The Shadoxhurst Garden

Garden Chiffchaff

2011-09-16T21:06:00.005+01:00

Here in Kent, we've had a splendid week of sunny weather. On Wednesday night I had time to sit on the Dungeness beach and share an hour's solitude in the company of a rare Long tailed Skua and watch the sun go down. Tonight, and back in the garden a migrant Chiffchaff is happy to mix with a resident flock of Blue Tits and Great Tits which frequent the over grown plants and Sedges around the garden pond. Once again, the late afternoon sun has enabled me to get a decent photo of a fast moving bird. It's possible in September that many dozens of Chiffchaffs stream through our gardens turning to just a trickle in October and eventually the majority in Africa for the winter.

Whilst we've had a few flights of autumn Meadow Pipits pass over, there are still plently of late summer Swallows and Martins around and also their arch enemy the Hobby. The odd Buzzard is never too far away and a party of 6 Cormorants flew north over the village to.

It may never happen again, so here's a couple more pics of the Long Tailed Skua watching the sun go down on Dungeness Beach.

2nd summer Long tailed Skua at Dungeness

2011-09-14T23:02:00.006+01:00

I spent sometime up on the shingle at the fishing boats watching this Long tailed Skua at close quarters tonight. Unconcerned by visiting Birdwatchers, but always keeping an eye on passing Gulls and Sandwich Terns, this was a rare ocassion for me with a very special bird - my second ever Long tailed Skua. When this bird returns north next spring it may well have its dramatic long tail feathers, and will be returning to an Arctic homeland in the company of Arctic foxes and Lemmings at least for the summer.

But as I write, this bird seems in no rush to make it back to the Equatorial waters of West Africa for its winter home. Sadly this Squa has a missing foot, and also should really be west of the British Isles out in the Atlantic on a more standard path south. However, it's healthy and feisty bird, every bit a Squa chasing Terns and stealing prey at will. It may well be the highlight of the year seeing this bird today, so I'd like to thank Martin - aka the Ploddingbirder for placing pics and information, enabling myself and other birders to catch up with a very close Long tailed Skua. Cheers Martin!

Arctic Tern at Dungeness

2011-09-12T13:36:00.010+01:00

Back to the fishing boats at Dungeness on Sunday morning for a 2 hour sea watch. My birdwatching was dominated by Swallows accompanied by House Martins and Sand Martins bravely heading off the point and over a choppy channel sea to France, on then onwards to Africa. Passing low over the water in waves, I estimated 40 birds a minute were passing in front of me, inshore. Also travelling south was this Arctic Tern.

Now Arctic Terns are not such a common site for in Kent as their ousin the Common Tern, and this one is an adult bird moulting from its summer plumage to a winter plumage. It has a white an interesting white cheek effect, created by black fringing on the cheek feathers meeting the grey feathering of the underpart plumage. Its loosing its black cap, but still has a blood red beak to sport. The overall effect is distinctive, if a bit scruffy.

The Dungeness Glaucous Gull

2011-09-07T22:19:00.008+01:00

On Tuesday afternoon, gale force winds and heavy rain raced through the English Channel forcing the ferrys to stop running, but also providing the opportunity for some off-course seabirds to be seen at Dungeness. When I arrived at the the fishing boats, the wind and driving spray were fiercely present, but sadly any seabird rarities were were few and far between:- well, in fact there weren't any!

Common Terns fed along the stormy tide line with little problem from the wind, and 'Stubby' the second winter Glaucous Gull, and yet to find his true home back in the Arctic, just sat it out feeding on sprats thrown up on to the beach by the waves. Despite sheltering to the side of the boats, I was soaked to the skin in an hour. My camera too, seemed very wet and salty taking pictures at 1600 and 800 iso with just a few keepers to make the trip worthwhile.

Stubby will one day grow out of his adolescent plumage to be dazzingly white with elegant silver wings fitting for his native home in the arctic.

Common Terns feeding on the tideline seemingly little bothered by driving rain and stormforce 7 gales.

Raven over Shadoxhurst - a first summer record

2011-08-29T23:24:00.005+01:00

I've had so little time for birding all summer, but gained a little luck today with this splendid Raven circling high over the garden. I'd been trying to put a bit of shine into my 20 year old Citreon zx for most of the day, and looked-up to stretch my neck late in the afternoon to see this near pristine bird. This is my second record only for the village, the first being back in December 2010 in what was a very severe cold spell.

Garden Spotted Flycatchers

2011-08-21T09:17:00.006+01:00

For the past 3 days, our new found Spotted flycatchers family are ever present in the garden. And yesterday, as I worked on clearing our weed-choked pond, I was happily accompanied by our flycatchers whizzing just over head-height and feeding young. I think we have an insect/ flycatcher friendly garden judging by their reluctance to move on.

I didn't think I'd have any time to take some snaps, until the end of the day, luckily the birds were still present and approachable.

One of three juveniles begging for food.

Juvenile and Adult - note the Tick on the side of the adult's head.

Fledged Goldcrests

2011-08-19T22:51:00.007+01:00

Whilst many of our common garden birds seem to have bred successfully earlier in the summer, and are now generally keeping hidden in the shade for a summer moult, we've had a conspicuous and noisy family of Goldcrests spending most of the day in our high garden spruce.

Its good to see Goldcrests breeding around the garden in any year, but particularly after a very severe winter in which our smallest bird is considered to have taken a heavy toll.

3rd pair of Spotted flycatchers confirmed for Shadoxhurst

2011-08-19T22:34:00.004+01:00

Fledglings were being fed Wasps this afternoon

At the back of the garden but more frequently in the Oaks bordering the paddock field behind, a surprising find - Spotted flycatchers feeding fledglings! How on earth did I nearly miss these? The fledglings look too young to have travelled far from the nest site, so I think these birds have bred in the back of someone's garden along Hornash lane. Its great news for a once a common summer visitor, but now sadly rather scarce.

Fly-over Crossbills

2011-07-19T10:17:00.005+01:00

Flying south and in clear blue skies 21 Crossbills flew directly over the garden this morning. These are my first garden Crossbills record. If only they'd stop for a rest in the garden Larch.. and preferably when I've the camera too!

Raptors - mid summer round-up

2011-07-18T21:59:00.006+01:00

From the 1st to the 11th of July a Red Kite was seen by many on private farmland adjacent to Church Lane. Unfortunately I didn't see it, even though observers said it often wandered over countryside south of Hornash Lane (viewable from our back garden). The bird frequented the pheasant pen areas within private woodland, surely making itself unwelcome (to some) and of concern to others. Sad to say, but hopefully it's moved on, and to a more hospitable area.

Elsewhere around the village, our pair of Buzzards are very vocal and feeding often close to the suspected nesting site. Watching the birds yesterday, both adult birds could be seen dive- bombing alongside hedgerows and calling wildly as they did so. It appeared to me that the birds were trying to flush potential prey from cover. Occasionally they both soared and called together, low over woodland canopy, where I believe the nest site maybe. Despite many quick visits to the site area, with stays no longer than an hour, I've yet to see prey taken to the nest site. Non breeding Buzzards in various stages of moult can be seen at anytime soaring over the Shadoxhurst/Woodchurch area.

Hobbies are now seen daily dashing across the village in chase of House Martins or leisurely cruising for Hawker dragonflies.

Sparrowhawks now have young on the wing, I witnessed a young bird over the garden following an adult and begging for food. Interestingly, on the 11th of July I saw 2 adult Sparrowhawks still displaying together.

Perhaps now the rarer of our common birds of prey, the Kestrel, has successfully nested on farmland behind Church lane, reared 3/4 young. Thanks to Richard on Moat Farm, Shadoxhurst, for info on Kite and Kestrels. Richard has also reported that Spotted flycatchers have also successsfully reared young from a traditional nesting site on the farm.

Tawney Owls are ever present in our local woodlands that I have visited this summer. With so much noise and commotion from juvenile birds, I believe Tawney Owls, must have had a good breeding season.

Barn Owls are frequently seen between Shadoxhurst and Woodchurch, but breeding nest sites are unknown to me.

Evening searches for Long Eared Owls were fruitless and just one site in the village proved to have Little Owls breeding successfully so far.

The Peregrine seen earlier in the summer seeing off Buzzards high over the village, is to me the most intriguing sighting of the summer, if only I could find more time and luck to find out more!

Juvenile Redshank

2011-07-04T20:47:00.003+01:00

Down at Rye Harbour nature reserve, the breeding season is closing in. Most of the Sandwich Terns have flown out to into the bay with young in tow, and the reseve now has many young Waders, Gulls and Terns to see. On this quick visit, this young Redshank was catching Lug-worms for fun, and was not to be distracted by my camera.

Purple Hairstreak and Dog Rose

2011-07-04T20:36:00.005+01:00

Sat out-of-sight, usually sun-bathing at the top of Oak trees in their millions, Purple hairstreaks are easy to over look. In the evenings and and late afternoons they tend to flicker around a bit trying to stay in the sun. This one was in the early morning sun, basking at the top of the Dog Rose. To see and photograph the Purple sheen on top of the wings is a rare thing, this one was to be no exception just the curious little eyes and tufts at the end of the wings.

Breeding Little Owls in Shadoxhurst Parish

2011-06-27T18:59:00.007+01:00

Tonight, I wanted to find out if we had Little Owls nesting near by. All the indicators were good, as earlier in the year they have been very noticable, even now they never seem too far away. So, as it was the hottest, and most humid night of the year I decided on a late-night walk from the house directly through the hay fields and pasture behind the garden. I went late - 10.30, but still some light in the west) and I soon picked-up and followed the sound of Little Owls.

I hadn't walked for more than 5 minutes from the house, when, from a hedgerow not too far away, a cacophony of Little Owl mayhem filled the still and humid air. It was obvious that this was the sound of an adult, returning back to feed its brood of owlets. The owlets were making a begging call which sounded a bit like chalk being scraped along a blackboard, and this could be heard along a 50 metre length of hedgerow with some tall trees. I'm sure the original nest hole will be in an old craggy oak somewhere along this edge, but by now it was too dark to see anything. The sounds I'd heard were all the information I needed.

As I walked back to the house, the Shadoxhurst church bells were ringing for eleven 'o' clock. The summer triangle stars of Deneb, Vega and Altair, were positioned nicely overhead and with two glow-worms magically shining away in the horse pastures behind the garden, it had been a worthwhile walk.

Mediterranean Gull high over the village

2011-06-27T18:43:00.003+01:00

Looking-up, soaring overhead, Mediterranean Gulls mixed-in with Ashford's Herring Gulls and Lesser Blackbacked Gulls can be seen just about daily. They've become a new addition as a fly-over to our garden bird list. In the space of 15 years or less this gull has gone from a rare visitor from Southern and Eastern Europe, to a local coastal breeder with non-breeding birds happy to loaf around fields and towns. Indeed my son has told me there was one in the school playground at Tenterden, scavenging around the litter bins. Mediterrnean Gulls are still admired by birders for their handsomely simple but striking plumage - all white wings, black cap and bright red bill (in summer) and even from a great height they're easy to spot.

House Martins - late June nest building

2011-06-24T20:34:00.005+01:00

House Martin showing off its new wall, building on top of the remains of last year's nest.

