Saturday 25th December 2010

A walk down the River Medway between East Farleigh and Barming Bridges turned up a good count of ducks for this stretch of the river; 26x Tufted Ducks, 4x Pochard (3 male/1 female) and 1x Gadwall (a first for me on this stretch of water).  Thirty-one Cormorants and a Kingfisher were also seen.  However one bird stood out from the flock as it quite an extensive area of white around the base of the bill.  It lacked the greyish vermiculations I'd expect on a Scaup, but did not have a 'tuft', had a less-angled head and lacked black on it's bill.  The 'pale' area on the flanks seemed more extensive then on the neighbouring Tufted Ducks.  It probably is a Tufted but I wondered if there was any possibility it was Tufted X Scaup hybrid?

Further along the river 35x Canada Geese and the hybrid Greylag X Canada Goose were seen and a single Snipe was flushed from one of the streams.

Wednesday 22nd December 2010

View from Barming Bridge towards East Farleigh

A very quick sortie down the River Medway, Barming this morning as I knew I wouldn't be able to get out at lunchtime - that would be spent in The Rising Sun for the East Malling Research Running Club Prize Giving (don't ask......I came third after leading the Grand Prix until November!).

Tufties - a rare River tick

There was no frost and much of the snow and ice of the last week had started to thaw but it was a dull, foggy morning.  First birds up were 2x Tufted Ducks (a rarity for the river), then 3x Cormorants overhead followed by a flotilla of Canada Geese that also contained one Greylag and a Greylag x Canada hybrid.

Canada and Greylag x Canada hybrid Geese

One Snipe was flushed from 'Snipe Marsh' but I picked up the trail of what I presumed was a Woodcock.  It meandered all over the snow, down into ditches and back up again with disturbed snow where presumably it had been feeding based on the 'probe' holes in the snow.  I followed the tracks to a small copse and up flushed a Woodcock - too quick for a photo - that flew low over the railway in dropped into the field SE of St Margaret's Church.  I felt like a right Davy Crocket (I'm sure that's prison slang for something?!)!

Signs of Woodcock - plenty of holes where it's been probing!

On the way through Bradbourne to the pub at lunchtime a lone Lapwing lifted up from in front of the house and the massed ranks of Grey Geese on the opposite bank of the lake had me wondering if a White-front wasn't with them?

Thursday 18th February

'Snipe marsh' by the River Medway, but only 1 bird today.

Another frosty trip down to the River Medway first thing. I was hoping to get a pic of one of the Snipe that have been frequenting the small marshy area just west of Barming Bridge. I took my time scanning the relatively the stream and vegetation, no sign of any Snipe, well until I walked off to go and predictably, 'SQUELCH', up flew a Snipe! So bloody well-camouflaged! Nearby a couple of Cormorants dived in and out of the misty river.

No sign of any Harris Hawks this morning as I cycled to work, but lots of Crows round by Kiln Barn including 2 in the cattle shed (the usual haunt of the Little Owl).

Just for Greenie - a scramble of Coots - notice the bird centre left - he tripped up, like only a silly Coot could!

The weather deteriorated during the morning, and by lunchtime it had become a steady downpour - things might be more lively down the lake at Bradbourne in this weather I thought. Armed with the camera (for return of the Shoveler) I made my way down to Bradbourne, picking out 4x Green Woodpeckers feeding on the grassed area just east the Hatton Garden. A Jay flew across my path a little further down the track. The lake was disappointing, the usual Moorhens, no Little Grebes, 12 Black-headed Gulls and 2 Herring Gulls. 32 Coots scrambled towards the lake and 112 Canada Geese kept 6 Greylags company on the west lawn. A flight of 6 Pied Wagtails busied themselves around the feet of the geese.

Keeping a low profile, tucked in tight to the left bank.

