Wednesday 17th March

Over to Ditton Quarry, the first visit for a few weeks.  I was hoping to my first Chiffchaff of the year, and Ditton with it's extensive shrubby areas has been reliable in the past.  No sign or sound.  A couple of Bullfinches lisped in the elders, a Kestrel hovered in the SW corner and Goldfinches and Greenfinches sang and displayed from almost every tree!  I noticed a number of 'pellets' around the site - presumably Kestrel or Sparrowhawk, but i'd be interested to hear from anyone who knows about these things.  No Spring migrants and no winter reminants - that rare time of the year when it's a case of 'residents only'...well that's what I thought until I happened upon 150+ Fieldfare and 30+ Redwing feeding on the pasture just south east of Kiln Barn Farm!

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!

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.

Sunday 10th January

The heavy snow forecast for last night never materialised, so I was off down the River Medway for an hours walk. I did the walk from Barming Bridge to Teston Bridge and back, quite heavy in the snow. Two Snipe were from the streams that run down to the river, a couple of Kingfishers darted ahead of me and themselves put a Grey Heron up from the river's edge. Near Teston Bridge I got onto a small flock of Siskin feeding in a Alder. On the walk back two Cormorants flew over, followed by a single Lapwing. Seven Redpoll were still feeding in the Silver Birch at the top of South Street, Barming and I was pleased to see 12x Greenfinch in the Field Maples at the back of my garden - where they'vr been the last few months I don't know! The afternoon was spent sledging and building a 'snow folly' - didn't get time to put the roof on it! Don't think the local football team will appreciate it when it's still on the centre circle in 5 weeks time!

Friday 8th January

I've been confined to the house since Tuesday, looking after my wife who's recovering from an op, and also my boys as their school has been closed since Thursday. Garden watching it was, but despite the garden feeders being full and a plentiful supply of fresh water being provided the garden seems pretty much deserted. Perhaps the birds are finding easier pickings elsewhere or maybe some of them have perished (where have 'my' Coal Tits gone)? After exceptionally heavy snow first thing (when one chap skied down South Street!) I was pleased at least to see 5x Greenfinch feeding in the Field Maples at the back on my garden, my peak count this winter has been 2, much reduced from the 25+ I've had in previous years. These are the trees that were frequented by the Hawfinches in recent years, and they were often associating with the Greenfinch flock - fingers crossed!

This afternoon was spent sledging off Church Lane, Barming. Where the sledging slope had been worn down to grass I was suprised to see a Meadow Pipit and Robin, dodging the sledges to pick at whatever had been churned up. Nine plus Lesser Redpoll were also still feeding in a Silver Birch in South Street, Barming.

Icicles outside my lad's bedroom window have grown massively in the last two days - sorry for another photo, just fascinated by them, and this in the first winter my eldest boy has seen them (he's now six!).

Thursday 19th November

Still a strong SW wind blowing, a quick look over Ditton Quarry turned up 4+ Redwings. Finches were in good numbers with increased numbers of Greenfinches and the usual party of Bullfinches.