02/06/20

Early morning walk along the canal and I did not take my camera, mainly due to I left it upstairs when I got up early and to retrieve it would wake the household up, I would regret it and ensure next time I am more organised.

The outward leg was quiet in a chilly wind, despite the sunshine.  Birds of note were 2 Meadow Pipit, a Common Whitethroat (only the second this year on the canal), 2 Skylarks singing and rising high in the air, and several Reed Warblers.

When I reached my turn point, after talking to a guy who was also up early and pole fishing I noticed a large raptor further down the canal.  It was a nice surprise to see a male Marsh Harrier, which is a first for my patch around Hamstreet in 17 years.  Whilst they are common across the Romney Marsh, with Hamstreet being right on the edge it is unusual for them to come this far.  Walking back I had some good views (and would have been some good photo's) until it flew off and landed in the field.  As I got close where it was hovering around I realised there were Moorhens with young chicks, so I believe that may have been what he was after and I ruined his breakfast. Shortly after he took off and flew back over the marsh.

Towards the end of the canal I saw a Robin, which is unusual to get along the canal path itself, and then a Black Headed Gull flew past.  These gulls are more unusual to see around the canal and Hamstreet, they do come over but not often, it is normally Herring Gulls, so a nice tick and the first on the canal this year.

The rest of the journey home saw a Cuckoo, a Barn Swallow and 6 Swifts. Checking the wildlife cam, which I had located to a new spot overlooking the edge of the pond was empty, nothing to show from there today.

01/06/20

After an uneventful early morning walk I returned home to review my wildlife cam to see if anything new had been captured.

Having to go through 320 x 15 second videos was time consuming but I was really pleased with the outcome

First up was a Fox walking behind my shed, so will have to keep my eyes out now as I don't want it to get my chickens

I then had a nice video of a mouse which appears to be in my shed, that explains why the cat was sniffing around there the night before

Then my favourite one was a Song Thrush using a metal pole as an anvil for breaking a snail shell.

Finally my ever inquisitive squirrel returned

31/05/20

My early morning walk today was to Orlestone Forest where I have not visited for sometime.  I pulled up in the car park and started off with a Pheasant walking in front of my car and opening the door to the sound of a Turtle Dove, a good start.  I found the Turtle Dove but it wasn't showing well enough for a good picture. 

With the good start I was hoping for better things.  I started to hear and see all the usual migrants, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and then a nice Willow Warbler.  Half way round it started to get bad with mosquitoes and being in shorts and always having the body and blood that the mossies seem to adore I was soon having to swipe them off my legs every time I stopped.  I then heard and found a Garden Warbler, my first of the year and this took my mind off them for a while.  Eventually it got so bad I had to give up stopping and keep walking until I got to higher ground when thankfully they then seemed to go away.  The last part of the walk I came around a corner and found a fox sitting in the grass, he run off quickly but I managed to get a quick shot away.  The last highlight was a Nightingale on the trail back to the car park.

Not long after I arrived home I heard a commotion and looking up saw a Red Kite flying over and being hassled by a Herring Gull, quick run to get my camera and managed to get a couple of quick shots before it passed over.  This is my 2nd Red Kite over Hamstreet in as many weeks and with the reporting of many sightings, sometimes as much as 10-14 at once I am sure it will not be the last.

I was thinking that 3-4 years ago the only chance to guarantee a Red Kite was to go over to Oxfordshire and up the M40, now they are everywhere, but how long before they start getting persecuted for being a pest I wonder

30/05/20

Started the day with a walk around Hamstreet Woods.  For the first half hour the birds were very quiet with only the occasional Wren or Blackcap calling.  As I got to the far side of the wood I heard 3 separate Nightingales calling.  So far this year there have been 7 places in the woods where I have heard them singing and they seem to be reducing each year.

