Thursday 9th December 2010

Attending my lad's navity play at school I was amused to see a backdrop of 'robins'......American Robins!  Barming has been well and truly Americanised, what with The Redstart pub sporting an American Redstart on it's sign.

Back at work I managed another trip down to Bradbourne.  The snow was still thick on the ground, but a large flock of Canada and Greylag Geese took advantage of a  few small, exposed areas of grass under the larger trees to feed.  Otherwise much of the usual fare with the addition of  8x Gadwall, 1x Tufted Duck, 9x Lapwing, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail and a single Snipe.  

Sighting of the day though went to a Green Sandpiper in the same stream I had the Woodcock on Monday, but as you can probably tell by the poor (and only) photo it didn't hanging around!

On the track back to the labs, 7x hen Pheasants ran ahead of me - their numbers, like the wildfowl seem seem to be increasing.

Wednesday 14th July

White-tailed Lapwing

The White-tailed Lapwing was polite enough to linger at Dungeness for another day, and James wanted to see it having missed it a Rainham last week.  With the Purple Herons and Great White Egret all sighted this afternoon I couldn't turn his offer of a lift.  Leaving work I was sad to find a dead Greenfinch at the base of one of the windows on the main lab building of the Research Station.  Waiting for my lift I counted 13 species including Yellowhammers, Linnet, House Martin and Pied Wagtails. 

Arriving at the ARC pit we quickly connected with the White-tailed Plover, rather distant but constantly active and often giving excellent views in the early evening sun (where were the thunderstorms?) including a couple of short flights.  Up to three Green Sandpipers were also present, one sitting out very close to the ARC screen.  This was turning into a lovely evening!

Moving onto Denge Marsh Road for the Purple Heron we were greeted with that thunderstorm that we were expecting earlier - the car rocked and some poor sod who had been down at the bridge got caught in it (see below). 

After the rain came the sun accompanied by a fantastic rainbow topped by a Purple Heron seen in flight for 30 seconds or so before it dipped down back into the reeds. 

Yellow and Pied Wagtails, Linnets, Reed Buntings, Sand Martins and 1000+ Starlings were also on show, many coming down to visit the newly created puddles on the road. A male Sparrowhawk got everyhting into the air as it made a couple of low passes.  A dramatic, and successful evening.

The same view along Denge Marsh Road as the 'storm' pic above, but about 15 minutes later!

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.