Just as the village Swallows, Blackbirds, and many others birds are rearing second broods, my next door neighbour's house have a pair of House Martins attempting a little bit of summer nest- building under its eaves.

The nest site is an interesting one with history. It has been used occasionally before by House Martins and always surprises us with its late start in the breeding season. House Martins in Shadoxhurst have a small colony on one nearby road in the village (underneath the soffits of new-build houses), and this nest has always been on the periphery of the main site. In some years, Martins have started to nest-build, only to later abandon. House Martins are colonial birds even when nest building, typically collecting mud together (safety in numbers) for nest construction. It has certainly given my neighbours plenty to worry about as they would dearly love them to breed successfully again.

House Martins are quite capable of having two broods in one summer, and are seemingly in no particular rush to get back to Africa even as the long nights descend in October. I think what has been the catalyst for these birds to re-build a nest now, is the heavy rain we have received in the last few days. Perhaps the near drought we have had in Kent since early spring made it too difficult to collect the soft mud pellets for nest building. And, perhaps, by nesting later towards summer they might escape the attention of our village Sparrows who like to squat and take-on the 'house' as their own. Presently though, our Sparrows seem to have plenty of fledglings to keep themselves occupied with. So good luck to the House Martins - is this just going to be a practice run for a future nest in years ahead? Or perhaps a summer roosting site, or even better, a true summer breeding attempt?

Early summer in Orlestone forest

2011-06-20T22:14:00.004+01:00

Mid-June and Chiffchaffs and Garden warblers are still putting some song into the woods. A leisurely bike ride revealed a juvenile Lesser spotted woodpecker 'pipping' on the edge of the woodland edge near Fags Wood. Two sightings of Hobby, also Bullfinch, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Goldcrest and Coal Tits and many of our common woodland avian suspects.

In the evening there were at least 2 Woodcock 'roding' across the forest rides, but sadly despite many attempts this year, no Nightjars appear to be present.

There are many butterflies on the wing now - White Admiral, Comma and Meadow Browns to name just a few.

Lastly did any one see the Vulcan Bomber flying low over the village Saturday afternoon? It takes me back to my Lincolnshire roots!

Shadoxhurst House Sparrows

2011-06-20T21:42:00.006+01:00

This is our garden 'king' Sparrow. He sits boldly above the garden communal nest - chirping his song throughout the day. Unusually he's no longer wary of me or the camera.

Early morning walks through the village show just about every house having its own family of House Sparrows calling from the roof tops - the Kings Head pub being particularly popular. In our own garden, House Sparrows nest in a communal box on a Larch tree. More popular is a big communal nest deep within the safety of a hedge of Dog Rose and Bramble, that I've left specifically for them. Its difficult to know just how many birds nest and roost here - but the noise at dawn is deafening.

Despite the infilling of front gardens with slabs and shingle, I've no doubt that the village Sparrow population is in good shape. Their success is probably a combination of good nesting places (under eaves), and good adjacent farmland for insects in spring and seeds in autumn.

Peregrine falcon - summer Shadoxhurst record

2011-06-14T23:39:00.010+01:00

A lunchtime 'sky-watch' proved to be very interesting today. Firstly, 4 Buzzards soared together directly overhead into the sun. Its likely that these were probably our breeding pair joined by two immature birds keeping within a broad territory. One of the birds was the same tatty feathered bird shown on the previous posts.

No sooner had I found the Buzzards when they were joined by a falcon who quickly managed to disperse them. My first impression was that this had to be a Hobby, who are more likely to be breeding not too far away. I snapped a few pics, only to find a series of images of a fine and distant Peregrine falcon. Now an adult Peregrine in mid-June, perhaps defending a territory is a tantalising thought.. ..more sky-watching is going to be needed to try and produce a clearer picture of what may be happening. This Peregrine is our 3rd record for Shadoxhurst.

Peregrine falcon high into the sun (hence poor pic) - my 3rd record for the village. Taken at the same time, one of a pair of probable breeding Buzzards.

Hobby, Med Gull, L.Egret and Turtle Dove

2011-06-14T23:15:00.004+01:00

June, the first month after the spring migration has halted, can still be a great month for birding - you just don't know what birds may turn-up. And some of our newer exciting Birds to the UK, are also some of our larger birds too, making them easier to spot. Simple stuff hey!

So, June 6th saw 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls soaring high overhead of Shadoxhurst. Pure white silhouettes, simple black cap and bright red beaks - very easy to spot. The next day another one was flying low over fields on Duck Lane. These are my first records for Mediterranean Gull in Shadoxhurst.

Minutes, after seeing the Gull, a Brilliant Hobby flashed by, taking a casual chase to our village Swallows. Surprisingly, I haven't seen many Hobbies locally this year.

A fly-over Little Egret heading south was the the next day tick. This bird was the first one seen since the winter months.

And on Saturday 6.00am a Turtle Dove could be heard 'purring' over a still and beautiful sunrise.

Buzzard and Carrion crow 'dog fight'

2011-06-08T09:01:00.010+01:00

Photographed yesterday, this Carrion crow, in a tatty state itself, takes advantage of a Buzzard in a rather poor moult condition for a spot of 'knock about'. I don't think this Buzzard is one of our breeding birds, more likely a non-breeding 2/3 year old bird. Please correct me if I'm wrong! Pictures were taken directly above the house (and into the sun).

Sedge warbler - the last summer visitor

2011-06-07T23:53:00.003+01:00

Singing from a neighbour's garden this morning, the scratchy collection of noises that just about make a song and belonging to a Sedge warbler could be heard. Just as our local Nightingales have quickly dropped into silence having been here 8 weeks, this Sedge Warbler must surely be the last summer visitor of the year? Sadly, the bird which could be heard most of the morning never ventured to the perfect habitat I've created for it at the bottom of the garden, preferring instead to sing from deep within a garden hedge. This Sedge warbler is the first one we've heard from the garden for at least 6 years.

Lesser spotted woodpeckers have bred in the village

2011-06-06T23:35:00.004+01:00

No exciting birding to report at the moment, partly because Lewis and I are playing football in the Shadoxhurst football field a little more than usual. However this also has its birding rewards; we've noticed the wanderings of our local Buzzards a bit more, and yesterday, the gardens bordering the field were the chosen spot of a family of Lesser spotted woodpeckers who constantly pipped their distinctive call for the duration we were there. Lesser spotted woodpeckers have this clever trick of annually being able to escape any territorial detection by me, only to turn-up as a wandering fledged family. Its always a relief to know that despite their scarceness they are still managing to breed. Also successfully bred, are our local Nuthatches whoose young are foraging through the gardens too.

Letter-join: joined-up handwriting made easy!

2011-05-23T11:21:00.015+01:00

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Blue Tits fledgling

2011-05-22T22:59:00.008+01:00

George, rescuing a Blue Tit fledge from the lawn.

Actual size, these Blue Tit fledgling birds were probably no bigger than a 50p coin and felt weightless in the hand.

Last night, I pondered the thought with friends that there where no young Blue Tits on the wing yet, and today our garden birds have left the nest. I wish they Hadn't! These Blue tits appeared out of the box, in the middle of very blustery weather today, and I believe their departure is a little premature. They appeared too small and frail, - some were very weak in flight and falling to the ground to easily. Luckily, no neighbouring cats were about at the time.

Other fledglings occasionally seen around the garden at the moment include, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin and Starling.

Village Spotted flycatchers

2011-05-22T22:52:00.006+01:00

This picture was taken last Saturday, when I first noticed our Shadoxhurst Spotted flycatchers had returned. Most years one pair of Spotted flycatchers is at least present in the village, and this pair are faithful to the overhead wires and gardens and farm buildings at the top of Duck lane.

Golden Oriole singing - first record Shadoxhurst.

2011-05-21T08:49:00.007+01:00

Another early morning slow-paced ramble through the woods south of Shadoxhurst brought my first record of a singing Golden Oriole today. Like the Wood warbler two weeks ago, patience, (which, generally I have none of), was key. Having been cycling and walking since 5.45am, the bird was heard singing for just a 5 minute spell at around 7.00am. I could not view the bird at all, - just about take in, that I was hearing the beautiful flute-like song of a very rare visitor.

Other birds present include, 5 Bullfinches, 2 Cuckoo, Long tailed Tit, Garden Warbler, and Nightingale, all still in 'song' and faithfully occupying territories for a month now. Also a Lesser Whitethroat is singing from the wasteground by the old Car Garage and a pair of Spotted flycatchers are present at the top of Duck Lane.

Wood warbler - a rare visitor to Shadoxhurst

2011-05-08T21:08:00.008+01:00

An early morning walk through the woods of Shadoxhurst brought a fine and scarce bird to view.
I was just about to call it 'a day', when, out of nowhere, the distinctive trill of a Wood Warbler joined a chorus of Nightingale, Willow Warbler, Chifchaff, Garden warbler and Blackcap. I managed just a few distant images of this beautiful leaf warbler before it disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. This is my first Wood Warbler in-land record for Kent, so quite an exciting event, as they're an increasingly scarce visitor to the South East. Probably, this bird is 'on passage', and may well find itself in a wooded valley in Scotland or a Wales in the next day or so.

Dunnocks - the almost secret nest

2011-05-04T22:08:00.003+01:00

Back in the garden, we've been watching our Dunnock's first egg-lay and now, rearing these healthy chicks. The nest is no more than 3 feet off the ground in a small conifer. The chicks are getting more audible when begging for food, and hopefully will not attract the attention of our neighbour's cats.

Pomarine Skuas fly-by Dungeness

2011-05-03T22:22:00.010+01:00

Five Pomarine Skuas close to the first buoy at Dungeness

Seawatching from Dungeness this spring has been very rewarding. The annual migration of Pomarine Skuas can be a hit and misss a fair, but good weather, good light, and a dollop of good luck has brought Pomarines reasonably close to shore. With high pressure and north - north easterly winds, the channel has a become a super-highway of birds moving North including Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Grey Plover, Common and Velvet Scoters, Whimbrel, Divers and Skuas.

Bar-tailed Godwits
Bar-tailed Godwits, Sanderling, Turnstone and Grey Plover

Surveying TQ 93, RM canal, Warehorne to Kenardington

2011-04-30T22:33:00.007+01:00

An afternoon visit to a sun-drenched and breezy Romney Marsh, is perhaps not the best time to go, but all the same it was still very quiet on the birding front. No Kingfishers along the canal, just one Reed warbler in the reeds and the odd Sedge warbler in the scrub. No singing Cetti's warblers or Hobbies or Egrets. And no Turtle Doves - more visits required to get a better picture. Of interest was a pair of Kestrels, 2 common Sandpipers, many Rooks feeding chicks in the surrounding farmland, 1 Grey Heron.

TQ93

Much better, was the farmland/wetland south of the canal known as 'the Dowels' on the extreme south east edge of TQ93. This is an area I watched 10 years ago, and remember seeing passage migrant Whimbrel feeding amongst Romney marsh sheep. Rather splendidly there were 6 Whimbrel feeding there today. The Whimbrel which flew over our garden today most probably had departed these fields earlier. Other significant birds seen here include a pair of Lapwings holding territory, 1 Oystercatcher, 3 pairs Yellow wagtails, 1 LB gull, 3 pairs of BH Gulls, and 1 pair of Mediterranean Gulls. Access and viewing is poor for this site - who knows whats calling-in here without being noticed?