Walking along one of the bridleways a Buzzard flew out of a tree and away from me down the track, this happened 3 more times before I branched off on a different trail.  Of summer migrants I saw/heard

1 Cuckoo
3 Swift
4 Chiffchaff
5 Blackcap
3 Nightingale

After some breakfast I accompanied my youngest son down to the canal whilst he did some fishing.  I happily sat and watched any birds/wildlife and snapped a few pictures.  Birds of note was 2 House Martins, 2 Cuckoo and a Kestrel, which ironically is the first Kestrel I have seen in Hamstreet this year.  There were also a lot Barn Swallows with one keep flying along the canal and they looked really blue with the sun shining on them, unfortunately despite trying I struggled to get a good picture that did them justice.

There were also a lot of damselfly around and below a Blue Tailed Damselfly

We also had a visit from a Mute Swan that was unsure what it was we were doing, and eventually moved away

Off to church

A change to the walk this morning took me out of the village and across the fields and railway line up to Orlestone Church, along Church Lane and back into the village and home.

This morning was very quiet, the birds are starting to quieten down now and with the thick foliage now it is difficult to see many.

The first field I cross was full of sheep and lambs, which are now getting much bigger now and not so nervous when you walk past them, one was very inquisitive

I saw a Greater Spotted Woodpecker hacking away at the ground thinking I think that if a Green Woodpecker can do it so can I.  A few Barn Swallows, a singing male Blackcap and later a female Blackcap that was not singing.  What is also apparent is how successful the Starlings have been in breeding this year with many young starling chicks seen on the walk, the murmurations could be good later in the year.

At the end of Church Lane 2 young Long Tailed Tits and then a Blackbird that was collecting food for it's young I assume, whatever it was it didn't look very appetising.

Finally walking back through the village I saw a Jackdaw having a good fight with some tissue before flying off with some for its nest, well at least I hope so and its not a Corvid that has Covid.

Tree Sparrow's again

Another early morning walk along the canal but a lot cooler then previous mornings with a NE wind, but still a lovely sunrise.  At first the walk was quiet, no Cuckoo calling and very little birds singing apart from a couple of Reed Bunting.  As I neared the pump house I heard a Cuckoo in the distance and birds started to appear and sing, but not being very obliging for the camera, which for once I took with me.

As I turned to head back home to start work a group of Goldfinch landed in the bush in front of me, with some newly fledged young.  Then along side these flew 4 other birds, Tree Sparrows.  The week previously I had seen 3 Tree Sparrows at the beginning of the canal, so it was nice to see them again as they are getting so hard to find now.  I unfortunately could not get a picture as they flew quickly.  The trip back down was nice, with 2 more cuckoo's both flying past me, more Reed Warbler, Barn Swallows and Swifts

Nearing the end of the canal I again had 3 birds fly into the bush in front of me, and again, Tree Sparrows, which I assume are the same as last week as this was the same place.  This time I managed to get a picture, although not great but the best view I could get

I also saw a nice Skylark flying high into the sky and a Meadow Pipit, which I had not seen there for a while.

On arriving home I recovered my new toy which is a remote motion sensor wildlife camera which I had set up for 36 hours.  On download the 186 photo's and videos I enjoyed looking at a number of birds, Robin, Dunnock, Blackbird (feeding young) and Chaffinch.  What I was not expecting was a Grey Squirrel eating the seeds I had put down, it was a surprise as in 17 years we had never seen a squirrel in our garden.  So will set the camera up again soon somewhere else and see what other surprises we get.

Blackbird feeding young

Squirrel

New bird for my Hamstreet list

My now regular early morning walks whilst working from home due to Covid took me today along the Royal Military Canal.  Going out at 5am is the best part of the day for me, there is no one around, the sun is rising and the birds are singing.  The cuckoo was calling, reed warblers singing and the Skylarks climbing high into the sky before parachuting down.

For the outward part of my journey it was the usual birds that I normally have, 3 Moorhens were having a fight and totally oblivious to me, Yellowhammer and Chaffinch singing in the trees, 8 swifts chasing each over across the sky.

