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Monday 24 December 2012

Monday 24/12

A drive out to St Margarets at Cliff produced many fly by Auks , Gannets , first Fulmar of winter , Great Crested Grebes and Red throated Diver.
Returning back via Dover managed good views of Black Throated Diver in Dover docks but I was not well enough to walk out on the pier to check for others. Life boat came in and was met by ambulances and the police.
Samphire Hoe had the lower walkway closed due to storms little to see but lots of Gannets.  

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Monday 17/12

A drive to Tenterden was done on as many back roads as possible. The lack of winter thrushes was very evident as the largest flock was only 5 birds. Found/came across Orleston forestry commission  and managed to park for 30 minutes at one of the entry gates with a view up one of the paths.
First birds here were the 5 Redwing, this was followed up by fantastic views of a nuthatch on the gate support we were parked alongside( 5 feet at the most ). Downside of modern cars is that the car has to be turned on for the windows to work to enable me to get any photos. As the bird was so close we did not want to spoil experience. Three Treecreepers made an appearance with one coal tit 4 LT Tits , 2 song thrush, robin , blackbird , blue tit, magpie and a jay. When I can get up and walking it must be a place to visit. Returned via Walland marsh hoping for more waxwings without any luck. a park in  a layby gave me tree sparrows, yellow hammer,collared doves and chaffinch.( Still missing my first Brambling of winter 2012)   Many swans at Midley but all adult and juvenile mute's. Kestrel,buzzard and Sparrowhawk were the on;y raptors seen.
Still dont know where to look for the common crane and is it viewable from the car and suprised at the lack of Geese on my rounds. Did not have time to visit Dungeness but drove passed Arc/ new diggings and still no sign of Diver or smew for me but did get a glimplse of a GW Egret.




Tuesday 11 December 2012

Monday 10/12 Walland Marsh

Lunch at the Woolpack Inn today. Day started well with 2 Siskin in the garden drive to the pub gave me 3 Red Legged Partridge and a male Hen Harrier flew over the car. Still hundreds of Russian Thrushes about . Return journey allowed good views of Buzzard, Yellowhammer, Tree sparrow and a Sparrowhawk took a redwing alongside the car.

Saturday 8 December 2012

Saturday 8/12 Walland Marsh

A  wonderful sunny but cold day managed to persuade Val to take me out for a drive. A Waxwing was seen at the T junction on New Romney-Brenzet road with Lydd, Far to dangerous to stop and admire so on to Walland Marsh here managed to locate 7 Waxwings and a pair of Red Legged Parttridge. Still huge numbers of Thrushes but today the redwings seem to out number the Fieldfares.

Sunday 2 December 2012

Saturday 2/12 Walland & Romney Marsh

Still unable to walk without pain so birding is very much out of reach. Today a glorious but very cold day and Val offered to drive me around for a few hours, With reports of Waxwings on Walland marsh we started there, managed 2 Whooper and at least 8 Bewick swans, while watching them a Male Hen Harrier quartered the Swan field until it dropped onto prey, waited 15 minutes to see if it would fly any closer to the car but never saw the bird again.
No Waxwings  seen but there were hundreds of Redwing and Fieldfare.
Did manage to find a few "new" back roads at Walland which look promising for future excursions.