SNODLAND AND SURROUNDING AREA

January 22nd (New Hythe)

2012-01-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

2012-01-22T06:39:00.000-08:00

Bright,but chilly,NW.
I walked out to the Sunken Marsh this morning to see how work is proceeding to repair a broken water main that runs beneath it.All I could see however was the pumps still hard at work removing as much water as possible so that heavy machinery can move in.
As far as I know the work should be completed by the Spring.So at least things should be back to normal by the start of the nesting season.Also hopefully the short term habitat change caused by the machinery may pull in a few good birds.
I then walked over to the Streamside lake and saw the Goosander,Bittern and one Kingfisher.

This morning I had three Lesser Redpoll on our garden feeders.So keep your eyes peeled there might be a few around the lakes.

January 19th (Sri Lanker Part 2)

2012-01-19T03:40:00.000-08:00

The first part of our Sri Lanker holiday can be found under (MARCH 2011).

2012-01-19T03:36:00.000-08:00

2012-01-19T03:34:00.000-08:00

2012-01-19T03:31:00.000-08:00

2012-01-19T03:30:00.000-08:00

2012-01-19T03:28:00.000-08:00

2012-01-19T03:26:00.000-08:00

2012-01-19T03:25:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

The elephant track which runs along the northern shore of the Tank and which eventually entered the forest by the Dam,was a great early morning walk.Just past where the track narrows and enters the forest was a nice area of secondary forest with open areas,a great place for Butterflies.Plaintive Cuckoo,Paradise-flycatcher and Brown-capped Babbler were also seen there.

2012-01-18T07:16:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T07:10:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T07:08:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T07:07:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T07:05:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T07:04:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T07:03:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:56:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:47:00.000-08:00

Today we visited Kaudulla National Park known for its large herds of elephants.However we were limited to small areas due to the recent flooding.
Birds that I noted were Grey-headed Fish eagle,Crested serpent Eagle,Shikra,Eurasian Stone Curlew,Jerdon`s Bushlark,Little Green Bee-eater,Painted Stork,Peafowl and Orange-breasted Green Pigeon.

2012-01-18T06:44:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:42:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:41:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:38:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:15:00.000-08:00

Disappointingly our excurtion out to the Minneriya National Park was curtailed due to extensive flooding.We instead visited a smaller reserve.Birds I noted were Changeable-Hawk Eagle,Black-winged Kite and Jerdon`s Bushlark.The bird I most wanted to see Sri Lanka Junglefowl was seen by people in the jeep in front of ours.

2012-01-18T06:14:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:12:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T06:05:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T05:30:00.000-08:00

Although the week long stay at Bentota Beach Hotel retricted the number of species that I saw during the holiday,I did manage to add Little Tern,Mongolian Plover,Whimbrel,Common Sand Sandpiper and Turnstone to my list.
BIRDS SEEN AT BENTOTA Brahminy Kite,W B Kingfisher,B T Bea-eater,L G Bea-eater,Whimbrel,Mongolian Plover,Little Tern,Red-vented Bulbul,Turnstone,Common myna,Magpie Robin,Brown Flycatcher,Red-rumped Swallow,Palm Swift,Common Taylor Bird,Black-headed Oriole,Spotted Dove,White-bellied Drongo,Common Sandpiper,Red-backed Woodpecker,Cattle egret,Asian Kowl,House Crow,Long-billed Crow,Red-wattled Lapwing,Yellow-billed Bulbul and Purple-rumped Sunbird.

2012-01-18T05:24:00.000-08:00

Magpie Robin,Brown Flycatcher,Drongo,Red-vented Bulbul and White-breasted Kingfisher were all common birds in the Hotel grounds.

2012-01-18T05:22:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T05:19:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T05:18:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T05:16:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T05:15:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T05:13:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T05:08:00.000-08:00

Two Blue tailed Bee-eaters were feeding over the low vegetation at the back of the beach.

2012-01-18T05:04:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T04:59:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T04:57:00.000-08:00

During our week long stay at Bentota a flock of forty Mongolian Plovers was present on the beach.

