Monday 18th February

What another fantastic day-hardly any wind and wall-to-wall sunshine. I managed to visit Ditton Quarry during my lunch hour, I'm ashamed to say this is my first visit of the year. A Kestrel was suprsingly well camoflagued against the terracota roof tiles of the old Ditton Laboratory Building on Kiln Barn Lane. A number of Fieldfares were disturbed from their feeding as I stepped through the undergrowth to the quarry site. A Wren made it's prescence know, scolding from low branch. I guess such a small bird needs such a loud voice to get noticed! There was evidence of Badger activity at the south end of the quarry, as there is on much of the Research Station site, but unfortunately I've not managed to see a live one yet. I only covered a small area of the site today, hoping that Siskin or Redpoll might be found on the alders that were brimming with catkins ready for the taking. Unfortunately none were found, although a handsome charm of Goldfinches plucked at the seedheads of a clump of Teasels, but that's what Goldinches do. No Bullfinches were heard or seen, and a quick sortie of the Lizard site turned up a blank, however a young Toad was found nestling under a piece of roofing felt, looking suitably unimpressed by it's sudden exposure to the Spring sunlight.

The light as I left work was fantastic - a uniform red glow filled the western horizon, so sorry but I couldn't resist another 'sunset' picture, East Malling church and mistletoe-drapped trees in silhouette.