Sandwich Bay,October 31st.

Today was a continuation of a rather quite period at the Bay.The highlights being a Little Stint on the scrape,a fly over Raven and small numbers of continental Blackbirds and Song Thrushes, a few of which were trapped.Birds ringed - Blackbird 3,Song Thrush 3,Robin 2,Lesser Redpoll 4,G S Woodpecker 1,Greenfinch 1,House Sparrow 2,Blackcap 1 and Chaffinch 3.

The Curlew are part of a flock that frequent the fields on the edge of the Study centre.

The trapped Blackcap had a low weight,so may have been a wintering bird entering the country.

Halling (Common) October 30th.

0745-915,light overcast,bright,light southeast,more cloud during the afternoon.
The river was approaching high tide,birds noted - 4 Blue Tit,5 Blackbird,2 Stonechat (male and female)1 Grey Wagtail,1 G S Woodpecker,2 high flying Chaffinch,4Redshank,2 Cormorant,15 B h Gull,4 Herring Gull,4 Snipe,3 Magpie,3 Carrion Crow,32 Lapwing (roosting on marsh) 20 Starling,2 Collared Dove,15 Woodpigeon,6 Moorhen,1 calling Cetti`s,1 Yellowhammer,1 Skylark,20+ Meadow Pipit,6 Robin,two flocks of L T Tits,one of which flew over the river to the Wouldham side,3 Reed Bunting and 1 Little Egret.

During the afternoon I had a look at Abbey Mead,the river and Alders lake.On Abbey Mead Gadwall had increased to 8,Shoveler 10 and Little Grebe 5.The river held 20+ Teal,1 Water Rail and 1 Little Egret.

On Alders lake the Pochard now numbered 26.

New Hythe,October 29th (Abbey Mead area)

Weather,misty at first,later clear and warm.
Although the morning was rather quite it did produce 3 Fieldfare (my first this autumn for the lakes)they were in the Brookland/Abbey Mead area along with small numbers of Redwing.In the Hawthorns along the river I saw at least 10 Bullfinch and on Abbey Mead 7 Pochard,4 Gadwall,100 Coot,2 Shoveler,80 Tufted Duck,2 Little Grebe and 3 G C Grebe were present.Overhead I could hear small numbers of Chaffinch passing west along with 1 Skylark.

Before I went home I called in at Alders lake and found 17Pochard,32 Tufted Duck,120 Coot and 4 G C Grebe.

During the late afternoon I went onto the New Hythe industrial site and found a roosting flock of at least 200 Pied Wagtail.Before they moved onto the above site during the mid 1980s,they roosted in the reed beds at Holborough marsh.

October 21st,1980.at least 300 Pied wagtails roosting at Holborough marsh,8 Snipe and 50 Meadow Pipits also present.

Halling,October 26th.

During the early afternoon I had a very quick look at the river at Halling.I noticed a Seal,I could only see its head (which was long,not rounded),making its way up river towards Holborough.The last time I saw a Seal this far inland was on a mud bank at Holborough several years ago,I think that one was a Common.

Sandwich Bay,October 25th.

Weather,clear,moderate southwest.I spent the morning and early afternoon ringing at Sandwich.Due to the wind,netting was again restricted to a few nets in the White House bushes and the Haven.Almost the first bird trapped was a Cetti`s Warbler (in tail moult) hence the rather grotty photo.Two more warblers were trapped,one being a Blackcap and the other a retrapped Chiffchaff.By mid-morning Redpolls were being attracted to the nets and about 40 were ringed.Other birds ringed were - Robin,1,Greenfinch 11,Blackbird 2,Chaffinch 6 and small numbers of Blue and Great Tits.
Small numbers of Crossbills were again passing over,its been a good autumn for this species.I looked at the scrape but could only find a few Teal.On the way home two Buzzards were seen together along the M20 and few miles past the Canterbury/Dover turn off.

Upper Halling,October 23rd.

During the afternoon I went to the foot of the Downs again at Upper Halling,I only stayed a short while about one hour.Birds noted - Jays 6,Jackdaw 15,Stock Dove 7,Common Buzzard 2 and Sparrowhawk 2.

Bits and Pieces.

October 19th,weather,overcast,still,New Hythe (river) low,birds seen - Redshank 2,Heron 4,Teal 19.
Abbey Mead - Gadwall 4,Tufted Duck 10,Coot 100,Pochard 7. A Grey Wagtail was seen on the stream by the sewage works entrance.

October 20th,weather,overcast,light southeast.Halling (Common) birds noted - Redshank 1, Stonechat 1 (male),Yellowhammer 2,Meadow Pipit 22,Lapwing 8 and one G C Grebe on the (river).

During the afternoon of the 21st a Grey Wagtail was seen at our garden pond,this is the second record.The first was on September 26th 2008.

