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. 

Wednesday 24th January

Nice start to the day, seeing a steam loco coast past the East Malling Research station - for you train buffs it was 70013 Oliver Cromwell on 'Sussex Belle' duty (even manage to get bloody branches in the way on my steam engine photos - consistent eh!).  Another site tick - and would have seen it from the office if I'd been in (directly below square roof in centre background, The Downs beyond).

Back in the office I was pleased to hear and then see a Song Thrush singing at full throttle - it stayed there most of the day and was still singing at 18:00 this evening!

I managed another quick visit to Bradbourne Lake at lunchtime, a Little Grebe was shooting the rapids, the poor light put pay to any decent photos again. 

Further along a Little Egret posed long enough for me to get another crappy  (this time through the car windscreen) - and confirmation at last that it wasn't just a plastic bag - 

before it took flight, giving me some more fantastic photographic opportunities (and you thought those Shoveler photos were bad!!!) 

Not much else about in the brief respite from the heavy showers, though the House Sparrows were making the most of the puddles.

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 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!