Garden Spotted Flycatchers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.