Once again I seem to have offended the gods. After a morning at work, spent in warm sunshine, the afternoons walk was undertaken in dull, cool windy conditions, why! what have I done!

So it was all change again in the woods, no proper singing today, apart from a MISTLE THRUSH, but they sing in any weather, the stormier the better, hence their old name of ''Stormcock''. I did come across the pair of MARSH TITS though, I wonder if they will stay to breed this year, also a couple of GOLDCREST, and a calling COAL TIT. As I approached the lake area, the smell of bonfire smoke filled the air, this wasn't from the groundsman of one of the big houses, but from an apple orchard on the edge of my patch. The hole 16acres of apple trees and associated habitat was being chainsawed and burned, and why? so some spoilt horsey type woman can have some paddocks for her horses, what a waste! Now if the gods want to get one over on someone here are the perfect candidates. Pretty soon most of Kent will be one bloody great paddock!

Rant over!! At least on the lake one of the GOOSANDER had remained, one of the stunning males, but trying to photograph it proved near impossible, as he always kept at least 20 yards from me, and the light was awful.

Over at migrant alley, I saw that the wild grassy area by the Raspberry canes, much used by the Barn owl (whilst it was here), and still by the Kestrels, had been ploughed, why I dont know, it's just a small area, only 100 yards by 30. I suppose the long grass looked untidy and someone complained about it, more habitat destruction, all the small areas, so vital to our wildlife seem to be going the same way - ''Tidied Up''. I wondered off over to the horse jump at Migrant alley, but I was just too p*ssed of off to stay focused on the birds, I only stayed 10mins, and walked off home in a depressed state.

That's how it is on my patch though, up one day with a great sighting, and down the next, frustrated at the moron landowners. I chose this patch, as I knew it represented a typical piece of the kent countryside, so i'll keep on recording all the changes, even if they are negative ones. Oh well , sorry for the negative posting today - but the good thing about blogging is I can have a bloody good moan!

PS still no Chiffchaff yet!

Below are some attempted photo's of the Male Goosander, not very good are they! It was fun trying though.

Overcast and dull again ! The birds however, seemed more active, especially in the wet woods where a small flock of CHAFFINCH were amongst the leaf litter, I always scan them for a Brambling at this time of year, but there wasn't any today. A pair of GOLDCREST, a pair of COAL TITS and a TREECREEPER were all very vocal, as were half a dozen SISKIN up in the Alder tree's, sounding like there were two dozen! When I got to the lake area, I saw a CORMORANT on the first, smaller lake, so I crept past so as not to flush it up. The main lake however had a nice surprise in store, in the form of 5 GOOSANDER, Wow!! Quite a gathering for my patch. Not such a gathering has been recorded here since the record number of 9 birds was seen on 14 February 2002. I got as near as I dared without flushing them off, and could see three stunning males and two females, I managed a few distant photo's through the bankside undergrowth, and you can just make them out.

I left the Goosander preening, and loafing about on the lake, and went over to Migrant alley, where a tractor was harrowing the muckspread stubble fields. This normally brings in a few birds, and so it proved, the first bird I noticed was a KESTREL hovering overhead, no doubt hoping for a tasty worm to be thrown up, and in the furthest part of the field at least 5 FIELDFARE were enjoying the disturbed ground. As I sat and watched, PIED WAGTAILS were dropping in all the time, two dozen at least, were feeding when I left. Also dropping in were 28 REDWING, the largest flock i've seen for some time, a lone MEADOW PIPIT was heard and two SKYLARK were occasionally giving some brief song flight. Flyovers included 2 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS, 1 BLACK HEADED GULL, 2 CANADA GEESE and a few YELLOWHAMMERS. Still no Chiffchaff today, or that early wheatear, in fact the birds seen today were more of a wintery nature - but that will soon change, the weekend is being set up nicely!

Below: The Blackthorn blossom is now just opening, weeks after last years first sighting.
Below are 3 of the Goosander, a real good bird on my patch, and this winter I've been spoiled rotten!

Below are 4 Goosander, but I couldn't quite get all 5 in the same shot.

Last but not least the Cormorant, which decided to hang in a tree top to dry it's wings.