NWKentJan2010

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.

The Ordnance Survey map suggests that Viridor recycling centre has a big 'red line' going through it. As I live in Kent, I will therefore claim all birds seen here as being in Kent (and not London). But I'd be happy for these birds to be recorded as London too especially as they have a habit of flying between the pools along University Way, Dartford, Kent, and the recycling centre.

Anyway, 2 Caspian Gulls were present today and were first ones at this site for 3 years. According to one of the (very friendly) security guards they don't use bird scarers on a Sunday which explains why so many gulls are present then. He also found it amusing that the gull that I showed him could have come from his home town. The Albanian security guard looked quite disappointed when I said that none of the gulls came from where he lived. Green Sandpiper and Grey Wagtail flew over. Six colour ringed Herring Gulls were also noted with one rung at Pitsea a week or so ago (see here) and four others being 'rehabilitated' birds from Sussex. The other remains a mystery for now.

Caspian Gull © Andy Lawson

Note the 'Eton tail coat' look which is Casp gold.

Caspian Gull © Andy Lawson

Look closely at the wing coverts and you'll see some darker grey, more uniform coloured feathers. These are newly moulted '2nd generation' feathers. Herring Gull apparently never moults its wing coverts this early (?). Also note the long, thin, and most importantly pink base to the bill which rules out Yellow-legged Gull. The frayed greater coverts suggests that the pale tips have 'worn away'. White headed and adult looking grey upperparts as you'd expect. Corking looking bird. Note the metal ring on its leg....

Caspian Gull © Andy Lawson

Stood out like a sore thumb amongst the Herrings but photographs don't make it look so easy. But note the long, thin, parallel sided bill. Also note the colour of the bill and compare it to the bright yellow bills of most adult Herrings. That black mark seems to be a feature of Caspian but it is by no means diagnostic.

Caspian Gull © Andy Lawson

'Jordanesque' stature (see here) when compared to Herring, if you know what I mean. Note the large body but small head. Caspians seem to lack the 'blue-grey' of a Yellow-legged Gull and are also often darker than Herring. Note the cold, grey tone of this bird and compare to the Herrings.

Caspian Gull © Andy Lawson .

Caspian Gull is often comically 'pin-headed'. The small head at the end of a long neck on top of the large body gives them a 'skittle' look. Note the all white P10.

A pleasant walk today secured most of the usual suspects. The group of seven (three drake) Goosander from Bough Beech had obligingly relocated to Haysden and were on Longfield Lake before relocating to the main lake. Also three Little Grebe, twelve Little Egret and a few Siskin noted. 30 Pochard were seen today including 14 birds at Hawden and seven Gadwall -five at Haysden and two at Hawden. At Hawden there were also 37 Wigeon, 40 Lapwing and the rather smart Red-breasted Goose of dubious origin.

Don't tell Defra what I saw on the North Quarry, but there was a female of this species present amongst the many hundred Pochard and Tufties. 20+ Pintail I think are an unusual record from the quarries. Gulls were disappointing with just 100ish individuals with half being Herring, half being GBBs and err, 2 LBBS.

Alpha Pool held the 2 wintering Great Northern Divers which were feeding avidly at distance. One appeared to be a scaly juvenile whilst the other might have been an adult. A Black-necked Grebe was also present amongst the 30+ Little Grebe.

Our late afternoon flying visit to the North Kent marshes was finished off with a late sortie to Northward Hill where we watched 4+ Marsh Harriers fly into their reedbed roost. Also 1 Buzzard out in the fields being harrassed by crows and a Woodcock flew up from the entrance track as we left.

A lunch time visit resulted in three red-head Smew on the North Lake, one Kingfisher and a couple of Buzzard.

During a brief visit to Bough Beech yesterday I was pleased to see 10 Common Buzzards in the air at the same time at around 12.30pm.

Juvenile Glaucous Gull was present in the 1st flooded field along University Way at lunchtime today.

