Dawn chorus in Shadoxhurst woodland

Early Purple Orchid, Alex Pastures, Shadoxhurst

Venturing down the garden at 5.30 this morning, my first thoughts were that the cold north-easterly winds had finally gone and so, too, had the crystal clear skies. Instead, it was raining steadily, the sky overcast, the air warm - perhaps a few more summer birds maybe around?. In the garden, a Green Woodpecker was calling loudly against a background of Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Wren, and Chaffinch. I decided to do a dawn-chorus cycle ride, to Stone Wood in the hope of hearing most of our summer woodland birds. I headed towards Duck Lane and Stone Wood stopping regularly on the way to listen. In the village, Starlings and House Sparrows were everywhere, busy with broods under roof tops and eaves. As I left the village into countryside, no sign or sound of any summer migrants at all.

When I arrived at the top of Duck Lane, I walked slowly through to the woodland byway hoping to hear scarcer birds that I've missed so far year. Disappointingly, my list of absent birds continued. No Lesser Spotted Woodpecker this year and even the much commoner Nuthatch, and Great Spotted Woodpecker seem to be a hit-and-miss affair.

Once I'd arrived at the start of the byway there were at least 2 Nightingales in song from the woodland edge accompanied by the ever-present call of Chiff-chaffs - much more like spring, here. These two stalwarts seem to be the only common spring migrants that seem to be back in anything like the numbers to be expected for this time of year. Cycling slowly through to Stone Wood and Alex Pastures, a familiar pattern to my other visits this year, very little Woodpecker call or activity of any kind, and only one Blackcap (should be dozens). Stock Doves were calling and Jays, Crows and Pheasant were present all the way through the wood.

As I arrived at the gate for Alex Pastures, bird song improved immediately with Nightingale and Garden Warbler singing loudly from the entrance and the secondary woodland within the pasture. It's worth noting that the coppiced woodland opposite Stone Wood had no Nightingales present this morning. This area may well be populated by further migrants that may arrive in the week ahead.

Back inside Alex Pastures bird song was not as rich as I'd hoped (bar the Nightingales). Perhaps it was all down to the rain and grey overcast conditions dampening things down. The Turtle Dove purring here last week was silent or absent and there was no Cuckoo.  Blackcaps and Garden Warblers were singing, and engaging in some territorial display. Two pairs of Bullfiinch criss-crossed between the woodland and scrub.

The Nightingales in Alex Pastures have returned in good numbers this spring and there song seems particularly powerful and close in the second field. Despite the bird's physical closeness though, it's impossible to see them, just brief flashes of rufous plumage quickly disappearing back into scrub. Experience tells me that this is one of the highest density populations in the Orlestone Forest complex, its neighbour, Birchett Wood has many fewer birds back so far.

As I left Alex Pastures, continuing on the byway through the woods, there was little bird song variety, - sad as this area represents some of Kent's finest woodland habitat.

Continuing on a to a favorite area of area of scrub at Stone Wood, and expecting Nightingales, I was surprised to find none present at all. Another visit is needed to work out what maybe really happening here. To confuse my Nightingale numbers further along the byway into farmland, I was pleased to find three extra Nightingale territories, with other distant birds calling from farmland hedges too. I concluded, when I arrived home, that I'd ticked off 15 Nightingales in song. Near the end of my cycle ride, at last, another summer migrant present, a Lesser Whitethroat singing from a roadside hedgerow and on the surrounding farmland Skylarks were singing too.

When I arrived home, I was thinking more about the birds I hadn't heard, such as Cuckoo, Whitethroat and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that were absent from my ride. Perhaps May has time to get better yet?

Spring birds in the woods and in the garden

Blue tit foraging in the garden Blackthorn blossom, April 17th

 A good year for Blackthorn blossom.

Common Buzzard with Carrion Crow

During the last week I've made plenty of woodland walks around Orlestone Forest and Shadoxhurst. It's now the middle of April and with sunny skies and a rise in temperature, it's been no surprise our woodland migrants are slowly arriving here, all be it in low numbers. 

