Saturday 24th January

And now for something completely different. A lovely crisp morning - quite a respite from the rain and dull weather over the last few days. I'd promised to take my two lads to see the 'Golden Arrow' train that was due through the Paddock Wood line around 10am. Call me cheapsake but a mainline steam train bombing through your local railway station makes for excellent free enteratinment if you've got kids - a list of trains, routes and times can be found at http://www.uksteam.info/tours/trs09.htm - next one through Kent is 14th March. 'Trainspotting' in the morning but pay to any attempts to get back out to see the Waxwings although I heard they were still showing on and off in East Malling today.

Back home I to the river to see what was around down there but was confronted by a flood at Barming Bridge - the river had well and truly broken the banks - no chance of the riverside walk today, although a pair of Mallards seemed to be enjoying it, I just hope the Kingfishers are bearing up as well. So back home and a look over my back garden fence across the Parish Playing Fields in Barming revealed high numbers of Fieldfare feeding - 150+ with a smattering of Redwing, Goldfinches and Starlings to boot. It was comical to watch the thrushes as they deployed their 'run, hesitate, run, hestitate' behaviour, almost synchronised at times like some crazy avian game of 'musical statues'! A flock of 25+ Greenfinches were picking through the leaf litter alongside the Field Maples, I checked carefully just on the off-chance a Hawfinch might be amongst them but no luck. I had hoped to get out at last light for a quick sortie for Waxwings and Bittern at New Hythe but didn't get the chance - if I had it seems I might have met the rest of the local blogging fraternity (Ross(Bald Birder), Steve (New Hythe Blog), Ken (Halling Blog) and Phil Sharp and Terry Laws to boot!) as well as possibly bagging 20+ Waxwings and 3+ Bittern!!!!

Fieldfares loitering around the centre circle