On my return journey back two birds landed on the path in front of me and I was pleased to see they were Yellow Wagtail.  These are new for me for Hamstreet as in 17 years here never had them before, so a good tick for the morning. This brings my Hamstreet life list to 91.

On returning home a few hours later 2 Red Kites flew over, 2 Jay's in the garden, the first time for a few months and a young Grass Snake in my pond.

Day out in Kent

Having an extra day off following the Bank Holiday I went off to a few Kent birding spots.  First was Oare Marshes, arriving at 05:30 to the view of a Spoonbill sleeping in the East Flood.  Walking along the sea wall I managed to get a long distance shot before it left.  Arriving early had its advantages as a lot of birders missed it.  Heavily cropped image below.

There were some good birds around, 58 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Cuckoo and plenty of Sedge and Reed Warblers

Altogether 35 species of birds in 2 hours, some good photo opportunities including a Mute Swan coming into land.

The other highlight was 3 Bearded Tits that popped up in front of me but unfortunately I could not get a good photo as they went very quick.

I then drove down the coast to
Northdown Park to see the Parakeets.  I didn't stay long as too busy for me in this current lock-down situation, I got a few photo's of the Parakeet and then left hastily.

My last stops was to Grove Ferry and Stodmarsh.  At Grove it was very quiet but I did see a very vocal Lesser Whitethroat which was nice to see. Altogether 24 species and all the common birds expected, but little else about.

Onto Stodmarsh and as soon as I left the car park on the trail I had a Treecreeper land in the tree in front.  It obviously had young as it was busily collecting insects.  I could't get a great picture due to it being dark under the tree, the best is below.

There was an abundance of birds singing, plenty of Blackcaps, Chiff Chaff, Common /Whitethroat and Wren's. I also saw a Mistle Thrush, first one this year and a family of Long Tailed Tits, feeding the fledged young who were being very demanding.

Onto the wall and good views of Marsh Harrier being mobbed by a lapwing, and 5 Hobbies hawking for the dragonflies.

Also a Grey Heron flew over and Linnet sitting up on top of the scrub

Back on the return trail to the car park and at the entrance to the track to the hide (blocked off due to Covid-19) was a singing Nighingale, and the final bird of the day was a Goldcrest just before getting back to the car.  In all 36 species for Stodmarsh and a good days birding.

I am back

I am ashamed to say this is my first post for 7 years as I lost my way slightly with birding and nature, mainly due to work and travelling. In recent months, with my oldest son taking more interest in birding, photography and the enforced lock down my enthusiasm has returned. In recent years the most birds I ever had in my garden were 48 species in one year, so far this year I am on 35 and not even half way. For the area around Hamstreet my record was in 2006 when I had 57 species, this year so far I am on 61. My most recent tick was between Ruckinge and Hamstreet on Saturday, I had got lost and ended up on the main road walking back and in someones garden had a male Bullfinch, my favorite bird. Last week I had 3 Tree Sparrows on the canal by the garden center, so keep looking as you never know what to expect. I will try and continue to post about my journeys and birds around Hamstreet, and hopefully with some pictures.

Brambling - a first

I had work to catch up today so decided to try and do this on the laptop and keep an eye on the birds on the feeders. It ended up watching the birds on the feeders and occasionally on the laptop. Many of the usual birds on the feeders although there seemed to be more then usual, the Greenfinches of which I normally have 2 at a time increased to 5 and stayed all day, plenty of increased numbers in Blue Tits, Great Tits, House Sparrows and Chaffinches. I was hoping for something unusual or new for the year to come to the feeders with all of the snow and cold and I didn't have long to wait with a solitary Redwing dropping in. Shortly after when I went up the garden to check on the chickens a calling Lapwing flew over seemingly lost in the snow. Over the past few years during the winter I am always looking to the bird table and garden hoping to see a Brambling, something I have never had in my garden. At around lunch time I saw some birds fly up into the Oak tree next door and on inspection they were Greenfinches and Chaffinchs. As I was watching them I saw one at the back drop down through the tree's and I had a couple of brief glimpses and thought, that's not a Chaffinch. A few more hops in the tree and then down on to bird table where I had spread some seed and yes, a Male Brambling. Unfortunately it didn't hang around for long but over the next few hours it put in another 3 brief visits. Altogether I had 19 species throughout the day including a unsuccessful attempt at getting lunch by a Sparrowhawk. Noticeable absence today was from Great Spot and Green Woodpecker, Jay's and Magpies which up until this weekend had been daily visitors, maybe they stayed in the woods and don't like the snow.

