Wednesday 6th October

A busy day at work again, but the earlier rain had cleared to give a beautiful evening.  As I left work Swallows were dipping and streaming across the grassed area at the back of main lab buildings.  More were seen as I past Gallagher's Gallop with a few House and Sand Martins mixed amongst them.  A large flock of Goldfinches came into roost in one of the mature Sweet Chesnuts next to the underpass.  Heavy cloud hung high in the sky as I reached home in Barming, making for a spectacular sunset.

Friday 1st October 2010

The calm before the storm this morning as I walked into work from Barming to the East Malling Research Station.  A couple of Swallows on their way south dipped over the houses in appropriately named South Street, a largish charm (25+) of Goldfinches followed soon after.  Not much else to report in the blustery weather apart from a Sparrowhawk opposite The Redstart Pub (which has a female Black Redstart illustrating their menu and an American Redstart on their sign!).  In the hedgerow alongside Gallaghers Gallop there were still some Chiffchaffs, four today, dipping and sitting out on the newly trimmed hedge alongside a pair of Dunnocks and a couple of Linnets.

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.

Wednesday 1st September 2010

No migrants this morning on patch, but good to catch up and have a chat with Mr Gallagher who was watching his horses on the gallop. Twenty-four Swallows were on the wires at the south end of Kiln Barn Road.



News that the Red-necked Phalarope was still present Elmley had me loading up my bike into the car and zipping to Sheppey for my second visit in almost as many days. I was determined not to miss this individual having missed out earlier in the year. When I arrived at the Wellmarsh Hide I was told that it had just flown! Deja vu! I quickly relocated it 'spinning' at the eastern edge of the flood. Sean Huggins pointed out 2x Curlew Sandpipers amongst a fling of Dunlin. A couple of Ruff were also present amongst the Avocets.



On the entrance track, this Skylark, refused to move!

Tuesday 31st August 2010

With so much dropping in across the county I was expecting to find something on the paddocks in Ditton/East Malling as I cycled into work. Nothing - apart from 17 Swallows on the wires by over the Sweets Lane Paddocks, 9x House Martins over the Paris Farm Paddocks and 6x Pied Wags on the Kiln Barn Farm fields. I cycled back to Oaken Woods at lunchtime to see if any butterflies were on the 'snake track' just east of Oaken Wood that was bordered by Buddeleias in full flower. Only a single Red Admiral, not sure where everything else was? Cycling back past Gallagher's Gallop and Kiln Barn Farm I was pleased to see my first Wheatear of the autumn perched on one of the fence posts - must have dropped in mid-morning, It certainly wasn't there first thing! It was still feeding happily as I cycled home at 18:00.

Wednesday 18th August 2010

At last - a Whinchat on patch - only been 5 years in the waiting with near misses including Wheatear, Stonechat and Black Redstarts over the years. Ironically I hadn't done my usual cycle into work, but had dropped my car of at the garage in Aylesford, and cycled in from there. A last minute decision saw me go left at the gates to work to check out the Paris Farm and Sweets Lane paddocks in East Malling before cycling up to Kiln Barn Farm (the wrong way!)for a quick scan before heading into work. Bingo - there it was on the fence posts by Gallagher's Gallop. Five Swallows swooped around it and a juvenile Yellowhammers and Linnets flitted in and out the hedgerow.

Friday 30th July 2010

A couple more moths caught overnight included a Willow Herald (?) and Riband Band. 

Cycling into work was met with all the other species; 2x Little Owl (although one didn't want to pose as normal!), family groups of Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Great Tit, Linnets with Swallows and 2x Bullfinches all thrown into the mix. 

At lunchtime I did a circuit of Oaken Woods, nr Barming.  Butterflies were the order of the day with Gatekeepers (60+) predominating, but Speckled Wood (x3), Red Admiral (x3), White Admiral (x1) - in good nick on a buddeleia near Gallagher's Underpass, Meadow Brown (x16), Peacock (x9), Large Whites (x7), Common Blue (x5), Holly Blue (x3) and best of all a Silver-washed Fritillary. 