In Long Rope and Birchet Wood there were 2 Nightingales present in each wood on April 14th along with one Whitethroat in the former. In Birchet Wood there are 2 Willow Warblers present joining many more Chiffchaffs. Also on the 14th we heard our first Cuckoo from the garden and it was present near the fields of Duck Lane, Shadoxhurst. There seems to have been Swallows and House Martins in twos and threes around for about a week now. One day they're here, and then the next they're gone.

Usually by now spring breeding Blackcaps should be common and competing with Chiffchaffs for song across the forest, but so far this spring Blackcaps are just about absent from the woods. Luckily, we've had 2 Blackcaps calling and visiting the garden Blackthorn so they're present but not in great numbers yet.

In the forest, there is a impoverished sound to the dawn chorus with too many birds missing.  For instance I've found it hard to locate many Nuthatches, and Great Spotted Woodpeckers - they just don't seem to be as vocal and viewable in any numbers this year. Even worse, this spring, I've yet to locate our scarce and nationally declining Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers but in contrast Green Woodpeckers seem very local and are very easy to see both in the woodlands and pasture fields around the village. In Packing Wood, Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests are extremely numerous in the mixed pine woodland walk from Capel Road. Stock Doves are present in dozens in the farmland opposite.

The only surprise bird for me has been a Crossbill flying low over Alex Pastures April 12th. Crossbills are sporadic visitors and breeders in Kent and whilst last winter we had plenty of them around, there have been no sightings since then.

Birds of prey are well represented at the moment, Buzzards continue to be omni-present, and we have a pair of Kestrels displaying and calling close to the garden too. Friends are reporting Red Kites and Ravens locally but I've not seen either this year yet. A lone male Sparrowhawk has been displaying over Shadoxhurst for some weeks now, but it's looking increasingly lonesome as I've yet to see it flying with a mate, something you'd expect to see in early spring.

Tawny Owls are common and calling from every woodland I visit. Their presence draws me to the conclusion that they may have driven away the smaller Long Eared Owl, which I've not heard for a decade now. Little Owls are not difficult to locate around the village and Barn Owls are present in fields between Shadoxhurst and Woodchurch.

Walking through Birchett Wood last night, a Woodcock was flying and 'roding' across woodland rides, a sure sign that this was a breeding bird patrolling a territory. Sadly, with many breeding woodland bird species lost in Kent, the Woodcock could now be the rarest breeding bird in Orlestone forest, or will it be the next to vanish?

Sparrowhawk spring display

After many hours of looking this spring, I've finally watched a Sparrowhawk (in this case a male), performing a display flight in the fine blue sky we had this afternoon. Circling high over the village, with white under tail covets fanned out and on show, I look forward to seeing if he finds a mate in the coming weeks.

Spring has been frustrating around the village and Orlestone forest so far. We have 19 Yellowhammers still visiting the garden for seed and they are joined by a small handful of Chaffinches and Greenfinches. In a 'good' March we would usually have Siskins, Brambling and Redpolls and many more Chaffinches visiting the feeders and garden, but alas, its not going to happen this year.
Some birds are notable by their absence, in particular, Nuthatches usually very vocal at this time of the year, are absent from the village environs and even in the woods of Orlestone forest. No doubt with a little more warmth and sunshine they will soon reappear.
Speaking of reappearances, despite my announcement that the Little Egrets had departed, there were still 2 birds present on Sunday in fields behind the garden.

Crazy Horses

 

Middle March, is usually an exciting time for wildlife comings and goings as spring steps forward. So far the 'goings' are the more memorable with the departure of all our wintering Little Egrets. This year, in the muddy horse field behind the garden, their numbers peaked at 6-7 birds a day for a week and now the field looks sadly less interesting without them. The Egrets finally moved on, as the mud began drying-out and the earthworms which they eat burying deeper down out of reach. It's possible the birds are not far away, perhaps to a Kent breeding colony?

