Sunday 12th December 2010

I woke to news of more Waxwing sightings in Maidstone, with one flock of 22 in nearby Allington.   I decided to check out those locations where I thought they might turn up nearby.  Maidstone Hospital car park, St Andrews Park, various roads in Allington, Ditton Court Quarry and finally East Malling Research (it had to be bad going to work on a weekend!).  Needless to say I didn't find any Waxwings.  Returning home I found out from a local blog follower that there had been 23 birds mid-morning in Barming!  There's a strong possibility they were the same flock seen in Allington earlier in the morning, but with so many birds about who knows?! The birds had only remained a short time before moving on, but thanks Donna for the info, a new record for the Barming Heath tetrad so very much appreciated.  If anyone in the locality does happen to see any others then please feel free to contact me by phone (07972899377) or by email (adam.whitehouse@emr.ac.uk) - I will treat all reports in confidence in case anyone's worried about being descended on by hordes of twitchers!

The trips to the other sites won't wasted - Ditton Court Quarry turned up a couple of Lesser Redpoll and the number of winter thrushes on the East Malling Research site had increased massively with literately hundreds (maybe thousands) of Fieldfare and Redwing, supplemented by a huge murmaration of Starlings an company of Chaffinches.  Amongst the Chaffinches was a single Brambling, the first on this site for winter.  I'm sure there were more out there, and probably a Waxwing or two, but I just couldn't keep track of everything - really quite a spectacle (the photos don't do it justice!).

Friday 10th December 2010

With a thaw setting in I decided to pay a long overdue visit to Ditton Court Quarry.  The quarry was dripping in berries, the SW corner have a real red hue to it.

The snow was stained with discarded berries, and they will make an excellent feast for any passing Waxwings (if the record number of birds, 170+,  ever leave B&Q in Folkestone). 

A few birds were eagerly pecking at this bumper crop; Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, a single Redwing and 5x Bullfinches.  I checked all the Alders and Silver Birches for a Siskin or Redpoll and was successful in locating 3x Lesser Redpolls feeding with 10+ Goldfinches in one Alder.  They were joined by a volery of Long-Tailed Tits and a single Goldcrest.  A smart male Kestrel made a couple of sorties across the snow-covered scrub area and was mobbed by a Jay of all things at one point.  As it made it's second low pass a Meadow Pipit flew up to the top of a nearby tree and continually called - my first for this site and totally unexpected location to find one!

Walking back through one of the orchards on the East Malling Research land I was surprised at how the Fieldfare numbers had increased in the last 24 hours - 100+ in this single orchard.  

They were joined by masses of Wood Pigeons and Starlings.

Friday 5th November

A nice autumnal glow around the orchards at East Malling Research again today with the late-season sun picking out the cherry leaves, Miscanthus and apples beautifully.

More Fieldfares were evident on site, with a flock of Black-headed Gulls, Woodpigeons (including the leucistic bird) and Carrion Crows picking over the newly-seeded fields around Rookery Field.

Cycling through one of the experimental apple orchards I was amazed at the number of snails that were nestled in the grass on the headlands - not sure which species they are but this time of the year obviously suits them, there were literately hundreds of them.  Scanning the ground I located tens of what I presume are Bee Orchid rosettes?

A Red Admiral added some unexpected colour - no doubt attracted to the rotting windfalls.

Monday 1st November

Back to work after my extended break, including a week in Cornwall.  The morning started off well with a Coal Tit and GS Woodpecker in the garden.  The only points on interest on my bike ride into work were a clamour of 14x Rooks, surprisingly scarce on this part of the patch, feeding on the pasture east of Gallagher's underpass with a Carrion Crows and Black-headed Gulls.  Passing Kiln Barn Farm Barn I heard two Little Owls calling from the trees to the east, the first time I've heard them since spring.

The final leg up the entrance track to work (East Malling Research) turned up my first patch Fieldfares of the winter - six silhouetted on the wires above the orchard...I wonder when they arrived?  Also a large flock of Chaffinches, no white-rumps amongst them, and a Green Woodpecker stuck to the pole (can you see him?).

My lunchtime stroll took in some of the fantastic autumn colours in the surrounding orchards - the cherries were blazing, the leaves taking on the same hue as a Robin's red breast.

Nice to see one of the winter cherries (Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnnalis') with fresh blossom and deep orange leaves.

Cycling home in the dark I was pleased to hear a Tawny Owl in Oaken Wood - my second owl of the day - probably the only advantage of the clocks going back!

