Sunday 7th February

A quick jaunt down the River Medway first thing with the kids, we managed to flush 3x Snipe on a marshy area just west of Barming Bridge this morning, and the noted the remnants of a Blackbird and a coughed up pellet (Sparrowhawk?) nearby.

Later I escaped to do the late visit for BTO Atlas Tetrad TQ65R. I started in the hamlet of Pizien Well, just west of Wateringbury. A few of the gardens were well-stocked with feeders and was continually visited by Long-tailed Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Goldcrest and a Coal Tit, but no sign of the Marsh Tit or Blackcap I'd seen on the earlier visit. The owner of the garden saw me scanning his bird table and came out and asked if I wanted to sit on the bench in his garden to watch the birds....how many places do you get residents making an offer like that! He then produced an impressive list of all the wildlife he'd had in the garden over the last 20 years. The list included Tree Sparrow, Hawfinch and most surprisingly Hoopoe that he told me had landed briefly on the lawn of the adjacent garden a few years back! I wasn't to be so lucky today, and as I left the hamlet the weather deteriorated - I tramped through the derelict orchards which were deserted, not a single Fieldfare or Redwing, amazing has I'd seen 200+ a couple of days ago near East Malling.

Up Park Road, skirting round the grounds of Mereworth Castle and towards the Triumphal Arch (contour 108), I was lucky to get a covey of Bullfinches (7 in total) and a single Redwing. No sign of the Common Buzzards I'd expect on this patch and only another single Goldcrest by the old East Peckham church. Things weren't looking too good, I seemed to be well down on the species count of 34 I managed on the earlier visit. However things were to take a turn for the better. I nonchalantly scanned a small pool that is cut in half by the southern axis of the tetrad where I added Mallard and Moorhen to the list, but was amazed to see a drake Mandarin Duck sail past - then another, and another and then a squabbling group of another four - eventually I saw 9x drakes and a single hen - what a result! I ended up with 30 species, but some shocking omissions such including Magpie!

I finished off the afternoon by driving home via Teston Country Park to scanning the area check for a Barn Owl that had been reported just west of the bridge. I saw the smart new owl box and roost pole but no sign of the bird itself. Something to check for again.

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!

Saturday 2nd January

Back over the ground I covered for the Atlas TTV (just W of Wateringbury) with my family today. A lovely crisp day, with a hard frost. There were more birds on the move tha when I visted on the 31st Dec, and I was glad to see another Marsh Tit amongst a flock of other Tits (Long-tailed, Great, Blue and Coal).


We visted St Michael's Church, East Peckham which holds some fantastic memorials and gravestones if you're in to that sort of thing (if only I could read Latin)!
Lots of interesting Lichen on the stones and branches, but that's a whole new discipline to get into, probably save that one for retirement!
On the walk back I was pleased to see 2x Common Buzzard soaring high overhead.

Saturday 5th December

Only 10 minutes to check out the churchyard, St Margaret's, Barming mid-morning. A Kestrel hung in the air alongside the pylons by the A26. Only 3x Redwings feeding in the yews, along with a couple of hard chacking Blackbirds. A repetitive 'si-si-si' alerted be to an excitable volery of Long-tailed Tits. The lead bird flitted out of a yew and down into a heavily-scented Virburnum next to me. A cascade of small birds followed, including the remainder of Long-tailed Tit gang, a Blue Tit and Goldcrest. It really was quite an exotic mix of colours; vivid pink of the Viburnum flowers, set off against the subtle blues and yellows of the Blue Tit, blush pink of the Long-tailed Tits, the mossy green hue and contrasting yellow crown stripe of the Goldcrest. The party quickly worked through the twigs and branches of the shrub and moved on, with the exception of the Goldcrest which, although restless throughout (as they always are), lingered to check every bud and apex. Enticed by 'pishing' it moved onto the outer branches and for a moment looked at me with that 'amazed' look that the peppercorn eye of a Goldcrest gives you! By far away the best, and closest views, of a Goldcrest I've ever had.

The need for replacment bulbs for my Christmas lights (predictable event if there ever was one!) saw me visting the Quarrywood Industrial estate in Aylesford. I noticed a fenced off area alongside BHS, and peering through the fence saw a deep pool, run off from the industrial estate I expect. A pair of Little Grebe drifted around the perimter and a fox slouched nearby, oblivious to shopping frenzy that was taking place only yards away. Perusing the lighting section of BHS store (in desperation I might add), I had the delight of adding Mike Easterbrook (Kent county recorder - butterflies) to the day list....shame Wolves were winning!