BIG SIT

17th May 2011

Bold indicates new species for the May Big Sit

The wind feels more northwesterly, as I settle down at 3.30am for a long, ninth May Big Sit, under a cloudy sky. The possibility of hearing the Nightingale by the reservoir seems diminished. Across the Weald, scattered lights shine clearly and already a few cars can be heard along the Staplehurst Road. A Little Owl calls from the Deer Park at 3.43am. I hear the calls of a Moorhen and a Pheasant a few minutes later.

At 4.15am I can hardly believe what I’m hearing but a Nightjar is churring from relatively close by in the old orchard, possibly from the oak on its edge. It is not only a surprise addition for a Big Sit, but the first record for the patch in twenty-seven years. Somewhat mundanely, a Woodpigeon calls and the dawn chorus commences with a Song Thrush, then a Robin and a Blackbird. The moon is now glowing through cloud in the southwestern sky and the Nightjar continues to churr. It is 4.30am, as the moon slips below the horizon and I fear that I’m not going to hear a Tawny Owl. A Carrion Crow is next to call, as I can just about write these notes without the aid of a torch, and a Chiffchaff is the first warbler to sing, along with a Wren. A distant Cuckoo mimics his name, a Chaffinch sings, as I scan the Weald in the vague hope of finding a Barn Owl hunting. The wind is feeling cold and I’m happy to be able to put on a pair of gloves. A Yellowhammer appears on the nearby power line and is seen and heard singing at various times throughout the day. A Jackdaw announces his presence from the Deer Park at precisely 5am, a Green Woodpecker yaffles and a Magpie appears on the field to the north of my Big Sit circle.

It is light enough now to start scanning beyond the River Beult to the south and through my telescope I can just identify a couple of BH Gulls flying over Monk’s Lakes, some two kilometres distant. The cloud is breaking a little but it will be a while before any warmth from the sun is felt. A Blackcap sings from the barn dell and I can see a drake Mallard on the reservoir – number 20 at 5.18am. A LBB Gull circles low over the reservoir and then flies overhead on its way to the Parkwood nesting colony. A Collared Dove coos rhythmically from Spindlewood, beyond the barn dell, and a Blue Tit flies into some adjacent trees – only two are noted all day. The first of a good number of Swifts appear overhead, a Rook flies S carrying food and two Starlings fly N. A Jay flies across the reservoir orchard and a Stock Dove appears in flight below me. I’m pleasantly surprised to hear a Greenfinch wheezing from a high dead limb of an oak nearby – a species that is proving difficult to find on the patch and a Mistle Thrush calls – number 30 at 6.03am. The Yellowhammer is now perched in the ‘famed’ hawthorn, which I’m hoping will produce a number of passerines for me during the day. I look up and four Swallows are flying NW, as several small groups did during the day. The local pair of Greylag Geese drops down onto the reservoir again and, through my telescope, I’m able to identify both Coot and Tufted Duck on Monk’s Lakes, as a GS Woodpecker calls.

At around 6.30am, with thirty-six species now on the list, I’m feeling peckish and decide to have some breakfast, as another BH Gull flies N. During breakfast, both Common Whitethroat and Dunnock utter a few phrases of song. More blue sky is slowly appearing, as the wind is backing southwest and cloud drifts northeast. Through my telescope, I can now see a pair of GC Grebes on Monk’s Lakes, though they quickly disappear from sight. A total of four LBB Gulls flies NE, as I hear the clear song of a Garden Warbler from the old orchard, a welcome bonus, as I’d not heard it for a few days. I keep thinking I can hear a Skylark calling but I’m not sufficiently convinced to include it.

By 7.30am the sun is beginning to break through the cloud cover and I’m looking forward to appreciating a little warmth. It is pleasing to hear a Bullfinch calling from the barn dell – number 40 at 8.03am – as this is only the third Big Sit when it has been included. A family party of Mistle Thrushes appears close by and with forty species now on the list it is time for an assessment of the situation. The most common species not yet included are probably Great Tit and Herring Gull. Four other annually recorded species include Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose and Kestrel. Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard and Hobby should all be possible, along with Turtle Dove, House Martin, LT Tit and Nuthatch. It is interesting to note that Goldfinch has only been recorded on one such occasion. So, it looks as though 50 is going to be a real challenge this year.