2012-01-18T04:56:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T04:53:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T04:52:00.000-08:00

2012-01-18T04:45:00.000-08:00

January 17th (Garden)

2012-01-17T13:02:00.000-08:00

This morning we had up to (12)Reed Buntings feeding in the garden.I managed to catch four of them,two of the birds were retraps,both ringed in the garden during January 2011 and one of the other birds proved to be a control,a bird caught and ringed by another bird ringer.I will send the number off to the BTO and they will forward the details sometime in the near future.

January 16th (Dungeness)

2012-01-17T12:47:00.000-08:00

2012-01-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

I spent the day at Dungeness with Bob Bland and Derrick Jackson.We first stopped off on Walland Marsh to tick off Bewick`s Swan and Tree Sparrow.The Swans (48) were conveniently feeding in the fields opposite the Farm House where the Sparrows are.

2012-01-17T12:37:00.000-08:00

2012-01-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

Our first stop at Dungeness was the Hanson hide (A R C) pits,where we noted Tufted Duck,Pochard,Gadwall,Teal,Wigeon,Goldeneye (6) Smew (1 drake 2 red-heads)Goosander (1)Long-tailed Duck (1) Shelduck (5)Mallard and Bittern (2).

2012-01-17T12:20:00.001-08:00

2012-01-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

A thirty minute sea watch from near the fishing boats produced good numbers of Auks and Great Crested Grebes,along with smaller numbers of Gannets,Kittiwakes and one Red-throated Diver.Two flocks of Brent Geese which probably totalled around (250)flying east,was rather unusal we thought for the time of year.

2012-01-17T12:07:00.000-08:00

2012-01-17T12:02:00.000-08:00

The Dengemarsh hide which is usually good,didn`t produce for us today.The only birds of note that we saw were two Marsh Harrier.

2012-01-17T12:01:00.000-08:00

2012-01-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

As we were leaving the reserve to go home.A G W Egret was spotted close to Boulderwell farm in one of the reedy dykes.

January 14th (Sheppey)

2012-01-14T10:51:00.000-08:00

2012-01-14T10:43:00.000-08:00

I was back on Sheppey again today,but this time with Jeanette and our dog.No serious birding,just a pleasant stroll along the beach at Leysdown,enjoying the glourious weather.

2012-01-14T10:24:00.000-08:00

2012-01-14T10:23:00.000-08:00

2012-01-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

2012-01-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

2012-01-14T10:19:00.000-08:00

January 11th (Sheppey)

2012-01-11T12:33:00.000-08:00

2012-01-11T12:14:00.000-08:00

I went to Sheppey today with Bob Bland.Our target bird was Lapland Bunting.Bob had seen the birds a few days ago and had had good views of the birds both in flight and perched on a fence.However today,despite it being nice and bright we only managed to get flight views.Once the birds had gone down into the field to feed they were impossible to see.We estimated the flock to contain at least fifty birds.This must be one of the largest flocks to have been recorded in Kent.
Whilst we were there Derek Faulkner came walking up and put us onto a distant flock of one hundred and fifty W F Geese that were feeding way over on the Swale reserve,Thanks Derek.Its nice to put a face to such a excellent Blog as his is.
The Buntings are feeding in fields not far from Muswell Manor.

2012-01-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

We had our lunch at the Raptor Watch Point and watched in amazement as a Hunt came into view out on the marsh.We had wondered beforehand why so many Hares were running frantically about.

2012-01-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

2012-01-11T11:52:00.000-08:00

While we were watching the Buntings we had noticed that the Brent flock was feeding very close to the Shellness track.When we arrived,they we still very close and in amongst them we noticed one Pale-bellied bird.This was a new species for me and up until then I hadn`t realized just how distinctive they are.

