July 30th (Halling Common)

After reading the KOS forum last night (Friday) about a CATTLE EGRET being found at Halling marsh by Ian Shepherd (who else) I thought I had better get down there nice and early this morning before it decides to depart.I think Ken of Halling must have had the same idea as I met him soon after I had arrived on the marsh at 6.am.The bird was easily found feeding amongst the cattle in the northern field.However it proved to be very wary,even by walking along the river wall at some distance it would take flight,fly around a bit and then drop down again further away.After a while though we both managed to take photo`s of sorts (hope yours are better than mine Ken) a GREAT patch tick,thanks Ian.

Other birds I saw were (3) Little Egrets (6) Linnet (1) Green Woodpecker (2) Common Sandpipers and (1) Turtle Dove.

During the afternoon I looked at the river further along at Holborough where I saw (6) Common Sandpiper and the Whooper Swan,which was swimming down the river towards Halling.

The above Little Egret was one of three seen feeding along the river this morning.

July 28 (Holborough marsh)

I went ringing this morning and caught (1) Wren (1) Blue Tit (10) Reed Warbler and (4) Sedge Warblers.I saw (2) Little Egrets (3) Common Sandpipers and (4) Lapwing.

July 26th (New Hythe)

A walk out to the river this morning produced (35) Mallard (1) Little Egret (2) Oystercatcher (2) Common Sandpiper (2) Bullfinch and (1) Water Rail.

July 21st (New Hythe)

I was ringing this morning in the east scrub between 05:30-07:30 I used (1) 40ft.

Common Whitethroat (1 juv) Blackcap (1 ad f) Bullfinch ( 1 ad m and 1 ad f) Greenfinch (1 juv m) and Dunnock (1 juv).

Other birds I saw or heard Chiffchaff,Chaffinch,Green Woodpecker,Song Thrush, Nightingale,Goldfinch,Grey Heron,Herring Gull,L B B Gull,Wood Pigeon,Magpie,Blackbird,LINNET (4) and CURLEW (1).

July 20th (New Hythe)

A quick visit to the Sunken marsh and river this morning produced (1) Oystercatcher,a calling Water Rail,4 Bullfinch and (6) Pochard,the latter were seen on Abbey Mead.Song was heard from (2) Song Thrush(4) Reed Warbler and (1) Blackcap.

All you bird watchers out there who visit Leybourne Country Park please let your views be known on the 2012-2016 management plan by filling in the comment forms and sending them back to Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council.Download from the internet,send them back by the end of this month.Our very important population of Nightingales need a proper long term management plan,not just a general three year rotation plan of cutting scrub and grassland,which appears to take no account of key species.We have lost four Nightingale territories over the past two years due to this plan.

This morning I had a third garden sighting for the year of a Hummingbird hawk moth.

BLACKCAP (RECOVERY)

This morning I received a rather belated Blackcap recovery from the BTO.

Blackcap T677258 (3j juvenile) 16 06 09 Leybourne Country Park (east scrub).

controlled (trapped and released) 07 09 09 (3 female) Bassins des 5 Tailles,La Neuville,Nord,France.Distance 204Km (ESE) Duration 83 days.

PAST TIMES (JULY 1982)

Just a few notes of interest for this month,I was away for two weeks.

TEAL (1) female at Burham marsh 17th OYSTERCATCHER (1) flew over the house SW 10th LAPWING (25) Burham marsh 18th GRASSHOPPER WARBLER (1) singing in the Brook House area 6th.

During the month Abbey Mead lake was landscaped.

July 17th (New Hythe)

I just had time to snap a few shots of the above Cuckoo this afternoon before the rain started.

I only heard snatches of song from Blackcap,Reed Warbler and Blackbird.

July 14th (New Hythe)

I looked at the river this morning 0800-0900 the tide was low.

I noted (2) Mute Swan (6) Cormorant (8) Grey Heron (6) Mallard (1) G B B Gull (20) B H Gull which included (1) juvenile (3) Stock Dove (2) Oystercatcher and (2) GREENSHANK.

A flock of 18 Lapwing flew over NW.

July 12th

I had a quick look at the Sunken marsh and river this morning.I noted amongst others (8) Lapwing which passed over north (2) Oystercatchers flying up the river and (1) Common Tern on Abbey Mead.

July 11th (Stodmarsh)

Bob Bland and I made for Stodmarsh this morning to try and see two,possibly three juvenile BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERONS that have been reported in the area over the past week or more.We made straight for Collard`s lake where most of the sightings have come from and as luck would have it we found one after only about five minutes sitting in a bush on the far side of the lake.There was no sign of the others however but they could have been easily sitting somewhere hidden out of view.

Other birds that we saw were Pochard (10) Water Rail,Mallard,Teal (1) Wigeon (1) Mute Swan,Coot,Moorhen,Great crested Grebe,Marsh Harrier (3) Lapwing (4) Song Thrush,Chaffinch,Great Tit,Cetti`s Warbler,Blackcap,Chiffchaff,Robin,Dunnock,Wren,Garden Warbler,Carrion Crow,Reed Warbler,Reed Bunting,Turtle Dove,Sedge Warbler,Jackdaw,Herring Gull,Black-headed Gull,Common Tern,Cormorant,Grey Heron,Nightingale,Magpie,Green woodpecker,Blackbird,Blue Tit,Swallow,Starling,Collared Dove,Goldfnch and Greylag.

After we came away from Stodmarsh we headed for Seaton lakes where Bob wanted to show me the Emerald damselflies that frequent a stream that runs alongside the main lake there.Although we saw many Banded the Emeralds unfortunately failed to show,we may have been a little early in the month for them.

Good numbers of Butterflies were on the wing however especially Red admirals.We found Large white,Small,Comma,Meadow brown,Holly blue,Large skipper and Small tortoiseshell,we added Gatekeeper at Grove where we went next.

What at first we took to be Swifts in fact turned out to be three Hobbies high over the lake and we found good numbers of Common Whitethroat.

On the way from Seaton to Grove we saw (3) Linnets and (1) Corn Bunting.

We had our lunch on the viewing ramp at Grove where we added Shoveler (4) Little Egret (2) and Stock dove (3) to our list.

We only spent about one hour at Grove before heading back to Maidstone,we saw House Martin and Common Swift just before we hit the M2 which pushed our total for the morning to a respectful (52) and that was without really trying.

July 9th (Garden)

I added two butterflies to my garden list today,Meadow brown and Ringlet.I could have had a third but I failed to identify it,I think it was probably either a Large skipper or Essex.

July 5th (New Hythe)

I spent the early part of the morning ringing 05:00-08:00 (east/west scrub).

Birds ringed Common Whitethroat (2 ad) (1 juv) Reed Warbler (1 ad) (1 juv) Dunnock (1 juv) Chiffchaff (2 juv) Blue Tit (1 ad) and Great Tit (1 juv).I retrapped (1) L T Tit (ringed 02 08 09 east scrub).

While I was there a Little Egret flew over with (3) Grey Herons towards Leybourne (05:30) and (2) juvenile green Woodpeckers were about.

July 2nd (Cliffe Pools)

I went to Cliffe Pools with Bob Bland this afternoon to see the southern emerald damselfies,we saw at least six.Last year Bob only came across two so hopefully they are slowly increasing.

Before we left we had a quick look at the pools by the Black Barn (200+) B T Godwits (100) Avocets (1) Dunlin,Redshanks (1) Ringed Plover (1) Spotted Redshank and (20) Gadwall.

July 1st.

A Hummingbird hawk moth was seen in the garden today,it was the second record for the year.I saw the first one on June the 3rd.