Tuesday 21st September 2010

Bust again at home and work last week, hence lack of blogs. Not masses to report since last week apart from a steady passage of House Martins over the Research Station in East Malling. Jackdaws and Rooks, scarcities on patch normally, have become daily sightings - mostly heading over to the fields north of Easterfields.

Today, with brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures, I spent most of the day out in the field. Unfortunately very little was seen until I headed back home around 18:00. 15+ House Martins were working the sky and drifting south , followed by the sleeker profiles of 2x Swallows, my first in over a week. A mixed tit flock leapfrogged ahead of me as I cycled along the track south of Kiln Barn Farm, and I was pleased to see 4x Chiffchaffs amongst them. Raising my bins to get a better view I was surprised to see more Chiffchaffs flycatching out of the hedgerow further on. The evening sun had hit the hedgerow and I could see flies dancing along it's length, an excellent feeding ground for these hungry little birds. My total Chiffchaff count was an amazing (for my patch) 12 individuals, all feeding along a 50m length of hedgerow, constantly flitting in and out - I'd be lucky to see 2 on patch at this time of the year normally! No camera though unfortunately, but check out Phil Sharp's excellent images of Chiffchaffs on his nearby patch, a local fall of Chiffchaff today it seems.

Greenie - sorry not have responded to your comment re: Eyebright. To be honest I'm not sure which species it is, a terrible admission from a plant biologist (not I'm not a botanist!). I scanned the field guide and that was the nearest match, not very systematic I know! Also thanks for naming the fungi - a trip to Mereworth Woods on Sunday was a real eye opener, troops of Fly Agarics everywhere, certainly a good fungi autumn.

Monday 22nd March

Lots of skywatching today - hoping for that first hirundine to zip by.

A sunny, but brisk day, and with expectations high of a migrant.  I wasn't to be disappointed, a Chiffchaff- the first of my year, on the eastern edge of Oaken Wood and trying to claim territory over every available branch.  The Little Owl peered over the parapeet at Kiln Barn Farm again.  I took a slight detour, taking the footpath from Kiln barn Road across to paris Farm, East Malling, scanning all the fences and posts around the extensive paddocks hoping for a Wheatear.  Everything about it smacked Wheatear but I didn't have any luck - getting impatient like my friend Warren!

Chiffchaff (in the shade...or is it the middle of the night?!)

Back out at lunchtime and checking the same area as this morning in case I'd missed anything, but again no luck.  However in the field to the SW of Kiln Barn Farm I was pleased to see the full collection of corvids; 100+ Crows, 5 Rooks, 8 Jackdaws, 2 Magpies and a Jay. 

A couple of Rooks, such a rare sight on patch that I took the pic in soft focus, brought a tear to my eye!

Three Mistle Thrushes took flight and I managed 20+ Fieldfare and a Redwing.  The Jackdaws and Rooks are real rarities at this end of my patch - almost as good as getting a Wheatear!  Maybe tomorrow?!  Maybe the photos will be better as well.

Woody (also staring towards the skies for hirundines) and Fieldy (should be thinking about going East rather than West)

Thursday 3rd September

Ninety-two Rooks sitting in a parliament on the cattle field of Kiln Barn Farm, Ditton this morning, along with the Little Owl in the barn. Only a single House Martin today, flying into the Italian Alder windbreak along the entrance track to the main Research station buildings in East Malling, and an unfortunate (dead) Badger on the verge by the railway bridge, Kiln Barn Road.