This week has seen a few ducks appear on the lake. A short visit on Tuesday produced the first Tufted Duck (74) of the year. Yesterday I popped in on my way home from work and found five Teal (2 Drakes and three ducks), as well as three Coots, a pair of Mandarins, five Great-crested Grebes and two Kingfishers.
On this mornings walk it was noticeable that a lot of gulls were moving N/east, with counts of 260 Black-headed, 14 Common, 10 Herring and 3 Lesser-black backed.
The lake held 16 Moorhens, 1 Coot, 5 Great-crested Grebes and 6 Goosanders(all redheads).There were very few winter thrushes about with just 5 Fieldfares and 2 Redwings seen plus a Mistle thrush.
The stream below the lake held a Grey Wagtail.
Sunday, 24 February 2013
Sunday, 17 February 2013
The weekend hasn't produced much of note although yesterday I had a hybrid Canada x Greylag on the lake. Five Mandarins flew over and a Grey Wagtail was on the waterfall.
The Alders held a flock of thirty Siskins and nine Lesser Redpolls. The Great-crested Grebe count was three and there was a single Kingfisher.In the early afternoon I had to drop my daughter in Tonbridge and on the way back found fifteen Waxwings eating rose hips in Vale Road.
Today's walk was abandoned when I reached the dam end as the fog was so thick I couldn't see anything although I could hear a Treecreeper singing.
Later on I had a quick walk down to the lake but found not a lot. I decided to watch the sky for a bit over Kirkin's farm. This produced six Buzzards circling together, which was great as I've only seen odd birds recently.
The Alders held a flock of thirty Siskins and nine Lesser Redpolls. The Great-crested Grebe count was three and there was a single Kingfisher.In the early afternoon I had to drop my daughter in Tonbridge and on the way back found fifteen Waxwings eating rose hips in Vale Road.
Today's walk was abandoned when I reached the dam end as the fog was so thick I couldn't see anything although I could hear a Treecreeper singing.
Later on I had a quick walk down to the lake but found not a lot. I decided to watch the sky for a bit over Kirkin's farm. This produced six Buzzards circling together, which was great as I've only seen odd birds recently.
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
Despite the appalling weather on Sunday I went for a walk around Furnace Pond. This turned out to be a bit disappointing, not unsurprisingly. However there was a flock of seventy plus Siskins in the alders with a mixed flock of Goldfinches and Chaffinches feeding beneath them.
The lake held a few Mallard and Moorhens as well as a Coot and a pair of Great-crested Grebes.
In the new orchard I had some great close views of a Buzzard feeding on earthworms on the ground.
The local kingfisher had been joined by another and they were chasing each other up and down the lake.
After a while I decided to give it best and go home to get dried out.
I sat watching the feeders in the garden and was treated to a pair of Siskins coming to the sunflower hearts.
In the afternoon I went for a walk around Share Farm,on the other side of the village, in the hope of adding Snipe. Which didn't happen. I did see a flock of twenty five Yellowhammers and four Skylarks as well as another Buzzard feeding on earthworms. Presumably these are easy pickings when the ground is so wet.
On to today, with the highlight being a redhead Goosander(73) on Furnace Pond.
The lake held a few Mallard and Moorhens as well as a Coot and a pair of Great-crested Grebes.
In the new orchard I had some great close views of a Buzzard feeding on earthworms on the ground.
The local kingfisher had been joined by another and they were chasing each other up and down the lake.
After a while I decided to give it best and go home to get dried out.
I sat watching the feeders in the garden and was treated to a pair of Siskins coming to the sunflower hearts.
In the afternoon I went for a walk around Share Farm,on the other side of the village, in the hope of adding Snipe. Which didn't happen. I did see a flock of twenty five Yellowhammers and four Skylarks as well as another Buzzard feeding on earthworms. Presumably these are easy pickings when the ground is so wet.
On to today, with the highlight being a redhead Goosander(73) on Furnace Pond.
A rather distant Goosander which I couldn't get close to.
Sunday, 27 January 2013
With the change in the weather there seemed to be fewer birds around the patch on Saturday. The sun shone for a change and down at the lake a lot of the ice had at last melted.
On the water there was a single Great crested Grebe and dozen Mallard. Twenty six Siskin were feeding in the alders with three Lesser Redpolls.
