PAST TIMES (AUGUST 1982)

WADERS Lapwing (200) Burham 7th Common Sandpiper (2) New Hythe 7th and 29th Common Snipe (3) Burham 9th Greenshank singles New Hythe 9th and Snodland 30th COMMON TERN (2) New Hythe 22nd MEADOW PIPIT (10) New Hythe 25th WHINCHAT (3) New Hythe 25th YELLOW WAGTAIL (3) New Hythe 25th.

August 24th (New Hythe,east scrub)

This morning I got my overcast conditions but unfortunately there wasn`t as many birds about,however I did manage to ring (3) Common Whitethroats (1) Blackcap (1) Garden Warbler and (1) Dunnock before rain stopped play.

Once the rain had stopped I put the garden net up for a while and caught five Goldfinch.One of these proved to be a retrap,a bird I had ringed in the garden on the 30 12 2010.

August 22nd (New Hythe)

This morning I got up early with the intention of putting up a few nets in the east scrub,but a combination of strong sunlight and a few early dog walkers made it a no go.This was a shame because there was a lot of birds in the area (80+) Goldfinch (80+) Greenfinch (1) Nightingale 6+ Common Whitethroats (3) Lesser Whitethroat (4) Blackcaps (6) Chiffchaffs (20) L T Tits,Blue and Great Tits.

I did manage however to put up one net for a while on the edge of the west scrub,but it only produced one bird,a Chiffchaff.I think I will have to make a return visit sometime soon,hopefully when there is more cloud cover and no dog walkers. While I was there the only bird of note I saw was a Little Egret which flew over and went down near the Streamside lake.

On the 19th four Buzzards were seen over the Downs at Birling.

On the 17th a Curlew flew over our house (Snodland) at 1300 heading west.

August 17th

I was ringing at Holborough again this morning where I caught (3) Sedge Warblers (4) Reed Warblers and (1) Common Whitethroat.

While I was ringing I saw (1) Little Egret (2) Common Sandpipers and heard (2) Water Rails calling from within the marsh.

August 10th and 11th.

The first part of the morning of the 10th was spent ringing again at Holborough (13) Reed Warbler (9) Sedge Warblers (3) Blue Tits (1) Reed Bunting and (5) Common Whitethroats.

The only bird of note I saw While I was ringing was (1) Oystercatcher.

During the morning of the 11th I looked at the river at New Hythe.I saw very little of note apart from (9) Teal which were my first since May.

In the garden I had (5) juvenile and (4) adult Goldfinch on the feeders.

August 6th (Holborough marsh)

I spent the first part of the morning ringing (14) Sedge Warbler and (10) Reed Warbler.

In all my years of acro ringing in the valley this morning was the first time I caught more Sedge Warblers than Reed.

August 1st (New Hythe)

During my walk this morning I heard a Water Rail in the Sunken marsh and saw a Curlew flying over Brookland lake heading in a northerly direction.

August 1st (Holborough)

I spent the first part of the morning ringing at Holborough (2) Blue Tits (3) Sedge Warblers and (10) Reed Warblers.

Other birds that I noted (8) Mute Swans (2) G B B Gulls (4) Herring Gulls (30+) B H Gulls and (4) Common Gulls (1) Common Swift and (1) Swallow.

From about 9.am the cloud cleared and the remainder of the day became very warm.