Surprise of the day was yet to come - a GREEN SANDPIPER - another site tick for me. I caught I glimpse of a white rump fly up a ditch in front of the house - and then as I walked on an elegant wader suddenly towered up, nice white belly, no upper wing markings and prominent white block on the rump (like the Bullfinches and Jays I'm seeing everyday). It flew high, zig-zagging and dropped down into the stream. Creeping towards it I managed a few crappy record shots of it's head (always the most diagnostic of features!!!) before it took flight again - high again and then lost to view, for all I know probably further down the stream, through the grille in the wall and into that garden on St Peters Road (please respect residents' privacy) ! It did throw me slightly as its upper parts were so light - more Common Sandpiper in colour, and not really dark at all. There wasn't any obvious mottling and I couldn't discern the bars on the tip of the tail - in flight it looked like a single block of brown. It certainly wasn't Common, there's nothing else it could have been but Green.

Not as dark as Greens I've seen before and no sign of mottling but Common it ain't!

Please note that unfortunately Bradbourne House and estate is a PRIVATE site with NO PUBLIC ACCESS.

There will be a public Open Day in April - details to follow.

Monday 1st February

Frosty and Icy start and down to the river at day break to see if I couldn't relocate the Common Sandpiper I had yesterday (or a Jack Snipe!). I flushed a couple of Snipe, they didn't 'squelch' like normal, but flew high and I get them in the bins for a couple of minutes...I think they made it to Teston but just wouldn't come back down! A couple of Cormarants flew onto the river, joining a Mute Swan, Coot, 2x Canada Geese and a pair of Little Grebes which were skirting around the river edge just west of Barming Bridge. Little Grebes area real scarcity on this part of the river, only my 2nd record.

Back up the hill and on to work, with 12x Lesser Redpoll in the Silver Birch at the top of South Street, joined by a Greenfich and a volery of Long-tailed Tits. House Sparrows everywhere, doing what House Sparrows do. A Sparrowhawk drifted over Gallagher's Quarry, and at Kiln Barn Farm the Little Owl was seen again. As I passed under the railway bridge 2x Foxes trotted past! At lunchtime I paid a long overdue visit to Ditton Quarry, not much out of the ordinary, except a large gallup of Redpolls, 17 in total (I thoght there were only 10, but when they took flight another 7 appeared from somewhere!).

Best sighting of the day though goes to Karen, the receptionist at the Research, spotted taking some lunch home for her pet panda!

Sunday 3rd January

Looking after the kids again so a stay at home day. A pair of Coal Tits visited the garden feeders, I'll have to get a box up for them soon and keep my fingers crossed. Quite a common bird to other bloggers but I just can't get enough of this sprightly little gems. The olive-grey mantles and wash of orange on the flanks really stood out out in the sunlight. The snow soon arrived, and I took the kids out snowballing in the nearby orchards. Masses of Fieldfares and Redwings as usual and a couple of Cormorants over, battling against the snow. I also finally got a chnace to check out the Redpolls in the Silver Birch tree at the top of South Street, Barming. Before Christmas I'd found a 'Mealy' after looking up into the tree to see where the drift of seeds was eminating from. With scope in hand I set up and spent a good hour observing the flock of Redpolls taking care not to point the scope towards the windows of the neighbouring houses! There were 12 individuals, separating in 2 distinct groups of 4 and 8 birds

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Spot the Redpolls (Lessers) - I've become adept to spotting them from the car as I drive past now!

The birds all appeared to be Lesser with the exception of 2 birds in the smaller group which seemed to show some characteristics of Common; paler overall appearance, distinct white wing bar with no buff colouration, pale cheeks, white eye stripe, pale rump and distict white tramlines on mantle, lack of buff colouration on flanks. However they didn't appear much larger or bulkier than than their companions and didn't have the frosted appearance of the birds I'd seen in Ditton Quarry in early 2009. I give up, real hard one to call! I'll keep an eye on them to see if they wear through to 'frosted' plummage. Some poor shots below: