End of year round-up

With year coming to a close,late December hasn't produced any more for the patch list but a female Teal was seen on the 17th

Teal on lake

The feeders continue to attract good numbers of tits and at least two Water Rails have been mopping up whatever get dropped.

Water Rail under feeders

The orchards around the lake were filled with winter thrushes this morning as well as a large flock of Starlings and 200 plus Linnets.

                                                             One of the many Fieldfares

So to the year itself- which all in all hasn't been a bad one.With two species added to the patch list,namely GREENSHANK and ALPINE SWIFT.

The year started well with Waxwings in the village and then Greenshank and Alpine Swift were seen in May as were Shelduck(only the third patch record).

September saw the arrival of the long staying Osprey which attracted birders and photographers from far and wide.

                                                                 Long staying Osprey

November saw four Hawfinches fly towards Sprivers.

Finally, a Barn Owl was seen in December( the first since 2014).

The patch total ended at 110 which is a great number,though 7 short of my record.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL AND GOOD BIRDING IN 2018!!!!

the winter thrush numbers have increased of late which in turn has meant more Redwings in the garden.

                                                            Redwings in the garden

Enjoying the holly berries

Joined by a Blackbird

The lake continues to disappoint although today there were 14 Mandarins.

Yesterday evening I decided on a walk just before dark and was delighted to see a BARN OWL(110) out hunting. This is the first record of  this beautiful bird since 2014.

On 1st of the month,whilst filling the feeders,a Woodcock flew out of the wood and landed in the orchard and another was seen on the 10th.It seems to be a good year for this species!

I'm going to need a few more birds on the lake to get a really good total on the year list.

Saturday was a cold one but there were plenty of birds around the patch. The feeders are attracting lots of tits and finches including a couple of Marsh Tits as well as Nuthatches and a Great spotted Woodpecker.
The lake is still quiet with just Mallard ,Moorhen and Great crested Grebe on the water and the odd Kingfisher sighting.
The new orchard still has a good Linnet flock and just a single Meadow Pipit.

                                                                       Meadow Pipit

A couple of Bramblings were seen near the feeders and there was also one in our garden but unfortunately it didn't stick around for a photo.This is a new one for the garden list, so I was thrilled.
The same day saw the first two Redwings of the winter in the garden.

                                                              Redwing in the garden
A Woodcock was flushed from the field edge in Swigs Hole as I walked towards the lake.

On Sunday the was a big increase in the Fieldfare and Redwing numbers in the orchards which in turn has attracted the local Sparrowhawks.

One of the many Fieldfares

Two Grey wagtails flew down the lake and a single Skylark went over.

The evening of the 8th Nov saw a drake Shoveller(109) on the lake with some Mallards.
Marsh Tits have been present at the feeders on most visits with a high of three on the 12th.

Chaffinch numbers have increased which has brought in a few Bramblings with three seen yesterday.

One of the Bramblings

The Ring-necked Parakeet was seen a couple more times earlier in the month but not recently. On the 12th two Hawfinches were found in Sprivers in beech trees near the ponds,

Yesterday(17th) the patch held really good numbers of birds with 300+ Black headed Gulls on fields in Swigs with a single Common Gull and a Mediterranean Gull with them.

Med Gull with Black headeds

                                      

A walk to the lake in the late afternoon saw 6 Grey wagtails come in to roost and a Chiffchaff  was also seen.

With walks during the week confined to quick visits it starts to get harder to chalk up new species but going to fill the feeders always produces Marsh Tit as well as the four other commoner species.
It seems that two Water rails have taken up winter residency.
The one consolation with going just before dark is that I get to hear owls and recent visits have produced both Tawny and Little Owl calling.
Walking down to the lake on 2nd Nov gave me a Ring necked Parakeet(107) as it flew over noisily before landing in a tree in Gibbet Lane.

It was seen again on 4th when it flew towards Brenchley.

Saturday 4th was full of birds with a fall of thrushes with lots of Blackbirds plus the first decent amount of Fieldfares and Redwings.

Down at the lake and a large flock of Linnets also held 4 Bramblings but the icing on the cake were four HAWFINCH(108) that flew towards Sprivers. I later looked in Sprivers but was unable to locate them!

This evenings walk saw a Coot on the lake and the usual Great crested Grebe was joined by another.

The Osprey was last seen on 22nd October when it briefly circled over the lake before drifting to the north.

Enjoying a small bream

Not much else has changed on the patch with all the usual subjects being seen although seven Swallows were present on the 22nd.

Last weekend we went up to Norfolk to visit younger bruv and do some walking and birding.We visited a few reserves and did a bit of sea watching.

I took a few photos of a cracking Jack Snipe at Strumpshaw Fen:-

Jack Snipe-a little stunner

but always a little hidden!

    On the fen we also had some great views of  a Bittern which repeatedly flew between reed beds plus a Stonechat on one of the pathways,

My first Fieldfare of the autumn were seen this evening when I went down to fill the feeders.

It was a really good walk on the patch this morning with lots of birds about, in fact a total of 48 species were seen.
Amazingly the Osprey is still present on the lake attracting lots of birders.

                                                    Still on the lake and feeding well.

Redwings have not arrived in any great numbers but a few have been seen.

The feeders are attracting loads of tits including up to three Marsh Tits.A few Siskins have been seen and today four Lesser Redpolls were in the lakeside alders.

Marsh tit at the feeders

Probably my last House Martins of the year went over south on the 10th and two Chiffchaffs were with the tit flocks around the lake.

There seemed to have been a fall of  Song Thrushes with small parties passing overhead this morning.

Apart from the Osprey other raptors included Buzzard and a male Sparrowhawk that looks to have found the feeders!!

During a walk this afternoon was saw five butterfly species including Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and my first Clouded Yellow on the patch this year.

                                                             Todays Clouded Yellow