Waxwings

Finally managed to get to see the flock of Waxwings in the village, thanks Bernard for the call this morning to tell me they are still there. That's the trouble of going to work in the dark and coming back in the dark, miss all the birds. Managed to get some quick views and a few photo's before shooting off to do the Xmas shopping with the other half. Also plenty of Redwing and Fieldfares.

Also had the Nuthatch back in the garden this morning, first time since February. In an hour I had 22 species of bird on my feeders, their are some hungry birds around.

Ring-Necked Parakeet

Walked up the garden this morning to sort my chickens out heard bird calling flying towards me. As soon as I heard it I thought I knew what it was and then as it flew over my head I was right, a Ring Neck Parakeet, it flew along my road and landed in some trees 10-12 houses down. This is a first siting for me in Kent outside of the Thanet and Sidcup area. Strangely enough I have not seen one this year until this week, and now 2 in 3 days as one flew over my head on Thursday when I was in Feltham. I assume that this is just a single bird but will now be keeping an eye out for any more.

A couple of additions

On Sunday I made a brief visit to Dungeness and driving out of Hamstreet at 5:30 a lovely Barn Owl was flying along the ditch at the side of the road looking for its breakfast. The visit to Dunge proved to be a non event, an hour and halfs seawatching from 05:45 - 07:15 produced Gannets and Common Terns, and that was it. With the wind and overcast weather early on there was very little else around so I went home. Yesterday I had a meeting to attend to which meant I had the novelty of catching the train. Heading up to Hamstreet station via the footpath along side the bridge a Turtle Dove was calling. I spent a few minutes locating it in the tree before then rushing for the train I nearly missed!

Mad 45 minutes at Dung

Day off today and before catching up on all the chores I decided an early start at Dung to kick the day off. Arrived at the point at 5:45 and with Martin and the others off to Holland I had the place to myself. I had only just got my scope up and the birds started flowing and for the next 45 minutes I had the following. 4 Arctic Skuas (east) all close in 21 Little Tern (east) 12 Sanderling (east) 111 Scoter (east) 40 Scoter (west) 2 Swallows in 1 Hobby in 6 Oystercatcher (east) 1 Arctic Tern (east) Many Common Tern, in the hundreds Many Gannets Then at 6:30, nothing, apart from a few scoter (included above, Common Tern and Gannets it all went quiet. I hung around for another hour and a couple of others turned up but we all gave up. Looked around the moat, had a Black Redstart and a few of the now resident Whitethroats but not much else around. About half an hour after I left someone reported a Serin but missed that one. Not a bad morning, much better then I expected.

The migrants start to appear

Started the day off early before work in one of my Tetrads undertaken the 2nd visit of my Nightingale survey. Of the five I found last week only four were in place but I had two new ones so one I assume had moved, but at least I am now at six for that area. This evening after work I had planned to go to Dung for a few hours and this was more anticipated throughout the day with the news of the Melodious Warbler, would I see it. Finally got to Dung and the Melodious hadn't been seen for an hour after the owner had visited his garden. Nice views of a male Redstart and finally, half an hour later the Melodious appeared. I was informed of a couple of Whinchats and a Pied Flycatcher over by the power station so decided for a walk over to there and around the obs. On the way down the road a Spotted Flycatcher but not much else. Around the moat a 4 Wheatears, 2 Whitethroat, a female Blackcap, 2 Whinchat and a nice Garden Warbler. A quick sea watch picked up 1 Black-throated Diver flying east and a Gannet, quite a few Common Terns but not much else. A visit back to the lighthouse garden and good views of a Spotted Flycatcher but did not see the Melodious Warbler again. Not a bad few hours

