Looking towards the derelict Ditton Laboratory building on Kiln Barn Road from the public footpath. The snow lingered, and was refreshed by a light powdering overnight. I still couldn't get my car off the drive so missed out on the Research Station Solstice run. An eccentric tradition relived each June and December by some mebers of the Research - the rules: one circuit of Bradbourne Lake as the sun rises on the solstice......but only one item of clothing allowed....trainers count as one item! Its pushed some people's imagination to the limit, it's certainly effective in waking you up before work! I could set up a 'separate' blog with photos of this event if there's enough interest.
I walked into East Malling from Barming, in places the snow covering was completely unblemished. Checking the Silver Birch at the top of South Street at I counted 8x Redpolls in two groups (6, 2). The group of six flew down into one of the gardens on the east side of the street, but looking into the rising sun, and conscious that I was pointing my bins towards bedroom windows (!) I had to presume they were Lessers. Five Bullfinches were seen along Gallagher's Gallop (just north of the Water Tower off North Street), along with a couple of Jays. The Silver Birch wood at the bottom of the hill looked quite startingly, almost like a black-and-white photo. A pair of GS Woodpeckers jumped around a tree on the corner of Kiln Barn Road/Winterfields (very appropraitely named today).The cloud started to break as I reached the research station site revealing briefly the adonis blue sky.
Winter thrushes on trees, canes and on the wing (click to enlarge). Snow on North Downs beyond.
The orchards near Kiln Barn Road that have been full of Fieldfare were deserted, the fallen apples totally covered in snow. I knew where the birds would be, in the orchards that hadn't been picked; the genebank at the back of the church in East Malling (where the Waxwings were seen) and the orchard viewable from the public footpath just west of the main laboratory complex. I ventured out at lunchtime to check out my theory and was amazed at the shear number of winter thrushes that were in the process of what could be called a feeding frenzy.
Redwings which have been relatively scarce on site up until now outnumbered the Fieldfares by about 2 to 1. Lots of Blackbirds and Chaffinches picked around on the ground, while the Fieldfares and Redwings stabbed away at the apples left on the trees and Starlings, Woodpigeons, a couple of Green Woodpeckers and a lone Song Thrush joined in. A Sparrowhawk swept threw and was suprisingly unsuccessful despite the density of the flocks. The genebank was the same, although there seemed to be a greater proportion of Fieldfare here. It was hard to keep track, let alone count the birds. I scanned through as much as possible to see if I could locate a Brambling or even a Waxwing (for Greenie!), if there were any in this swarm then I didn't pick them out. An amazing sight, all viewable from the east-west public footpath on the Research Station, but probably will only last while the snow does.
A special train was passing through East Malling this evening - Tornado, the newly rebuilt steam locomotive on it's first run down this line. My lad's madder on trains than I am on birds, and as it was the shortest day I wasn't confident we'd get a very good view as it sped through East Malling, so we caught up with it at Maidstone West. I was impressed!
I know I harked on about this yesterday but the icicles today were fantastic - drip, dripping everywhere.
We finished the day with more sledging until it got too dark, the last rays of sun catching the River Medway below our sledging slope.
I didn't even attempt to get into work this morning after struggling to get home from East Malling at 23:00 last night. Barming was plastered with 4.5 - 6 inches of snow and Barming School was closed (one of 1,500 around the country). I started the day looking for the 'Mealy' Redpoll at the top of South Street, Barming again this morning, no sign, but all attention was soon turned to the nearby A26 which had come to a standstill - rush hour as you rarely see it!
Two skiers and three snowboarders past me as I walked down the main road towards Maidstone. As one might have expected lots of birds were seeking out any food they could find; 3x Dunnocks pecked at the snow-laden flower beds and feeders in the garden and House Sparrows followed my every move through the kitchen window as I tucked into my morning toast.
The day was spent sledging, snow ball fighting and snow man building. I visited the church and then orchards in Barming; masses of Fieldfares, Redwings, Chaffinches, small flocks of Goldfinches, 4x Skylark over South Street, vibrant Green Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk and best of all a flock of +40 Lapwings over east.
Running very late now I effectively ran the rest of the way into work, not adding much more to my morning total; although 6x Black-headed Gulls sitting in the Redstart pub car park was another first, and a Little Egret fly-over Kiln Barn Road was a real bonus. I was 10 minutes late for work!
Over Ditton Quarry at lunchtime I eventually connected with the Redpoll flock. They were very mobile on the Alders and interspersed with Goldfinches. I managed to see 5+ Lesser Redpoll, I'm sure the Mealy was in there were with somewhere buttime and light conspired against me and I had to get back to work before finding it! Another five Song Thrushes over the Quarry, with Jay, Bullfinch and Green Woodpecker all adding a dash of colour.
Another posed, and any regular readers of this blog will know that I've never managed to get a decent photo of one, despite seeing them most days. Well this one is the best to date, although the mist thwarted me getting the perfect shot!
No sign of the Little Owl or Common Gulls this morning, although Gallagher's Gallop was being put to good use!