Wednesday 24th March

Two Chiffchaffs were singing on the eastern edge of Oaken Wood, Barming - at least another migrant had dropped in and I managed a slightly better photo of one of the birds.  Zipping down Gallagher's Gallop I half expected to find a Wheatear on one of the fence posts, but it wasn't to be, and I had to be content with the drumming of a couple of distant GS Woodpeckers and the Little Owl which took flight in response to my squeaky brakes as I passed Kiln Barn Farm. 

Willow Warbler - unexpectedly early

Instead of carrying on down Kiln Barn Road, and into work, I decided to take a slight detour across the footpath that runs east from Kiln Barn Road (almost opposite Potts) to The Rocks Road and Paris Farm in East Malling.  The greatest part of this footpath is bordered by paddocks on the north side and always looked to have potential, but I'd rather negelected it as it added about 20 mins on my journey into work.  A big pile of stable manure steamed and I was suprised to see a small bird making fly-catching sallies out the adjacent hedgerow - a Willow Warbler!  Of course I thought it was another Chiffchaff until it sang, but I was pleased to see that a few had turned up at Dungeness and Warren had one on his Pittswood patch today as well (http://pittswoodpatch.blogspot.com/), certainly a lot earlier than I would have expected - after all my Chiffies were only in 2 days ago.

How much fencing does a migrant need?! 

Looking north across Paris Farm Paddocks (Aylesford Newsprint spewing out steam in the distance). 

Further along I scanned in vain amongst the eastern-most paddocks - so many fence posts, so little migrants!  It must have 10 times as much fencing as Warren's Migrant Alley, but he gets 3 Wheaters at a time, I get none!  Then.....oh joy.....a Wheatear hopped into view, an immaculate male.  He remained distant, and although I enjoyed good views with the bins, photographing him proved a bit tricky.  I managed some record shots (below) just to show what a smart little chap he was.   At last I think I've found my own 'Migrant Alley'!

Carrying on to work (slightly late) I notched up a Yellowhammer and a couple of Song Thrushes in the final paddock, and a healthy number of House Sparrows in a hedgerow just west of Paris Farm Barn. On site Skylarks sang, Pied Wagtails wagged and a couple of Collared Doves copulated...and showed signs of prospecting nest sites.  Another Song Thrush struck a pose on top of the main lab buildings. Twenty plus Fieldfares 'chac-chacked' over from the orchards, not long now before they're gone.

I managed a quick sortie out to the Paris Farm paddocks at lunchtime and was pleased to see the Wheater still around although a few paddocks further on.  A couple of Greenfinches flew overhead, displaying.

Leaving work at dusk, I was pleased the Little Owl looking a bit more alert - sorry for more photos but he just sat there waiting to be snapped!  On one of Gallagher's Gallop fenceposts a male Sparrowhawk sat silently.  He was hunched up and his underparts, puffed out and startingly white had me thinking I'd found a Barn Owl for a couple of seconds!  A couple of the 70+ Carrion Crows that loitered nearby started to harass him and he was off, low across one of the fields and into the trees surronding Gallagher's Quarry.  A good day all told.

Monday 22nd February

Round Bradbourne Lake, East Malling (Private site) again at lunchtime - in the pouring rain!  I was searching out the Green Sandpiper that had been reported again yesterday afternoon, but no luck today.  A Little Egret took off from the western edge of the lake as I walked across the cricket field, and a Grey Heron stood statesque on the opposite bank.  A couple of inquisitive Goldcrests checked me out, but didn't linger long enough to be photographed.  A small flock of Redwings 'seeped' in a nearby Holly tree.  Fieldfares are still in evidence on the research station site but feeding almost exclusively on the rain-sodden fields now. 

Friday 12th February

Four Snipe just west of Barming bridge this morning and a Kingfisher grooming on the north bank of the River Medway from the bridge first thing this morning. 30+ Fieldfares sat out on the railway embankment trees, a GS Woopecker drummed on the riiverside willows and a Song Thrush tapped away on it's anvil.

A brief visit to Ditton Quarry at lunchtime wasn't too productive, although some pellets were found, possibly Kestrel (anyone want to comment?). No sign of Bullfinches, but a small flock of Redpoll were seen in flight across the orchard just S of the quarry

Tuesday 9th February

A session in The Bull, Barming with the newly returned Bald Birder (http://baldbirder.blogspot.com/) and JC (not Jesus Christ as has been suggested!) left me with a sore head - it was their reminiscences of twitching past and antipodean adventures, not the beer that left my head spinning! So I set out into the crisp air and biting winds at lunchtime to try and clear my head of Fairy Prions, Pied Shags, the '66 Brown Thrasher and the revelation that one of the pair suffers from the same medical condition that afflicted Hitler (or did I dream that?).

