Wednesday 5th January 2011

My short walk from East Malling Church to the Research labs turned up 4x Pheasants of Great East and 20+ Waxwings in the corner orchard.

By lunchtime the wind had picked up, and even though it was blowing from the south and the sun was out it still felt bitterly cold.  The corner orchard was surprisingly quiet with only a smattering of Fieldfares and Redwings and a single Waxwing.  Moving onto the Church Orchard (Genebank) I met a couple who had no luck with the Waxwings but a lot more Redwings, especially in the churchyard Yews.  With things looking quiet in the orchards I made a quick sortie to Bradbourne Lake.  A couple of drake Shoveler remained, along with 3x Tufted Ducks but even here things were quieter.  101x Canada Geese and a couple of Greylag Geese drifted around on the lake, 48x Black-headed, 5x Common and 3x Herring Gulls loafed on the Sports Ground.  Back up to the orchards and I was pleased to meet the couple on their way back - they'd connected with at least 4x Waxwings sitting out on the Walnut Trees at the N end of the corner orchard.  By the time I got there this has increased to eight and they dropped down to feed on apples giving more photo opportunities.  I moved on to check some of the other orchards to see where the 52 birds seen this morning by Eddie Denson had gone.  No luck, but 8x Common Gull were feeding on the grass area adjacent to the bypass road.

1w Common Gull on the Bypass grass

Returning to the orchard I disturbed a group of Waxwings, probably 12-15 birds which flew towards the Church orchard.  John from Ditton had been watching them and informed me that he'd had a group strip a hybrid Rowan X Sorbus tree of it's berries outside his house in St Peter's Road a few days ago.

It was good to meet some of my blog followers and local birders today...all very well-behaved!  And more photos.......

Thursday 18th March

Still no migrants despite it feeling positively barmy!  Five Jays were seen on the bike ride in from Barming to East Malling.  A couple of Stock Doves were on the pasture opposite Gallagher's underpass, joined by 26 Black-headed Gulls, five Common Gull and six Herring Gulls.  The Little Owl skulked on the roof of the outbuilding of Kiln Barn Farm cattle shed - can you pick it out in the photo below (click to enlarge if it helps)?

  Here's a clue.....

Monday 8th March

Two Jackdaws over the potting shed on the East Malling Research site (scarce here) was a good omen of things to come.  I got out at lunchtime and off to the field that I'd seen the tractor and plough heading for first thing this morning.  I was rewarded with a massive flock of gulls, 150+ restlessly lifting and dropping along the furrows - predominantly Black-headed Gulls, with a few Common Gull scattered in for good measure.  I frantically searched for a Med, but just could keep up with them.  Glancing north I saw a white mass on the sports ground - more gulls.  I made my way, across the plots, to the sports ground, disturbing a large number of Redwings that were picking through the windbreak clippings.  Both flocks of gulls suddenly lifted before I'd got to the Sports Field and circuled en masse (and like something from a Hitchcock film) and drifted high and west, I heard a Med call, but they were now flying off towards West Malling. 

Med Gull on patch....with my trademark twig in the foreground

Well my luck was in, and they turned and slowly drifted back and down onto the lake - and there, amongst the masses, and in all their glory, were two summer-plummaged Mediterranean Gulls - lovely.  I managed some better shots than on Friday, although they didn't tolerate me getting too close.  Then without warning they were off again - off west - I wouldn't be suprised if they dropped down on Clare Park Lake or even Manor Park, West Malling.

Most of the East Malling site is PRIVATE LAND, although the gull flock on the ploughed field can be viewed from the public footpath that runs from East Malling Church to Ditton Church.   

For comparison to Black-headed Gull (Med Gull on the left, BH Gull just moulting into sum plum on right)

Wednesday 17th February

A lovely warm day, and following a tip of from 'Dave' I went looking for a couple of reported Buzzards in Barming. I quickly found the location Dave had reported them from and was immediately met by the sight of a pristine looking Harris Hawk. Another was nearby and they flitted in and out of a tree, one bird seen was even seen to be carrying nesting material! I know of at least one Harris Hawk that's kept on the Tonbridge Road, perhaps the same bird(s) on day release?! I'll keep an eye to see what happens re: nesting/breeding. I encountered all the usual species on the ride into work - Bullfinches and Jays seen in a couple of locations en route, always good to see.

Tempted out by the continuing sun at lunchtime I visited Bradbourne House again (a private site). On the track down to the House I passed a flock of 96 Black-headed and 13 Common Gulls sitting out on a field of winter wheat - waiting for the tractor driver to return to ploughing the adjacent field no doubt. At the bridge over the stream a Little Grebe was seen again, but dived as I approached and disappeared through a grille the wall that straddles the stream. It would have popped back up where the steam passes through someones garden in St Peters Road - nice if you lived there to get that as a garden tick!

Yesterday was obviously a good day for ducks as yesterday's Shoveler and Tufties had moved on. A Grey Heron took off from the side of the lake as I arrived and a flash of blue signalled a Kingfisher, my first here for many months. 34 Greylag Geese grazed the cricket pitch, where more Black-headed Gulls loafed - some almost in full summer plumage now (but no Med Gulls amongst them). The Snowdrops and Winter Aconites were in full flower, the buzz of busy bees making it feel like Spring at last.