In the ditch running down the orchard there were three Linnet(70) feeding amongst the weeds. A pair of Sparrow hawks were circling over the orchard, which held forty Fieldfares and a kestrel was sitting on a post in the new orchard.
In the s/west corner a Water Rail called but remained unseen.
There were a few gulls going over with five species being seen(Common, Black-headed, Herring , Lesser black-backed and a single Great black-backed).
One of the Little Owl pair was sunning itself on the edge of the conifer plantation in Shirrenden. As I left the lake nine Mandarins(71) flew in and disappeared into the alder wood.
It was good to see that the local Kingfisher had made it through the cold snap.
I had a quick look on the lake on my way home from work this afternoon and was pleasantly surprised to find a smart drake Teal(72) in the south west corner.
On the water there was a single Great crested Grebe and dozen Mallard. Twenty six Siskin were feeding in the alders with three Lesser Redpolls.
In the ditch running down the orchard there were three Linnet(70) feeding amongst the weeds. A pair of Sparrow hawks were circling over the orchard, which held forty Fieldfares and a kestrel was sitting on a post in the new orchard.
In the s/west corner a Water Rail called but remained unseen.
There were a few gulls going over with five species being seen(Common, Black-headed, Herring , Lesser black-backed and a single Great black-backed).
One of the Little Owl pair was sunning itself on the edge of the conifer plantation in Shirrenden. As I left the lake nine Mandarins(71) flew in and disappeared into the alder wood.
It was good to see that the local Kingfisher had made it through the cold snap.
I had a quick look on the lake on my way home from work this afternoon and was pleasantly surprised to find a smart drake Teal(72) in the south west corner.
Thursday, 24 January 2013
I managed a short walk on the patch this morning. Once again it was cold and grey.My walk down to the lake didn't produce much of interest and a look from the dam end showed a distinct lack of bird-life.
I steeled myself to walk around the orchard which produced about 20 Fieldfares and a Mistle thrush.
At the bottom end of the lake I disturbed a pair of ducks which turned out to be Shovelers(69). They were decidedly flighty so I took a a couple of pictures from distance so as to not disturb them.
Shoveler drake on Furnace Pond
Pair of Shoveler
On a flowery note, the first Snow Drops have started to show themselves near Lake Cottage.
I steeled myself to walk around the orchard which produced about 20 Fieldfares and a Mistle thrush.
At the bottom end of the lake I disturbed a pair of ducks which turned out to be Shovelers(69). They were decidedly flighty so I took a a couple of pictures from distance so as to not disturb them.
On a flowery note, the first Snow Drops have started to show themselves near Lake Cottage.
First Snow Drops
And in the garden this morning I have taken a leaf out of Warrens book and put some apples out for the birds which has paid dividends straight away with my first record of Fieldfare in the garden.
Monday, 21 January 2013
With no work today I managed a bonus walk on the patch this morning.
It was rather grey as I walked down through Kirkins and the first thing I noticed was flocks of Fieldfares going south in parties of between 40-80.
As I went around the edge of the field the first Skylark(65) of the year passed overhead.
In Furnace Lane I skanned towards the lake and picked up 5 largish birds coming towards me and as they drew nearer I realised they were Egyptian Geese(66)FANTASTIC!They circled the lake before flying off to the north.
I once again tried the ditches but the only bird that flew from them was a Meadow Pipit.
As I walked onto the dam end a Grey Heron(67)got up and flew to the other end. I made my way round the lake with Fieldfares still going over plus some flocks of Redwings. In total over 1000 Fieldfares and 180 Redwings went over. The sound of them going over was occasionally punctuated by the sound of the odd Skylark.
A walk along the centre path of the orchard produced some Lapwings going south and in the south west corner of the lake I flushed a Kingfisher. The pair of Great Crested Grebes was still on one of the patches of open water and 3 Common Gulls were sitting on the ice. As I stood watching them and trying to get some pickies a large dark bird flew in from the south east and over my head. It was quite high up but as it went over I heard the unmistakable cronk of a Raven(68)BRILLIANT!!!This is only the second record for my patch.
As I walked back towards home a Buzzard went over being harassed by one of the local Carrion Crows.