View from the back gate (note winter thrushes on the football pitch and feral pigeons over oast cowels in the distance)

There were 50+ Fieldfare hopping around the orchard alongside the Kiln Barn Road entrance to the research station. A male Green Woodpecker poked at the ground, occasionally casting a steely stare at me with it's light blue eyes (never noticed they were that colour before, or is it just a trick of the light?).

I had intended to visit Ditton Quarry, confident the Redpolls would be on show in this cold weather, but I got a phone call from my wife asking to be picked up from work. Dropping her back home to Barming I noticed a large flock of winter thrushes drop down onto the playing fields at the back of my house. Peering over the gate I saw a carpet of birds covering the length and breadth of the football pitch. My estimate was 150+ Fieldfare, 60+ Redwing, but always difficult to count as they leapfrog each other (as Warren of Pittswood has commented before).

I've added some more posts today from last week - see below.

Friday 5th February

This bird had me going for all of a couple of seconds this morning. I'd been scanning across the pasture just south of the railway bridge on Kiln Barn Road, Ditton - noting 5 Blackbirds when this little beauty dropped down onto a fence post and then onto the grass. A Blackbird with a dash of white - Ring Ouzel? Surely not in Kent in February? Of course not, just a Blackbird but an interesting one nevertheless. The photo doesn't show it too well but there's a clear white, albeit narrow, band just under the bird's 'chin' but no white on the on the opposite wing of the bird . Of course within a second I knew what it was, wrong shape, size, bill, stance, no broad chest crescent, but it doesn't stop me living in hope, a Ring Ouzel on the patch is long overdue. Elsewhere, an army of Fieldfares hopped across the pasture by Kiln Barn Farm and a record 14x Stock Doves picked through the freshly manured field on the other side of the track.

Sunday 31st January

A lovely crisp, frosty morning. I went for an early morning run from Barming Bridge to Teston and back. Only a couple of Canada Geese on the way out, but I managed to flush a Common Sandpiper from one of the streams by the railway line on the way back. I've seen this species on the river edge but never on one of the streams.

After lunch I took the lads out for a walk - we decided to explore the footpath to Upper Fant, Maidstone. The orchards in East Barming were pretty much devoide of winter Thrushes, but when we eventually reached Fant I realised why! At Fant Farm, just off Upper Fant Road a large orchard still held some fruit below their boughs - the place was alive with Redwings and Fieldfares. I estimate there must have been +1000 Fieldfares, with perhaps +300 Redwings. Walking back along Rectory Lane we stumbled upon a dead Common Shrew which wasn't there when we had passed earlier. It was a tiny little thing, immaculate, and the kids were fascinated. As we looked it over a lady walked by and we started to chat. It turned out that Linda, who lives in Barming, was a reader of my blog (so someone does!) - my youngest started to have a crying fit so we did talk as long as I would have liked to, but Linda nice to have met you and keep leaving those comments, promise I'll read them! Linda drop my an email at adam.whitehouse@emr.ac.uk if you get a chance, interested to know more about the finches you were talking about!

Friday 29th January

Another training run at lunchtime, 4.6 miles from the research, out past Kiln Barn Farm, past the water tower in Barming and then through Oaken Woods, down Rocks Farm and back into East Malling and the research. Almost immediately after starting out I noticed a flock of c250 Fieldfares go up, and then I noticed a bird continually flying into the wire fencing alongside the main entrance track ahead of me. A couple of Crows were harassing it and initially I thought it was a Wood Pigeon with a broken wing. Eventually I caught up with it, a male Sparrowhawk with a Fieldfare in it's talons. It was trying to fly over the fence but the weight of the bird must have kept pulling it down. Eventually it lifted over the fence and landed on the steps of Ditton Lab to pluck and consume the unfortunate migrant. I continued on my run but cursed the bird for posing so well on the day I didn't have the camera with me! Past Kiln Barn Farm I was pleased to see the Little Owl sitting out by the cattle barn. 300+ Fieldfares covered one of the meadows. Through Oaken Woods I noticed a new area of coppice that will be worth checking out for Nightjar and Tree Pipit in the summer. A pair of Bullfinches briefly flew ahead of me. When I eventually got back to the research I grabbed the camera and went to see if the Sparrowhawk was still about. Unfortunately not, but the remains of his prey were evident, gruesome I know but feathers, beak and innards, that was all that was left!

