Wednesday 26 November 2008

Wednesday 26th November

Not much to report from Ditton Quarry today (unless you want to hear about more Bullfinches and Goldcrests!). Eight Herring Gull made themselves known by their loud calls as they flew overhead and landed on the roof on the new Tesco distribution Centre on the Quarrywood estate, Aylesford. A large murmuration of Starlings sat out the dull, cold weather on one of the power lines on the Research Station.

3 comments:

Steve said...

Hi Adam, my name is Steve and I've just started my own blog. It's another bird one! Just a question. Where is Ditton Quarry? Is it just past the Community Centre on the bend? Didn't know there were Firecrests in Leybourne, I've seen the Goldcrests, there's lots about this year.

Steve

Adam said...

Hi Steve

Ditton or Ditton Court Quarry as it's shown on the maps is where you described. For those not familiar with Ditton it's just off the A20, about 3 miles west of Maidstone. The quarry can be found by taking Kiln Barn Road off the A20 and then either parking in the car park of Ditton Community Centre and walking SE across the playing fields to the entrance (by some allotments) or alternatively you can carry on up Kiln Barn Road and just after a sharp left bend pull into the 'layby'/gate entrance on the left (if you get the Research Station entrance you've gone too far). Be careful not to block the gate here and then walk back on yourself down the road and through the broken down fence on the right. BE VERY CAREFUL as this is a blind corner. The quarry tends to have things passing through rather than lingering and is quite disturbed by dog walkers so it's a matter of luck what turns up really, but the most productive area has been in the far SW corner (approx TQ 716574) where there are always good number of Bullfinches and Goldfinches, and where I recently got the Hawfinch and Siskins and Redpolls. I only get to visit the site at lunchtimes so there's probably more there if you check regularly!

Firecrest has been reported a couple of times down the bottom end of Lunsford Lane by stream north of Alders Lake and the old cottages but no news this week.

You'll have to send me the link to your blog. Are you local?

Adam

Tony Morris said...

Love all the Starlings, it's a pity we don't get the numbers we used to.