Just before 9am a Mute Swan swims into view on Monk’s Lakes and Bob arrives just afterwards, having seen a Turtle Dove fly across the field behind me and into the orchard – the only known territory this spring – but it never made its presence known from within the Big Sit circle. Just over half-an-hour later Bob calls House Martins as two fly high NW, and while I scan the River Beult area he continues to scan the sky – four eyes are at least twice as good as two – and calls Kestrel, as one hovers distantly, while a number of Swifts keep appearing. Shortly before 9.45am a Common Buzzard circles in the sky to the southwest and the one becomes two, which circle ever higher under the greyish white cloud right overhead, until almost out of eyesight range. More Swallows fly NW, another Common Buzzard soars well to the south of us and two Linnets call as they fly N overhead.

Scanning over the fish farm again, trying to locate the missing Herring Gull, reveals the presence of two Little Egrets feeding close to the River Beult – another first for the May Big Sit. The amount of cloud cover is constantly changing and warmth from the sun is becoming scarcer. At 11.15am a couple of Herring Gulls put in an appearance at last, as they fly N and with the first is an adult Mediterranean Gull, which flies off NE. Sadly, we are experiencing considerable noise interference from a tractor, which is ploughing furrows on the two proposed Apricot orchards, but at 11.40am, when it is relatively quiet, with the tractor by the Greensand Way, we hear calls from a Coal Tit in the trees by the barn dell – a third new species for the May Big Sit.

Bob departs at noon, leaving me to find the 50th species, and maybe a few more. Surely I can’t miss Great Tit – did one just fly from the barn dell to the oak behind me? It doesn’t reappear, so I’ll never know and I’ve actually only seen two Blue Tits. If these species are not breeding nearby, I guess they won’t be appearing!  I’m going to enjoy a lunch break now and ponder my options. Is it too much to expect that a Great Tit will eventually call or appear and the Turtle Dove ‘purr’ from the old orchard? I haven’t seen a single bird visiting the rarity hedge Ash, to which Nuthatches have been making quite frequent visits. Species like Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk and possibly a Canada Goose can be expected to fly over, but the increasing strength of the wind and cloud cover doesn’t really bode well.

Around 2pm another Bullfinch calls, again from the barn dell and the two Little Egrets reappear on the fish farm, but the 50th species still eludes me. Bob stops by again, during a circuit of the patch, and is surprised to hear that I’ve not added any new species. However, while he scans the sky again he picks up a splendid Hobby – number 50 at 14.57pm, the latest time to date for reaching 50 – but I’m extremely pleased, as it is my first for the year, as well as the 50th species. As Bob leaves, about twenty minutes later, I pick up what appears to be a distant, large raptor, gliding on flat wings towards me, but I stupidly lose sight of it and a few minutes pass before Bob finds a distant Common Buzzard in a similar area and observes it performing a display flight, suddenly plunging a considerable distance, when I also see it, having already relocated, presumably the same Hobby.

Around 15.30pm, I turn to scan the sky to the north and another adult Mediterranean Gull appears, circles over the newly created furrows and flies off SW. Sadly, the light is now poor and I omitted to adjust the ISO on my camera, so the photos are not sharp. The furrows are attracting good numbers of Jackdaws, with a few Rooks and Carrion Crows, and a pristine adult Herring Gull, but no Pied Wagtail, which would be a real bonus, having only been recorded in two earlier years. By 4pm the southwesterly wind is feeling decidedly chilly and I’m wondering how long I might stay. I really ought to add Great Tit and Sparrowhawk, and possibly Turtle Dove or Nuthatch, and there must be a chance of a Grey Heron flying over. However, several pairs of Greylag Geese are flying around the fish farm and Monk’s Lakes but strangely there’s no sign of a Canada Goose. Some thirty minutes later, while looking northwest, I suddenly have a glimpse of a probable Canada Goose, but it disappears behind trees and drops down across the Deer Park, so I’m not 100% happy.

In dull light, with such heavy cloud cover overhead and little to suggest that any of the missing species might suddenly appear, plus the fact that I’m feeling decidedly shivery, I think I’ll call it a day at 5pm, having spent over thirteen hours in the field. There are always frustrating moments and I feel a little annoyed that I haven’t achieved a higher total, when such obvious species ought to have been seen, but in other respects it has been an exceptionally good Big Sit, with three additions increasing the cumulative nine-year total to 69, and in particular the song of the Nightjar, which makes it the 196th species for the patch.