This only my second SW Frit on patch, but it wasn't hanging around and I struggled to keep up with on my bike!  It touched down briefly a couple of times, long enough to get a record shot.  It was seen in almost exactly the same location as the one I had 2 years - is there a small undiscovered colony in these extensive woods or am I seeing roaming males?! 

Southern Hawker

Migrant Hawker

Lots of Dragonflies on the wing as well with Emperor, Migrant, Southern and Brown Hawkers and even a Black-tailed Skimmer.  Only one moth, a Rosy Footman. 

Going back into the woods I was suprised to see how dank they'd remained in this recent heatwave.  Lots of puddles, skated over by Water Boatmen (how did they find themselves on puddles in the middle of a wood?!).  Also on the track verges the first mushrooms of the season (any suggestions for ID welcomed!)

Mushroom A

Mushroom B

Mushroom C

Tuesday 11th May

A tour of the coppiced areas of Oaken Wood before work failed to turn up a Tree Pipit, a species I'm likely to have to miss off the patch list again this year.  Numbers of Willow Warbler seem to have increased.  With news of a Black Stork in Mote Park, and then it's subsequent disappearance I felt the need to check out Bradbourne Lake/Sream and the surronding fields just on the off-chance.  Of course I didn't find it (a possible was reported over Dagenham as I looked!). 

I did see a 'swarm' of Swifts and Swallows over the Sports Ground opposite Bradbourne House lake. 

A couple of Whitethroats were flycatching from a willow at the western end of the lake - the first time I've had this species in this location. 

Crows hopped amongst the Greylag Geese near the stream, with one individual having very worn primaries, showing as a white band on the upperwing as it flew.  A couple of Coot chicks were being well protected by their parents

A Lesser Black-backed Gull sat on the roof the Ditton Laboratory as I cycled home.

Monday 10th May

The weather slowly improved throughout the day and by lunchtime the sky was filled with scutting, fluffy clouds against a brilliant blue sky.  A GS Woodpecker peered curiously out of it's nest hole in a tree near the footpath crossing by East Malling railway station. 

A scan of the Paris Farm Paddocks turned up my first House Martins of the year, a couple of birds periodically dropping to the ground before zipping back amongst the Swallows.  Whitethroats scratched out tehir sone from the hedgerow along Easterfields, the Little Owl sat out in it's usuial spot near Kiln Barn Farm and a Grey Heron lifted from the cereal field near the entrance to the research station.

Sunday 9th May

Just east of my patch this afternoon during a brief respite from the rain - walking the bluebell woods just N of Wateringbury.  A Cuckoo called from the area of Heath Farm, East Malling.  I visted the Kiln Barn Farm Barn's with a friend's little lad who was desperate to see an owl - needless to say the Little Owl wasn't there.  A Swallow sat up on one of the nearby wires and two Swifts, my first this year for the patch, scythed overhead.

Friday 30th April

An early start - the kids got me up 05:15, so it seemed criminal not to go for the Iberian Chiffchaff that was residing in a wood in Walderslade only 15-20 minutes away.  So just before 06:00 I found myself standing next to Andy Appleton and another birder from Bromley listening and watching this Spanish sprite.  It was noticeably different from my local chiffies - more yellowy tinge and of course the call and song were very distinctive.  Five Swifts overhead, my first of the year, were an added bonus
.

Back in Barming I made another attempt to locate the Cuckoo that everyone apart from me seems to have heard, but no luck.  The first apple blossoms were just starting to unfurl in the orchards just east of South Street.

The cycle into work turned up a showy Garden Warbler on the east side of Oaken Wood, it's bubbling warble competing with a nearby Blackcap. A quick sortie of the paddocks round East Malling turned up my third Wheatear of the week, sitting on a telegraph wire of all places near the Paris Farm paddocks - possibly Wednesday's bird lingering?  Three Swallows were also seen to scythe across the paddock turf.

