Thursday 24 December 2015

Christmas is coming and a update is due.

On my last blog i got up to the end of November, so now to catch up. On the 3rd I went to my local park to see how things are getting on.


The now finished new bridge, just on the left 
of the pic below is the Wingnut tree. 



This area used to have a children's play area over it.
But there is a good flow of water going through.


This is where the new path will go across the marsh area.


On the 4th a visit to Broadwater again got me 2 Raven plus Jay, Common Gull, G.S.Woodpecker and Woodlark of note.

The 10th was a bit different with a visit to Oare Marshes, was hoping for a Owl or two, but that wasn't to be. 45 species altogether. A massive flock of Black-tailed Godwit with some Ruff, Snipe and Redshank mixed in. Usual species seen, did see a Pale-bellied Brent Goose amongst the Dark-bellied but am not getting into that on a blog.


69 Brent seen on this visit.


The 16th saw a visit to Rye Harbour, Pett Level and Dungeness RSPB. 52 species seen on this trip. Rye Harbour got me a Purple Sandpiper briefly and Spotted Redshank. Tree Sparrow were very active when I got to Dungeness and managed to get the species I wanted. Long-eared Owl behind the dipping pond, it was very well camouflaged but got great views of it's very noticeable white eye brow. Not seen one of these for a few years, and this is my first one for Dungeness. Over the day I saw 5 Geese. Canada, Greylag, Brent and a flock of Barnacle with 2 Snow in with them. A day all round but not amazing weather.

Okay am going to leave it there for the moment, and will do the next catch up very soon. Am now going to look at what courses I am going on next year. Dragonflies I think is a must, and I think I might see if I can get as many butterflies in Kent and Sussex as possible. More of that later.

Will leave you with some photos taken at Rye Harbour.


There were about 13 Little Grebe just in a small area.





These were incredibly close.




Thursday 17 December 2015

Moans, groans and Ravens.

It's been so long since I last updated. Weather and life all seem to be conspiring against me, not that that is a bad thing.
The other day as I was walking round Broadwater and thinking I would call my blog said title, I heard a call and stopped as 2 Ravens croaked and flew off. These aren't even the Ravens I was thinking about, but more of that later.

So back to November, between 14th-20th I went to Broadwater twice. Strong winds and hard rain soon had me giving up with hardly anything seen. One of the moans I have at the moment is the state of the reserve. Every path has at one point a mud bath waiting to be crossed, a lot where vehicles had gone down. Two of the best paths were either closed or had been churned up by heavy plant vehicles that it wasn't even worth trying to go down it. I know they are doing some good work there but my footwear is more important I think.


One of the few birds I did see and that was looking soaked.

The 23rd finally bought a bit of better weather and I got 16 species. Actually saw 4 Pheasants rather than just hearing them, Coal and Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Common Gull and 11 Herring Gulls going over were the highlights and the insects seem to have all gone to ground.
The 26th saw a trip to Bough Beech and 30 species. The best bird being Black-tailed Godwit. With Wigeon, usual flock of Mandarin and Marsh \Tits on the feeders being my other favourites. 


Dunnock


Shelduck


Grey Heron



This is how low the water is now. Picture below shows the 
Tern island no longer floating.


Normally the water is up to this sign. Such is the 
changing faces of a reservoir.



The 27th was when I saw the aforementioned Ravens. Ironically they were 2 minutes from my house. They were on top of the local church as I went to pick up one of my boys. New one for Tunbridge Wells for me.