Thursday 29th April

Appointments with a couple of visitors today and doing the school run curtailed my usual cycle into work.  After dropping my lad off to school I stopped by take a peek at some paddocks that lie south of Sweets Lane/Easterfields, East Malling.  The habitat looked perfect for migrants, but all I picked out was a Pied Wagtail and a couple of Linnets.  The scratchy song of a Whitehroat carried from the nearby hedgerow. 

Three Orange Tips and a possible Small Tortioseshell flitted by. Taking a final scan around the hedgerows and trees surronding the paddock I picked out a Wheatear sitting a top one of the smaller trees.  It nervously from one tree to the next but never touched down on the ground. 

Not sure if it's 'Greenlander' - didn't seem as big or orange as the bird I had on Tuesday, but still my 3rd Wheatear for the Spring so I'm not complaining!

I managed a quick trip out at lunchtime, no Wheatear but for you train buffs a King Arthur class steam loco through East Malling station as I waited to cross the line - 30777 Sir Lamiel on it's way to Canterbury

Wednesday 21st April

Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs were heard on my ride into work this morning - a scan of the Paris Farm Paddocks failed to turn up any migrants though. 

At lunchtime I decided to explore some of the coppiced Chesnuts in Oaken Wood, Barming hoping to see or hear a Tree Pipit.  As I cycled the path an Orange Tip butterfly fluttered ahead of me, landing briefly to allow me to get some photos.  Peacocks were also on the wing.  A Crow calling above me alerted me to a Common Buzzard that was soaring overhead, I've not seen one in this part of the woods before.  I continued up to the dusty track that leads to Seven Wents.  There's been some fresh coppicing along this ride and as I neared Seven Wents the wood opened up into a large clearing, more like heathland than woodland.  A bird took to the air as I neared a stump overhanging the path and to my utter suprise I watched what I quickly recognised as a female RING OUZEL flying low across the coppiced stumps and in to a thicket of chesnut branches.  Its half-moon gorget and silvery-pale wings were very apparent as it flew at 90 degrees to me.  I scanned the area and saw it's head poking up, but as soon as I moved closer to get a pic it flew again but deeper into the coppice and I couldn't relocate it.  How strange that I'd been watching this species only last Friday down in Cornwall, never dreaming I get one on my own patch the following week, and in such and unusual location for this species - the last place I would have looked for one.  I recall reports of one in a garden in nearby Wateringbury and Don Taylor has one in his rarity hedge a couple of years ago at Wierton Hill, so they do turn up in the most unexpected of places!  With reports of a Hoopoe at Kemsing, a Black Redstart in West Malling, Wood Warbler in Mote Park and Redstart in Chatham I guess I had to get something!

The area of coppice where the Ring Ouzel was seen (unfortunately it had flown by the time I took this pic!)

On the cycle home I picked up 2 Swallows feeding low across the pasture opposite Kiln Barn Farm.  A quick visit to Mote Park for the Wood Warbler turned up a blank, but I guess you can't have too many goodies in one day!

LATE NEWS: Talking to JC about the Ouzel, he informed me a Hobby had flown over Kiln Barn Farm when he went to see the Little Owl this week.