Sunday 13th February 2011

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???