Garden fly over Whimbrel, Nightingales and common migrants

2011-04-30T21:33:00.006+01:00

An early morning cycle ride out of Shadoxhurst, down Duck Lane and through to Stone Wood showed what a good year it appears to be for our common migrants. Undisturbed by traffic and traffic noise, the sound of Whitethroat and one Lesser Whitethroat were calling from garden edges and a Willow Warbler is holding territory in the mini-wasteland that was the car garage at the bottom of the village. There to, Goats Beard is growing in the cracks of the broken garage forecourt. Many Swallows and House Martins were loitering on wires - Mediterranean style, and all just wonderful to see!
I mentioned earlier in April, that Nightingales had returned in good numbers to the woods to the south of Shadoxhurst, but now their numbers have been supplemented further by more birds and the sound is just fantastic. This morning their were 3 birds singing in Hedgerow along Duck lane before even entering the woods. And as I left Stone wood taking the track back to Woodchurch road, 2 further birds were singing in Hawthorn in the company of Skylarks and Yellowhammers! In fact Nightingales seem to be in every woodland I visit at the moment. Whitethroat, Garden warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow warbler are all plentiful too.

A pair of Bullfinches and Long tailed Tits were in the Duck Lane hedge. One Cuckoo is calling and sounds quite wheezy at times, - a metaphor of the bird's decline perhaps? No sign of Turtle Dove. Similar nothing to report on our local raptors. Skylarks are plentiful in the arable land behind Stone wood and back along the fields to Shadoxhurst.

But the bird of the morning was seen after I finished my ride. Stood looking back through the garden, contemplating cutting back the height of our Sallow trees over hanging my neighhbours garden, a splendid Whimbrel at nothing more than 200 feet flew straight over the garden. Camera in hand but slow to respond, I caught this quick snap as the Whimbrel headed North East and into the sun.

Mystery fly is - Phasia hemiptera

2011-04-28T23:44:00.002+01:00

Thank you to all that helped to identify the fly featured in my last post. Matt Smith at 'The Wild about Britain' forum, confirmed it as an unusually early record of a male Phasia hemiptera - a parasitic Tachnid Fly that uses Shield bugs as hosts for larvae. Once again, it shows what can be found in our gardens, and also that there is always something new there too.

Mystery fly on Spruce pine

2011-04-26T22:34:00.004+01:00

Our large Norwegian Spruce has attracted my eye recently, as its developing a bumper crop of pine cones, and some are developing that beautiful crimson red I posted pictures of last year. This morning, before the sun had gained any real height and heat, sat on the end of low hanging cone was this rather docile fly sunning itself.

In size, it was about the same as a large house fly, but instantly I knew I was looking at something new to me. Its wings Bat-like, were exceptionally striking in shape and the fly had a memorable contrasting orange and black abdomen. I'm looking forward to finding out more. All help gratefully received!

Seawatching for Skuas

2011-04-25T23:09:00.004+01:00

Sea watching at the Dungeness point tonight from 5.30 to 7.30pm included 4 Great Skuas (in 2 pairs in half-hour succession). 1 Arctic Skua harrowing terns just within first buoy. Two distant commic tern flocks moving east against the horizon of 32 and 15.
22 C. Scoter, small numbers of Gannets feeding inshore. 3 Guillimots drifting on the sea, 1 Wheatear by the lighthouse. Unlucky not to have found a much hoped for Pomarine skua.

First Cuckoo of spring 17.30 pm

2011-04-16T17:47:00.004+01:00

Phew, at last a Cuckoo heard from the garden but probably some miles away calling from around the Stone wood area. Here's hoping for much more Cuckoo activity to come from this fast declining bird.

5.00 am garden Dawn Chorus

2011-04-16T16:15:00.005+01:00

A still and warm morning made it easy to pick-up distant bird song. This morning Nightingale, Blackcap and Chiffchaff could be heard alongside Robin, Wren and Blackbird. Our garden Song thrushes seem to be having a rest from song for now. Spoiling everything melodic, was a rowdy chorus from our village carrion crows. Tawney and Little Owl were calling to. The bird I was hoping for most, Cuckooo is still absent.

Song Thrushes are successfuly breeding

2011-04-12T20:17:00.006+01:00

We've had two faithful Song thrushes spending a great deal of time in the garden this spring, and we saw an attempt nest building as early as February. The birds seemed to have been inseparable, so I was surprised to see both of them are now collecting earthworms from the lawn and then swiftly returning to a hidden nest in the Blackthorn hedge at the bottom of the garden. This is great news, that they have managed to get to the fledgling stage in a garden patrolled by the notorious nest raider, the Magpie.

Similarly, our garden Blackbirds are at the same breeding stage, again collecting worms for feeding chicks. I feared the worst for both birds this year as Magpies are also nesting in a tall Spruce just 40 feet above the Blackbirds nest. Fingers-crossed that the birds continue to successfully rear their broods.

Little Terns at Dungeness

2011-04-10T16:27:00.007+01:00

One of two Little terns at the 'patch this morning'

Just arriving at the Dungeness point this morning for a sea watch, I met two fishermen who said they'd just seen a Hoopoe on the concrete path by the power station wall. So, their began my one hours search - sadly all hopelessly in vain! On the positive side, I saw a Peregrine dive bomb and clip a Raven on the ground! Brave or stupid, the Peregrine moved on and the Raven merely rearranged its feathers.

Ravens seen past the power station and looking back to Denge marsh gulley

Plenty of Common Terns feeding at the patch at Dungeness

On the sea, just a few Brent Geese and one Whimbrel on the move. Things looked quiet so I just watched the Little Terns and a flock of 100+ common Terns feeding at the patch. Once many decades ago, a breeding bird at Dungeness, now Little Terns are just a passage migrant or possibly visitors from the dwindling Rye harbour colony. At the 'patch', the 2 Little Terns charged up and down the low water mark occasionally diving for sprats - it was great to watch.

Lesser spotted woodpecker and Bullfinch - spring records at last!

2011-04-09T16:12:00.005+01:00

Common Buzzard flying over the garden heading towards Stone Wood this morning

An early morning Cycle ride from Shadoxhurst, with frequent stops at Duck Lane and through to Stone wood, at last brought a record of Lesser Spotted woodpecker calling from private land at the bottom of the lane. A pair of Bullfinches where present on the woodland fringe here too.

Great Spotted woodpeckers were very much in evidence with frequent drumming and squabbles between rival territorial birds, and there were at least 3 pairs seen on this route. Suprisingly, the only Nuthatches I've heard are the ones often in gardens along Hornash Lane. The farm buildings at the top of Duck lane had 2 Swallows and 2 Linnets sitting on wires. Blackcaps are much in evidence everywhere. There were singing Nightingales thinly spread across the woodland with the highest density within Stone Wood, where dense young woodland makes an inpenetratable barrier to access and even view. Willow warblers are present here to. No sign of Whitethroats yet, but there is a great chunk of spring still to come

On a charge, GS woodpecker about to see-off an intruder to it's territory.

Speaking to a land and pheasant shoot owner in the woods this morning, made me worry about the safety of our growing Buzzard population, with one bird seen overhead as I spoke. The owners had equal vitriol for some 4x4 off-roaders over-running their land (point agreed), and then Buzzards, whom they blamed for everything else. Hmmn, - good job I didn't mention foxes....

Pirouetting Sparrowhawks clasp and fall in display

2011-04-08T23:02:00.007+01:00

The fine blue sky weather continues, and so does my encounters with our local Sparrowhawks. It would be no exageration to imagine that our female Sparrowhawk seems to be prospecting and on the wing for most mornings this week. Despite flying high she's still easy to spot against such an uninterrupted and tranquil sky.
So, earlier in the week I'd noticed how Sparrowhawks have a distinctive display flight involving fanning out the white undertail covets (just the female?) and then performing a number of stoops and climbs and occasional slow stiff wing claps. Today, I discovered that once the female has encouraged a male to join her (at some height to), the two birds can then perform a talon clasped display in the manner of perhaps larger birds of prey such as Buzzards and Eagles. If someone had told me that Sparrowhawks were capable of such exhilarating display, I probably would have had some doubts without seeing any images... ..so lets have a look at the quick burst of images I captured.

Good but distant views of our female Sparrowhawk white undertail covets on display showing well today. Image below is a compilation of our resident 'pair' pirouetting just moments after.

Nightingale, Willow Warbler - firsts of the year

2011-04-07T22:54:00.007+01:00

Light SW wind, 16 degrees, and quite brilliant blue skies, is helping bring in a rush of spring records. In the sallow catkins and Blackthorn flower a Willow warbler, sometimes singing has spent the day in the company of 2 Blackcaps fueling-up ready for another push north. Overhead, a solitary Buzzard put in a show, before leaving the sky to the ever present female Sparrowhawk. There have been four Swallows today feeding in the paddock area and over the garden without doubt village birds here to stay the summer.
Plenty of Butterfly activity to; Orange Tipped Butterfly, 4 Peacock and 2 Holly Blues as well as many Bees (Tawny mining Bee) and other insects notably LAcewings seem to be abundant.

STOP PRESS -
I just stood in the garden (11,20 pm) and a distant Nightingale is in full song. Its singing probably from scrub behind Hornash lane. Without checking, I think this may by my earliest Nightingale, April just keeps getting better and better! What next!

First 2 Swallows return, migrant Chiffchaff in the garden

2011-04-07T08:14:00.006+01:00

Beautiful warm weather has aided the return of our first 2 Swallows. Both birds, for most of the day, made repeated raids on flies abundant around the Spruce tree in the back garden. Similarly, a silent and single Chiffchaff spent the morning in the garden Sallows preening insects off the catkins.

Sparrowhawk spring display flight

2011-04-05T23:35:00.007+01:00

Our female Sparrowhawk is rarely not on the wing at the moment, just occasioanlly in company with her mate.

Picture above shows compilation image of 0ur female Sparrowhawk over Shadoxhurst taken over 10 seconds approx

Scanning the clear sky for migrants yesterday morning, I picked up a a pair of Sparrowhawks flying high and flying close together in a courtship display. Unusually, it seemed the larger female bird was trying the hardest to attract attention, with a mixture of stoops and climbs and slow flight wing flaps - and always with the white bluff of the undertail covets showing. The male bird tried to mirror some of the moves of its mate, and both birds seemed to keep close to the northern boundary of the village before looping back round south towards Nickley Wood. Spring Sparrowhawk display is a wonder to watch and worthwhile to look out for during April.

The over-looked Treecreeper

2011-04-03T22:28:00.013+01:00

Recent evenings have seen a pair of diminutive Treecreepers visiting the Sallows and the old Apple tree at the bottom of the garden. They've livened-up the birding at a time when most visitors (especially Redwings, Finches and Wood pigeons) have now migrated northwards and there's little sign of spring migrants to replace them. We've had just one solitary Chiffchaff so far.