There have been more diving duck on the Pools recently. I checked the sluice and it had gone up 2 inches since the 8th and 8 inches since September which probably explains the increase. Amazing what a small change in water level can make (RSPB take note!). I received a call from Dave Rose to tell me that there was a Bittern in the RSPB car park. Unfortunately it seemed to have a broken wing. Not the way I wished to get my 255th Cliffe tick and a bit galling to know it was in the area and had eluded all my searching! It was taken into care by the RSPCA.

A selection of gulls seen in the Dartford area (or seen to fly into Kent just the once with regards to the Glauc!). All images taken with a Coolpix 5100 through a Kowa 885mm coupled together with an Eagle-eye adaptor and UR-E20.

2nd winter Herring Gull © Andy Lawson

Many thanks to Dylan Wrathall for his comments. Also, thanks to Paul Roper of the North Thames Ringing group who confirmed that this bird was ringed at Pitsea Tip in November 2008

2nd winter Great Black Backed Gull © Andy Lawson

Thanks to Lou Salomon for his comments.

1 Bittern, seen flying into reeds by Slingsby Hide; also 2 Water Rail from same hide; Most unexpected sight was of 2 Raven flying over in a south-westerly direction at 13:00. Also the female Goosander was still present on the East Lake.

Good numbers of dabbling duck in Higham Bight with 77 Gadwall, 564 Teal and 190 Wigeon present. Unusually there was a single Pintail there also. Gadwall numbers have suddenly increased with a total count for the area, including Higham Bight of 185. The juv/imm Marsh Harrier was hunting the Reserve and 22 Corn Bunting were there also. There is a lot of water on the BB Pools, perhaps too much for a good spring wader passage, but we will see.

Two Great Northern Divers showing well on Alpha Pool at 12.45pm today and the 4 Shorelarks also showing well on Flamingo Pool until 2pm at least.

I pulled into the layby at Ensfield Bridge at 3.40pm, the same time as a Red-breasted Goose flew in to join a small group of Greylag Geese - a smart bird but of presumed dubious origin. My walk was limited by time and the fact that Haysden was completely flooded but I did see two Little Egret, heard a Marsh Tit and noted about 20 Fieldfare and a couple of Meadow Pipit. Finally two Mandarin flew over as it was almost dark - but no owls, again!

The snow has gone but Hawden was still completely frozen and Barden wasn’t much better. Still seven Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Grey Wagtail flew over and six Wigeon were in the behind Hawden and a Kingfisher posed and a Grey Heron stood on the ice at Barden. Other bits out walking between here and around the Powder Mills area were six Mandarin, Skylark and a single Goldcrest. Two Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper and a few Redwings also seen.

Yesterday the 15th I saw a huge fox running along the field at the back of our house, common in most areas I know but a rare sight in rural Sheppey. In the back field also a little later we had a flock of 15 brent Geese along with a similair number of Curlew. I took a ride out to Warden point ( the first outing this year on the pushbike) and saw a very large flock of Fieldfare and Redwing..I can count on one hand the number seen in my garden at Eastchurch this season so this was a welcome sight. We had to go into Sheerness shopping and on the way back going through Brambledown at 4.45pm there was a spectacular view of the Rooks that roost there. I should imagine there were high hundreds in the sky along with as many in the trees and also the telegraph wires in the opposite field were weighed down with them. At a guess there must be a couple of thousand at least and it was an amazing sight, the winter population just seems to grow and grow there. Finaly the Songthrush we had in our garden on the 1st of January now seems to be a regular visitor...I shall have to have a word with the Sparrowhawks to give it some peace!

As the mist cleared this morning I went off to Cliffe where the snow had almost all gone. Despite the hard weather things were not so different to the last time I was there in December before the snow.