October 22nd,New Hythe (river) Teal 32,Little Egret 1,Little Grebe 4.

Brookland lake,October 20th 1971.Birds noted - Little Grebe 14,Cormorant 1 (imm) Chiffchaff 1,Grey Wagtail 1 (over) Kestral 2,House Sparrow 25,Tree Sparrow 18,Goldfinch 35,Greenfinch 40+,Linnet 50+,Reed Bunting 8,Yellowhammer 10+,Skylark 6,Meadow Pipits 6.Also besides the birds present there was a noticeable but small overhead movement of Skylark,Linnet and Chaffinch,all flying west.My first (this autumn) of Redwing 14,were also seen passing over west.Four House Martin,1 Sand Martin and 6 Swallow,all flew through low to the southwest.

Alders lake,birds noted - Pochard 64,Tufted Duck 32,Mallard 35,G C Grebe 2 and coot 22.

Sandwich Bay,October 17th.

I spent the morning and early afternoon at Sandwich ringing.It was a day of blustery north winds but luckily some of the nets in the White house and Haven bushes are well sheltered.
Birds ringed - Sparrowhawk 1,House Sparrow 1,Blackbird 1,Goldfinch 1,Robin 2,Lesser Redpoll 11,Greenfinch 5 and Redwing 1.We had one control a Chiffchaff.
Other birds I saw in the area were 2 Jack Snipe,1 Fieldfare (my first this autumn) and a few Swallows,49 Crossbills were also recorded passing through north.

On my way home I had three single Buzzards,one just past Wingham and two along the M20.

Upper Halling,October 16th.

This afternoon I went to the foot of the Downs at Upper Halling to try and photograph the Buzzards I had seen performing well there yesterday from the Common at Halling.I did see three in the air together but they were rather distant.Of course the best opportunity came when I was least expecting it.I was back in my car ready to drive off when one came sailing past really close and at just over head height.By the time I had got out and fired of a few shots it was at some distance and looking back at me.
Other birds seen were - Jay (at least 10) 50+ Chaffinch in a nearby recently cropped field,1 Nuthatch and 2 Kestrals.

Halling Common,October 15th.

Ken,all I found was 2 Stonechat,1 Kingfisher,1 Kestral,1 Teal and 4 Buzzards in the air together over the Downs at Halling,I had no luck with the Wouldham birds.

Abbey Mead,October 15th.

Weather,rather cloudy to start,then clearing,warm,light north.
8:am-9:30am.The most notable thing this morning was a westerly movement of Chaffinches.
The flocks were quite high and many must have passed over unnoticed,I had about one hundred birds,also 1 Skylark.Small numbers of Redwing were in the Hawthorns and when I got back to the car park 2 Kingfishers flew through.

New Hythe and Holborough,October 14th.

Weather,overcast,light north.
Ringing in the east scrub,7:am-9:am,one 40ft net,birds ringed - Song Thrush 1,Great Tit 3,Blue Tit 1,Chiffchaff 2.I had two retraps,both ringed in the east scrub,a Blue Tit on the 28 08 2008 and a Great Tit on the 31 10 2008.

During the afternoon I had a look at Holborough marsh,the river was right down.Birds noted - Little Grebe 5,Heron 4,Mallard 8,Teal 2,Common Sandpiper 1,Snipe 1,Moorhen 4,B h Gull 50,Common Gull 6,Herring Gull 2 and Lapwing 1.I had also gone there in the hope of seeing or hearing Bearded Tits,but I had no luck.Up until the mid 1990s they were annual visitors,arriving in October and staying until March.

Holborough marsh,October 10th,1982.
Birds ringed - Common Snipe 3,Jack Snipe 1,at least 50 Common Snipe were present and 3 Jack.One Woodcock flew over and 20 Corn Buntings went to roost,few Swallows about and one Little Owl heard,Common Sandpiper along river.

Abbey Mead,October 13th 1982.Weather,mainly cloudy,light west.
Birds noted - 4 Yellowhammer,1-2 Redwing heard and 7 very restless Bearded Tits flying about high,2 went off northwest.

New Hythe and Halling (Common) 0ctober 13th.

Weather,slight frost at first,clear,warm by the afternoon,light north.
Halling (Common) river low,1300-1430.Birds noted were - 25 Lapwing,3 Little Grebe,1 Sparrowhawk,1 Common Sandpiper,2 Stonechat and 3 Kestrals.
The Stonechats were more obliging today,especially the male,probably due to the fact there was less wind.The Kestrals appeared to be hawking for insects in the manner of Lesser Kestrals,I don`t think I have seen this before.

New Hythe.8:am-9:am.
The Green Sandpiper was seen on the scrape again and the east scrub Hawthorns held 7 Redwing (first for me this autumn).

