Field meeting report

We started off this month’s field excursions just outside the county at Broadwater Warren NR which is a stones throw from Tunbridge Wells where we had an evening walk. On both occasions we had a mixture of seasoned birders and new KOS members and we all gelled nicely. A Garden Warbler sang near the car park and we marvelled at the numbers of singing Willow Warblers. As we strolled around the heathland a WW2 Spitfire flew over our head and we were surprised to hear a Nightjar churring at 6:30pm but alas we couldn’t locate him. We would have to wait another three hours before getting views and then they would be very different ones throughout the group, although we had at least four singing males heard.

A superb Hobby was watched perched and Dan spotted a pair of Dartford Warblers that we watched on and off throughout the evening. They were very late to go to roost. Yellowhammers were also numerous on site and great views of singing birds were had by all. A close calling female Tawny Owl called an end to the meeting and we left with 30 species recorded.

On Sunday we visited my local patch Cliffe Pools with the hope that we would see the long staying Collared Pratincole and we weren’t disappointed as we saw it on at least two different occasions with Mike Roser and Dave Perrin having an additional lunchtime showing. Cuckoos put on a good show with at least four birds, a fleeting Kingfisher spotted by Gunther and at least eight Nightingales often still in full song. Lesser Whitethroats also seemed particularly numerous and I haven’t seen so many Yellow Wagtails on the pools for ages as they are usually in the cereal fields around the village. A splendid red Black-tailed Godwit was enjoyed as was a Little Ringed Plover seen on a couple of occasions on the Flamingo Pool. All in all 80 species were recorded and other critters included Roe Deer, Common Seal, Stoat, Large White, Orange-tip and Wall Butterflies, a 20-Spotted Ladybird and Common Blue Damselfly. Highlights of flora were several clumps of Goat’s Beard at Cliffe.

  • We are having our next Field Trip on June 20th 2021

Any members interested in joining us on any of this field trip, please contact Ray O’Reilly:  Phone: 07831-362502.

Sorry, but KOS Members Only!!!