The image shows how the birds use their stiff tail feathers to aid tree-climbing in the same way as Woodpeckers do, although I still find it easier to imagine that the bird is simply sliding down the branch and not climbing up it!

Other interest at the moment is provided by local Little Owls who are noisily arguing over territories, and making occasional flights directly over the house at dusk. Under torch light, the garden ponds have good numbers of Palmate and Smooth Newt, but sadly no sign of Great Crested Newts or Frogs.

Buzzards in the Orlestone forest complex

2011-03-29T22:06:00.009+01:00

My son George 'the stig' Green who completed over 20 miles cycling through the forest this weekend.

The highlight of a nine mile bike ride through the trails criss-crossing Stone Wood, Fags Wood, and 50 Acre Wood was six common Buzzards soaring together. I haven't visited the woods over the winter, and didn't realise we had so many Buzzards on our doorstop. The woods themselves look splendid; a leafless canopy but a vibrant floor carpeted in Wood Anemones. We made frequent stops, listening for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Bullfinch, but sadly we didn't find either.

There are many new cleared areas in the forest, and it will be interesting to see if Nightjar and Tree Pipit can put in an appearance later this year.

Bee fly in the garden today.

In very pleasant spring weather, the woodland rides had plentiful numbers of Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone butterfly. Considering the dire state of the Tortoiseshell butterfly (almost faced with UK extinction just a few years ago) it seems to be making a very big bounce back in numbers. Also of note this spring are the large numbers of the enigmatic Bee Fly, both in the forest and at home in the garden.

A neighbour in Shadoxhurst has told me that she has seen what she thought was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on her bird feeder - so there's still hope that we still have them in the area.

The nostalgic Brambing

2011-03-28T21:53:00.004+01:00

As a child of the 60s, my primary school seemed blessed (it was Catholic!) with a library of wildlife books, especially ornithological guides. They had 3 inch hard-backed spines weighing more than I could carry back to my desk. Furthermore, they were difficult to hide under my standard size text books, away from the roving eyes of my teacher nuns, unmoved to share my interest - and ready to punish at any time.

I remember these books as being formal productions, not child friendly at all. Many had memorable, beautiful colour plates illustrating grand images that told ther own stories, Golden Eagles speeding down snow-covered mountains, hunting a white mountain Hare with a startled Ptarmigan near by. Less epic, were the illustrations of garden birds. These featured homily snow-covered gardens, not in the suburbs, but backing onto countryside (looking suspiciously like my garden now), and containing homely looking bird tables decorated with such old-fashioned bird food as unshelled monkey nuts and upturned coconuts shells. The bird tables would feature a snow covered roof, large enough to shelter a Wood Pigeon (no Collared Doves in those days), and typical common birds such as Robin, Song Thrush and House Sparrow. I say common, but that wasn't true, because fluttering in the snow on the bird table paintings would be at least one Brambling, a striking, boldy coloured finch that I'd never seen in my garden at all. As I got older, time passed by. Snow-filled gardens were to become even scarcer and those childhood memories of garden Bramblings were to remain covered in dust in school library. Still, four decades of patience and white winters are back with us, and just occasionally, real live Bramblings too. The old books were right!

Just a few years ago, in late March, we had a stunning flock of Brambling in near summer plumage, visit the garden for just a few days. This year, the individual pictured has been visiting our garden for about a month. Always in the company of a small flock of Chaffinches, I had hoped that now I've finally photographed our Scandanavian friend, that it would have a nicer more advanced glossy summer plumage. But I must be grateful for its visit and the colour it has brought to the garden before its imminent migration to upland northern Europe.

Early spring migration plovers - (no pics)

2011-03-12T21:27:00.004Z

A quick garden record for the diary from yesterday, a flock of 15 fly-over Golden Plovers heading North flew over 11.00am. Don't they know there's snow a head?

This morning at daybreak, a large flock of Redwings in the paddock behind the garden all had moved on by 9.00 am. A few Siskins still around and Gold Finches singing and feeding in the Larch.

Sparrowhawk with House Sparrow prey

2011-03-10T19:35:00.017Z

Sparrowhawk feeding on a freshly killed female House Sparrow, using an old football as a plucking post. Its unusual to see a female Sparrowhawk bird take a such a small passerine, as there are much larger Collared Doves and Wood Pigeons around the garden in abundance.

A rarer site, a male Sparrowhawk on the roof ridge surveying the garden for a dropped and lost meal.

The great escape, moments after this picture was taken the Pied Wagtail was ambushed by the male Sparrowhawk. Both birds 'bounced' into our patio window, enabling the wagtail to escape.

Sparrowhawks are ever-present around the garden at the moment with local breeding hawks and also wintering birds whose temporary territories criss-cross the village. And no wonder, as we have in the garden plenty of prey species feeding on seed daily. There are up to 20 Yellowhammers, and similar numbers of Chaffinch and House sparrow with added variety from a Brambling, 2-3 Greenfinch and 6 Siskins. The Sparrowhawks have opportunistically taken Wood pigeon, Collared Dove, Chaffinch, House Sparrow from the garden. The good news is that an attack on a Pied Wagtail in front of our feet on the garden deck was unsuccessful! And strangely, the Yellowhammers, who always seem to be the last to react never seem to be caught.

I don't think there is cause for concern about the Sparrows being overly -predated by Sparrowhawk, as Shadoxhurst has a large House Sparrow population. House Sparrow numbers fluctuate between 20 -40 in number feeding just in our own garden.

House sparrows in the garden are for good reason very flighty in character, and are particularly nervous just by the presence of lense reflections from my own binoculars (from 50 feet!). At dusk, it could be that there are 100 -200 roosting in the garden hedge. Roosting birds fly there from all directions and are quickly hidden deep in the foliage of Ivy and Dog Rose, away from the long-legged reach of Sparrowhawks.

Other recent records include, a Little Egret still present in the village. It can often be watched from the patio window collecting insects from horse dung in the pasture behind the garden.The same pastures have hundreds of Redwing and occasional Fieldfare feeding -up in preparation for their homeward spring journeys.

We are seeing Buzzard and Kestrel frequently, and Merlin has been seen twice. Little Owls too, are never far away, one bird calling at mid-day yesterday. Great spotted and Green Wooodpecker are ever present, but sadly its been 18 months since we've seen a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Magpies are nest building high in the canopy of a Spruce and we first saw Song Thrushes nest building in late February. Moorhens, Jays, Red legged Partridge, Pheasant and Jackdaw are also attracted to the bird seed in the garden. There is a evening flock of 60 Pied wagtails the largest I've seen in the village, present in the field behind the garden before moving on to roost.

ISS and Space Shuttle Discovery - the last rendevous

2011-03-04T22:24:00.014Z

Inspired by recent images I've seen of the International Space Station taken from Earth, I thought I'd take advantage of the clear night skies we are experiencing at the moment, and have a go at snapping a picture myself. The ISS is easy to spot, and even easier if you use 'heavens-above' web site for latest sightings.

Here's the link - http://www.heavens-above.com. Just enter your location from the database.

I've always enjoyed watching the ISS as it passes majestically overhead. Through binoculars its speed appears spectacular and its glow intensifies brilliantly as it passes directly over the garden, easily dwarfing any stars present. It just makes you feel good every time. And, I've been forcing/showing (?) my kids to see the ISS since they were toddlers. Rushing them down the garden, arms pointing to space and excitedly trying to be the first to spot the ISS clearing the horizon. All very much in the same way as my father did, showing me the Flying Scotsman steam train in the 60's. At 11 and 14 my boys are too 'grown-up' to step out into the garden and view it with me now. Still, my wife joins me - its great to share these things!
Somewhere at the back of the ISS (not the pointy bit) the Space Shuttle Discovery is docked, on its last mission to the station. Facts worth noting (as I forget them myself all the time), the ISS is 80 m wide and is orbiting approx 358 km altitude and travelling at 27,000 kph.

To see how to photograph the ISS properly, have a look at this superb video by a German astronomer: http://www.astroewers.de/index/raumstatueb/iss-sts133discovery110301/iss-sts133discovery110301e.htm

Winter Seawatch at Dungeness fishing boats

2011-02-01T20:16:00.010Z

Red breasted Merganser feeding under Cormorants

Saturday, January 29th: Two hours lively sea-watching huddled behind a fishing boat and sheltered from a very bitter north-easterly wind had some rewards. A scarce Red breasted Merganser feeding amongst a raft of Great Crested Grebes being one of them. Far out to sea, many flights of Guillemots and Razorbills, (Guillemots in summer plumage), were also feeding in drifting, rolling rafts often disappearing behind white choppy waters. Sadly, despite the onshore wind, all birds were just too far out for any crisp images. Overhead, flights of Brent Geese sometimes tagging along with Cormorants criss-crossed the point in search of calmer feeding areas. To add to the excitement, Red-throated Divers were also present. Some were content to feed and others racing through, seemingly charged up by the loud, bracing and very cold wind. Behind me, on the beach and above Jarmen's Cottage, an increasingly common sight for birders at Dungeness; two Ravens cart-wheeled into the sky chased by a mob of Crows - great stuff.

Red-throated Diver undaunted by strong N.E. wind

Bittern at Dungeness

2011-01-02T20:58:00.005Z

Another mostly overcast day, didn't really promise much photography (again!). But with a couple of spare hours, on a fast diminishing Christmas break, I half-heartedly took a flying visit to Dungeness in search of Bitterns. My luck was again 'in', heading straight to the Scott Hide on the Dungeness RSPB reserve, gave me some close encounters of these elusive and beautiful birds. The reserve has many Bitterns present at the moment and they have become faithful to favourite feeding spots. Spending most of the day hidden in the Reed bed, two birds flew in to feed just in front of the hide at dusk, giving breathtaking views. Such is the cleverness of modern DSLR cameras, that despite near darkness, I managed to collect a few worthwhile images. Will post more soon.

Shadoxhurst Little Egret, - a once rare visitor

2010-12-30T18:19:00.009Z

A pair of Little Egrets has established themselves around the streams which serve the village this winter. They're easy to spot, as they often rest on the field verges, or are seen flying over the village. Many people (mostly our village dog walkers) must have seen them in recent weeks.

Despite the cold weather, frequent disturbance and the stream seemingly choked in weed, the birds have not abandoned the village. This is because the stream has never frozen-up and must hold sufficient numbers of Sticklebacks, (their favourite prey) to make the feeding territory worthwhile. I wonder if it also means that there are more Little Egrets around, and therefore scarcer feeding territories to to move to - (better to stay put than fight?).

Driving out of the village this morning, I spotted this bird 'walking' in the field behind the Scout hut. I pulled-up the car, and then, hidden behind the road-side hedge, I watched it quarrying insects out of patches of horse dung - (isn't that what Cattle Egrets are supposed to do?). The bird walked past me surprisingly close, enabling some close quarter pictures.

What's interesting about this Egret is that it appears to have acquired its summer plume feathers on its chest and back already for spring 2011. The bird will presumably depart in spring to one of the Kent Heronries to breed far away from Shadoxhurst.

I have wondered for some weeks now, how I'd get close enough to the birds to get a decent picture, but it came to be that luck would once again give me a helping hand! So despite a very damp and murky day, our village Little Egret has provided an elegant ornithological highlight to end the year.

