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Thursday 21 June 2012

Sunday 17.06 Rainham Marshes

With both myself and wife incapacitated we thought that our first visit to the above marshes should be on the cards. After collecting passports so we could enter Essex we arrived in bright sunshine to find an excellent reserve with admirable assets board walks / cafe / shops / excellent hides and lots for the younger visitor.
There was nothing on the boards that were not regular at the local patch so no new birds to any list but due to the amount of visitors and being kept to boardwalks birds seemed very approachable . Dabchicks with young were proving very photogenic ( if you could get to the front to photo ) Could only manage a short way round but must visit on a more appropriate day.
One big bird in the sky


 And 2 Sedge in the sedge


Thursday 14 June 2012

Wednesday 13.06.12 Dungeness

Many thanks to Phill Sharp a days visit to Dungeness today. After days of cold and torrential rain suprisingly today turned out beautifull. Buzzard from the M20 on the way down the back roads to Lydd showed nothing  so straight down to the Patch. Tide was well out but the first obvious sight was the amount of Harbour Porpoises as they appeared to be everywhere. Gannets , Sandwich and Common terns , Great Crested Grebes and Gulls were common. After a tip off we found 3 Roseate Terns sitting on the beach there was supposed to be an Artic as well but did not locate. While watching these a Black Tern flew in for a few minutes before passing on his way. From here a lunch at the Pilot was on the cards and then on to the reserve nothing of note on the notice board except the recently arrived Purple Heron. The reserve was quiet except for the exceptional numbers of Hobbies about. Manged short views of the Purple Heron as it flew about on 2 occasions. The trail  back showed one Bearded Tit and the refugia had 2 grass snakes a Wood Mouse and a Bank Vole.

Saturday 2 June 2012

Saturday 02.06.12 NHGP


Hit the 100th bird species for 2012  today with a Common Tern on Brooklands.
A common Lizard was seen outside the Fishermans Hut. other that the only thing of interest was what I presume is part of the Jubilee fly past

and as yet to identify Dragonfly  BROAD BODIED CHASER

Friday 1 June 2012

Friday 01.06.12 NHGP

Three hours round the Brooklands area on an overcast but warm morning. Turtle Doves purring on the wires and all the usual birds plus a fly over Peregrine falcon and the first Med Gull at NHGP making 99 birds in 2012.
Youngster everywhere today Cute but not ready for the pot.
With many reports of Red Kite in Kent we were disappointed not to find any.