Monday 20th December 2010

No work today as I'd taken the day off to take the kids to a panto in Chatham.  I managed an hour and half down the River Medway mid-morning before we set off and clocked up a good tally of birds, the highlight being a Woodcock on 'Snipe Marsh' just W of Barming Bridge.  It flushed and rather clumsily made it's way across the railway line, one leg hanging down, before conveniently dropping down in the field SE of St Margaret's Church (the Barming Heath BTO tetrad).  A Lapwing and 10x Snipe were on the same 'marsh', the streams are just about flowing, although ice has started to from on some of the smaller tributaries and even on the River.

After checking the old orchard on the West Farleigh bank which held a number of Pheasants, Blackbirds (x12) and Redwings oI made my way back along the river towards East Farleigh.  A couple of Mute Swans, 6x Canada Geese, 2x Mallard, 6x Moorhen and a Cormorant were on the river near Barming Bridge.  Another Snipe was flushed from one of the streams that led down from the railway embankment and good numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing were put up by a female Sparrowhawk that skimmed above the railway line.  A Kestrel posed nearby.  On the river I was pleased to see a collection of ducks which included 14x Tufted Ducks and a Pochard; both firsts for me along this stretch of the river.  Six Cormorants sat out in a bare tree on the East Farleigh side with a Grey Heron alongside them, hunched up against the cold.  A dart of colour was provided by a Kingfisher that must be grateful that the river, although showing signs of, hasn't yet frozen.

The fun didn't end there - waiting for the Park and Ride Bus Horsted near Rochester a lone Lapwing flapped down into the car park!