Tuesday 16th February

Only 20 minutes at lunchtime and in the pouring rain, and the car at my disposal I decided it was time I paid a long overdue visit to Bradbourne House & lake, East Malling. A Little Grebe was spinning around the stream by the bridge to Bradbourne Lane, joined by a couple of Black-headed Gullsup to their waists in the water and a pair of Mallards. The lawn in front of Bradbourne House was monopolised by a gaggle of 48 Canada Geese (no sign of Barnacle this year). Six Pied Wagtails noisily flew ahead of the car along the track to the Pavilion. Twenty-three Black-headed Gulls sat out on the cricket pitch, hunched against the drizzle, with a couple of Common Gull amongst them. Leaving the comfort of the car I braved the rain to check out the stream and lake. Thirty-five Coots ran in formation across the lawn and back to the lake, joined by 8 Moorhen. The lake held more Black-headed Gulls, 4 Tufted Ducks, 3 Little Grebes and a star site bird, male Shoveler, a new site tick for me. I'm waiting on word from the BaldBirder, holder of the definitive EMR site list to see if it constitutes a new Research Station site tick. Predictably I didn't have the camera with me!

Wednesday 20th January

Three Bullfinches in there somewhere!

A quiet day with nothing ordinary seen on the walk from Barming to East Malling. The flock of Stock Doves and Common Gulls had increased in number, 10 and 12 respectively. A glance into the cattle barn at Kiln Barn Farm saw the Little Owl exit! Ditton Quarry was equally desrted during a 30 minute sortie at lunchtime, a group of 5 Bullfinches entertained me for a short while, the repetitive 'teacher-teacher' call of the Great Tits started to grate!

Tuesday 12th January

A walk around East Malling Research land again today. A slight thaw had set in, and the cereal stubble just started to poke through. The usual massed flock of Fieldfares and Redwings, 3x Green Woodpecker, 42x Blackbirds, 214x Greylag Geese, 2x Common Gulls, 16x Linnets....but no Woodcock, grrrrrrrr!

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.

Tuesday 8th December

A Mute Swan flying above the River Medway valley was the first of 27 species I clocked up on my walk into work this morning. Other 'extras' included a flyover Cormorant and both Herring and Common Gull amongst the Black-headed Gulls by Gallagher's Gallop. A couple of large flocks of Fieldfares were seen with a flock of c80 near Kiln Barn Farm and another flock of c120 on approach to the research station. Redwings were seen in small groups all along the route.

Over the Quarry at lunchtime and a couple of mega species for the quarry in the form a Yellowhammer and Skylark, both very difficult species to pick up here despite being relatively common on the adjacent research station. Only 3 Lesser Redpolls today, how the flock has reduced over the last week.

Friday 20th March

A quick sortie to the site where I'd located Marsh Tit and the pair were quickly picked out. The Little Owl by Kiln Barn Farm and increasing flock of Common Gull (x8) were joined by Herring Gull (2x) and BH Gulls. I'm sure the Little Owl recognises the sound of my bike now - as I roll down the hill it takes flight!

I tried for the Red Hill Waxwings at lunchtime, breaking my own biking record from East Malling to Wateringbury...I only had an hour! I spent a good 30 minutes scanning aroun the orchards by Red Hill and Wateringbury Place but couldn't locate them. Coming back through the wood north of Wateringbury village I was pleased to add another couple of Commas to the list and see the Wood Anemone in full flower.

Thursday 19th March

Another sunny start - 12x Chiffchaffs calling along the eastern and northern perimeter of Oaken Wood, Barming. Also a new tick for the year, Marsh Tit which really brightened up my day! 2x Goldcrest, numerous Great Tit & Blue Tit, 3x GS Woodpecker and 4x Green Woodpecker all calling and then on the pasture just north of Gallaghers Quarry 5x Common Gull with 17x BH Gull, the Common Gull's being another new year patch tick - I was doing well! A couple of Jays but in an appearance just as I left the wooded area by Gallagher's Gallop, and then another year tick, Little Owl in the barn opposite Kiln Barn Farm. What a day! Pied Wagtail added to the tally, flitting on the roof of the house on the corner of Kiln Barn Road.

By lunchtime it had clouded over and gone cold - reminding me we were still in March. I took a trip back to where I'd seen the Marsh Tits, no sign, but yet another year patch tick - Coal Tit! All common birds I know, but that's the beauty of patch watching. Feeling lucky I moved onto scan across the various paddocks between Oaken Wood and East Malling hoping a Wheatear or Swallow might be picked out, but I was really pushing my luck and neither were seen. However I did hear what I though was a Barn Owl shriek from a small copse - this was at 13:00 afternoon, surely not?!

Back at the research station, East Malling I managed 12x Yellowhammers sitting in one of the alder windbreaks by the Conference Centre, they're feeding in the fallow field just south of the footpath.