Saturday 25th December 2010

A walk down the River Medway between East Farleigh and Barming Bridges turned up a good count of ducks for this stretch of the river; 26x Tufted Ducks, 4x Pochard (3 male/1 female) and 1x Gadwall (a first for me on this stretch of water).  Thirty-one Cormorants and a Kingfisher were also seen.  However one bird stood out from the flock as it quite an extensive area of white around the base of the bill.  It lacked the greyish vermiculations I'd expect on a Scaup, but did not have a 'tuft', had a less-angled head and lacked black on it's bill.  The 'pale' area on the flanks seemed more extensive then on the neighbouring Tufted Ducks.  It probably is a Tufted but I wondered if there was any possibility it was Tufted X Scaup hybrid?

Further along the river 35x Canada Geese and the hybrid Greylag X Canada Goose were seen and a single Snipe was flushed from one of the streams.

Wednesday 8th December 2010

25+ Lesser Redpolls were still in the silver birches at the north end of Oaken Wood this morning, and seemed more confiding than on previous occasions - food becoming short I guess.  Also 6+ Bullfinches along Gallagher's Gallop and a couple of Goldcrests near Gallagher's Underpass - the first time I've had them here.

What should have been a short cycle to Bradbourne House, East Malling at lunchtime turned into a nightmare as I developed another puncture.  Discarding my bike in the hedge (!) I carried on on foot.  Walking through a plot of head height Miscanthus I disturbed 6x Pheasants a couple of Dunnocks and probably a few rodents telling by the speed at which a Kestrel appeared from nowhere!  20+ Linnets were still feeding on the weedy area alongside the track to Park Farm. 

At Bradbourne Lake I noted a single Pochard, but not the nasal ringed bird, 1x Tufted Duck (not regular here) and 10x Gadwall (a high count for this site). 

A GS Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush, 2x Greenfinch and a Jay all added some interest along the tree line.  Mike Easterbrook was spotted on the other side of the lake and inadvertently flushed a couple of Lapwing my way - they settled down on the pavillion field with three others amongst a flock of Black-headed and Common Gull (x10).  Three Snipe took flight as we walked towards the stream.  Walking back along the norethern edge of the lake, and meeting Sue, we picked out 4x Little Grebe and Grey Wagtail and had the briefest of views of a Sparrowhawk speeding low through the trees.

Tuesday 7th December 2010

Another cold day, with the snow cover persisting but at least the fog had lifted.  Back down to Bradbourne at lunchtime (with newly repaired bike).

The Woodcock was a no show, but a couple of Pochards remained, including the bird with the 'nasal band'.  Thanks to all those who have contacted me about these tags - it seems this bird could well have been tagged in France or Portugal, further investigations should tell.  I managed to get a closer look and could make out the character 'J4' which should help give me some history.

A pair of Gadwall were also present, along with 11x Common Gulls.  Walking around the lake I flushed out 2x Snipe and a Grey Heron and located 8x Lapwings with a flock of 60+ Canada Geese.  One of the flushed Snipe, sped off zig-zagging and 'squelching' in the overacting they way they do, and sped high over John Clements house in Ditton and all the way back again before dropping in amongst the geese and Lapwings!  A couple of the Lapwings then lifted off and joined the gulls - all very cliquey!

Thursday 18th February

'Snipe marsh' by the River Medway, but only 1 bird today.

Another frosty trip down to the River Medway first thing. I was hoping to get a pic of one of the Snipe that have been frequenting the small marshy area just west of Barming Bridge. I took my time scanning the relatively the stream and vegetation, no sign of any Snipe, well until I walked off to go and predictably, 'SQUELCH', up flew a Snipe! So bloody well-camouflaged! Nearby a couple of Cormorants dived in and out of the misty river.

No sign of any Harris Hawks this morning as I cycled to work, but lots of Crows round by Kiln Barn including 2 in the cattle shed (the usual haunt of the Little Owl).

Just for Greenie - a scramble of Coots - notice the bird centre left - he tripped up, like only a silly Coot could!

The weather deteriorated during the morning, and by lunchtime it had become a steady downpour - things might be more lively down the lake at Bradbourne in this weather I thought. Armed with the camera (for return of the Shoveler) I made my way down to Bradbourne, picking out 4x Green Woodpeckers feeding on the grassed area just east the Hatton Garden. A Jay flew across my path a little further down the track. The lake was disappointing, the usual Moorhens, no Little Grebes, 12 Black-headed Gulls and 2 Herring Gulls. 32 Coots scrambled towards the lake and 112 Canada Geese kept 6 Greylags company on the west lawn. A flight of 6 Pied Wagtails busied themselves around the feet of the geese.

Keeping a low profile, tucked in tight to the left bank.

Surprise of the day was yet to come - a GREEN SANDPIPER - another site tick for me. I caught I glimpse of a white rump fly up a ditch in front of the house - and then as I walked on an elegant wader suddenly towered up, nice white belly, no upper wing markings and prominent white block on the rump (like the Bullfinches and Jays I'm seeing everyday). It flew high, zig-zagging and dropped down into the stream. Creeping towards it I managed a few crappy record shots of it's head (always the most diagnostic of features!!!) before it took flight again - high again and then lost to view, for all I know probably further down the stream, through the grille in the wall and into that garden on St Peters Road (please respect residents' privacy) ! It did throw me slightly as its upper parts were so light - more Common Sandpiper in colour, and not really dark at all. There wasn't any obvious mottling and I couldn't discern the bars on the tip of the tail - in flight it looked like a single block of brown. It certainly wasn't Common, there's nothing else it could have been but Green.

Not as dark as Greens I've seen before and no sign of mottling but Common it ain't!

Please note that unfortunately Bradbourne House and estate is a PRIVATE site with NO PUBLIC ACCESS.

There will be a public Open Day in April - details to follow.

Friday 12th February

Four Snipe just west of Barming bridge this morning and a Kingfisher grooming on the north bank of the River Medway from the bridge first thing this morning. 30+ Fieldfares sat out on the railway embankment trees, a GS Woopecker drummed on the riiverside willows and a Song Thrush tapped away on it's anvil.

A brief visit to Ditton Quarry at lunchtime wasn't too productive, although some pellets were found, possibly Kestrel (anyone want to comment?). No sign of Bullfinches, but a small flock of Redpoll were seen in flight across the orchard just S of the quarry

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!

Sunday 10th January

The heavy snow forecast for last night never materialised, so I was off down the River Medway for an hours walk. I did the walk from Barming Bridge to Teston Bridge and back, quite heavy in the snow. Two Snipe were from the streams that run down to the river, a couple of Kingfishers darted ahead of me and themselves put a Grey Heron up from the river's edge. Near Teston Bridge I got onto a small flock of Siskin feeding in a Alder. On the walk back two Cormorants flew over, followed by a single Lapwing. Seven Redpoll were still feeding in the Silver Birch at the top of South Street, Barming and I was pleased to see 12x Greenfinch in the Field Maples at the back of my garden - where they'vr been the last few months I don't know! The afternoon was spent sledging and building a 'snow folly' - didn't get time to put the roof on it! Don't think the local football team will appreciate it when it's still on the centre circle in 5 weeks time!