Thursday 30 May 2013

Spiting the Weather


Having read that Steve had found Bird's nest orchid and needing to get out  in spite of the weather we decided to go out for a ride and check up on Covert Wood. The ride was damp and some of the lanes were muddy and it began a light drizzle but the wood was dry although dark. Following the path the wood was carpeted with Dog's mercury and lots of Twayblade just coming out. We found about 16 Bird's nest spikes, most just starting to come out. It was so dark that I had to use flash. As we looked around I found a fly orchid and Mick found another spike. Dotted around were quite a few Lady Orchids ranging from just out to fully out. On the way home we checked out Park Gate, where there was no sign of any Monkey Orchids but several early Purple and lots of Cowslips, and the Woodchurch Bank where there were at least 16 Greater Butterfly spikes which will be better in a week or so.











Monday 27 May 2013

A family day

A trip to Bricket Wood to see my family on a lovely warming spring day. The rapeseed was in full flower and the may blossom and marguerites are just coming into full bloom and added to the buttercups and spring greens gave a lovely drive.
In my sisters garden we saw orange-tip and large white butterfly, collared doves. Wood pigeons and blue tit. A buzzard sailed over very high and ring-necked parakeets called from nearby.


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Sunday 26 May 2013

Not a bad day

The drive across the marsh was pretty quiet. Also quiet at the obs. A red-rumpled swallow was reported at the ARC carpark but had left by the time we got there. Lots of swifts came and went but the swallow didn't. Heard much later that one was seen out on walland but too late to try and find it. We dropped in to the end of the longpits and found 5 dragonfly ticks for the year, Hairy, 4spotted, blue-tail, red-eyed and azure plus small copper butterfly.








A stroll around the trapping area found 5-6 grizzled skippers and then we heard of a Terek sandpiper at Rye Harbour. We picked up TG on the way and walked out towards ternery pool. Luckily MC let us know that it was on a different pit and we managed to join the small group of birders watching it. It pottered about on the far bank, came a bit closer and then flew over to ternery pool where it was re-located.
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Tuesday 21 May 2013

Chasing a Serin

On our way down to Dungeness DW rang to say he was watching a serin just before the trapping area so we parked and set out to see if we could see it. We were met by DW and PH who told us it had just flown towards the lighthouse. We walked across the shingle and up the rise then spread out. SB turned up and as we were chatting he heard it fly over. We managed to find it in the sky and followed it until it landed back by the trapping area. We walked back, noting the flowers as I went. Everything is so late this year but beginning to look good.








We couldn't relocate the serin but PH found a cuckoo. Setting in the top of a bramble bush.








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Sunday 19 May 2013

Sunday afternoon stroll

We decided to visit Marden Meadow to see if the Green-winged orchids were out. The drive over was lovely with all the greens, doted we white and blue. We parked up and walked through the field looking out for orchids. We soon found several growing in the first field, more than before and the numbers in the second field were in their thousands, as usual. We walked round looking at the different colours. Most we variations of purple with a few pink ones but we only found one white one.










Carrying on round we passed the service tree, not yet in bloom, and found some water violets with their mat of green, feathery rosettes. In the usual place the Dyer's Greenweed and xxx fern. With Robins and Garden warblers singing and the sun shining it was a very pleasant stroll.






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Twitching a Thrush

Late news on Friday night about a Dusky Thrush inMargate cemetery meant an early morning start. A drive down to Dungeness to pick up DW, TG and MC and we were off. Just as we were driving along towards Hammond's Corner and a phone call from SC meant a short diversion into New Romney.
Arriving at the cemetery, we parked on the side of the road and walked the short distance in. The thrush had been seen well during the early morning but was now hiding in some trees, which is more or less where it stayed for most of the morning giving occasional views as it hopped about or sat preening. It did fly around the tree tops for short while but there were so many people about it was unlikely to come down. It was very frustrating to nearly always be in the wrong place and photographs were almost impossible so it was doubly disappointing to see some if the excellent pictures on the web.