Raven - first Shadoxhurst record

2010-12-14T17:14:00.010Z

In the garden today, luck and perhaps harsh winter weather at home and on the continent have together, enabled me to have seen three scarce birds - (indeed one very rare). First, a Merlin. Whilst looking down the garden after Breakfast, a small falcon, seemingly no bigger than a Blackbird zipped across the garden. At a distance of just 30 feet from the patio-window, its sharp -pointed wings and sleek profile brought back memories of the Swallows that patrolled the same area during the summer.

2nd scarce bird was a Little Egret, stood on a ditch edge, way in the distance from the garden, but still boldly white and prominent. I first saw this bird accompanied by another Little Egret on Sunday. Little Egrets have become a scarce but regular visitors to the Shadoxhurst area in winter.

So to the third and rarest sighting of the day, A Raven. After lunch I put more seed out for the Yellowhammers and Chaffinch flock that frequent the back of the garden. Walking back to the house, I noticed a single large and black crow or raptor, high in the sky flying south to North. Visually, I was looking at something no more than a blob, as I didn't have my binoculars to aid me. Its flight was lolloping but still purposefully heading north, similar to many raptors seen migrating through. For a milli-second, I wondered if it was a Buzzard but I managed to take just enough shots to convince myself that this was most definitely a Raven! Ravens bred near Dover for the first time in a century during the Summer. There is also a small group of birds that can be seen along the coast from Dunegeness to Fairlight, so there are just two small populations not known to wander, so an inland record at Shadoxhurst is very special indeed. My hunch is that this Raven is a migrant, displaced from the severe weather on the near-continent. It will be interesting to see if other Kent records appear this winter and beyond as Ravens are nationally increasing in number.

Dungeness Autumn bird migration

2010-10-19T23:56:00.006+01:00

Flying in front of the Dungeness Lighthouse, migrating Goldfinches have been common this autumn

Present for a couple of weeks this Arctic Squa with distinctive missing primary feathers moved away before the weekend ended.

Fresh in off the sea a male Sparrowhawk

...and followed by a Merlin who started to chase the Goldfinches and then swung back out to sea again

And the Little Auk is still present from the weekend on Monday - perhaps it will survive! (See earlier post for full story!)

'Lost' Little Auk at Dungeness point

2010-10-18T20:58:00.021+01:00

High in the Arctic seas, Little Auks, a tiny cousin of the Puffin, live and breed, never venturing far to warmer climes. Breeding in communal colonies numbering tens of thousands they are dependent on 2 mm marine crustaceans called Copepods. Sadly, and it's a rare occurence, Little Auks can be displaced by strong northerly winds and for such a small bird they can become wrecked on our shores 800 miles from home. Even worse, these wrecked birds are set to starve if they don't have the latent energy reserves to return quickly.

This Little Auk was disorientated and paddling along the beach line and then eventually back out to sea. I had a small chance of capturing this bird, but it flapped back out to sea, just before I was going to make my move. David at the Dungeness Bird Observatory, has first-hand experience of trying to feed starving Little Auks in the past, and believes them to be impossibly hard to feed and return to sea successfully. One small hope for this bird, is that I did see it diving for food, but I'm unsure if the copepods it vitally needs would be present.

This is the first Little Auk I've seen for probably twenty years. It looked a strikingly cute bird, - hard to believe it was a resident of the high Arctic. It will have to take its chances and try to return back up North on its own. With inquisitive Gulls following its every move, its going to need a lot of luck just to find its way just out of Dungeness.

Somewhere our Little Auk is out there. Sunset over Rye bay, at least the weather was kind to it last night.

Long Tailed Skua and Arctic Skua at Dungeness

2010-10-12T21:04:00.009+01:00

Cold tones, contrasting underwing patterning and longer distinctive tail profile - this is a Long Tailed Skua!

The tail profile shows well on this image, but was much harder to see through binoculars on the day.

Sea watching at Dungeness on Sunday was rewarding with watching and photographing the skeins of Brent Geese close to the shore line. Also, through the sea spray and buffeting wind, there were two Skuas chasing Terns for their catch. One, an all dark bird, had a significant wing moult but was still powerful enough to pursue Sandwich Terns fishing offshore. This bird was a dark phase Arctic Skua. A second Skua appeared and disappeared behind choppy waves, again harassing the Terns. This bird appeared pale - but a similar size to the darker bird. With binoculars I couldn't get a better view to get a true identity, such was the distance out to sea.
I took photographs, but forgot my glasses so couldn't make out the fuzzy images on the back of my camera. Heading back to the car, I met David from the Bird Observatory who'd been watching the same birds from further along the beach. "Did you see the pale bird?" he asked. "Yes" I said. "It's an Arctic Skua, too big and heavy for a Long Tailed Skua".
When I arrived home later, I put my glasses on and looked at the images on the back of my camera. Now I could see straight away a pale Juvenile Skua but with a much longer tail profile than an Arctic. I was looking at pictures of my first Long Tailed Skua, all be it a Juvenile bird. The camera never lies and saved the day for this 'rusty' bird watcher.

Dark phase Arctic Skua in pursuit of a Sandwich Tern's fish catch.

Migrating Geese at Dungeness

2010-10-11T22:37:00.010+01:00

In the UK, the last week has seen the main winter arrivals of Brent Geese from Northern Russia. On my last post, we saw them for the first timetaking a short-cutting over Shadoxhurst instead of following the coast round. So the next day I went down to Dungeness point for a sea watch for Geese and Terns. When I arrived, their was a stiff onshore wind, a very high tide and much sea spray seemingly aiming for the 82 mm of glass in front of my camera. I noticed little skeins of Brent Geese flying tight to the beachline, flying perhaps 2 metres above the sea. But the time I'd raised my canera they were gone. A shame as I thought they'd have made a good picture.
They looked very purposeful, unperturbed by the strong wind. Strangely, all the birds were flying east around the point, perhaps looking for respite in Greatstone Bay.

I hoped I'd get a second chance at photographing a flock, just a matter of time I thought before some more geese would follow a similar path. Besides I'd also been destracted by some Skuas harrowing Terns, perhaps I could 'catch' them too?

After waiting for an hour or so, my luck was in - a second skein passing round the Dungeness point heading straight towards me. Struggling to keep the salt and spray off my lens, I managed to get some reasonably close pictures of these enigmatic little Geese. The results are okay, but if I could have kept the sea spray away they'd have been so much sharper.

700 migrating Brent Geese over Shadoxhurst

2010-10-08T20:58:00.012+01:00

First image shows an unaided eye view as the Geese flying south high overhead.

Perhaps there's nothing more stirring in nature than the sight of migrating Geese heading south in Autumn. But I now know there is something better, and that's when it's the first time you see it happening over your own back garden - miles away from where these birds should be. (at least I thought they followed the coastline on migration).

I still I have to pinch myself as I write this, but today, at 1.15pm on clear skys and a south easterly wind, a broad front of Brent Geese moved south at perhaps 1000 - 200om height, flying directly over the garden. I grabbed my camera and wife Sian to witness. I then changed a lense and a card in seconds - took a few pictures in seconds ... and then gone in seconds! Luckily the second wave flew over perhaps 5 minutes apart, again at a great height and they too were soon flying south into the sun.

I believe these Brent Geese are nearly at the end of a 2500 mile journey from Siberia. They've flown south directly over the Thames and Medway estuaries, and then as a short cut, over Mid Kent, Ashford, Shadoxhurst and beyond. With a clear sky and South Easterly winds these Geese could probably view Dungeness or the Rye Bay on the horizon. My guess is that these birds are on their way to the Sussex marshes of Pagham and Chichester or further south west still.

I hope this post gives encouragement to anyone who can't make it to the coast, where the more dramatic bird migration sightings are seen. You just never know what's flying over your own door step!

Brent Geese flying south directly over the garden

Brent Geese as close as I could get with a 500 mm lense.

The birds seemed silent and flew on shallow wings with just the faintest of wing beats

The first flock had 4oo birds the second flock 300 and seperated in time by 10 minutes.

A last close look before flying into the sun - I very rare site over Mid-Kent indeed!

Speckled Oak Bush Cricket and full moon

2010-10-02T23:48:00.005+01:00

Caught silouhetted against September's full moon, this cricket spent many hours motionless feeding high in the garden brambles.

Migrant Hawker - compound eye

2010-10-02T22:44:00.004+01:00

Click on any image within the blog to get a bigger picture

A close look at the compound eye of a Migrant Hawker photographed in the garden during the week. The individual cells you can see are called ommatidia. The more cells or ommatidia present, the greater insect's compound eye has to resolve images. With patience larger dragonflies can be approached to within millimetres which is what I did to get this close with a macro lense at hand. Compound images create an image from the mosaic created by the ommatidia. Perhaps to get an idea of what a dragonfly is seeing is to look at the enlarge pixels of a digital image in photoshop or paint. Just imagine each pixel is an individual ommatidia.

Autumn Hawker dragonflies

2010-10-02T18:29:00.013+01:00

Male Southern Hawker patrolling over the pond

Whilst our summer Damselfly season ended nearly 6 weeks ago, the two large 'common' Hawker dragonflies are still visiting the garden and will continue to until the first frosts arrive. The male Southern Hawker is patrolling singularly, and feeding over the pond in quite poor weather; although importantly, the temperatures are still quite warm. The slightly smaller Migrant Hawker, pictured, was resting and sunning itself on Rose hips on what was a lovely autumn day. The Migrant Hawker is still numerous, feeding in loose groups in the glade of the garden. The macro pictures below show that the tattiness on the wings isn't just wear and tear, but also seems to be from with dried flower and plant debris (probably Hemp Agrimony) where this species will have been hunting.

Pictures below are the Migrant Hawker

Vapourer moth and Summer bugs

2010-09-20T22:50:00.032+01:00

It's such a long time since I've added a post - in fact, sadly, I've just about missed the whole of summer. So to sum-up (before winter's here), the first half of summer to mid- July was gloriously hot and sunny in Kent - but then it went decidedly down hill as soon as my kids started their summer holidays. Looking back I can't remember anything too special that visited the garden. But then the standards are high, with insects such as White Admiral and Hornet a fairly regular sight. Likewise birds such as Hobby, Buzzard, Nightingale, and down by the church at least, Spotted Flycatchers still continue to nest. Most of the pictures I took during the summer seemed to be of insects; all common stuff except for one or two I've yet to identify. But let's start with the Vapourer Moth caterpillar (below) found feeding on Dog Rose leaves close to the house during July.

Vapourer Moth caterpillar, probably the highlight of the garden this summer. Unless you count this....

...I believe it's either a Squash bug or a much rarer Box Bug...

...and then, there was also this (below)! I think this could be some kind of Ground Beetle. A mixture of metallic greens and red flanks it was a beautiful insect to see.

A Nusery Web Spider (above) looks awesome under the macro lens.

Azure Damselflies have graced the garden pond into early August.

A micro Moth species.

Resting in the garden pond reeds, a China mark Moth.

Large Red Damselfly with prey.

Female Emperor dragonfly egg-laying on Broadleaf pond weed. This is only the second time this has happened in 10 years here.

Feeding on Meadowsweet pollen and then moving onto unmentionable things, a pair of Longhorn Beetles.

