SNODLAND AND SURROUNDING AREA: February 2015

Tuesday, 17 February 2015

(PAST TIMES New Hythe,February 10th - 16th 1991) and today`s sightings,February 17th 2015.

Common Buzzard

Cold,snow,some of the lakes frozen over.FEBRUARY 10TH - 16TH 1991.

Brookland lake -Smew 2 drake,13 red-head,Pintail 3,Ruddy Duck 1,Pochard 250,Goldeneye 2,Gadwall 12,G C Grebe 8,Little Grebe 3,Tufted Duck 300,Coot 250.

Abbey Mead lake (Frozen over) A Lapland Bunting was seen.(unfortunately,not by me)

Small marsh by Brookland car-park Water Rail 3.

Tesco lake (Cattle feeding point) Corn Bunting 7,Yellowhammer 24,Tree Sparrow 3,Meadow Pipit 2.

Burham Marsh - Shelduck 112,Teal 1000,Wigeon 5,Lapwing 50,Redshank 20,Mallard 8.Dunlin 21,Greylag 3,Canada Goose 51,Carrion Crow 3,Snipe 70.

(FEBRUARY 17TH 2015)

Clear,cold,though warm in the sun.

Brookland lake Tufted Duck 55,Coot 30,G C Grebe 2,Little Grebe 3.

Abbey Meads Goosander 1 drake,G C Grebe 5,Tufted Duck 34,Coot 27.Common Buzzard 2,Harris Hawk 1.

Mill Stream Little Egret 1,Kingfisher 1,Snipe 1.

Birds that we have now lost to the area - Corn Bunting,Yellowhammer,Ruddy Duck,Tree Sparrow and Dunlin.

Birds that now occur in smaller numbers, Redshank,Snipe,Pochard,Goldeneye,Pintail,Teal,Smew and Meadow Pipit.

Bird gains - Common Buzzard and Little Egret.

Saturday, 7 February 2015

February 7th (Garden and New Hythe)

Blackcap (young male,with brown feathers still remaining on the crown)

This run of cold weather has finally turned up something different in the garden.Two Blackcaps and singles of Chiffchaff and Goldcrest.
I was hoping the colder weather would have brought in more Reed Buntings,but numbers still remain the same at just 2-4 birds.All Finches remain scarce.

As for New Hythe,water bird numbers appear to be lower now,than during December.I did however see 6 Wigeon and a Green Sandpiper on the 5th !.

A red-head Smew was seen on Streamside lake on the January 25th.