Their departure, has left the Pied Horses with just themselves for interest and today some of them were very boisterous chasing, kicking-out and biting each other.

Six Little Egrets photographed on March 1st - sure to back next winter.

Big bird over Shadoxhurst

Hazy blue skies and a little more wind in the air than yesterday, didn't enthuse the local Buzzards to show much on the wing today. So, the star 'bird' must to go to this RAF Hercules which shook the rafters at lunchtime.

Heading west over Shadoxhurst, RAF Hercules.

We usually see Chinooks over Kent.

The Buzzards we're seeing at the moment are in superb condition, just about all are classic 'brown' looking birds.

Lunch time raptors

All day sunshine today and windless air were perfect conditions for our local Buzzards to 'cruise' around their territories. Cycling from Shadoxhurst on a circular route through Cold Blow, Capel road and Bromley Green I saw 4 pairs on the wing in eight miles. Back in the garden, a pair of Kestrels have been showing well, and so too hunting Sparrowhawks, but sadly I've yet to see their dashing display flights so far this spring.

Behind the garden in the muddy field, there are still 2 Little Egrets mostly stood motionless, just a week ago there was a peak of seven. With the field drying and the earth worms retreating deeper into out of reach, the Little Egrets will not be around for much longer this spring. Still there's plenty of other birds, Fieldfares, Redwings and Meadow Pipits are are passing through in varying daily numbers and local Jackdaws are stealing horse hair presumably for lining their nests.

Alicante birding and walking 2015

Last week's family trip to the Alicante area gave just a few occasions to do a little bit of bird watching. Compared to our visit two years ago (same time of the year) there were far fewer commoner migrants making their way north. Just an odd Swallow and Sand Martin and a widespread sprinkling of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs soldiered through. Alicante area has a serious drought situation and the surrounding counrtryside has little replenishment to offer for passage birds moving through - there's little greenery to be seen away from the irrigated Orange Grooves. Walking in the mountains behind Benidorm, the temperature was considerably colder than on the coast, and whilst there were plenty of wild flowers and Almond Blossom to see, I didn't see any insect activity in six hours of walking, leaving me to marvel at the audious travels our spring migrants are presently making.

For those that have some 'real' bird watching time in Alicante, there are some great bird reserves to visit at this time of year, especially El Hondo. Even on our brief visit here, plenty of raptors on the wing even in winter.

http://www.spain.info/en_GB/que-quieres/naturaleza/espacios-naturales/parque_natural_de_el_hondo.html

For speed and camera fun, my favorite area is La Manga at San Pedro salt pans near Murcia. Here, Flamingos, Avocets, and Stilts can be very confiding. Our visit this year was a little disappointing, with less waders and Slender Billed Gulls around, and the higher water levels on the more accessible viewing areas displaced the birds tmaking them more difficult to photograph. Still, the mixture of exotics such as Greater Flamingos and large variety of waders, gulls and terns is a fantastic spectacle to see, even in February.

View over-looking San Pedro salt pans.

Black Winged Stilts are common and confiding here.

Kentish Plovers were never far away on the salt pans and beaches.

Ready for the breeding season, a Little Egret on the beach.

Juvenile Greater Flamingo.

On my two brief visits the adult birds were just a little too distant for more dramatic images.

Sub adult Booted Eagle

Away from casual birding, we walked in the Crevillente area for one day and also for a day in Quatretondeta, both easy drives from Alicante. Both areas are spectacular with very few visitors - you feel you have the mountains to yourself.

Lewis, high in Crevillente mountains. No sign of the resident Bonelli's Eagles this time.

The 'flash' of water in the background is the El Hondo nature reserve, a 1200 hectare reserve

The limestone peaks of the Quatretondeta mountains.

In February, Gorse is in flower, but the temperaturewas not warm enough for insects.

Els Frares pinnacles at Quatretondeta.

Bird-wise, Choughs on the peaks, Cirl Buntings below, little else in between. Bird of the day was a male Hen Harrier that worked its way through the Almond and Olive trees.