September 18th  (BITS AND PIECES)

Four more ringing sessions in the west scrub (2X40)

BIRDS RINGED

Blackcap                      88

Chiffchaff                    10

Garden Warbler            2

Reed Warbler                5

Common Whitethroat   1

Bullfinch                       1

Blue Tit                         3

Wren                             1

TOTAL                         111  

On the 7th,I looked at the river from the Bucket Wood (low tide)

Birds seen - Common Sandpiper 5 Green Sandpiper 3 Common Snipe 1 Lapwing 10 Mallard 82 Teal 6 Egyptian Goose 1 Little Egret 3 Grey Heron 4 Black headed Gull 35 Herring Gull 150.

A single Dunlin was seen along the river,with a Redstart in the east scrub on the 5th and a Osprey flew over on the 6th.

A White Stork was present on freshly ploughed fields between Snodland and Paddlesworth.It spent five days in the area and was last seen on the 13th.I heard about this sighting on the 16th,so missed seeing it.

My garden Blackbirds have gone missing since raising a brood in July.I know they go quite after breeding,but they are usually still to be seen about the garden.Has anyone else noted a lack of Blackbird sightings?.