Only a ninety-minute visit was possible on the 27th, when it was less cold, overcast, with a light north-easterly. There were only eight Mallard on the reservoir but 55 on the lake and no sign of a Teal or a Wigeon. Of interest was a Dunnock in song by the reservoir. There was a hard frost on the 26th, which…
Author: Michael
Bockhill
A morning of seawatching in the Bay produced 13 Red-throated Divers, 6 Eiders, 54 Common Scoters, 6 Velvet Scoters, 5 Shelducks, 7 Wigeon and a Great Skua all moving north. Whilst feeding offshore were 22 Auks and 110 Gannets. In the area were 5 Stonechats and a Raven. PJC,SW,NLJ,RNH,JRC.
Boughton Park
The sky was virtually cloudless on the 25th, with a cold, moderate strength, north-easterly wind for a three-hour, more productive visit, commencing with an attractive dawn sky. By taking in the northern conifers of the Deer Park, I stumbled upon a mixed flock, comprising eight LT Tits, two Goldcrests, three Blue Tits and the first Treecreeper for the month. This…
Oare Marshes
0745-1045—–9deg in a strong NE wind with the tide filling. The seawall hide was a degree of respite, with birds being blown in all directions. Very evident that Great Black-backed Gulls were more numerous than of late; waders were seeking the sheltered Sheppey banks and roosting high ground was now limited on the E flood after the recent rains. 2…
Boughton Park
November 24 With high pressure dominating for a few days, it was dry on the 24th, with a strong north-easterly wind. Few passerines were again visible and even fewer called, apart from one Chaffinch and a number of Fieldfares. A little surprisingly, the only corvids were about five Jackdaws, the Canada Goose remained, with some 50 Mallard and a lone…
Bockhill
November 20th A seawatch from 13:30-15:00, after the SW blow had subsided, produced over 1000 Kittiwakes moving down channel. Apart from that there were only 6 Great Crested Grebes and 10 Mediterranean Gulls feeding just offshore. PJC ,JRC. November 19th Around the area we had very few birds of note apart from 8 Stonechats, 22 Yellowhammers and, increasingly rare for…
Oare Marshes
0800-1100 ebb tide; 11 deg; cloud 8/8 A circuit of the E flood in very overcast conditions. A tight flock of c.400 Dunlin alighted near the ramp.The car-park Cetti`s called and Water Rails squealed.There were 94 Avocets and c 600 Lapwings at the mouth of the creek.c.700 Golden Plover were on Sheppey Banks and seals were hauling out on Horse Sands (17+and counting) A Sparrowhawk was in low level attack mode through…
Oare Marshes
18.11.2016 0730—1200 Eye-watering in a chill 3deg SW at low tide. Walked W with a male Marsh Harrier quartering the dykes; Cetti`s singing mid-marsh (three on the circuit) and five Tufted Duck and 2 Little Grebes in the main dyke. Goldfinches worked both saltings and Teasel heads. Wigeon lined Sheppey shoreline in impressive numbers stretching W—an estimate of 3500 after…