The 4 Shore Larks were in the same place though showing a lot more [or perhaps the samphire has got a bit flattened by the snow]. Numbers of ducks were quite modest apart from Teals of which I reckoned there were about 1600 on the pits and another 300 in Higham Bight. I only saw about 300 each of Tufteds and Pochards [ most of the Pochards were in the N. quarry] and c20 Goldeneyes. No sign of any Smews though a Scaup had been seen in the quarry. Quite a lot of waders came in to roost including a very restless flock of c2000 Dunlins, 350 Avocets. 100 each of Black-tails and Grey Plovers [ but no Goldens], a Bar-tail and a Greenshank. 20 Knots flew in but didn't stay and a Woodcock flew out of a ditch in a scrubby area. A Great Northern Diver gave very good views on Alpha Pit ábut I only looked at the fort end so there could have been another further along. About the only new species for me were 3 Pinkfeet.

A count along Damhead Creek this morning in slightly milder conditions produced a Spoonbill, 1900 Teal, 2 Peregrines, 1 Woodcock, 1 Little Egret, 1 Avocet, 10 Tufted Ducks, 55 Shoveler, 100 Wigeon, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Snipe, 1 Sparrowhawk and a smattering of Linnets, Redwings, Fieldfares, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers and the usual waders and gulls.

More snow this morning - a Grey Heron and several Cormorants were feeding in the largely ice-free Shallows and at least 15 Moorhen were here and on the small marshy pools beside the railway. A brief look around the railway bridge at Barden and all I could see was ice; Haysden was a little better and a few Pochard mingled with the Tufted Duck here. A couple of Goldfinch, several Bullfinch and a few Fieldfares also noted, mostly under the A21.

Due to the snow I decided to park the car in the Leysdown Road lay-by and walk up Harty Lane this morning which enabled me to have a closer look at the Leysdown village sign, the only one I know that includes a birdwatcher and about half a dozen kinds of birds!
Unfortunately it was a bit misty and the light was poor so I couldn't make out much in the big flock of mixed grey geese to the NW of Capel Gate apart from 8 Barnacle Geese but I think it would be worth a good look in better conditions. There were 34 Bewick and 5 Whooper Swans, all adults, feeding with the Mute Swans in the big kale field. They were difficult to count as some were asleep and others kept their heads down. I thought there were fewer Marsh Harriers about than usual but saw 3-4 Buzzards, a Peregrine and a grey [completely] male Hen Harrier.
I went on to Leysdown where it was even mistier over the sea and there were very large numbers of gulls on the mud and to Muswell where I saw a ring-tail Harrier and a Merlin.
(Dick Elvy)

While in Chatham this morning (11am) recorded the following by Sun Pier:- 1 Common Sandpiper 1 Little Egret 12 Black-tailed Godwit; 3 Grey Plover; 2 Ringed Plover; 2 Redshank; 13 mallard; 3 Mute Swans; 1 Moorhen and a Grey Wagtail over.

Lots of snow today - eight Mandarin at Haysden, where there was also a Little Grebe; I flushed three drake Wigeon from the river and saw two on the Lake. Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, three flocks of Long-tailed Tit, 18 Siskin, a few Bullfinch, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker and Jay were all very pleasant in the snow. Two Lapwings a Buzzard flew over and an Egyptian Goose sat on the ice at Barden.

Walked along the river from the Strand to lower end on Motney Hill Road today. The Snow Bunting was still showing well c500 west of Copperhouse Lane and 3 Yellowhammers close by. Two Woodcock were seen in flight over field west of Eastcourt Meadows and a third bird seen in the Berengrave LNR (Motney Hill Rd). Two cock Bullfinches also seen here.

Still 4 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Ruff along the river today, and at last a few Dunlin have turned up, but the main highlight was a Jack Snipe feeding amongst the riverside vegetation opposite the house mid-morning. A short walk out into the frozen wastes north of the village produced little apart from a Peregrine, 2 Rock Pipit and Stonechat, but other species recorded from the warmth of my lounge included 2 Wigeon, 12 Gadwall, 4 Teal, Little and Great Crested Grebe, Water Rail, 3 Ringed Plover, and both Redwing and Blackcap feeding on the last of the Cotoneaster berries by the front window.

Altruism was not the order of the day when I offered to drop the 'teen' off at 'Bloowardha' as it gave me the chance to check out the Eastern Quarry. My departure was hastened by a call from Barry Wright to say that he ws watching a strange Pochard with a beige head. Worth a look even if just for the sake of curiousity and also a chance to chat with Baz.

