Friday 31st October

A first in the garden (Barming) for me today - a male Yellowhammer visiting the seed fedder at the back of the garden. It attempted to take seed from the feeder, occasionally landing on the perches but sacred off more ofen than not by the House Sparrows.

Four Fieldfares at lunchtime were my first for East Malling Research this winter, and good to see 35+ Pied Wagtail on the newly ploughed land - start of a new roost?! A lovely clear end to the day, the windvane, depicting the famous Malling series rootstocks and their effect on tree growth, was perfectly silhouetted by the dying sun.

Wednesday 29th October

Off patch today - down to West Hythe to see the famed Green Heron. It dutifully showed to the masses, put in a few flights and even caught a perch. Stopping off at Hythe seafront I quickly located 4x Purple Sandpiper that had been reported earlier in the week on the rocks opposite the Stade Court Hotel.

Moving onto Dungeness had the unusual honour of a bird coming to me.....even though I tried to keep my distance! An extremely tame Lapland Bunting scuttled around the shingle near the Fishing Boats Track and sidled up to my boots.

When I later mentioned to a another birder that it had probably acted this way havingnever seen a human being before, he commented, "So what's changed!".

Saturday 25th October

My first Fieldfare in Barming of the winter this morning. Perched high on one of the trees surronding the Parish Fileds. It was joined momentarily by a Mistle Thrush before chacking harshly and flying off over the house towards the orchards.

Later a Sparrowhawk spooked 10+ Meadow Pipits and 2x Skylarks from the church fields.