Twitch to see the RBG

Monday 15th October - South Swale NR.

An after work trip on Monday to see the Red-breasted Goose with the dark-bellied Brent Goose flock. A magnificent bird with a good supporting cast of waders, Little Egrets, pinging Bearded Tits, a calling Cetti's Warbler and 2 Marsh Harriers heading west to roost (male and female).

Resident Shelduck snapped

A quick look at Eastwell Lake this morning (13th) before rain stopped play.

The Ruddy Shelduck finally gave itself up for a photograph (which failed to upload).

Ruddy Shelduck - unringed and fully winged

Also present: 2 Cormorants, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 6+ Little Grebes, Nuthatch, 11 Siskins and 7 Redpolls over. 2 Wrens singing.

Osprey at long last

Saturday 6th - Eastwell Park, 10:00 to 11:00

The Ruddy Shelduck still present at the far end of the lake, strutting its stuff amongst the many Mallard. 38 Greylag Goose, 1 Teal, 1 Pochard, 5 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Jay, 5+ Siskin.

Sunday 7th - Samphire Hoe, 10:50 to 12:50

1 Kestrel, 3 Rock Pipit (Western End), 3 Stonechat, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap. No luck with the Yellow-browed Warbler but plenty of Chiffchaffs.

Onwards to Collards Lake & Stodmarsh, 14:15

1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Osprey (Seen hunting over the NNR and river from the minor road overlooking Collards Lake - apparently two seen in the morning). Jay and Green Woodpecker.

Ruddy Shelduck

Sunday 30th September:

A Ruddy Shelduck (of unknown origin) was a bit of a surprise on Eastwell Lake. This is the second time I have seen this species here. Wildfowl numbers are starting to build for the winter.

Conningbrook GP, 14:00 to 16:00 - little of note.
1 Tufted Duck, 4 Cormorant, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, 9 Lapwing, 1 Chiffchaff, 30 Goldfinch (circa), 2 Bullfinch

Eastwell Park, 16:30 to 17:30, lake area
Ruddy Shelduck amongst the hundreds of Mallard, 10 Greylag Goose, 1 Canada Goose, 6 Shoveler, 1 Pochard, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Buzzard, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Jay. A Black Swan was also noted on the Saturday (29th) - whatever next?

Birthday Birding

No luck with a birthday mega this morning but a nice fall of migrants at the Water Tower, ARC Pit.


ARC Pits (Dungeness), 08:00 to 10:00, Water Tower pines
1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Sand Martin (With Swallows), 1 Robin, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Blackcap, c50 Chiffchaff (with Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits.), 1 Goldcrest, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Brambling (almost taken by a Sparrowhawk).

Lydd Ranges, 12:00
2 Whinchat (1 Dengemarsh Gully, 1 Galloways), 5 Wheatear (4 Dengemarsh Gully, 1 Galloways).

Spotted Flycatcher (one of two) plus flying Blue Tit

2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers

Pictures from the North East

Angela and myself spent an enjoyable 5 days staying with her parents on Tyneside (9th to 14th Sept). It was nice to catch up with her relatives and see some of the landmarks in the north east - The Angel of the North, Tyne Bridges, Whitley Bay and Marsden Rock.

We also managed to head into Northumberland and visit some of the coastal areas.

St.Mary's Island - Whitley Bay

Bamburgh Castle

Eider - one of 13 in Seahouses Harbour

Lounging around on the slipway

Final Eider shot

Inner Farne viewed from Bamburgh beach.

Spot the Gannet and juvenile Gull

Small Tortoiseshell by Bamburgh cricket pitch.

The Bamburgh Swallows were still feeding recently fledged young

Record shot of 1 of 2 Dippers seen on the River Tyne at Haydon Bridge. 

Ringing @ Sandwich Bay

On Saturday morning (15th), Angela and myself headed down to Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory for the public ringing demonstration weekend, part of the '60 years of ringing at Sandwich Bay' celebrations. An interesting and enjoyable visit - especially for Angela who had not seen bird ringing before. Thank you to all the staff and volunteers for their information and help.

We saw Jay, Green Woodpecker, male and female Blackcaps, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and House Martins. While sitting outside having lunch, I spotted a Hobby catching insects overhead.

Male Blackcap

Juvenile House Martin

Reed Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Willow Warbler