Saturday 20th April Old Lodge in a rush

A fantastic sunny morning walking the dogs but nothing special to report other than a Jay making a sound I hadn't heard before. Needing a new strimmer I went Heathfield to a boys toy shop where every kind of mower, cutter, and shredder, tractor and implements were on sale. 15 minutes further on was Old lodge so I allowed myself an hour and a half to find a Redstart. In the car park a car I recognised and 20 metres away was Christine H. We both set off for our first of the year and despite a good look no luck. We met a birder who had seen a male and sent us in the direction back to the car park. It wasn't long  before we found it in along the fence line where we have seen them in previous years.

 We also had a probable pair of Woodlarks, and later Christine found a parachuting Tree Pipit after I had left. - Mission accomplished!

Wednesday 17th April Rye Hbr.

A lovely evening, so took the dogs to Rye Hbr , but went in from the back track. It wasn't long before I heard the sound of Whitethroats first of the year - there must have been up to 40 from Rye Hbr road to the barns. Second new sound of the year was a Cuckoo calling on wires just before the barns, then walking past the barns another also calling on wires (definately 2). Sadly no camera with me,

pics from last year.

Local Birding Sunday 14th April

This morning on the dogs walk the first Swallow  for me along Rosemary Lane, plenty of Chiff Chaffs calling plus the usual  Jays, G.S Woodpeckers but no sign of the Nuthatch and Grey Wagtail seen regularly in the last few days.

A couple of hours spare so went around the sewage works down the road 10 Swallows were hawking over the settling beds. In a row a five trees there must have been 40 Chiff Chaffs with a few Willow Warblers aswell.

 I thought I heard the call of a crest, and eventually through the bins I found a Firecrest only to be joined by another, despite spending half an hour this was the best pic I could get.

Although it was still raining I decided to take a walk along the canal in deep mud to Carters Flood.
5 Avocet, a few Shoveler, a few Teal, a Kestrel and 6 more Swallows were the highlights. I went back to get a better pic of the Firecrest, then the farmer turned up asking me to "leave quietly when done as the Yews were lambing" He frightened off most of the birds including the crests so I headed for home.

This evening took the dogs over Rye Harbour - loads of people on bikes and with dogs - they weren't there yesterday when it was raining. 44 Avocets on the Harbour Pools but couldn't find the Little Ringed Plover.

Stopping off at Pett Pools, almost birdless but the tide was going out - still 4 Wigeon left out the hundreds from earlier in the year. Pics taken a couple of days ago when very windy.

Staying Local then off on a Wild Egret Chase

Almost a fortnight since I have been out as last weekend I was laid up with man flu - first time for a couple of years. Although I wanted to twitch a Bluethroat it seems as though they have disappeared. So Sunday am after walking the dogs finding 5 Ruff in a field between Fairlight and Pett, I finally got onto Pett Level Sea Wall at 10.00am. Pete Rouse having just returned from Dunge filled me in on what I had missed which included a Swallow. An hour watching saw probably over 1000 Brents going east and maybe 60 or so Red Throated Divers other than that the usual ducks on the pools, a couple of Buzzards high in the distance.

As I had a Lawn to cut time was short so went to Castle Water hoping for a Garganey but no luck. The only consolation was a couple of Marsh Harriers, the usual ducks and geese and the highlight was this Water Rail in front of the hide.

Camera not quite on the right settings, when will I learn!

While cutting a customer's lawn I get a text from Bird Guides of a Cattle Egret at Rye Hbr in a field next to thr Crab and Lobster Pub ( I don't know of such a pub in Rye but maybe one has changed their name or is it the bar at the caravan park) so I head off with the dogs for their walk around Rye Hbr and no sign at all. (Later I find out it should be Pagham Hbr West Sussex). Anyway no sign of the Kentish Plover today but plenty of Avocets and Ringed Plovers.

 The usual Ducks now in their full mating plumage like this Teal.

Then on Tuesday when driving to Winchelsea Beach for work I thought I saw a Red Headed Duck on Pett Pools, with a car behind me I couldn't stop, eventually turned around and went back and couldn't find it. So lunchtime had another look and astill no luck. On my way back to work I took the camera had another look still no luck. But found this gull wearing bling.