Upon arrival I was slightly annoyed though as a redhead Smew had flown in and then flown off in the time it took me to get there. But all credit to Barry for yet another good local find.

The pale Pochard was indeed present, albeit rather distantly, and it was an odd looking creature for sure. Also present was the 1st winter drake Scaup, 2 Goldeneye, 5 Yellow-legged Gulls (3 ads & 2 1st win), 4 Great Crested Grebes, 10+ Little Grebes and a Sparrowhawk. Whilst watching the Pochard, Barry noticed a bird sat on the far side of the quarry. Now, this quarry is probably twice the size of the North & South Quarries at Cliffe put together so the views were, shall we say, not ideal.... But despite that, we were able to make out its large, dumpy body, long broad bill etc. Hubble views of Woodcock!

Soon after Barry received a call from Guy Bailey to say that Phil Royston had seen a Bittern on Littlebrook pools. Barry and I met them down there but alas, the bird was not refound. 100+ redwing present and 10+ Fieldfare. Phil also had a Jack Snipe in a ditch near the old firework factory on Dartford Marsh.

Among the regular waders along the river today there were 3 Ringed Plover, at least 8 Snipe, 8 Curlew and 1 Common Sandpiper, but more unexpected was a party of 8 Black-tailed Godwit and also 2 Ruff which were feeding along the shore directly in front of my house. This was my first winter record of Ruff on the patch, and in fact the first in any season since 1994. What is surprising is the complete absence of any Dunlin at present. In the early 90's I regularly saw several hundred, sometimes up to 1000, in the winter months, but over the years numbers have gradually declined until last year I saw only 2 singles, one in January and one in December. Wildfowl are also rather thin on the ground (and also on the river) at present, although the Canada Goose flock is now up to 70, and there were still 6 Gadwall today, after 11 yesterday. There were also single Little and Great Crested Grebe on the river, whilst 2 Rock Pipit had to share the shoreline feeding with a number of Meadow Pipit forced off the fields by the snow.

A quick call out to the Shallows and I managed to connect with the Bittern as it got up and flew towards Haysden Lake - superb; also four Bullfinches in the snow.

Thirty-five of these pre-roosting in my garden tonight. Beats my previous highest total by fourteen.

Thought you might like to see this picture of an escaped Senegal Parrot that was in our garden on the 3rd Jan at Eastchurch Gap on Sheppey. We had one of these in the area and in our garden about a year ago and I wonder if this is the same one?

I thought I would never have to say this in my lifetime but we had a real rarity in our garden on the 1st of Jan....a Songthrush !!!! Once upon a time I took it for granted that there would be one on the lawn virtualy every time I looked out, but now it's a red letter day to see one.

Snow Bunting still on seaward side of seawall around 500yds west of the Copperhouse Lane entrance to the park. Grey wagtail and Rock Pipit Sharps Green Bay (west side) Riverside CP. Black-necked grebe reported yesterday.

The day frequently interupted by hail and snow squalls, several quite prolonged. Brent at least 1,150 Muswell of which c.13% first year. Whitefront 25 at Shellness and 110 at Capel (c.f. 150 reported at Elmley - seems likely to represent the total number on Sheppey). Avocet 100 Harty Ferry and Golden Plover 3-5,000 Muswell, many fewer Capel. Sanderling 200 Shellness in a single flock. Purple Sand 1 Shellness. Green Sand 1 Capel. Ruff 21 reported Capel Herring Gull a few thousand on mud at Shellness with a much higher incidence of adults than in the autumn and a noticeable number with obviously white un-, or barely, streaked heads. Raptors at Capel more or less as normal. One r/t Hen Harrier and two reported together earlier. Stonechat 2 Capel.

Four Shorelarks seen at the back of Flamingo Pool but they could be elusive little blighters. 3 birds in the image below. I won't expect it to win KOS photo of the month...

Redhead Smew Abbeymead Pit New Hythe 02.01. Present since at least the first. Mobile between pits.

