 60 just possible. While eating lunch a flock of 13 BH Gulls circled high overhead as they drifted NE, six more Herring Gulls flew NW and a few Swallows flew N, but still no House Martin had been identified. Bob didn't stay for long and my first afternoon target was to locate the missing LT Tit. It is rare that not one of the local resident species is missed and with a nesting pair nearby I couldn't really fail and in recent days I'd seen others in different parts of the patch.

The search began at 2pm, when I decided to walk around the southern boundary again. Another Jay – no problem this year – flew from Bishop's Wood and I noticed that a little bit of Hawthorn was actually in flower as I crossed the bridge into the Alder coppice. At last, at 2.55pm one of the LT Tits appeared not far from the nest site. Number 58 and the only possibilities of additions now were flyover species, so I headed up towards the Greensand Ridge again, to provide better scanning opportunities. A Peacock flew over the figwort patch – the 7th butterfly species. Shortly before 3.30pm, there was further success, from my point of view, as four Swifts flew N making my own total 59. Two more Swallows flew N, but still no House Martin. I walked through the Deer Park again, taking time to sit and scan occasionally. Around 4pm, as I was closing the gate at the bottom of the park, a Brimstone flew past me – the 8th butterfly species and my first here for seven years. I walked up to Spindlewood again for more scanning from 4.25pm. As I was watching another Grey Heron flying S towards the fish farm, a hirundine came into my binocular vision and fortunately it was flying N and came closer and closer, until it flew directly overhead, when I was able to confirm the identification as the 60th species, a House Martin , at around 4.30pm. Two more BH Gulls flew N and then I picked up a group of dark, large looking birds flying towards me from the southwest in a flap, flap, flap, glide manner and I was almost convinced that they were Cormorants. However, as they came closer they proved to be LBB Gulls flying rapidly NE with distinct purpose and I found that there were two more just in front of them. This manner of flight was something I'd not noted before. I could see three adult Mute Swans on the fish farm ponds, but they couldn't be counted – except during a Big Sit!

I returned to my car for a drink at 4.45pm feeling well pleased with the day. I made one more circuit of the reservoir, which only produced two more BH Gulls S and one N, so I decided to call it a day – a most successful day – just before 5.30pm.