As Common as a Buzzard

The Common Buzzard is certainly a recent success story in Kent with birds colonising practically all corners of the county. A days birding rarely goes by without a sighting and once again I have seen them on my commute to and fro to work, one over the M20 yesterday (12th) and another at Smarden on Wednesday (11th).

Good Friday afternoon (6th) was also successful in producing a number of Buzzard sightings. Having picked Angela up, we decided to pay Aldington Flood Gap a visit noting:

Yellowhammer - roadside wires, singles of Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, singing Blackcap & Chiffchaff, 5 Great Crested Grebes (2 pairs and a singleton), 4 Tufted Ducks (2 pairs), numerous Coot, Greylags, Canada's and Moorhen, plus a Reed Bunting, pair of Linnet and a Grey Heron. We also spotted a couple of Butterflies: a Green-Veined White and a Speckled Wood.

Moving up on to the Wye Downs NNR the views were stunning and surprise surprise, more Buzzards (minimum of 6), plus a Kestrel and 2 more singing Blackcaps.

Wye Downs NNR - Devil's Kneading Trough - courtesy Angela G.

Tonight (13th) there were pairs of Long-tailed Tits and Chaffinches in the Garden, busy feeding and collecting nest material. The parents also noted a Grey Wagtail during a walk at Conningbrook Gravel Pits today (a female).