A Speckled Bush Cricket stalking prey on the flower of Greater Spearwort.

A rare visit to the garden and my hand from the unwelcome female Cleg fly.

A common and beautiful Marmalade Hoverfly species.

Azure Damselfly with prey.

An Orb Web spider.

German wasp on blackberries.

A Parasitic wasp gorytes mystaceus with prey.

An, as yet, unidentified fly species.

White-tailed Plover at Dungeness RSPB

2010-07-11T23:33:00.007+01:00

With much thanks to my sister who tipped me off that there was a "Mega bird" at Dungeness in the form of a White tailed Plover, I whizzed off down to Dungeness for a good old -fashioned bird watching twitch tonight! When I arrived there, I thought I'd missed it, as the bird had not be seen for an hour. The bird had been hundreds of miles away in Glouceter just the previous day, so chances of seeing it seem very low. Or so I thought.. ..I decided to head back home (with the world-cup final shortly to begin), and started walking back to my car, Suddenly, a stampede of birders seemingly appeared out of no where. I then realised the bird had been refound.

My luck was with me tonight, as I saw this very elegant plover feeding out in the open often in the company of our resident Lapwings.This White-tailed plover should be at home in Iraq, Iran and Russia, but tonight it's thousands of miles away in Kent, much to the admiration of many birders who realise it could well be a once in a life time event.

Purple Heron

2010-06-06T23:03:00.013+01:00

Purple Heron skulking around in the Denge Marsh reed bed.

The RSPB at Dungeness have history in the making on the reserve, with a pair of Purple Herons expected to be the first ever to breed in the British Isles. My first and very distant views were made after a early morning start to Dungeness on Satuday morning. The reserve seemed to be alive with birds and I was able to catch-up with some of our more common summer visitors to;

A distant comparison here between the Purple Heron and a larger Grey Heron being pursued by a Lesser Black backed Gull

Whitethroat collecting insects in Gorse

Lesser Whitethroat still calling and proclaiming its territory seems a little late in the year. Usually this is something I usually associate with late April - so it's really a sign of our late spring.

Female Reed bunting - seemingly abundant on the Reserve

Sedge warbler with a collection of bugs ready to delivered back to its nest.

A fine adult male Marsh harrier - one of many individual harriers that can be seen hunting in the vicinity of the reserve.

And finally, a look upwards seemed to give a guarantee of up to 4 Hobbies. Beautiful birds, if only they'd all fly a little closer for the lens!

Blue Tits ready for the jump

2010-06-02T23:39:00.005+01:00

Hidden in the shade of Ivy leaves, our Blue Tit box houses a thriving family of fledglings now ready to depart. When not being fed with a near continuous feed of Green caterpillars, the young birds jostle for a better view of the world outside. I'm guessing that within 24 hours, they'll have made the big jump and join many other Blue Tit young already on the wing.

Hobbies prospecting and - are 'our' Buzzards nesting?

2010-05-24T17:13:00.013+01:00

...Evidently by this picture of an adult bird carrying nest building material they are! So we now have some real evidence of Common Buzzard attempting to breed in the parish. Watching from the garden deck this morning, with two Hobbies circling high above, I noticed above them one of our local Buzzards much higher again. Only when checking these images later, did I notice the stick in the talons. A Cuckoo called in the background but yesterday's Spotted Flycatcher seems to have gone for now.

Spotted flycatcher in the garden

2010-05-23T22:40:00.011+01:00

The hottest day of the year so far, has brought a welcome summer visitor to our garden today - from dawn to dusk we've had a Spotted Flycatcher flying from TV aerial to Oak tree canopy and then to the back garden Poplar (all high vantage points). As I've mentioned in postings before, this once common summer visitor is now scarce, so to see one back in the garden after a couple of years absence is great news. If it was to pair and breed, its biggest obstacle to success may well be the garden squirrels who easily raid eggs and young. My photographs are distant, as the bird always stayed high -up or at least roof top level. With luck it'll stay with us a little longer.

Top picture taken during morning, flycatcher in Oak canopy pics taken during the evening

Mystery fly and Damsel fly

2010-05-21T22:04:00.008+01:00

Smouldering summer like temperatures and weather have arrived after weeks of chilling North East winds. Our spring which always felt as cold as winter, has suddenly turned to summer - (for now)! Under mostly blue skies at the top of our Blackthorn trees, a small swarm of weak flying black flies (15 mm long) with shiny irridescent wings and long black antennae 40- 50 mm have danced, basked and displayed together. They have in fact slowly moved from tree to tree down the garden boundary with the paddock (following the sun). They remind me a little bit of the Solomon Seal Sawfly or St Marks fly, but then close observation shows them to be more like a Dancer fly. They are structurally different though and as yet I can't put a common name to them. Their attention has not gone unnoticed by others with big eyes around the garden to - see below!

The flies seem to dance around each other and also flick their wings in display too. But the warm sun has also brought a rush of adult Large Red Damsel flies to the garden and pond margins too - and as you can see a dancing delicate fly doesn't always just attract a mate!

Norwegian spruce - Red pine cones

2010-05-19T22:52:00.006+01:00

Gardens always have the ability to throw something new at you. In this case, our tall and gangly Norwegian Spruce has about a dozen crimson red 'baby' pine cones growing. Against a blue sky with strong sunshine on them, they're very beautiful; - almost glowing such is the intensity of their red hue. No doubt, this is probably a common phenonemon but I've never noticed them before in fifteen years of living here.

I'd like to get better pictures but the cones are quite high up and out of reach. I stood on the boys' old climbing frame, armed with a long telephoto lense to get these pictures. Quite a silly risk for a picture of what is after all - a pine cone!

Starlings hawking St Marks fly

2010-05-18T00:05:00.009+01:00

The near return of typical May temperatures has seen a big increase in insects on the wing. Amongst the Swallows and House Martins over the garden, the Starlings, with hungry chicks to feed, are every bit as adept at taking insects on the wing as their more aerial and exotic cousins. The insects they're hawking are clearly visible as they drift haplessly across the garden at tree top level. I believe that they're are catching mostly St Marks fly, a medium sized all black insect usually on the wing in swarms at the begining of May.

Albino Grey Squirrel

2010-05-17T22:58:00.006+01:00

This pure white Albino Grey Squirrel has been present in Shadoxhurst for about three years now. Its surprisingly wary and has only recently allowed such close scrutiny. Locally, Squirrel numbers seem very low these days, and I can only guess some one has been using them for shooting practice. Good! (Sorry Squirrel lovers) Perhaps this ones white coat is continuing to yield it some good luck and protection? I don't have much time for Squirrels, for I know the damage they do to bird populations - even this albino one however cute remains an uninvited guess.

Resting Orange Tip Butterfly

2010-05-17T22:37:00.003+01:00

The first Orange-tip butterfly in spring is to me as joyous an event as the first Cuckoo call of the year. They seem to be perpetually restless, never really wishing to rest, and when that you see the orange tips flash by i an instant, its such a beautiful sight. This I think is the first time I've found one that was resting with its wings folded up and showing its designer camouflage.

I took this picture some weeks ago, and thought it would be good to take a few more of the same species over the early spring period. Sadly, a wretched cold wind for most of the spring, put an early end to the flying season of this delicate butterfly. Orange Tip butterflies appear to have a short flying season and I fear they may have had a rather poor season this year.

Fledgling Robins venture forth

2010-05-17T22:21:00.004+01:00

Our pair of garden Robins who boldly take raisens from an arms length away, have raised probably three young. They have been foraging food from us and the lawn margins and feeding the fledglings from hidden sanctuary within the garden hedges for the last 10 days. Now the fledglings are big and confident enough to explore the lawn and try finding food for themselves.

With hourly visits from our Sparrowhawk, the parent birds are never too far away to warn of the danger.

A good spring for the birds so far

2010-04-27T23:21:00.005+01:00

I like the way our Wren closes its eyes when trying hard to hit the high notes!

Song Thrush - largely secretive in the garden to avoid the bully' garden Blackbirds

Walking along the village footpaths this afternoon, revealed plenty of summer migrants in song . Cuckoo, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Nightingale, Swallow and House Martin are all present and correct for the time of year. Just waiting for the first summer Hobby and Swifts now! We noted our local Buzzards are firmly holding territory over there favourite wood - but will they nest?

In the garden, Robin and Blackbird are feeding hidden young in the borders and Wren and Song Thrush were very vocal with there intentions this morning to. Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Greenfinch are nest building and Blue Tits and Great Tits are brooding in the boxes. Its all lovely - but, we are wary of a pair of Carrion Crows who have taken residence of an old Magpies nest in the big spruce in the front garden.

Blue tits feeding on Sallow Catkins

2010-04-24T22:18:00.006+01:00

Our garden has been dominated our Sallow trees whoose catkins are now in full flower. As an early nectar food source for Bumble Bees and other insects, our three large Sallows are vitally important to much of our fauna in early spring.

Chiffchaff lining nest with feathers

2010-04-24T22:10:00.005+01:00

Again at Singleton Lake, I watched this Chifchaff for about half an hour, repeatedly fly down to its ground hidden nest, just feet from the lake footpath, with white feathers. The feathers would be for lining the nest and will be near completed. The bird seem to have little fear of anyone walking past - I think it was simply to busy to be troubled.

Singleton Lake Ashford

2010-04-24T21:57:00.006+01:00

Just a five minute drive from Shadoxhurst, Singleton lake primarily a fishing lake, is a magnet for summer migrants especially warblers. From the car park path to the emerging reeds on the lakeside, Willow, Sedge and Reed warblers accompanied by Nightingale, Blackcap and Chiffchaff can be heard and seen. Its a great way to catch up with summer birds and introduce any one to birdwatching. Its so easy and fun! With just a little reed coverage around the edge, Reed warblers are quick to spot especially as there isn't to much new reed growth yet. This first bird has a prominent ring on its lake.

Fulmars at Capel-le-Ferne, Folkestone

2010-04-22T23:02:00.010+01:00

The great Sea bird colonies in Britain are far to the North and West of our Isles. There you can see tens of thousands of Gannets, Guillimots, Puffins and Kittiwakes. But they're so far away, that visiting them from Kent is really something you can do only once or twice a year as part of a holiday. Down in Kent, we have some good Tern colonies but nothing to match the grand cliff colonies of RSPB reserves such as Bempton in Yorkshire. However there is one magnificent seabird that can be found breeding on the chalk cliffs of Kent,-the Fulmar! A smaller cousin of the Albatrosses and has dramatically spread from Iceland and other near Arctic coasts. In the space of 100 years Fulmars began to colonise the Scottish islands and then down the Yorkshire coast to eventually meet the English Channel. What is remarkable about Fulmars is their expansion is hard to explain not least by the fact that they lay just one egg a year and take perhaps ten years to mature as a breeding adult.

You can see breeding Fulmars quite easily from any of the cliff top walks at Capel-le-Ferne, near Folkestone. There, birds can be seen this month dramatically soaring over the Folkestone Warren and engaged in some complex courtship display at their chosen nest sites usually a hollow or sheltered ledge crevice on the chalk cliff face. Some birds are particularly easy to watch (all be it they're high -up!) and with binoculars you can watch bonded pairs, display with much noise, head rocking and beak-clapping. Its as memorable as anything you'll see on an exotic David Attenborough programme - a great birding site to see this spring and into the summer too.

