No photos today - too miserable! I snatched an hour and a half to try and fill in the gaps off the BTO Winter Atlas records for nearby Aylesford (those highlighted in red were needed for the tetrad) . I was pleased to see a large flock of Meadow Pipits (26) and Stock Dove (45+) in the rough grassland field just N of the Cemex quarry. A scan of the quarry turned up Mallard, Teal, GC Grebe, 45+ Cormorants, Common, Black-headed, Herring, LBB and GBB Gull. Feral Pigeon was my next target and proved quite a challenge - I couldn't believe I was searching them out! Luckily The Forstal Road industrial estate provided the ideal habitat and turned up 14 birds...phew. Onto the Friars which added Coot, Moorhen, GS Wood, Long-tailed Tit, Sparrowhawk, Canada, Greylag Geese and two Black Swans! Nine new species, not bad for one and half hours work, but amazingly no Grey Heron despite a large Heronry being located in an adjacent square or Kestrel!
Later, on a trip with family and friends to the Ferry Boat Inn, Harty Ferry, Sheppey, we managed a Spoonbill on the saltmarsh in front of the pub, between courses.
Also news of some more Waxwings locally - 20+ reported at 13:30 on the Oxley Shaw estate, Leybourne. Some of the Snodland birds wandering???
3 comments:
Doh!
I used to live on the oxley shaw estate. tch tch....
Adam ,
Was the Spoonbill part of the set menu or a sidedish ?
Certainly was a miserable day .
Hi Adam.
Well done witht seeing the Spoonbill.It might have been a grotty day but the sight of a nice bird like that cheers up any day.
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