New Hythe and Halling (Common)

Halling (Common) 1300-1430 river low.
Birds noted - 1 female Teal,6 Yellowhammer,10 Meadow Pipit,2 Linnet,1 Kestral,2 Cetti`s,1 Green Woodpecker,1 Common Sandpiper,20 Lapwing,1 Little Grebe (on river) and a pair of Stonechat.

Weather,clear at first,later some cloud,northerly.(river high) 8:am-10: am. New Hythe.
Brookland lake held just,6 Mute Swan (3 adult and 3 young),6 Coot,1 Cormorant and 10 B h Gulls.As I walked past the Sunken marsh 2 Cetti`s Warbler called,2 Bullfinch flew over and on the pylon on the edge of the marsh 6 Jackdaw were perched with 4 Cormorant.Birds noted on Abbey Mead were - 120 Coot,2 G C Grebe,1 Little Grebe,3 Wigeon,5 Shoveler,4 Gadwall,7 Mallard,1 Canada Goose,2 Mute Swan and 35 Tufted Duck.The surface weed that many of the birds were attracted to seems to have all gone.Walking through the East scrub I had 4 Chaffinch,4 Great Tits,3 Blue Tits,8 L T Tits,9 Goldfinch and 1 Blackbird.Other counts were as follows - Railway lake - 19 Coot,4 Tufted Duck.
Tesco lake - 90 Coot,11 Mute Swan (7 young and 4 adult) 24 Tufted Duck,5 Greylag,3 G C Grebe and 5 Canada Geese.
Stream side lake - 20 Coot,5 G C Grebe,4 Cormorant,1 Mute Swan and 6 Mallard.
East scrub - 4 Great Tit,8 L T Tits,4 Chaffinch,9 Goldfinch and 1 Green Woodpecker.The only Warblers in evidence today were the calling Cetti`s.

I went back for a short visit in the afternoon at 1530 and watched a Common Buzzard slowly drifting high over the east scrub heading south and 4 Bullfinch were seen in the Hawthorns along the river,making 6 for the day.

Sheppey,October 11th.

I had left it a bit late but I popped up to Leysdown this morning arriving at about 10:am,I put up one 40ft net.The place was crawling with dog walkers and there was a football match going on but I stuck it out until 1130.I had a good look in the bushes near the cafe and managed to find 4 Chiffchaff,2 Great Tit,6 Blue Tit,8 L T Tits,1 Reed Bunting,2 Goldfinch,1 Meadow Pipit and 2 Blackbirds.There may well have been more birds about but the moderate southwest wind made observations rather difficult,I caught one Blue Tit.On my way home I called into Elmley,the light was rather poor but I managed some reasonable photos of Marsh Harrier and Kestral,in all 6 Marsh Harrier were seen along the track leading to the farm.

Leysdown,October 8th 1994.Weather,mainly clear,light southeast.
Birds ringed - Blackbird 4,Linnet 2,Wren 1,Blue Tit 2,Goldfinch 2,Great Tit 2,Reed Bunting 2,Reed Warbler 1,Song Thrush 1,Robin 1,Yellow-browed Warbler 1.
Other bird noted - Corn Bunting 30,Blackbird 8,Reed Bunting 14 and Blue Tit 6.

Leysdown,October 16th 1994.Weather,overcast,moderate northeast.
Birds ringed - Goldcrest 5,Linnet 1,Lesser Redpoll 1,Mealy Redpoll 1,Pallas`s Warbler 1.
Other birds noted - Grey Partridge 7,Water Rail 1 (the latter of which dropped out of the sky onto the football pitch and then ran off),Fieldfare 6,Redwing 5 and Merlin 1.

Halling (Common) October 9th.

Weather,cloudy but bright,light east,chilly,later rain.

Today I made a short visit from 10:am-11:am,the river was right down.Birds noted were B h Gull 40+,Common Gull 6,Herring Gull 6,L B b Gull 1,Lapwing 10,Grey Heron 4,Cormorant 3,Moorhen 3,Kestral 1(mobbed by 50+ Starling),Magpie 8,Carrion Crow 5,Jackdaw 5,Wood Pigeon 22,Green Woodpecker 1, Jay 1,Robin 2, Dunnock 1,Blue Tit 4,Great Tit 2,Meadow Pipit 8,Yellowhammer 4,Linnet 2,Greenfinch 3,Goldfinch 6,Cetti`s Warbler 1(calling from the Wouldham side of the river) and 2 Little Grebe (both of which were on the river).



I popped into New Hythe a little later and saw the Green Sandpiper on the scrape and 6 flighty Song Thrush in the west scrub,I still havn`t had any Redwing or Fieldfare

During a morning visit to Folkstone,two Clouded Yellows were seen on the cliff at the back of Sunny Sands and during the afternoon a Stonechat and Cetti`s Warbler were both seen at Holborough marsh.A better day than yesterday,clear,with a light northerly.

Costa Rica,November 2006.