Wednesday 9th December

Another fine morning, with mist hanging in the river valley in Barming. I clocked up 26 species in total on my walk in to work this morning, including the Little Owl and 2x Common Gull by Kiln Barn Farm. However I failed to see or hear a Dunnock, unheard off on this route! I spent most of the morning lifting strawberries in Newgates (between Kiln Barn Road and Hermitage Lane), on the Research Station site but saw only a Skylark in all that time.

I only had 15 minutes or so again at lunchtime so I quickly checked the orchard (genebank) at the back of East Malling Church. Fieldfare numbers have increased masively over the last few days as have Chaffinches. I scanned carefully through the churchyard and orchard for Brambling but no sign. I was pleased with a flock of 24 Linnets which dropped onto the parallel fallow ground, it's been a long time since I've seen a flock of these on site. A GS Woodpecker, dipped across the orchard as I left.