I finished the day with the briefest of views of the Hoopoe at Lenham Heath.  Good to see it, even if it was for such a short time and good to catch up with a few familiar faces!  All in all not a bad day.

Tuesday 27th April

A wonderfully sunny day and actually warm!  I did the usual circuit/routes from Barming through Barming Woods to East Malling Research Station via the Paris Farm paddocks.  All the usual species were encountered (Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Jay) but I was pleased to find the Common Buzzard again at the northern edge of Oaken Wood.  It was sitting out on the branch of an Oak, but as I closed in to get a photo a couple of Mallards made a low, quacking pass and it took flight (what were the chances of that - I've only recorded Mallards twice before in the wood!).  Consolation was soon to follow in the shape of female Wheatear in the centre field at the southern end of Gallagher's Gallop (just SW of Kiln Barn Farm).  I noticed it because it was orange and stood out like a sore thumb in the paddock.  Although it was distant it appeared large, with a very upright stance, and just looked orange! 

It was also was peculiar in that rather than hopping or fast, jerky running this bird walked....slowly!  Very strange.  Anyway I managed some superb shots which I hoped would help me confirm if it was of the 'Greenland' race (Oenanthe oenanthe leucorhoa) or not - but they didn't quite turn out as expected (see below)!  That peachy-orange smudge on the left was the bird - you may be able to make out it's colouration and upright stance - or you might not!  Enlarging the pic by double-clicking on it might help, it definetly had an orange tone to it.

Having bagged what I thought were excellent photos I moved on, taking in the Little Owl (sorry but he's so photogenic) and Kestrel feeding on a Slow Worm. 

A pair of Linnets flew from a hedgerow as I approached Paris Farm Paddocks and a Yellowhammer fed on the dung heap. 

A Skylark sang high over head, but the paddocks once again failed to yield anymore migrants.  Crossing the railway at the east end of East Malling railway station I was pleased to hear a Chiffchaff calling and see a GS Woodpecker sticking it's head out of a nesting hole.

Out again at lunchtime in the hope of connecting with the Wheatear proved unsuccessful, although a couple more Yellowhammers were seen and good numbers of Peacock butterflies, along with singles of Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood and Large White were seen.

While working out in my strawberry plots this afternoon, I saw another Yellowhammer and 10x Stock Doves feeding in the strawed alleyways.

The cycle home in the dying sun was rewarded with 6x Swallows feeding voracioulsy over the Kiln Barn Farm paddock and the song of Blackcaps along the length of Gallagher's Gallop.

Monday 26th April

A tour of Barming Woods and Paris Farm Paddocks before work this morning turned up good numbers of Blackcap and Chiffchaff, but no Tree Pipit or other migrants. 

A quick visit to Ditton Quarry at lunchtime proved more successful with my first Whitethroat and Garden Warbler of the year.  Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Bullfinches were also seen.

On the way home I caught sight of a couple of Swallows and the Little Owl opposite Kiln Barn Farm, Ditton. 

A visit to the orchards just before sunset produced a couple of Linnets and Chaffinches but no sign or sound of the Cuckoo that has been reported by other locals. 

The pear trees were in full blossom with the first apple blossom starting to open.

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.

Tuesday 20th April

No chance to check the  local patch today but driving towards East Malling this morning I saw a lone Swallow perched on the wires opposite the North Pole Pub, Teston.  Later I stopped by New Hythe briefly and was pleased to hear a Nightingale as I stepped out the car.  A couple of minutes later I was watching it singing, out on on an exposed perch, the sun catching it's rusty-red tail...I'd forgotten how reddy/brown these little gems were.  If only I'd had a camera!

An omission from yesterday's report was the sighting of the Bald Birder briefly visting his old breeding territory before migrating North!

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.