It was rather grey as I walked down through Kirkins and the first thing I noticed was flocks of Fieldfares going south in parties of between 40-80.
As I went around the edge of the field the first Skylark(65) of the year passed overhead.
In Furnace Lane I skanned towards the lake and picked up 5 largish birds coming towards me and as they drew nearer I realised they were Egyptian Geese(66)FANTASTIC!They circled the lake before flying off to the north.
I once again tried the ditches but the only bird that flew from them was a Meadow Pipit.
As I walked onto the dam end a Grey Heron(67)got up and flew to the other end. I made my way round the lake with Fieldfares still going over plus some flocks of Redwings. In total over 1000 Fieldfares and 180 Redwings went over. The sound of them going over was occasionally punctuated by the sound of the odd Skylark.
A walk along the centre path of the orchard produced some Lapwings going south and in the south west corner of the lake I flushed a Kingfisher. The pair of Great Crested Grebes was still on one of the patches of open water and 3 Common Gulls were sitting on the ice. As I stood watching them and trying to get some pickies a large dark bird flew in from the south east and over my head. It was quite high up but as it went over I heard the unmistakable cronk of a Raven(68)BRILLIANT!!!This is only the second record for my patch.
Sunday, 20 January 2013
With a light dusting of snow as I left the house at 08.00 on saturday I was hopeful of a cold weather movement which might produce something of interest.
As I walked down through Kirkins the first tick of the day, a Lapwing(60) took off from a small puddle in the bottom of the field. A few Fieldfares flew overhead plus some Black-headed and 2 Common Gulls.
When I neared the lake I decided to walk around the ditches that feed into the stream and was delighted to find a Grey Wagtail(61) in the bottom of one.
The lake itself was mostly frozen over but with a couple of holes in the ice.Unfortunately not much was on it, the only thing of note being a Lapwing which may have been the one I had seen earlier.There were also 22 Mallard, 8 Moorhens and a pair of Great crested Grebes.At the dam end the Little Owl was sitting in a hole in the old Oak.
Next I had a walk through the Alder wood where there was a flock of about 70 Siskins plus a mixed flock of tits which included Blue, Long tailed, Great and a Coal Tit plus 2 Treecreepers and a Goldcrest.
I also managed to flush 2 Woodcock(62). On the walk back up Furnace Lane I found 2 Yellowhammers and a Reed Bunting in the hedgerow and 3 Bullfinches in Gibbet Lane.
Whilst eating lunch I glanced out of the kitchen window to see 34 Lapwings going over S/W.
In the afternoon I had another walk down to the lake in the hope that something may have dropped in and as I entered Kirkins a Peregrine(63) flew east. Nothing had appeared on the lake but 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls(64) went over followed shortly by a couple of Herring Gulls and a Great Black-backed Gull.
Little Owl in the old Oak on a sunnier day
Goldfinch in the garden
Gulls on the ice
As I walked down through Kirkins the first tick of the day, a Lapwing(60) took off from a small puddle in the bottom of the field. A few Fieldfares flew overhead plus some Black-headed and 2 Common Gulls.
When I neared the lake I decided to walk around the ditches that feed into the stream and was delighted to find a Grey Wagtail(61) in the bottom of one.
The lake itself was mostly frozen over but with a couple of holes in the ice.Unfortunately not much was on it, the only thing of note being a Lapwing which may have been the one I had seen earlier.There were also 22 Mallard, 8 Moorhens and a pair of Great crested Grebes.At the dam end the Little Owl was sitting in a hole in the old Oak.
Next I had a walk through the Alder wood where there was a flock of about 70 Siskins plus a mixed flock of tits which included Blue, Long tailed, Great and a Coal Tit plus 2 Treecreepers and a Goldcrest.
I also managed to flush 2 Woodcock(62). On the walk back up Furnace Lane I found 2 Yellowhammers and a Reed Bunting in the hedgerow and 3 Bullfinches in Gibbet Lane.
Whilst eating lunch I glanced out of the kitchen window to see 34 Lapwings going over S/W.
In the afternoon I had another walk down to the lake in the hope that something may have dropped in and as I entered Kirkins a Peregrine(63) flew east. Nothing had appeared on the lake but 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls(64) went over followed shortly by a couple of Herring Gulls and a Great Black-backed Gull.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)