A new bird in Surrey

I had to take my son down to Guildford today for an interview for University, once I had dropped him off I had 7 hours to kill, now what could I do. A trip to Farnham Heath sounded in order to get a Woodlark, a bird I have not yet seen, so off I go, and what a pain to try and find, I am sorry RSPB but you haven't got this one right as there are hardly any signposts telling you where to go, but with help from a local I finally pull up in the car park. Within 5 minutes of walking into the heath I had a Woodlark, and I was quite surprised how easy it was to find. I had been listening to the song over the weekend and straight away I heard one calling and located it quite quickly. In the end I had at least 5-6 different birds along with Chaffinch's, Goldfinches, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers and many Wrens and Robin.

Then I popped down the road to Thursley Common to find Stonechat and the Great Grey Shrike that has been reported there on Surrey Birds. First time I have been there and I was amazed how big it was with heathland stretching for miles. I soon located Stonechat and few other birds but could not find the Shrike, did however have some good views of what I believe was Roe Deer. I had to leave with so much more to see there,I could easily spend a day walking around.

A good day out for me, now just got to wait to see if my son got into Uni, if he does it could be more visits on the agenda.

Spring day at Dungeness

Spent today down at Dungeness, and whilst there was not a lot of new birds around, it was a lovely warm day and so nice to be walking around in sunshine down to a t-shirt. Early start at Hanson Hide around 6:00 hoping to catch an early Bittern, but not today, plenty of birds around though with Goldeneye displaying in front of the hide, Red head Smew, a Bar Tailed Godwit and Marsh Harriers flying around.

Then down to the point, which was really quiet, not just birds but birders as well, with no one there but me. 12 Scoter flying north along with regular groups of Gannets but that was about it. There was a Grebe quite a long way among the Great Crested which was possible a Black Neck but it was to far away for me to say for certain. Walk around the moat brought nothing so off to the reserve.

Walk around the reserve was nice in warm sunshine, there were plenty of Marsh Harriers around and viewing from the mound 2 were displaying and carrying nesting materials down into the reeds, managed to get some nice photo's (remembered my camera again for the 2nd day running) Also some nice Bearded Tit.

On the way home I diverted to Tickers Lane to look at the rubbish pile Ploddingbirder mentioned during the week to see if the Yellowhammer and Corn Buntings where there, and they were, thanks Ploddingbirder.

Crossbills in the woods

Early start before I go out with the family and a trip to Faggs Wood before the dog walkers all come out to play. Overcast morning with poor visibility but a nice morning with the Song Thrushes and Robins singing, Green Woodpecker calling out and the Greater Spotted seemingly drumming everywhere. It was pretty quiet for the first hour with just the normal woodland species and a couple of Woodcocks, I was hoping to see the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Crossbills but not having much luck. As I completed a circuit and came back to the newly coppiced area I heard a Crossbill called and then noticed 7 sitting in a tree about 50 meters away. I managed to get fairly close and got some photo's (for once had the sense to take my camera) but the light was low, the one shown was heavily cropped. When back at the car park I spent some time watching all the birds eating the french stick and donuts that are stuck on the branches by the kind benefactor, picked up Great, Blue and Coal Tit, 4 GS Woodpecker, Chaffinch and Robin's.

Newcomers to the garden

I spent some time in the garden today finishing off my new wildlife pond before the heavy rain comes tomorrow. I took a few minutes breather and noticed movement in the apple tree by the feeders and saw a flash of yellow and black and straight away thought, was that a Siskin. I hoped it was as I had not had Siskin in the garden before, plenty in Hamstreet Woods but not here. I moved back a few yards and sure enough a Siskin came out of the tree and onto the Nyjer seeds. I rushed indoors and grabbed my camera hoping that it was still on the feeder and it was, along with another. I managed to get a few shots before the flew off. Then about 10 minutes later I saw a raptor flying over, grabbing my bins I could see it was a Buzzard, which is a new one for the year across the village, and shortly after that 2 Common Gulls flew over, another new bird for this year in the village, so an interesting half hour, now, where was I with this pond?

Drive to work

Strange drive to work this morning with no snow around after it all melting during the night. As I pulled out of Hamstreet I had a Red Legged Partridge run across the road, the first I have seen around the village this year. Further down the road as I passed through Bonnington I had a narrow escape hitting a Little Owl that was sitting in the road and flew up in front of me, good job it wasn't icy slamming on my brakes like that. My first Little Owl this year, I am glad it wasn't a dead one.

A cold day in East Kent

Finally managed to do the trip that I was going to do last week before the untimley snow, off to Deal and East Kent.

On arrival at Deal as I was early in meeting friends I shot down to the Ancient Highway and picked up a magnificent male Grey Partridge right next to the road. When will I get it in my thick head to pick up my camera every time I go out, what a great picture it would have been and the first of what would have been many great shots today.

At Deal Pier and hour of seawatching brought Common Scoter, Gannet, Kittiwake, Red Throat Diver, Razorbill and a Peregrine amongst others. The Peregrine which had caught a small wader was harrased by gulls, dropped the wader and lost his meal, with the Herring Gulls having it instead. Then came the snow so it was inside the cafe for a slap up breakfast and watch what birds could be seen through the snow out of the window.

Then news came through of the Kumliens Gull showing in Dover, I hadn't got it yet and nor had a couple of others so it was off to Dover, the snow had now stopped.

In Dover as soon as we got out of the cars at Wellington Dock we saw a Grebe which we soon identified as a Slavonian. Then for a walk around to Admiralty Pier where the gull was last seen. After some time searching we did see the Kumliens Gull along with Razorbill, Knot, Shag, Kittiwake and Rock Pipit. The Kittiwakes were sitting on the wall of pier and we got within 3-4 feet of them without them flying away, another photo opportuniy lost.

After lunch I split up from my friends and headed home via Hythe to pick up 7 Purple Sandpipers by the Stade Hotel, and Dungeness to get a Goosander which I had not got this year (ended up with 1 of them on the new diggings.

On arriving home I walked into the garden and scared off a Grey Heron which was trying to get at my goldfish, if he had got them I would have been impressed through 4 inches of ice, so another garden tick for the year.

All in all, a good day

Change of plans due to the snow

I had planned to meet up with friends today in North East Kent but due to the snow I had no chance of getting out of the village.

So this led to firstly a bit of garden watching, and in an hour I had 3 new birds for the year with the appearance of around 30 Redwings, 2 Pied Wagtails and 2 Lapwings.

Then off to Hamstreet Woods for a 2 and half hour trudge around in the snow, which was quite hard work at times. At the entrance to the woods despite all the children on sledges it looked quite promising with many of the normal woodland birds, and more Redwings. However as I got further into the woods it changed and just died and birds were hard to come by. I did see Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Greater Spotted and Green Woodpecker. What I was pleased to see was the 6 Nuthatches throughout the walk, in the past couple of years Nuthatches had been hard to come by in the woods but now they seem to be making a comeback.