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Wednesday, 16 January 2013

A mixed bag in mixed weather

The last three days have produced a mixed bag of weather - mist, fog, murk, heavy rain, plus the sleet and snow showers. Then at Oare Marshes KWT yesterday it was sunny, but with a biting cold northerly wind. Angela and myself are on a weeks holiday this week so we have braved the weather at times and headed out into the Kent countryside. Here are the highlights so far:

Sunday 13th January

Conningbrook GP, 13:00 to 14:00
1 Little Egret, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Water Rail (heard), 23 Waxwing (outside Givaudan along main road - seen by the parents), 50+ Fieldfare & c5 Redwing, c30 Linnets, 5+ Lesser Redpolls, - seen by the parents, c20 Yellowhammers.

Godmersham, Denge Wood & Waltham 14:00 to 15:30
1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Woodcock (Denge Wood - flushed), 2 Treecreepers, 1 Jay (heard), 6+ Siskins, 1 Bullfinch (lanes near Waltham), 6 Hawfinches (usual pre-roost site at 14:50 in Denge Wood).

Chilham, 15:30 to 15:45
14 Waxwings (flew south over Pickelden Lane by river/lakes).

Shalmsford Street Lakes, 15:45
1 Little Egret, 50+ Fieldfare, 2+ Redwing.


Monday 14th January

Aldington Floods, 13:00 to 14:00
12 Cormorants, 1 Little Egret, 10+ Long-tailed Tits.

A drive down to the coast and back across the marsh revealed nothing but heavy rain !!!


Tuesday 15th January

Oare Marshes KWT reserve, 11:00 to 13:30
2 Eiders (drakes on the Swale between the slipway and the Seawall Hide), 6 Red-breasted Mergansers (flew west over the Swale), 1 Little Grebe (sluice), 1 Little Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier (male), 1 Sparrowhawk (entrance road by double bend), 100+ Avocets, 1 Greenshank (Oare Creek opposite Oare Pits), 1 Kingfisher (on a post west side of entrance track), 10+ Skylarks (flying over the saltmarsh near the sluice), 2 Meadow Pipits, 1 Stonechat (male), 3+ Redwings (near East Hide), 5 Greenfinches, 3 Reed Buntings.
No sign of the Scaup pair on the east flood amongst the many hundreds of wildfowl.

Eastwell Park, 15:00
1 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret, 4 Grey Herons, 1 Nuthatch, 3 Greenfinches.

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