9TH NOVEMBER-Round-up of the first week.

The first of the month produced the first Fieldfares of the winter with a total of 72 seen(Hooray!!) plus 36 Redwings.A flock of 20 Siskins were in the alders with at least 200 Goldfinches.The field at Kirkins held 14 Skylarks,30 Meadow Pipits.10 Pied Wagtails and a dozen Linnets.
Four species of Gulls were seen (Common,Lesser Black-backed,Herring and Black-headed) but the lake it was very quiet just Moorhen,Mallard and a Great crested Grebe on the water although a female Kingfisher was there and two Grey Wagtails flew down the lake.The total for the day was 46 species.
Yesterdays walk( the 8th) didn't through up any surprises so in the afternoon Phyllis and I went to Reculver to hopefully see the Desert Wheatear which we duly did. Unfortunately it got rather overcast and breezy as we arrived so the photos weren't as good as I'd hoped.

Male Desert Wheatear

As I had to work today I didn't get out till after lunch but I was glad I did when as I walked into Kirkins I noticed a small bird flitting off the fence onto the ground then back again. Before I could get the binos on it properly it flew up onto the roof of one of the new houses. It was as I had thought a Black Redstart(106),a great start to the walk.To be honest not much else of note was seen so I made my way to the lake via the Hononten farm track. As I neared the farm I did what I always do,scan the roofs of the farm buildings and to my amazement found another Black Redstart!!What are the chances? This bird could have been the one I'd seen earlier but the buildings are about a mile away so I feel it must have been a second bird.

One of todays Black Redstarts

On the insect front I was amazed to find this Clouded Yellow butterfly as I walked back home.

The latest Clouded Yellow I've ever seen.

To end of October

The month passed by with another species for the year tally in the shape of twenty seven Brent Geese(105) which flew over SSE on the 26th.
The previous day had seen a total of forty five species seen with the the only summer species being three Chiffchaffs.

Maybe the last Chiffchaff of the year?

At the lake a Marsh Tit was seen again and two Water Rails were also present.It's always good to actually see them as a lot of the time they call without being seen.A second Little Grebe for the month was also seen.

I had a trip out in the afternoon to see the Red breasted Flycatcher down at Beachy Head.A cracking little bird and one which has eluded me in Kent.

Red breasted flycatcher( A little cracker) though not the best of shots!

On the 26th the first two decent flocks of Redwings were noted totalling one hundred birds.

On the 28th, Glyn had a House Martin through the lake whilst he was fishing and there were three Grey Wagtails and eight mandarin when I popped in.

O the 30th I had a great surprise when I stopped to scan the field at Kirkins as three hundred Brent Geese went over in three Skeins, BRILLIANT!!

By the end of the month still no Fieldfares. 

MID-ISH OCTOBER UPDATE.

October is racing by but at least it has yielded two new ticks for the year.Nothing unusual has turned up but on the 9th the Canada Goose numbers peaked at 152 with the single Greylag tagging along.
The 11th produced my first Little Grebe(103) of the year although Glyn had seen one in the spring. The next day Lesser Spotted Woodpecker for some time was seen behind the boat house. Of note there were 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls over and two Grey Wagtails on the stream.
The 13th saw forty House Martins going over south(what I thought would be my last) but four were seen the on the 15th with five Swallows.
On the 17th I had the day off work to catch up on some decorating but managed to get a quick walk in before I started, which tuned out to be very enjoyable.
The field at Kirkins held plenty of birds with 60 Linnets, 15 Pied Wagtails,5 Skylarks and rather surprisingly a Wheatear. This is my first October record.Whilst watching it charging around the field I had my first Brambling of the autumn.
Down at the lake things got even better when as I was walking alond the orchard track I heard the humming of wings a was delighted to see a Mute Swan(104) take off from the lake and fly off north.At the southern end of the lake there were two Water Rails and 3 Chiffchaffs and I also had my first Lesser Redpoll calling as it flew over.It's amazing how much pleasure we can get form seeing the commonest of species.

September ended with lots of Canada Geese visiting the lake and nearby stubble with no fewer than 131 on the 29th plus 5 Greylags with them.Earlier in the day Glyn had counted 158 them! That afternoon there were also six Chiffchaffs,3 Swallows and 2 Grey Wagtails when I visited after work.
It is now dark in the morning when I go to work but that hasn't detered me from dropping in on my way.
Doing this has enlightened me to the amount of Tawny Owls around with three heard calling together on thw 3rd October and a Little Owl as well.
In the late afternoon when I popped in I was delighted to find four Wigeon(3 drakes and a duck) on the lake plus six Mandarins, two Kingfishers, eight Chiffchaffs, three Goldcrests and a Mistle Thrush singing.
I stopped at the field at Kirkins on my way up the hill and found two male Stonechats on the fence.

Distant Stonechat

I managed a walk on Saturday morning. There were lots of Chiffchaffs about with at least ten in the derelict orchard behind Tucks Cottages on Maidstone Road and twenty more as I walked around the edge of Kirkins in the hedgerow. I found the two Stonechats in the bottom of the field.

At the lake there were another half dozen Chiffchaffs and nineteen Skylarks over but the water was very quiet with just thirty eight Canadas of note and two Water Rails calling from opposite corners of the lake.

Three Swallows also passed over head. 