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Tuesday 19th January

Thick mist hung over Barming this morning, no sign of the Redpolls in the South Street Silver Birch, they've not been seen since the cold snap subsided. Four Bullfinches lit up the hedgrow by the Water Tower just off North Street, but my attention was drawn to a raptor flying high, north over Gallagher's Gallop. Initially I put it down to a high flying Sparrowhawk which I often see in the area, but this certainly looked bigger and seemed to have a longer, narrower wing. The wingbeats were continous, no flap-flap-glides. To my eyes it looked like a Harrier which would be a patch tick, but it contnued north, and away from me....another one that got away!

Only a very quick visit to Ditton Quarry today, but managed to locate a handsome male Lesser Redpoll. Masses of Chaffinches drinking and feeding near the Kiln Barn Road entrance to the research station, but despite my best efforts I couldn't turn one of them into a Brambling. A couple of Green Woodpeckers and 150+ Fieldfares on the orchard next the entrance track. A few Redwings were also seen but their numbers have dropped dramatically since the thaw.

Monday 18th January

Quick sortie for Woodcock in Barming Woods at lunchtime. Only enough time to check out northern perimeter, but all very quiet in misty conditions. Three GS Woodpeckers drummed out their territories, all very close and at one point I had two birds in view at the same time. I n fact it was so quiet I could hear the birds' wingbeats as they flitted from tree to tree. On the paddock near Kilon Barn Farm over 200 Fieldfares were hopping around, interspersed with a few Redwings. A Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit picked around the perimeter of a muddy patch on the adjacent field.

Wednesday 13th January

The Fieldfare feeding frenzy continued on the Research Station site. Numbers of Fieldfares and Redwings have built up to huge numbers, I counted 50+ Fieldfares in a single, short orchard row, times this by the numer of rows, 15 and you have 750+ birds, and that's just from one small orchard. There must be between 2,500-5,000+ birds on site at the moment. Note all the apples on the trees that appeared in earlier photos (http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2009/12/monday-21st-september.html) have now been eaten as there's so many birds around. Snow on snow again this morning. A small flock of Redpolls (7+) were still gracing the Silver Birch in South Street, Barming, feeding in the lower branches so affording good views. Quite a pleasure to meet these each day on the way to work. The roads were pretty atrocious, and after helping to push three cars up the hill I finally reached Heath Road where the sign seemed to sum it up! I took the track off North Street towards the research station and was suprised to see no other human footprints in the snow, although I quickly picked up the track of a fox that had lazily walked and sniffed along the path in the night. Rabbit footprints criss-crossed the track as wellas numerous birdtracks, including those of Blackbirds, Pheasants and Pigeons had been searching out morsels to eat. A female Kestrel sat out in an Oak surveying the snowy scene, a Green Woodpecker flew from the ground and a Grey Heron flapped high overhead. Twelve Blackbirds were seen on this short patch of bridleway and a Bullfinch called, unseen from the hedgerow.


Later, after attempting to count the winter thrushes in the orchard I took in the flock of 200+ Greylag Geese feeding in a cereal stubble field. A Greenfinch caught my eye, it appeared to have a very orange breast unlike the others in the flock - quite striking.

Monday 11th January

Winter Thrushes on the cane supports of the concept Pear Orchard

(bit washed out, but click to enlarge)

Back at work, masses of Fieldfares and Redwings at usual and another feeding frenzy brought on by the snow - it really is something to behold, the noise of hundreds of Fieldfares and redwings squabbling over fallen fruit is quite something. The ratio of Redwings to Fieldfare seemed to have changed with more Fieldfares than of late. Opposite the Great East Hostel I was pleased to see a small parcel (13) of Linnets with 5+ Skylarks pecking amongst the same herbs. In the orchard alongside I was suprised to see a gaggle of 90+ Greylag Geese, picking over the apples that the winter thrushes had been feeding on last week (see Monday 4th January blog). The Genebank (orchard at back of East Malling Church) held good numbers of Blackbirds, and the orchard nearest the main Laboratory building held a few Song Thrushes, Chaffinches and Green Woodpecker amongst the assembled flocks and crowds of Fieldfare and Redwing. A male Kestel was also about.

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: