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…
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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…
Boughton Park
November The 19th was even colder at – 2°C, with a hard frost, no wind and an almost cloudless sky. It was still just 4°C at the end of a four-hour visit, when an adult LBB Gull flew N and three Herring Gulls flew NW. Also, a Collared Dove called from near the Old Vicarage, another Goldcrest was seen further…