Sunday I had to work so didn't manage a walk in the morning but we had a walk in the afternoon. Not much was seen but there were three species of Dragonfly around the lake with Emperor, Migrant Hawker and Common Darter seen.

Common Darter

Four Buzzards and a Swallow were over the house. 

Thursday 25th I managed a quick walk before work as I was due in a bit later and was pleasantly surprised to find another Whinchat in the field behind Kirkins Cottages. Better was to come when I found not one but a pair of Stonechats(102) flitting alond the fenceline. Whilst I was watching them a Willow Warbler followed them along it.A dozen Swallows passed over head and around fiftyLinnets were also there.
At the lake another female Teal was present plus eleven Mandarins,twenty six Canada Geese withthe Greylag Goose in tow. The first Water Rail of the autumn was heard an d Kingfisher,Grey Heron and a Grey Wagtail were present. In the paddock at Shirrenden there were thirty four Stock Doves and thirty Meadow Pipits.
The walk on Saturday was a very enjoyable one even though no new species were seen. There were still a few summer migrants around with two Blackcaps, eight Chiffchaffs, twenty five Swallows, thirty House Martins and two Yellow Wagtails over. The Whinchat and one Stonechat was still in the weedy field.
There was a good mixed flock of tits which also held a few Goldcrests but alas no Firecrest.
Today started with pretty thick fog which slowly cleared during my walk.

The sun trying to break through the early morning fog 

Once the fog had cleared I found the Whinchat behind Kirkins and with it were two Stonechats. At least one of these birds was new as both were males. Its amazing that the Whinchat has stayed around this long or is it a different bird? The Linnet flock comprised around seventy birds and fifty Meadow Pipits were also present. 

When it was still foggy I could hear geese in a nearby field and as the fog cleared they took off and landed on the lake where I counted one hundred and six Canada Geese and one Greylag Goose.

As it really started to brighten up a few Small Copper butterflies emerged.

Small Copper

I'm hoping that the Whinchat stays around for a few more days as it would make a great October record.

Summer has passed.

The weather conditions had changed considerably a walk on the patch this morning with quite a strong northerly breeze blowing.
Two of the three Whinchats were still present in Kirkins( been here since last Sunday).
Also in the field was a flock of about forty Linnets and seventy Meadow Pipits.
A Yew tree at the top of the field held Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Mistle Thrushes feeding on it's berries but no early winter thrushes, alas!
As expected summer migrants had mostly disappeared but there were still plenty of Chiffchaffs around and Swallows passing overhead in different directions. Two House Martins were also seen.
At the lake the the Buzzard family were being harried by the local crows. there was a large mixed flock containing Blue, Long-tailed, Great, Coal and best of all a Marsh Tit.This is only the second record this year and was very welcome. As well as the Tits there were also four Goldcrests,a Treecreeper and two Nuthatches.
The lake itself held eleven Mandarins,thirty Mallards,a dozen Moorhens and a single Coot.
The two young Great crested Grebes are still doing well but there is only one adult with them.
During a walk this afternoon  a Whitethroat was found in a blackberry patch in Haymans Hill.
With the nights drawing in I have resorted to walking down at the lake on my way to work in the semi darkness,which has produced a few Tawny Owls calling and lots of bats.
On the insect front there were still a few Migrant Hawkers around the lake and last weekend we had a Hummingbird Hawk Moth in the garden.

Mid September update

August passed with the last week being a family holiday to Corfu. We stayed in a lovely little village called Kassiopi, which is situated in the north East of the island. It wasn't exactly the best place form a birding perspective but I did manage to add a few species to my list.
All my birding was done in a little valley just outside the resort which I visited at first light. This produced a few different warblers with Wood Warblers seen every day. New species for me were Icterine Warbler, Orphean Warbler and on the last day a Ruppell's Warbler.
Others seen were the inevitable Sardinian Warblers plus Olive Tree Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Great Reed Warbler and my first Collared Flycatcher. There were always good numbers of Swallow and House Martins and Red Rumped Swallows but the only Swifts seen were Alpine which I found quite surprising. In the evenings a Scops Owl called being joined by a second bird in the middle of the week and eventually I got to see it. My first sighting of this species as I have only ever managed to just hear them.
Butterflies were quite numerous with plenty of Scarce Swallowtails and one common Swallowtail. The only butterflies I managed to photograph were a Southern Comma

Southern Comma

and a Fritillary which I don't know-if anyone could identify it I would be very grateful.

Any ideas anyone!

Back to the patch and and a walk on the sixth produced 50 species with a decent size mixed flock of Tits and Warblers and my first Autumn Meadow Pipit and what will I am sure will be my last Swift of the year.

Dropping in to the lake on my way home from work has produced some good flocks of House Martins with a couple of hundred on the eleventh. That morning, on the way to work there were 26 Canadas and a Greylag on the lake plus 15 Mandarins and two more Teal.

During yesterdays walk I found two Willow Warblers and a Reed Warbler still hanging around the lake with ten Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap. 

This morning I had to go to work but on a walk with Phyl late this afternoon I found three Whinchat(101) in the field behind Kirkins Cottages in Furnace Lane. This was especially pleasing as I didn't record the species last year. With limited time and the nights drawing in I think it is going to be a struggle to move the year total along but you have always got remain optimistic I suppose.