Capstone Farm CP - 18th Oct 2014

With birds apparently appearing all around the coast, but not much time on my hands, I went for a couple of hours' walk to Capstone Farm CP near Chatham.  Sometimes this place can be a little sparse for birds, but there seemed to be some movement on this Saturday afternoon.

I walked from the top car park around the perimeter of the park.  Across the horse paddocks a small movement of 10+ Mistle Thrushes were passing through, alighting on the fenceline.

I continued around the park, noting Green Woodpecker, Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits in mixed flocks.  One Chiffchaff called as it dropped into a bush out of sight.  However, the highlight was found right at the back of the park favouring the tops of bushes on a mound.  This Whinchat must be pretty late in passing through Kent:

I finished off with a few more common species including Pied Wagtails, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows and a lot of Jays.  One Redwing flying over added a wintery feel.

Of note from elsewhere, midweek saw a huge movement of Ring Ouzels through Kent with a high count of 550 through Dungeness!  I managed to catch up with the 7 at Leysdown-on-Sea at the Pitch and Putt:

Autumn's not over yet, so there's still hope for something decent in Kent!

Cliffe Pools - 19/09/2011

I walked from the car park round the top, back down passed Black Barn Pools and along the bottom back to the car from 10.30 til 3.15 today. Of interest were:

Black-necked Grebe - 1 on Flamingo Pool.
Black-tailed Godwit - 54 on Flamingo Pool.
Yellow-legged Gull - 1 on the Thames foreshore by the creek.
Whinchat - 2 along the track from the sea wall down to the Black Barn pools.
Ruff - 8 on the first Black Barn Pool.
Green Sandpiper - 1 on the first Black Barn Pool.
Spotted Redshank - 2 on Radar Pool.
Greenshank - 2 on Radar Pool.

Also of note, I found a young Grass Snake along the path between the top of Flamingo Pool and the viewing point over the creek by the sea wall.

A few butterflies still about as well with Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Large White and Small Heath.


Redshank - Cliffe Pools


Spotted Redshank - a distant record shot...


Grass Snake - Cliffe. Clearly showing the yellow collar which is one of the separating features between this and the Adder.