A confiding Great Northern Diver was catching crabs on the Swale on the east side of the Kings Ferry Bridge this afternoon from 1.30pm until just before sundown, then it drifted east on the dropping tide.
Other birds seen while enjoying the entertainment were 1 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel (with prey in it's bill), 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker & 2 Little Grebe.

Had a quick look for the Gyr again this afternoon and found 6 YLGs but no sign of the Gyr. YLGs comprised 3 adults & 3 1st winters (possibly more).
Also checked out Greenhithe where there were 42 Avocet floating downriver on the tide and 1000+ Dunlin on the good side of the Thames roosting on the jetties and 21 Curlew and 100+ Redshank roosting on the bad side. A single 1st winter YLG was amongst the large gulls in the 1st flooded field along University Way

Single Snow Bunting at Riverside Country Park. On the sea wall west of Copperhouse Lane.

Lots of duck on Haysden Lake this afternoon - these included a pair of Mandarin, at least five Gadwall, three Teal and 25 Wigeon. One Little Grebe was on the lake and another was on the river. Jay, Bullfinch, Green Woodpecker and Kestrel were new for the year and a Mistle Thrush was near the Shallows. Just eight Little Egrets roosted.

Two adult Yellow-legged Gulls and a Sparrowhawk - also a Grey Wagtail was on the frozen pool at the back of the shopping area (probably not the best place to walk around with binoculars). Still no Gyr!

I arrived about 1pm and got on to a drake Scaup fairly quickly. A few Stock Dove were feeding, Peregrine and Sparrowhawk were both noted, two adult and two second winter Yellow-legged Gulls showed – but the Gyr did not. Other ducks included about 10 Pochard, a drake Shoveller and 12 Teal.

I arrived at Haysden at 7am - it was cold, and it seemed to be hard work. Having said that I did see 51 species and had heard another four by midday - at least 12 Little Egret had roosted and Kingfishers were noted at Haysden and Barden. I walked over to Ensfield Farm which produced four each of Gadwall and Teal, plus a group of Redwing and Fieldfare, and back to Haysden Lake where there were another 14 Gadwall - making a record count of 18 birds - and two Little Grebes, but no Great Crested Grebes, for the first time ever! Fortunately there were some, although only four, at Barden. Hawden produced 26 Wigeon and 40 Lapwing. Also noted today were three Siskin, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, a couple of Marsh Tit around Haysden and Mistle Thrush in Tonbridge Park. I was just looking for Coal Tit when news of a probable Gyr at Bluewater broke!

A dream 1st of Jan start at Bedgebury with all targets seen or heard including 3 Hawfinches leaving their roost at 7.57am and 3 small parties of Crossbills totalling at least 13 birds.

Later in the day we found ourselves at Bluewater via...errr...Dungeness. A call from Barry Wright stating that he'd seen a white phase Gyr flying through the Eastern Quarry had us quickly scampering back up the M20. Alas the bird could not be refound so I found solace in the Yellow-legged Gulls loafing on some rocky islands by the Northern shore: 3 adults, 2+ 1st winters and 2 2nd winters.

2 Bearded Tits, 2 Snipe & a pair of Stonechat were the pick of the birds around Capel Fleet.
1 female Hen Harrier, 1 Hooded Crow (among the Carrion Crows) and a Woodcock were in the area north of Harty Church.
9 Woodcock were noted at Eastchurch on Wednesday 30th (best count I've had on Sheppey so far) with singles also recorded at Eastchurch& Warden Point on 1st January.
At Harty Ferry another 10 Snipe, 1 Avocet & 135 Brent Geese were the highlights.
Thrushes were well represented with 5 Redwing, 38 Blackbird, 27 Fieldfare, 2 Song Thrush & 2 Mistle Thrush.
Along the coast at Leysdown & Shellness the wader count included 134 Bar-tailed Godwit, 220+ Turnstone, 80+ Knot, 400+ Grey Plover & 219 Sanderling.
300+ Brent Geese were also at Muswell Manor at Leysdown.