Monday 30th April 2012

After going AWOL over the weekend I was pleased to see the male Ring Ouzel hoping around a paddock in East Malling (but still distant!).  Stock Dove, Little Owl, Swallow, Green Woodpecker and Red-legged Patridge and Pied Wags were also on show.

Friday 27th April 2012

Up with the lark - literately - at 5am for the BTO Nightingale survey.  Unfortunately I had no success in finding any in East Malling/Ditton but I managed a good number of Whitethroats, Blackcaps (including females) and Chiffchaffs in Ditton Quarry and the watercress beds in East Malling.  A Cuckoo called clearly from the Broadwater Orchards, East Malling (which are in full blossom, see photo above).

Checking the paddocks in East Malling I relocated the male Ring Ouzel (+arrow), with a Wheatear to boot.

The Ouzel was flighty, spending prolonged periods in a tree, and was sporadic in putting in its appearances, but good to see it was still around.  A male Sparrowhawk  dipped out on a Sparrow breakfast, and a Little Owl huddled in its favourite tree.  4x Swallows skimmed the paddock sward, and a couple of Skylarks exalted over the neighbouring fields.  I thought I had a brief glimpse of a second Ouzel, but it was only a couple of seconds glance.  However, while I was taking a picture of the Ouzel a bird dropped down beside it, I fired off three shots, looked up and both birds had gone - completely disappeared.  The second Ouzel or a posturing Blackbird? Decide for yourself from the, erhmmm, photos below!

Thursday 26th April 2012

I had a glimpse of a male Ring Ouzel in one of the East Malling paddocks this morning, but it couldn't be relocated and I started doubting I'd really seen one.  My first Swallows of the year for Kent were a consolation prize, but I was determined to search out that Ouzel!

Catch up

Catch up time after a couple of weeks in Cornwall and another week catching up at work!  Cornwall (West Penwith) yielded a few goodies including a Hoopoe, Ring Ouzels and even better my first Swallows of the year.

Back in Kent, I heard the Cuckoo in the orchards between Barming and East Farleigh on 16th March, with Willow Warbler, the same day.