Where have all the Nightingales gone

First day of the Nightingale survey and up at the crack of dawn stumbling around my first Tetrad in Hamstreet Woods. The dawn chorus was in full swing with many birds singing.... but no Nightingales. My first area in which I have had Nightingales for the past 5 years was silent, even the one I had last weekend was not singing. I moved out of my first Tetrad into the second and in the distance I heard a Nightingale which was in the direction I had my second one last weekend. Then I had a slight distraction with a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling, it was in the tree right over my head but I could not find it so I moved on. This was the first one of the year in these woods. Down through the woods and to the Nightingale I heard singing in the distance and it was in the same area, I thought I heard two but could not locate the second at first but as I went around the track it popped up in front of me singing away. As I moved further around another Lesser Spot and this time I located it, but as for Nightingales that was it, only the 2 and so far this is the lowest count I have had for the past 5 years, hopefully another visit and covering the rest of my tetrad's will uncover some more.

Nightingales and Bluebells

Early start this morning with a 6am walk around Bourne Woods, it was a lovely clear morning with the sun coming up, no one else around but me and carpets of Wood Anemone and the first of the Bluebells coming through.

Wren,Jay, Green Woodpecker, Blue and Great Tits on entering the woods and the first of many Greater Spotted Wood soon after. Within 5 minutes in one of the normal spots I had my first singing Nightingale and I spent 5 minutes just listening to the song before it decided to go quiet.

I spent the next two hours walking around and had many Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Bullfinch and another Nightingale, along with all the other normal woodland species. A nice start to the day

Ring-necked Duck

Finally managed to get down to Dunge today after work to look for the Ring-necked Duck, it was reported in the morning from Springfield bridge so I started there and met Dave from the Obs, and found the bird within a few minutes in a gully behind some reeds. Within 5 minutes it came out in the open and had some great views, this was a lifer for me so happy to see it. Also saw from the bridge and Avocet fly over and the Raven.

Quick stop off at the end of the ARC and quite a selection of waders among the Teal and Pochard. Two Little Ringed Plover and a Ringed Plover.Oystercatcher, an Avocet, 4 Dunlin and a Redshank. Also a lone Linnet, 4 Pied Wagtail and 2 Yellow Wagtail. Not bad for a flying visit

Catching up

After a busy weekend getting the decorating out of the way before the majority of the migrants start coming in and the Nightingale survey is due a catch up of a couple of birds over the weekend.

First Chiffchaff of the year in the garden on Saturday which has been there since, nice to wake up and hear it singing in the mornings. Lots of nesting activity with a pair of Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrush and Dunnocks frantically making nests.

On Sunday morning I woke to the sound of the first Cuckoo of the year down by the canal somewhere, I only heard it for about 10 minutes and then not heard it since.

Didn't get down to see the Ring Neck Duck yesterday due to work, I am hoping it stays around today so I can shoot down tonight.

Summer migrants on the way

It's been a busy week and not much time to update the blog, however in the past few days more migrants are appearing.

On Sunday morning in Ashford I heard my first 3 Chiff Chaffs of the year. In the afternoon whilst in Bernard's garden discussing the Nightingale survey the first Swallow of the year flew through. Also some distant views of Buzzard over Bourne Wood along with Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.

On Monday evening, I was thinking about Bernard's comments that he had seen a number of Blackcap's in his garden which had then all moved on, when movement at the top of my garden caught my eye, and on grabbing my bins saw my first Blackcap of the year, I wonder if it was one that had come down from Bernard's.

Driving around the M25 today I saw at least 5 Buzzard's during the trip, they are becoming more common now and a lovely sight to see.