March 14th (New Hythe) and 15th (Ditton)

Remaining cold but bright (N)

This morning along the river from Bucket wood I saw 3 Shelduck,15 Mallard 3 Gadwall 60 Teal 1 Redshank 1 Green Sandpiper 1 Common Sandpiper 2 Snipe  3 Lapwing and 5 Oystercatcher.

In the Sunken marsh 2 Reed Bunting were seen (hard to find this winter) along with 2 Redwing. 

There was a singing Blackcap in the West scrub and the first Sand Martins (2) were seen over Tesco lake.

Lesser Black backed Gulls are arriving in numbers now (they breed along with Herring on the nearby ware house roofs).

Mistle Thrush and Hawfinch (Ditton Church yard).The Hawfinch is one of three that are feeding in the Yews there.  

March 10th (New Hythe)

Jerry heard two singing Red Legged Partridge in the Abbey Meads area around mid day (first record of this species in the lakes as far as I know since the 70s,when they were breeding.

Also one singing Blackcap at Alders and a singing Coal Tit at the Motorway lake.

Several Med Gulls also passed over the lakes,along with one over my house.

On the 9th,five Common Buzzards were over the Brookland car park,all of which drifted off east.

PHOTOS Cetti`s Warbler and Buzzard.

March 3rd (New Hythe)

Lesser Black backed Gulls have started to return (the first was seen on the 27th).A female Marsh Harrier was seen again,this time over the Sunken marsh on the 25th and three Fieldfare seen on the 2nd,were the first this winter (24/25),they continue to remain very scarce (last few winters).A Mistle thrush was seen collecting food in the East scrub on the 28th (a scarce bird at New Hythe).

Two Firecrests have been found over the past few days,one along the Mill stream and one which I photographed this morning in the south western corner of the Streamside lake,both found by Glenn (good hearing).I also photographed this morning another brown Chiff (Tristis ?)

  

February 23rd (New Hythe)

A Red Kite flew west over Abbey Meads at around mid day and on the 20th the first Med Gull of the year was seen.

A Brimstone was seen in my garden on the 21st.

Teal  Gadwall and Kestral 

        

  

February 19th (New Hythe)

The drake Pintail that was first seen on the 12th,was last seen on the 14th.

A Greenshank first seen along the river on January 19th,was still present in the area at least until February 16th.

February 15th,21 Shoveler were seen on the Motorway lake,with 4 more on Alders.

Two Green Sandpiper were present on February 17th (seen from Bucket wood).

A Marsh Harrier was seen over Burham marsh,along with a Red Kite over Abbey Meads on the 16th. 

Two Oystercatchers were seen from Bucket wood on the 19th.Along with 100 Teal 2 ad G B B Gulls 4 Gadwall 6 Mallard and 4 Snipe,3 Pochard were present on Abbey Meads. 

February 12th (New Hythe)

On a brighter note,that`s not referring to the weather which remains dull and cold.At 13:00 Gary flushed a drake Pintail from the unusual location of the Mill stream,from where it relocated to the former conservation lake.I caught up with it a short while later,viewing it from the seating area at the southern end of the lake.The bird was very nervous and after about ten minutes took flight and flew over towards Tesco lake (it may have dropped back onto the Mill stream by the cafe).

PHOTOS Pintail  Cetti`s Warbler   four of eight Gadwall and Mute Swans (Dipping pond).

      

February 11th (New Hythe)

Not satisfied with vandalising the once conservation lake.The fishing club has now started on the Railway lake,cutting down mature trees and scrub and continuing its onslaught around the streamside lake.Two more Nightingale territories have gone and as well as places where G C Grebes and coots once built their nests.IT MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL Before all this started I felt good walking around the lakes,now I mostly feel depressed. 

      
  

February 2nd (Elmley) and New Hythe

At New Hythe on the 3rd,a Greenshank was seen along the river again,along with a Green Sandpiper and one Shelduck and later during the day a brown head Goldeneye was found on Abbey Meads.

On the 1st two Oystercatcher were seen along the river.

January 31st,15 Redpolls.

25th a Bearded Tit flew across the river at Bucket wood and a Peregrine was seen over the East scrub.

21st a female Red headed Pochard was seen on the Road island lake.