A report of wildlife sightings from the western edge of Maidstone, Kent. I note anything of interest in the vicinity of my home in Barming and from walks into work at the East Malling Research Station along the edge of Barming Woods and down to Ditton. Occasionally, when time allows, I get out to Ditton Quarry, a rich habitat hemmed in by residential and industrial developments on one side, but with open countryside on the other.
Sunday, 8 January 2012
Sunday 8th January 2011
After visiting some friends in Wateringbury, I opted to walk back to Barming via the river and West Farleigh. Highlight of the walk was a Whooper Swan on the River at Bow Bridge, Wateringbury along with Mute Swans, Canada Geese and a couple of hybrid geese (a couple of Canada x Domestic Goose hybrids I guess - see photo below, both parents I suspect are there!). Kev Reynolds had seen the bird late Summer 2011, and Eddie Denson informed me just before Christmas that it was still around, and it wasn't shy in coming forward so darw your own conclusions on its likely origin! Walking alongside the paddocks to the east of the river I added Meadow Pipit, Common and Herring Gull to the TQ65W of the KOS Winter Atlas, but Grey Heron, Skylark, Sparrowhawk and Kingfisher are all still absent!
Some pellets were found under one of the owl boxes - but with a Kestrel in the vicinity I can't be sure these aren't pellets from this species...any ideas anyone? Didn't exactly wet my appetite for my Sunday lunch.
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2 comments:
Could be Barn Owl pellet Adam, they are black.
Sounds like a nice walk Adam, the Whooper is always good to see.
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