Spring Update - 30th April 2013

I've managed to catch up with a good number of spring migrants now and even a good Kent rarirty.

I started to pop down to Riverside CP in Gillingham in the evenings hoping to catch up with owls or even hear a crake.  I have really targetted around Rainham Dock East and the Motney Reedbeds.  In the last few weeks I've seen a good fall of Chiffs on 15th April when I picked up my first singing Nightingale as well.  I am pretty sure there were two singing a couple of nights later, but have only had one since.  Also in the second half of April at Riverside I've seen Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler, with the reisdent Cetti's singing throughout.

I took a walk from Broadstairs round the coast to Margate on Sat 27th April and whilst it seemed fairly quiete, I did pick up my first Wheatear of the spring and a really unusual Lark which I flushed from Foreness.

Then on Sunday 28th I got news of a Bonaparte's Gull at RSPB Elmley.  I jumped in the car with a bike in the boot and cycled furiously down to Wellmarsh Hide where the 1st winter bird showed brilliantly.  I managed a few photos:

This one seems to show the features pretty well.  You can even see the bubblegum pink legs...

Also one one of my evening visits to Rainham Dock East, I was looking through the viewing screen when a Long-eared Owl swept into the trees, perching on a fallen log for a while before flying off.  Fantastic!

Most recently, I was sitting in the garden on 30th April when a Med Gull flew over calling.  Not long after this, I heard a Herring Gull and casually looked up.  I was kind of surprised to see it mobbing a Hobby.

Cliffe, Shuart and Grove Ferry

Cliffe Pools - 22/05/2012:
I drove to the BB pools and then up to the sea wall.  Not a huge amount around and the water levels are still quite high.  A single Hobby zipped through and a Cuckoo was calling from between the mounds again.  A young Stonechat was up near the sea wall.  Not much else to report.  Some of the Avocets were with chicks though.

M2 J5-6:
A Red Kite over the motorway was nice to see, albeit being unable to stop and have a good look!

Shuart - 23/05/2012:
I walked from the end of the lane along the track to the railway line and back.  A single Turtle Dove calling from along the track and a very persistent Cuckoo moving around the area.  Two Yellow Wags over the fields and plenty of Swifts.  Singing Cettis, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Chiff, Blackcap, Sedge and Reed Warblers.

Grove Ferry - 23/05/2012:
A few Buzzards up along the ridge, the usual Marsh Harriers and at least 5 Hobby .  Plenty of singing warblers and two drake Garganey on the pool from the viewing mound.  Also amongst the many Gadwall was a single drake Wigeon.

My camera is broken at the moment, so no pics for a while...

Nightingales Arrive - 15/04/12

A quick walk around Eastcourt Meadow at Riverside CP this morning and I heard two singing Nightingales (the first of the year for the park) as well as a few Chiffs and Blackcaps. Still 93 Brent Geese on the high tide.

Still a bit quiet.

I still haven't seen much evidence of migration around Medway. I had three Swallows over Riverside CP from the seawall towards Motney last week and a quick walk around Berengrave today (13th)only gave up a few Chiffs and Blackcaps as well as a flyover Med Gull.

I was ringing at Sandwich on Wed (11th) and even there the migration wasn't really flowing. I processed a re-trap Tree Sparrow which was a lovely little bird and ringed a male Blackap. We flushed a couple of Grey Partridge from the Whitehouse and a Cuckoo was reported nearby.

Darland Banks - 30th March 2012

I walked from one end (Hempstead) to the Other (Luton/Chatham) this morning. Lots of singing Chiffs (9) and Blackcaps (4). No migrants to really speak of though. I was hoping the movement of Red Kites yesterday might continue overhead in Medway, but alas, no BOPs other than a Kestrel in a large Beech tree mewing it's excited/anxious calls suggesting probable breeding somewhere nearby. Several Jackdaws passing overhead with nesting material in their beaks and a Great-spotted Woodpecker drumming somewhere in the woods. Also two Green Woodpeckers and the usual fayre of Tits, Finches and Corvids.