Fulmar about to land at nest site. The Dover/London railway runs at the base of the cliffs below the Fulmar colony.

'Pot Hole Ted' the Shadoxhurst plumber

2010-04-21T21:49:00.006+01:00

Special thanks must be given to 'Pot Hole Ted' for repairing our watermains leak. In the last week Ted has gone from being the most famous person in Shadoxhurst to a national hero for a day.

'Pot Hole Ted', as he's now called, made national news when he made and displayed a triangular warning sign saying 'Pot holes.' Ted made the sign in an attempt to warn motorists and cyclists of the post-winter pot holes that lie in their dozens on the Shadoxhurst roads. Sadly, despite his apparent goodwill, a neighbour reported him to the community police officer, who then went on to 'advise' Ted to take his sign down on the grounds that it was distracting motorists. Anyone who has attempted to drive through Shadoxhurst throughout the winter will have understood the craziness of this request.

Ted's story, first featured in the local Ashford press, but was quickly followed with interviews with the BBC and the national newspapers.

It's interesting to consider how many other countries would ask one of its citizens to remove a home-made sign that simply warned of an impending and potentially lethal danger ?

Burst water-mains spoils our front garden

2010-04-21T20:41:00.006+01:00

Digger on the lawn, picture taken before complete lawn destruction!

Just when our front garden was at its best with Lilly of the Valley, Blue Bells and Giant Snow Drops in flower, our old iron water-mains pipe burst leaving the lawn flooded. The pipe was over a metre down and the subsequent excavation and replacement of pipe has destroyed the lawn and the flower beds for this year. The exposed earth has attracted many Bees and Flies, and Blackbirds and Robins have had no problem collecting worms for their growing broods.

Bee-fly - a common April / May visitor.

Our local Sparrowhawk

2010-04-17T22:07:00.000+01:00

Barely an hour passes without this large and beautiful female Sparrowhawk visiting the garden. Occasionally she tries a low sweep through the garden other times its a lethargic glide and search with an accompanying mob of Swallows, Greenfinches and Crows trying to divert the bird away. Only occasionally does she stop at the bottom of the garden and I'm there with my camera ready for a quick snap.

Small Brindled Beauty

2010-03-19T23:01:00.005Z

I thought it might be interesting to try the Moth trap in early spring this year -something I've not tried before. Under a misty overcast sky and very mild temperatures to the constant sound of Redwings migrating through, I recorded this interesting moth. Originally, I thought this was a Brindled beauty, but checking my field guides carefully, I beIieve this to be the smaller and similar Small Brindled Beauty. It has a metallic brass sheen to its wings which vaguely recalls the Burnished Brass recorded elsewhere on my blog. I think my images could have been better as it looked a prettier Moth in the hand. Still, there's plenty of nights ahead to practice.

Chiffchaff - first spring migrant

2010-03-18T15:34:00.004Z

Much warmer and milder weather today, (with a SW westerly breeze to), brought in a Chiffchaff to the garden. It was singing from the Larch at the front of the house this afternoon. Its our first summer migrant of the spring.

14 degrees good-bye winter?

2010-03-15T19:49:00.005Z

Sunday and today have seen a big leap in sunshine and temperature. Spring is now warm enough for the first visits down the garden of the Brimestone butterfly - ( unfortunately to quick for me to photograph). They are also accompanied by basking Peacock Butterflies interested in nothing more than a spot of sun bathing. Bees are here to, on the hunt for nectar rich plants and catkins, but as yet there isn't too much in flower to feed on. In our garden the Sallows always provide early spring blossom but will not be in full flower for another week yet.

Winter light on Blue Tit

2010-03-06T21:50:00.008Z

After late February's cold and relentlessy wet weather we now have bitterly cold but sunny March days. The wind is from the North and the threat of a snow flurry never far away. Still, at least we are now getting some sunshine and on the continent they really are still in the grip of winter. My son George, returned from Koblenz today, and there was freshly fallen thick snow in Germany and Belgium.

Back in the garden - spring is trying to show signs of promise. My first Bumble Bee was seen yesterday, Chaffinches and Blackbirds are battling over territories, a pair of Robins exchange centipedes strengthening the bond and the pond has plenty of Newt activity.

Blue Tits have started to return and rebuild last year's nests in the boxes. Having now depleted the hedgerows of berries, Redwings and Fieldfares in the pasture field, are now fattening up on Earthworms in readiness for their Northward bound return to Scandinavia and Russia. Interestingly our 'garden' Fieldfare is still very much with us, feasting on a 'gift' apple a day at the bottom of the garden.

Redwings foraging in the pasture field

Fieldfares are numerous in the pasture field at the moment, but I think this bird is still the same one that has been visiting for Apples since Christmas.

Fieldfare feasting on garden Rose Hips

2010-02-13T17:57:00.012Z

A brisk north-easterly wind has brought snow once again to Kent and a return visit of Fieldfares to the garden too. Whilst some birds are still feeding on Apples at the back of the garden, two are feeding close to the house on the Dog Rose berries (Rose hips in the garden hedge. The Rose hips, tough and and unmovable for most of the winter, have now softened and the Fieldfares have quickly devoured most of the fruit they can reach. What remaining Rose hips there are lie at the end of thin stems, a place from where this large Thrush struggles to collect, but now the Fieldfares fly-up, strike and knock the berries down to eat from the lawn.

Interestingly, our local garden Blackbird pair are very aggressive to the Fieldfares near the house, constantly chasing the them away. This is something of a surprise to me, as the much larger Fieldfare is usually the undisputed and (uninvited) garden king.

Apologies for yet another collection of Fieldfare close-ups. These were taken with much better light conditions, and you should find these are higher quality images than those on previous posts. Also, you simply never know when Fieldfares will arrive back in our winter gardens, the last time was 10 years ago.

This is 'our' Blackbird who has been busy chasing the Fieldfares away from it's garden territory. Frustratingly, it won't tolerate our garden Song Thrushes either. Our bird (we should have given it a name by now) is easily recognisable by its drooped left wing. It's been around the garden and fathered dozen of fledglings for at least four years.

Bullfinch feeding on snow covered Bramble

2010-02-13T17:03:00.009Z

Just 20 feet down the garden we have left a thicket of Bramble and Dog Rose build-up over 10 years. After the pond I wonder if this is the most valuable and important wildlife resource in the garden?
In spring it is used as a nesting site for Blackbird and Song Thrush, in summer it is ofter visited by White Admiral Butterfly, Honey Bees and Hornets. In winter there is a roost of House Sparrows and Starlings, and the bramble fruit heads which we leave to go to seed - and admitidely looking rather scruffy, are an important food resource for the scarce Bullfinch. These once common and slightly docile looking finches seem to be scarcer than in my childhood memories. I once read a game-keeping article that considered the decline was caused by an increase number of Sparrowhawks. I guess Gamekeepers would say that, wouldn't they - but the round-headed, thick-necked and dumpy Bullfinch appear to offer a Sparrowhawk an easier catch than, perhaps, an agile Chaffinch?

Back to the garden: As with last winter, we presently have a party of 3 Bullfinches which forage for hours in the bramble stems. There are two striking crimson-breasted males and a demure and equally beautiful female bird. It may just be coincidence, but our Bullfinches seem to appear when the weather is particularly bad - for instance the middle of this snow storm. They're very shy birds making photography a real challenge. I like these pictures because they show the birds feeding naturally and not, for instance, at a bird feeder.

For some reason our Bullfinches will not take any interest in the sunflower or nyjer seed at out feeding stations and once they've depleted the bramble seeds, they'll probably be gone till next winter.

Full moon and fieldfares

2010-01-31T22:28:00.007Z

The clear sky last night revealed a super bright full moon and good views of Mars too. The blue sky that followed today may possibly have been the second since Christmas, and this meant I'd get a good chance with the Fieldfares still feasting on Apples, down at the bottom of the garden. Here's a few of the best so far. I've got the feeling that there's more than one bird calling-in and that they me be around for a little while longer yet, so I'm still hoping for better images to come.

Hibernating Red Lilly Beetles - (Not Cardinal beetles)

2010-01-24T22:05:00.009Z

Post - update
Thanks to the eagle eyes of the Normanby nature blog, (my sis), the Shadoxhurst garden blog has reconsidered its view on this beetle and re classified it as the Red Lilly Beetle, apparently the No.1 garden enemy. Oh dear! In my defence, our specimens does seem to have a more rectangular profile than the Red lilly pics I've seen, but its the antenaee that appear to have a notched profile rather than a comb or toothed profile that confirms this is a Red lilly Beetle..(for now). Now back to the original post..

Since the cold spell over the Christmas period we've obviously had the central heating temperature raised-up to make life more comfortable for us, and it's not just us humans who've been feeling the benefit. Coinciding with this, we have been occasionally finding some dozy red Beetles strolling up and down curtains, book shelves and stairs. We've found half a dozen now and where exactly they're hibernating within (or under the house) we don't know!

Once found we place them under the bark of the Cedar tree in the garden in the hope they might return to hibernation for a few months more. From my knowledge, I don't recall seeing these during the summer months so its strange and rare to find them hibernating in the house.

We'd like to apologise to all Shadoxhurst gardeners for not destroying such a feared garden enemy. On the otherhand it is cold out there and I'm sure they've not survived.

Moth on the night of the big thaw

2010-01-15T20:33:00.007Z

With blanket snow across the country, it may well have been the coldest winter for 2o years , but on the first night of the thaw in which temperatures jumped form 0 - to 6 degrees, I spotted this moth which I think is a Mottled Umber flying against the bed-room window. I'm sure it will survive (although judging by its sub due colours its natural life doesn't have far to go), our garden which had 10 cm of snow just two days ago is now clear.

Fieldfare - closer garden images

2010-01-11T16:39:00.011Z

In our present extreme winter conditions, I'm sure many people have a 'bully' Fieldfare dominating their snow covered garden and garden birds. Tolerating no other bird in our garden, the invading Fieldfare is unwilling to share food and territory to our smaller resident thrushes such as Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Robins and also other ransacking Fieldfares. Characteristically, our bird loudly scolds all other birds away, and steadfastly perches over our bird food offerings - in particular Apples!

Still I'm thrilled to have a Fieldfare taking up residence in our Shadoxhurst garden. They're a large and handsome thrush, dressed in a patchwork plumage of greys, buffs and browns. They have a lovely buff brow above the eye a spotted chest, a grey cap and rump and a pure white belly - just beautiful!

When I took these pictures, it was 3 'o' clock dark and overcast with sleet falling. Walking down the garden, to my hide (0ld shed), it was difficult to see if our Fieldfare was even present - not ideal photographic conditions. However, using a mono-pod underneath the camera, and sheltered and hidden in the hide, I managed to get these closer images of our Scandinavian friend. With no sunshine forecast this week, these maybe the best images I get of our temporary and boisterous visitor before the thaw in the countryside begins.