 A Little Egret close to the road

 And a Med Gull distant

 

Monday 25th March - Migrants

Not having been out for a couple of weeks due to work and the weather, withdrawal symptons set me off to Dungeness in search of anything new for the year. Stopping off at Pett Level 300+ Brents a few Bar-tailed Godwits were the only thing of interest, a 90 second sea watch as my eyes were watering in the raw north easterly wind found one Great Crested Grebe. Fingers aching set off to Dunge.

On arrival the "Bloggers" were around the old Lighthouse Plodding and Plovers looking at a stunning male Black Redstart.

 Trying to get nearer for a better pic it went to the Old lighthouse garden

 then disappeared. A wander around I caught sight of a white rump and tracked down my first Wheatear of the year.

After losing both I set off for the ARC which was quiet other than the usual ducks and 2 male Goldeneye bobbing on the rough water. It looked like the sun was coming out so went back to the lighthouse to see if I could get any better pics of the B Redstarts. 2 were around but wouldn't stay still but it was nice to see through the scope.

The best I could get.

Then the phone went with Bird Guides text of Kentish Plover at Rye Hbr, so the seed dump at Tickners Lane was given a miss and off to Rye. On arrival Chris Bentley kindly picked me up in his truck and took me to back to Lime Kiln Cottage where good but distant views were had of one then two Kentish Plovers.

It wasn't long before the "Bloggers" arrived followed by the local names - so I left!

A good on the spur of moment session with a twitch on the door step.

Saturday 9th March SWW New Forest

For the third year running a misty drizzle morning but on arriving at the New Forest the weather was breaking.

It wasn't long before Paul heard a Woodlark singing and then another, Ian found a Hawfinch  and shortly after I saw a distant rapter, Paul confirmed it as a Goshawk.

Wing shape and Long tail = Goshawk

A male stonechat was the other species of interest seen before setting off to Blashford Lakes

The photo doesn't do justice, 25 plus Gooseander, 100+ Black-tailed Godwits, 100+ Shoveler, Lesser-black back Gulls, and Goldneye.

also a White Wagtail.

White Wagtail

Next stop was at the hide with the feeders 15 species were seen - best of the bunch

My highlight was this Brambling

My first Goldfinch of the year

A visit to Ivy Lake hide, just like last year a Bittern was close by.

Now we were off on a twitch..

At Farlington Marshes we soon put onto a Merlin sitting on a post, and it wasn't long before we were watching the Red-breasted Goose.

Also an adult Spoonbill in full mating plumage was seen in the distance. Next stop was to Warblington Cemetary where a Glossy Ibis had been seen. After a search of a couple of fields we eventually found it although distant we had good scope views.

What a great day, 12 more birds onto my year list, and with great company.

Sunday 3rd March - Off on a Twitch

Having missed out on the Penduline Tit at Dungeness a couple of weeks ago, and having only seen one in 2010 I noticed that the one at Stodmarsh had re-appeared after a weeks absence. Waking this am I was unsure whether to go but after walking the dogs decided to go for it. Eventually finding the boardwalk and being told it disappeared about 20 minutes ago I waited and within 10 seconds up it popped. a quick look through the bins and it flew 10 yards, landed on a reed mace giving enough time to get the camera out.

 There had also been 5 Water Pipits reported from the Marsh Hide so I set off in wellies through the deep mud to a deserted hide. A nice view over the marsh and reedbeds but not alot of birds, a couple of Snipe, half a dozen Greylags, a few Teal, and a male Marsh Harrier.

After about half an hour 5 small birds flew in landing on a distant muddy island looked good for Water Pipits through the scope, but a poor very heavily cropped pic.

Set off back for home stopping off on Walland Marsh at the feeders with plenty of House Sparrows, Reed Buntings, the Tree Sparrows staying on the other side of the road. Hundreds of Fieldfares on the ground were put up when a ringtail Hen Harrier floated over.

On Pett Level the 4 Pink feet were still with the Greylags but distant.