It was a foggy start to the day on 23rd February but was brightened up by a pair of Lesser Spotted Wodpeckers(69) and singing Chiffchaff.

Foggy Lesser spot

The following day a flyover Lesser Black-backed Gull(70) was added to the year list.Mandarins have been more regular on the lake  and on the 26th Feb a drake Tufted Duck(71) was resting on the lake. Amazingly, I didn't record one at all in 2108!

Three singing Chiffchaffs were on the patch on 9th March and 5 Canada/Greylag hybrids were on the lake with a pair of Canadas.

Canada/greylag hybrids

It shouldn't be too long before the first spring migrants arrive as I think the Chiffchaffs that are on the patch are probably over-wintering birds.

Singing Chiffchaff.

The Grey Wagtails have become a permanent fixture and one posed nicely this morning as I walked up the fram track.

the first two Lesser Redpolls(62) of the year appeared on the 9th February and the same day two Great Black-backed Gulls(63) went over NW (always a good tick for the patch).
Whilst working in the garden in the afternoon of the 9th we were lucky to pick up a Raven(64).
The Chiffchaff remains on the patch and on the 10th a second,very pale individual was seen.The same day a male Reed Bunting(65) was in the ditch at the southern end.
It was great to see and hear a Skylark(66) over Swigs on the16th.The following day the first decent mixed flock of Siskins and Redpolls for a while was in the alders behind the old boathouse and after watching them intently for some while I found a Mealy Redpoll(67) amongst them.
The sunshine in the last couple of days has been a joy and has bought the Lesser Celandines into flower.

Yesterday,a pair of Egyptian Geese(68) were found on the stockpond in Shirrenden and were still there this afternoon.

                                                     Egyptian Geese on the stockpond

It's been great to be seeing Bullfinches regularly on the patch.

Birding has taken a back seat of late and my time o(n the patch has been limited.
Despite that the list has ticked along and the overwintering Chiffchaff(52) was seen on 08/01/19.
The following day a Kingfisher(53) was on the lake.
The 11/01/19 saw a single Meadow Pipit(54) over the orchard.Later that day I ventured out to see if the local Barn Owls(55) were still around and one bird duly obliged.I also added Yellowhammer(56) and a pair of Mandarin(57).
The first Sparrowhawk(58) was over the lake on 17/01/19 and the following day 4 Teal(59) were on Furnace.
A Peregrine(60) was hunting over the orchards on the 31/01/19 and on the 01/02/19 three Gadwall(61) flew from the lake,
It was great to see the Snowdrops coming in to flower near Lake Cottage.

Not much chance for photos but I did get a couple of nice shots of a Grey Partridge in Norfolk.

A belated HAPPY NEW YEAR to all reading this.

2018 ended with the patch total on 107. A pretty average year but that's the challenge of patch watching.
Back to this year and my walk out on the first began with a Blue Tit (1) as I walked out of the house and proceeded as follows:-
Robin,Collared Dove,House Sparrow,Dunnock,Blackbird,Starling,Fieldfare,Song Thrush,Carrion Crow,Redwing,Stock Dove,Buzzard,Goldfinch,Wood Pidgeon,Magpie,Great Tit,Great Spotted Woodpecker,Wren,Woodcock,Cormorant,Grey Heron,Coal Tit,Nuthatch,Jay,Pied Wagtail,Mistle Thrush,Chaffinch,Black Headed Gull,Jackdaw,Coot,Moorhen,Siskin,Canada Goose,Bullfinch,Herring Gull,Treecreeeper,Marsh Tit,Goldcrest and Rook(41).
The following day Great crested Grebe(42),Mallard(43),Long-tailed Tit(44) and Water Rail(45).
As I left for work on 02/01/19 a Tawny Owl(46) called from trees in the school.
After work the following day Pheasant(47) and Grey Wagtail(48) were added.
Today a Kestrel(49),Greylag Goose(50) and Linnet(51) made it onto the year list. It seems a bit of a struggle at the moment but checking my log books the list was only two ahead last year.

Marsh Tits on the feeders.

News of a SNOW BUNTING on private land near Horsmonden Church reached me on 31/12/18 but sadly I was in Wales attending a funeral and unfortunately it had disappeared on 01/01/19 after being there for three days.

Snow Bunting on private land

Thanks to Robert for the call and the lovely photos of a cracking bird.(Shame I missed it)!

It never ceases to amaze me where good birds can turn up and is probably what keeps me patch watching.

After finding the Chiffchaff at he end of November it is great to find it was still around on Sunday the 16th  December.
Redpoll numbers remain low but there was a flock of 10 on the 8th of the month.

one of the Lesser Redpolls

Mandarins have been scarce but there was a high of fourteen on the 7th. Water Rails have been regular around the feeders but the lake hasn't held much but this evening three Gadwall(107) were present,a welcome addition to the year list.

On Saturday 15th a Woodcock landed twenty yards in front of me before heading off into the woods.

The local Buzzards have taken to sitting on the fence in Furnace Lane and dropping onto the ground to feed on earthworms.

Buzzard in Furnace Lane

Heron in the field oppositethe pumping station

With the nights drawing in there is just about enough time after work to drive down to the lake and fill the feeders.
This has yielded some good views of Water Rails and on 22nd a Coot had arrived and was still on the lake this morning.
Friday 23rd a Chiffchaff was found in the ditch at the southern end of the lake and was still around on saturday 24th but not seen today.The ditch also produced three Reed Buntings on saturday.
Today there was a definate increase in bird numbers with lots of Fieldfares(200) and Chaffinches(35+) plus Siskin(40) and 2 Lesser Redpolls in with a flock of 25 Goldfinches.
The real highlites were a LITTLE EGRET,the second this year and a bird not recorded every year and four GREENFINCHES up at the farn house.
Late this afternoon I went to look for local Barn Owls and saw one as it left the box to go hunting.It's great to have them breeding locally again after a few years abscence.Sixteen Yellowhammers were also seen.
With constant grey skies and rain I haven't managed any photos but have added a few from a walk at Shellness a little while ago.

Sanderling(first winter)

Turnstone

Redshanks

 

My patch walk on Saturday 17th produced 48 species with he highlite being a skein of Dark bellied Brent Geese(106).
Winter thrush numbers remain low but a flyover Yellowhammer was a bonus as very few are recorded over the orchards.A few birds were going over including Skylark, Meadow Pipit and a single Bullfinch.

Fieldfares

Mistle Thrush

Down at the lake the Water Rail was near the feeders and a Marsh Tit was behind Lake Cottage.

In the afternoon I took a look around the farm buildings and found a couple of Pied and a Grey Wagtail feeding in the sheltered sunny side.

Grey Wagtail

  

We recently went to Norfolk for the weekend and were lucky to find the 14 Shorelarks at Holkham.

Some of the Shorlarks in Norfolk