Tuesday 7th December 2010

Another cold day, with the snow cover persisting but at least the fog had lifted.  Back down to Bradbourne at lunchtime (with newly repaired bike).

The Woodcock was a no show, but a couple of Pochards remained, including the bird with the 'nasal band'.  Thanks to all those who have contacted me about these tags - it seems this bird could well have been tagged in France or Portugal, further investigations should tell.  I managed to get a closer look and could make out the character 'J4' which should help give me some history.

A pair of Gadwall were also present, along with 11x Common Gulls.  Walking around the lake I flushed out 2x Snipe and a Grey Heron and located 8x Lapwings with a flock of 60+ Canada Geese.  One of the flushed Snipe, sped off zig-zagging and 'squelching' in the overacting they way they do, and sped high over John Clements house in Ditton and all the way back again before dropping in amongst the geese and Lapwings!  A couple of the Lapwings then lifted off and joined the gulls - all very cliquey!

Tuesday 16th November 2010

Tetrad TR51I (Aylesford and British Legion Village)

A hard frost in Barming this morning, but I missed out on my usual ride into work as I had to drop my car off for repairs on the Quarrywood Estate, Aylesford.  I unloaded my bike from the car and rode the short distance along the footpaths from Aylesford to East Malling.  As soon as I left the industrial estate in Aylesford I heard, then saw, 3x Jackdaws on the newly ploughed opposite Calves Leys Cottage.  This was quickly followed by a Bullfinch that darted in front of me and ducked into the adjacent hedgerow.  This got me thinking whether either of these species had featured in the winter records form the BTO Atlas?  This is the final winter for Atlas work and Tim Hodge recently posted an excellent summary of the 'species richness' for each tetrad in Kent on the KOS website.  So when I got a break at work I quickly checked if either of these species were needed for TQ51I (Aylesford & British Legion Village)....and they were!  With this in mind I got back on my bike at lunchtime and went off patch, well 5 minutes east to see what I could find.  By the end of the hour I'd filled in six gaps; Stock Dove (x2), Grey Heron (x1 sitting in a stubble field), Pheasant, Little Grebe (2x on a small pool next to BHS!), Linnet and Skylark (37+ and 6 respectively in the same stubble field as the Heron).  Others seen but already on the list were Jay (x5), Goldcrest (x2), Woodpigeon (+160), Carrion Crow (+45), Common Gull (x3), Black-headed Gull (x23) and low numbers of Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tit.  A very satisfying hour and a chance to discover some new places and habitats close-by.  I know I can probably add a few more species; LBB Gull has got to be a cert on the warehouse roofs, a small grove of Holm Oaks and Scots Pine should turn up a Coal Tit (possibly overwintering Chiffies or even a Firecrest?) and Yellowhammer or Meadow Pipit have got to be in or around the stubble field.  This nut platt was a nice find, though not sure what potential it has bird wise?

To top it all off, a work colleague told me he had a Woodcock feeding on the grassy area adjacent the research car park at 18:30 last night as he left work - he described it perfectly-and one I still need for then patch!

Finally, with the sun shining I wasn't too surprised to see a butterfly flitting around outside the office window - a Red Admiral that had tucked itself somewhere warm to avoid last night's heavy frost. 

Monday 10th May

The weather slowly improved throughout the day and by lunchtime the sky was filled with scutting, fluffy clouds against a brilliant blue sky.  A GS Woodpecker peered curiously out of it's nest hole in a tree near the footpath crossing by East Malling railway station. 

A scan of the Paris Farm Paddocks turned up my first House Martins of the year, a couple of birds periodically dropping to the ground before zipping back amongst the Swallows.  Whitethroats scratched out tehir sone from the hedgerow along Easterfields, the Little Owl sat out in it's usuial spot near Kiln Barn Farm and a Grey Heron lifted from the cereal field near the entrance to the research station.

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. 

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.

Monday 15th February

A lovely crisp morning, with a hard frost. I tried to get down to the river to check out the Snipes and for anything else, but a van blocked my way - stuck on the ice! I cycled into work, catching sight of a large raptor drifting across the rooves of the houses in Bull Orchard, Barming - looked like a Buzzard but presumably the local Harris Hawk? I didn't seeing not much else but another dead Shrew, and cursing all the fantastic photographic opportunities I was missing (no camera!). Entering work I met the Chief Executive who told me he a small flock of Redpolls visiting his garden nyger feeder (in Barming) - so that's where my South Street buddies have gone!

Over to Ditton Quarry at lunchtime - no Redpolls (another colleague later told me she had Redpolls visiting her garden niger feeder in Ditton!), but 7x Bullfinches (typical views shown in the snaps). I checked all the ditches that have alway looked ggod for Snipe and Water Vole but nothing. In the SE corner I disturbed 2x Grey Herons, not a regular on this patch. I cut across the the East Malling Research site to meet up with a colleague on one of the strawberry plots. I disturbed 2x Foxes lazing in a glimpse of sunshine and was pleased to hear a Skylark in full song.

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!

Wednesday 25th November

A break from the wet, windy weather at last, and I managed to walk into work from East Barming to East Malling. Unfortunately I didn't have my bins, but managed to pick out most things that moved! 3x Redwing skulked in the oaks along the bridleway adjacent to Gallagher's Quarry, 15+ Chaffinches flocked around them, there really seem to be good numbers of these around at the moment. A couple of Grey Herons flew directly over me near Kiln Barn Farm, where the Little Owl peered out of the barn.

Canada Geese at Bradbourne.....they all couldn't fit on the lake (beyond)

At lunchtime I walked across the research land, East Malling to Bradbourne Lake to check nothing had dropped in during the strong winds of the previous night. Fieldfare numbers have increased (120+), and again Chaffinches everywhere! Another Grey Heron stood, statuesque in a newly ploughed field. At Bradbourne I was surronded by Canada Geese (85+) with a few Greylag throw in. A Little Grebe hugged the island. The sunny morning was short lived and I made it back to the office just in time for another torrential downfall - mud, mud everywhere!