Saturday 5 September 2015

Another very dull, damp and cool morning made for insult to injury today. My early walk around Migrant Alley was practically birdless, except for the Corvids and WOODPIGEONS, even they were fewer in number, perhaps they have found better feeding elsewhere ?

Just one CHIFFCHAFF and one BLACKCAP were at the Greenhouse Grounds along with 20-25 GOLDFINCHES. There were 15-20 SWALLOWS flying low over the Greenhouses, almost taunting the PIED WAGTAILS that were trapped inside awaiting the day to warm up so the automatic windows would release them, I think they had a long wait today!

I had a circuit of the Ashes Lane Fields, where the most notable bird seen was a GREEN WOODPECKER, such was the lack of birds today. After two hours out, I finished up and headed off home, very uninspired!

Looking at the weather forecast, the afternoon was set to become brighter and warmer, so I headed off to Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve, where I spent twos hours in more grey, damp and cool conditions!!

Most of the two hours was spent in the Willow hide, where a few bits and pieces were seen, but they were species that are hard to come by on my patch, if at all, so I always enjoy seeing the likes of Little Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Teal, Tufted Duck, Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail and Coot. A Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard were seen flying over, plus many sightings of Kingfishers were had, but they always avoided alighting on the nearby perches, not that there was enough light to photograph them if they did!

I attempted to get an image of the Common Sandpiper, but it was difficult in the poor light, Grey Heron and Little Egret were also photographed.


Common Sandpiper


Grey Heron


Little Egret


Tomorrow I'll be out all day attending the Kent ornithological Society field trip to Dungeness, so my next post will be on Monday, maybe i'll have few images from Dunge to post then  :-)

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