The view down the garden at the time of these pictures. The Fieldfares visit the Blackthorn down at the back

Fieldfare on Dog Rose

2010-01-09T11:36:00.010Z

Heavy snow continues. The road's blocked the kids can't get to school - normal life has ground to a halt!
I've taken the opportunity to try and get some nice winter images of some of our scarcer winter visitors starting with the a Scandinavian visiting Fieldfare. We've placed sliced apples in the Blackthorn in the hope of bringing in a hungry flock, and if by magic, we now have one bird taking up temporary residence in the garden. Photographing from the old shed at the bottom of the garden, the bird is vary wary and hard to get close to. Whilst it prefers the Apple slices, it's also partial to the Rose Hips, which allows me to get a completely natural picture too. I would imagine it's going to be around for a while so perhaps there's better pictures to come.

January freeze finally hits Kent

2010-01-07T21:22:00.007Z

England is officially gripped by the coldest weather spell in 25 years. Here's a few pictures taken in the garden today just for the record. Admittedly, we only have a fraction of the snow thats shut down most of the country in the last few days. Pictured above is our deeply frozen garden pond with about an inch of snow surrounding it. Picture taken at sunset today.

Redwings always shy and difficult to approach are entering gardens now. This one is rummaging underneath the Blackthorn bushes where the snow can't lay (yet!).

Blue Tits have taken an interest in the apple slices put out for the Thrushes

The 3 Red-legged Partridges remain close to the garden for much of the day feeding on corn I've put out for the Yellowhammers (below).

Garden bird list - Winners and Losers

2009-12-27T12:44:00.010Z

Juvenile Lesser Spotted woodpecker in the garden. Declining nationally and getting harder to see in the garden. Still breeding near the village though. This pic from '07.

Swallows appear to be plentiful managing two broods around the paddock buildings in Shadoxhurst.

Hobby over the garden; from May to September can frequently be seen harrowing Swallows and House Martins over the village.

Spotted Flycatcher; once a common summer garden visitor - now very scarce. This picture was taken in the garden in '06. Birds have been absent for the last two years.

It's the end of the year, and after nearly fifteen years living in Shadoxhurst, I decided to have a count of all the bird species we have seen and heard from our Kent garden. The count, as of today, is 91, with the number of birds seen physically in the garden i.e. on the lawn, by the pond or in trees, being 60. The number of bird species seen from the garden during 2009 stands at 77.

Top 5 birds seen from the garden:
Kingfisher: nominated by Lewis and seen by all, fishing in the pond for a winter's morning just over 2 years ago.

White-backed Vulture (escapee): nominated by George, but sadly cannot be accepted as wild! This bird spent some weeks in East Kent during spring '07 and was seen by several birdwatchers across the county.

White Stork: Seen once and soaring high over the garden by Sian.

Red-legged Partridges: nominated by Sian, these 3 birds have become well known to many of the villagers for over a year.

Honey Buzzard: Not seen since summer 'o7, we are privileged to have had stunning views of these birds which occasionally hold territory in East Kent woods.

Best Bird of 2009
Red Kite: just one fly-over record, but what a sight!

Enigmatic birds of '09
Whimbrel: On late-summer nights, traveling south high overhead, Whimbrel migrate from Scottish breeding grounds, and call unseen in the wee small hours of the night. I hear them when I'm checking the Shadoxhurst garden moth trap. Their far-carrying contact call has a primeval ambiance to it - and on still and silent nights it's certainly a hair-raising experience.

Runner-up:
Cuckoo: still heard and seen in our village parish - it has nevertheless declined dramatically in the UK and I have no evidence that Cuckoo bred in the parish in '09.

Winners and Losers
Okay, starting with winners, the undoubted birds that come to mind are thriving Birds of Prey. Birds unimaginable in my youth in the 60's and 70's are now on long and sustained population growths and regularly seen from our garden. This is no more exemplified than the wandering Red Kite we saw over our garden during May of this year. Red Kites held a small population of 20 pairs in Wales when I was a kid and, thanks to re-introduction schemes, are now beginning to find their way into east Kent. Common Buzzard now hold territories over Shadoxhurst along with Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Tawny and Little Owl. Barn Owls are not breeding in our parish but they aren't too far away either.

Another runaway success story is that of the Hobby. Perhaps my favourite bird, it cuts a striking scythe in the sky of contrasting black, white and red. Returning back to my childhood, the only chance to see a Hobby was to travel to the New Forest in Hampshire, the only reliable haunt of what was then a very rare bird of prey.

Hobbies are long distance migrants but it is believed that their breeding success of the last 25 years has been driven by environment changes closer to our home. Cleaner waterways and conversion of post-war gravel pits to lakes have provided perfect breeding grounds for one of the Hobby's most important food sources - dragonflies!

Resident birds doing well in our garden include Nuthatch, Yellowhammer, Wren, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Collared Dove and Wood Pigeon.

Summer visitors that appear to be doing well and regularly returning to Shadoxhurst are Swallow, House Martin, Cuckoo (just!).

Goldfinches are also an easy bird to see in Shadoxhurst. Breeding in our garden in '09, there success is no doubt aided by the trend to feed garden birds all year round.

The Losers - notable absentees
Many of our once common summer migrants are struggling nationally. The Spotted Flycatcher, once a common summer garden visitor, has now been absent from our garden for the last two years. Other passage migrant birds such as Willow warbler and Sedge warbler are scarcer now than they were ten years ago. Still seen annually in the garden, the Bullfinch, a once common resident, seems to be becoming scarcer too, as is the Lesser Spotted woodpecker.

The rate of decline for many of our once common birds is a cause for concern. For Cuckoos and Spotted flycatchers wintering south of the Sahara, their problems may be beyond us. Will the next year be the last time we hear a cuckoo calling? I hope not, but with 39% decline in the last ten years, listening for the call of returning males next April will be another anxious time.

Let's hope for a good New Year with plenty of positive stories to share!

Glossy Ibis going to roost at Dungeness RSPB

2009-12-13T19:22:00.016Z

The new Lighthouse at Dungeness point

Carrion crow on the wire just before Ibis flight

No light- but a reasonable record of a female Marsh harrier from some distance

Two Glossy Ibis's have been loyal to the wetlands at the main entrance to Dungeness RSPB for so long now, that even lazy birdwatchers like myself have finally got around to seeing them.

Standing in the middle of hailstorm, the sun already set and temperatures just over freezing, I watched the birds quickly move to a favoured roosting spot. These rare visitors to the UK were originally part of a mini-autumn invasion of about a dozen birds, and should really be in a traditional West African wetland for the winter. However, such is the mildness of our Autumn, (just one frost so far) that these birds are happily finding fish and amphibians in the Dungeness wetland and seemingly comfortably suriving the winter.
Dramatic and fast changing weather meant there was a possibility of photographing the birds against a golden sunset. Sadly and bizarely, I was caught in the hail shower - so we will have to wait another night for that kind of shot.

Dramatic Dungeness Sunset, but no Ibis yet!

And here they finally are, on their way to roost

Preparing to roost within seconds of leaving their grazing field -the two Glossy Ibis's

An all to brief but exciting view - I'm happy to have a few snaps to end the year with.

Dungeness early December

2009-12-07T09:04:00.007Z

Adult male Marsh harrier

First winter Marsh harrier (above and below)

Two hours at Dungeness, on a fine Sunday afternoon was just enough time to see some great winter birds including; Bittern, 2 Bewick Swan, 2 Glossy Ibis, Marsh Harrier, male Hen harrier Water Rail and Black Redstart. The very heavy rainfall over the last few weeks has left Dungeness and across to Romney Marsh a maze of flooded fields, swollen streams and ditches. The extreme wet and mild winters followed by extremely dry summers seem to be developing into a pattern down here in Kent.

Reflections on winter so far

2009-12-05T06:38:00.005Z

Pressure of keeping work has kept me well away from my blog for sometime (and it's set to continue). If their's been a memorable highlight to our autumn winter so far, it would have to be the heavy rain we have been getting, especially last Monday, which saw us with a water pump, moving water away from the front of the house and drive. Last time we found ourselves in that situation must have been 6 or 7 years ago. Having spent the summer very low in water, the two ponds at the back of the garden are the main benefactors from all this, occasionally, they are now so full they appear as one big pond.

Oak and Sallow leaves stayed late on our trees right up to the middle of November. It took several gales and heavy rain to leave the trees bare by the beginning of December.

When it hasn't been raining, we are occasionally rewarded with clear blue skies, and Tuesday saw us receive the first wafer-thin frost of the year. This brought a big increase to the number of birds in the garden, especially House Sparrows (40+) and the return of Yellowhammers (5+). A Heron has taken an interest in the pond, Sparrowhawks are regular with the occasional Kestrel seen to. Last year's Red legged Partridges (now down to three) are still faithfully visiting the garden and two Song Thrushes are now in full song. Fieldfares, Wood pidgeons and Redwings are plentiful in flight overhead, but only a few make a fleeting stay to feed on the Sloe berry bumber crop still remaining at the back of the garden. So far our winter weather, has been mild and extremely wet. Just my guess work, but the past summer/autumn lack of rain has been corrected now, with little risk of a drought in 2010.

Fieldfares, always highly vocal, regularly stop off for a rest high in our neighbours Black poplar tree. Hopefully later in the winter I'll get some closer views.

Mewing Buzzards over Shadoxhurst

2009-10-13T21:58:00.005+01:00

Just a few years ago, Common Buzzards were a real rarity here in East Kent. But such is their success nationwide, they are now considered one of our commonest Birds of Prey in the UK. And so we are certainly seeing more Common Buzzards over Shadoxhurst these days. In fact, so many friends in the village reported seeing them this summer, that there is a good chance they may have secretly bred from within the parish. Could this playful adult pair be our local birds - or are they merely passing through Kent and moving on beyond? My hunch is they are our local birds.

Autumn garden birds

2009-10-13T21:36:00.005+01:00

Female Great Tit blending into the shadows

After a days rain last weekend, its back to lazy colourful sunny autumn days again. I like the way how the garden birds successfully camouflage into the dappled light of the autumn foliage.

House Sparrows - roosts with starlings in a large and noisy flock 2o feet from the house

Blackbirds in their dozens feed on the bumper sloe berry harvest at the back of the garden

Can't resist another Dunnock shot. Shy and drab with your eye and yet beautiful on camera.

I'd like to get a few more pics of this male Great Tit. Its thought that male Great tits aren't as 'yellow' as birds say 30 years ago: - it's all linked to diet. But this one has a bright yellow breast and stunning black outline too.

Still plenty of hornets around- again, camouflaged nicely in the golden colours of autumn Rosebay Willow herb.

Pale Tussock caterpillar

2009-10-04T22:03:00.004+01:00

Found whilst walking in nearby woods, by eldest son George,we brought it home to photograph and later release. A fairly common Moth around here in the summer, I've found caterpillars in the garden in Autumns past. It's hairy, beautiful and preposterous at all times. Tussock moth caterpillar hairs can leave a rash, so if you find a hairy caterpillar be careful with your hands. It's a brisk mover so photographs are quite tricky too. Wanting to escape at all times, my conscience soon said let the little critter get on its way, even though I think I had some better pics to take. At some stage I must update this post with an adult Moth; they, too, are delicate and hairy looking things.