2012-01-11T11:51:00.000-08:00

2012-01-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

2012-01-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

2012-01-11T11:37:00.000-08:00

Our last stop was the beach at Minster,where we had heard a flock of twenty or more Snow Buntings was present.On our arrival though we could see the beach was very busy with fishermen,dog walkers and a bloke exercising two horses.However after much searching we did manage to locate two birds,I say we,they were pointed out to us.These Buntings made our Bunting species total for the day to four.The others being Reed,Corn and Lapland.

2012-01-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

2012-01-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

2012-01-11T11:32:00.001-08:00

Just off the beach there was a flock of Dunlin wheeling about,which made a fantastic sight in the bright light.

2012-01-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

January 2nd (New Hythe)

2012-01-03T12:09:00.000-08:00

2012-01-03T11:49:00.000-08:00

The day dawned clear and bright,which made a nice changed from the recent dismal weather.
On my one and a half hours walk this morning I saw forty nine species of birds.The most notable being Bittern (Streamside lake,Goldeneye (Trout lake)Kingfisher (2)streamside lake)and river,Grey Wagtail(1)Rook (1) Goldcrest(1)Chiffchaff (1)Siskin (18)and Pied Wagtail (1).A count of ten Bullfinch was also notable,eight of which were seen or heard in the Abbey Meads area,with the remaining two being located in the west scrub.Fieldfare and Redwing on the other hand were notable by their low numbers,with only one Fielfare and four Redwing being seen.This must be due to the fact that much of the berry crop in the area has been depleted.
It was nice to see at least twenty Herons back in the Heronry (Eccles island).

2012-01-03T11:48:00.000-08:00

December 31st (New Hythe)

2012-01-01T06:37:00.000-08:00

Apart from (2) Redshank (40) Teal and (6)Gadwall which I saw along the river and (20)Siskins feeding in the Alders along the southern bank of the Streamside lake,I saw little else of note,on this the last day of the year.

PAST TIMES DECEMBER (1982)

2012-01-01T06:12:00.000-08:00

WILDFOWL Ruddy Shelduck (1) remained at Burham during the month.Pochard (100)on Abbey Mead with (50) on Alders lake during the month.Red-crested Pochard (1)was seen at New Hythe at the beginning of the month.Teal (150)at Burham during the month.HEN HARRIER (1)at Holborough marsh 6th.S E OWL singles at Abbey Mead 3rd,6th and Holborough 7th.WADERS Common Snipe (13)ringed at Holborough 6th.Jack Snipe (1)ringed at Holborough 6th.Dunlin up to (150) along the river during the month.

December 26th ( Sheppey)

2011-12-26T13:23:00.000-08:00

2011-12-26T13:16:00.000-08:00

The Brent Geese were feeding as usual in the fields just before the car park at Shellness.

2011-12-26T12:02:00.000-08:00

2011-12-26T11:58:00.000-08:00

Jeanette and I always try to go to either Sheppey or Dungeness on Boxing Day,this year we chose to go to Sheppey.
We parked at Leysdown and walked along the beach to Shellness,seeing on the way,Brent Geese,Redshank,Grey Plover,Sanderling,Dunlin,Knot,Oystercatcher,Turnstones and Sanderling.
On the sea it was nice to see a flock of at least (300)Mallard.Perhaps they had been pushed off the marsh by wildfowlers,although we didn`t hear any shooting,which I thought was unusual for Boxing Day.

2011-12-26T11:57:00.002-08:00

2011-12-26T11:57:00.001-08:00

At least sixty Sanderling were seen.

2011-12-26T11:54:00.000-08:00

2011-12-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

While we were at Shellness a Peregrine put the wader roost to flight several times.
The Peregrine can be seen in the left hand side of the above photo.

2011-12-26T11:50:00.000-08:00

2011-12-26T11:49:00.000-08:00

2011-12-26T11:44:00.000-08:00

After leaving Shellness we went to Capel Fleet and parked at the Raptor View Point for a while and then went further along to Harty Ferry.

2011-12-26T11:32:00.000-08:00

2011-12-26T11:28:00.000-08:00

Along the Capel Fleet road we saw six Kestrals and three Marsh Harrier.

2011-12-26T11:27:00.000-08:00