As the bird disappeared around lunch time it was decided to leave as there was a female red-backed shrike on the RSPB reserve.
We stopped off at Samphire Ho to look at the Early Spider or hides before going back to the obs for a cup of tea. We then drove round to find the shrike which was showing well in the brambles along the trail between Christmas Dell and Denge Marsh hides. A Hobby was on one of the posts across the fields and 5 whimbrel flew over, calling.








Early Spider orchids, Samphire Ho!




White throat gathering nest material








Red-backed shrike, Dungeness
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Friday 17 May 2013

Bluethroat

A call around lunchtime had me reaching for the car keys, a coat, socks and shoes and camera. Patrick had found a bluethroat on the concrete road out by the boats. A slightly stressed drive behind slow cars, tractor and I was driving down the road towards the group standing on the shingle. The bird was out of sight grubbing around in the bottom of a clump of valerian so I walked round to the otherside where it was more visible. It then worked it's way along the concrete road back towards the group giving great views but a little distant for photographs.
After flying towards the fishing boats, it was re- located near the red and cream house where it fed around the garden for about half an hour before flying on towards the fishing boats. It spent the next two or three hours hopping back and forth around the containers and boats giving great views.
News of its possible demise from a sparrow hawk is very sad but hopefully erroneous.



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Nightingales

ABWC visited Park Wood for the annual nightingale walk. The wood was lovely if a bit quiet but at least 6 nightingales were heard, with blackcap, garden warbler, nuthatch and treecreeper. A lovely walk.


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Friday 10 May 2013

Wayland Wood

With the wind still gusting and the sun playing peek-a-boo with the clouds we decided to walk round Wayland Wood, a small Kent reserve not far from here. The parking space is a bit tight and the ground was quite squishy but improved as we walked into the field along the footpath.
The trees and shrubs are really bursting their leaves and the bluebells were everywhere, scenting the air. A few milkmaids and primroses were scattered about but not much else. A few blue tits, chaffinch and a chiff chaff were singing but very little else.
On the return to the road we found some cyclamen, probably garden escapes, just before stepping through the kissing gate.








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Wednesday 8 May 2013

Spring. At last.

We went for a walk along the old railway line and into Turner's Field. The weather was warm but a slightly sneaky wind kept it cool. The early spring flowers a really bursting forth. We found Early Purple Orchid, Stitchwort, primroses, bluebells, including some white ones, Hedge Garlic, dandelions and opposite-leaved saxifrage. Several Orange-tip butterflies were about and we watched 2 Blackcaps holding a singing contest.

















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May Weekend

The bank holiday weekend is traditionally a good time for migrants of all kinds. An early start for Dungeness on a lovely morning with the sun shining and blue skies promised a nice day. The road across the marsh was quiet except for 2 yellow wagtails. At the obs the boys were out and about and the nets were up. Through the morning only a few birds were caught! It was so quiet that we decided to go go and buy some plants for the pots from Hamstreet Garden Centre.
Sunday morning was warm and sunny and a couple of orange tip butterflies flittered through the garden. After lunch we went to Park Wood via Moor lane. We saw 3 buzzards, more Orange-tips but no Red Kites. 5/6 nightingales singing and about 3 Chiff chaffs with a Song Thrush in the distance. 2 Peacocks sunned themselves and the bluebells are turning the woodland floor blue. With the Wood-anemones and celandines,  a very colourful walk.


Monday was very misty all the way down to Dungenss and this persisted until about 11.30. Saw very little and only 2 birds in the nets.
Another early start and I was down the Seawatch hide but missed all the Poms and only saw a distant Arctic skua.
 

Wednesday 1 May 2013

End of April


This last week of April maintains the cold, windy spell. The school Bluetits have built a nest but don't seem to be in much of a hurry to lay any eggs. Saturday was again quiet, with little on the sea and not a lot on land. The early purple orchids are beginning to show some colour and early forget-me-not covers the moat.
In the moth trap has only held 12 species fit the month, mostly Hebrew Characters, Small & Common Quakers and a few Early Thorns and Early Greys.
A drive out to Park Wood on Sunday, via Moor lane found only 2 Nightingales, at the far end of the wood and 1 singing chiff chaff. Walking back along a different path gave a real surprise with a Tawny Owl sitting out next to a squirrel drey. The flowers are really coming on with wood anemones and primroses throughout and bluebells beginning to paint the ground blue.