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 31st January

A lovely crisp, frosty morning. I went for an early morning run from Barming Bridge to Teston and back. Only a couple of Canada Geese on the way out, but I managed to flush a Common Sandpiper from one of the streams by the railway line on the way back. I've seen this species on the river edge but never on one of the streams.

After lunch I took the lads out for a walk - we decided to explore the footpath to Upper Fant, Maidstone. The orchards in East Barming were pretty much devoide of winter Thrushes, but when we eventually reached Fant I realised why! At Fant Farm, just off Upper Fant Road a large orchard still held some fruit below their boughs - the place was alive with Redwings and Fieldfares. I estimate there must have been +1000 Fieldfares, with perhaps +300 Redwings. Walking back along Rectory Lane we stumbled upon a dead Common Shrew which wasn't there when we had passed earlier. It was a tiny little thing, immaculate, and the kids were fascinated. As we looked it over a lady walked by and we started to chat. It turned out that Linda, who lives in Barming, was a reader of my blog (so someone does!) - my youngest started to have a crying fit so we did talk as long as I would have liked to, but Linda nice to have met you and keep leaving those comments, promise I'll read them! Linda drop my an email at adam.whitehouse@emr.ac.uk if you get a chance, interested to know more about the finches you were talking about!

Wednesday 26th August

The 'muck' field at the top of Gallagher's Gallop, Barming was deserted as I cycled into work...not even a Wood Pigeon. I was pushed for time to free-wheeled down the bridleway intent on getting into work on time - if a migrant wouldn't be attracted to all the flies in that field then there wouldn't be one anywhere else on my journey - WRONG! A Wheatear at the bottom of the hill brought me to a screeching halt. There it was, pumping it's tail, all brimming with confidence and in the exact spot I got them last year.

10+ Swallows and 20+ House Martins swept low across the cattle field and the Little Owl was kept tucked up against the wind in the barn at Kiln Barn Farm.

Back out at lunchtime to the same spot and the Wheatear was bounding around the cattle field by Kiln Barn Farm, the Swallows and House Martins had been joined by 15+ Sand Martins.

The Wheater had moved on by the time I left work at just after 6, as had the House Martins, but the Sand Martin tally was now nearer 60+. They were hugging the tree tops at the eastern perimeter of Oaken Wood.