August 19th-26th (Cumbria,Dean)

Going up north brings home just how depleted some of our wildlife is down south.

Swallows and Martins are so much more numerous and as for butterflies.I saw five different kinds on one small buddleia in the cottage garden.

Goosander,severn seen on Buttermere and one at Grasmere.Coal Tit,Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff in garden (Dean),Osprey Bassingwaite,Dipper and Grey Wagtail,Ullock. 

   Osprey (Bassingwaite lake)

August 12th (BITS AND PIECES)

 

The effect the long dry spell is having on vegetation in the east /west scrub,especially,dog wood and hawthorn.

Photos Common Sandpiper (river New Hythe) Green Woodpecker and linnet (latter,up to 12) in fields between Snodland and paddlesworth.

Possible,yellow legged Gull (north end of the Streamside lake) Aug 10th.

Egyptian geese,adult and two young Oystercatchers (New Hythe)

Med Gulls (Leysdown and Capel fleet) Oystercatcher and Green Woodpeckers Leysdown,Black tailed Godwit,Heron and Kestral Capel fleet.

July 4th (BITS AND PIECES)

 Mediterranean Gulls were much in evidence during June.With up to circa 80 on the river from the Bucket wood on the 18th.Fifty were following a plough at Snodland on July 2nd.The thought is that one or more of their nesting colonies in north Kent,may have been flooded out. 

A Common Sandpiper was seen along the river at New Hythe on June 16th (unusual for June).

Although Herring Gulls have been nesting on the roofs of factories and ware houses on the perimeter of the recording area for many years now.A nest built in the fork of a tree in the middle of the Road Island lake is a first I believe.

A ringing session in the west scrub on July 4th produced - 2 G S Woodpeckers 1 Reed Warbler  1 Wren  1 Bullfinch  1 Nightingale 2 Blackcaps and 1 Treecreeper.