Spent a very pleasant day with P & P wandering around parts of Kent. Our first objective was to try and find a carpet of Winter Aconites that I remembered from a twitch to Seaton Lakes several years ago. We drove towards Wickhambreaux, looking out for the remainder of the floods and the Nailbourne. We parked by the church and walked through a path that took us to an old mill and a footpath to the lakes. A Long-tailed tit was in a bush and eventually we found the remains of what must have been a realist u're a week or so earlier, although there were still a few flowers to add to the year list.
We decided to head to Ramsgate to see the Hume's Warbler via Grove Ferry but had to turn back as the road was closed. We made it to the cemetery, stopping for lunch on the way, and parked just outside the gates. The warbler was heard very quickly and we soon located it high in the tree near the entrance. It then flew across to,the bare trees along the path given very good views if a bit distant for the camera.
W spent some time watching the bird and checking out some of the flowers, we also enjoyed views of 6 Ring-necked Parakeets before moving on to Broadstairs and a walk down to the pier where we had close encounters with a few Herring Gulls but no sign of any Purple Sandpipers.
We ended the day looking for the Short-eared Owl on the Golf course at Littlestone. As we parked up P saw an owl fly across and land on a fence post. Closer views confirmed a Short-eared Owl which sat and scanned the grassy area but didn't move from the post. As the light levels dropped we drove home after a very enjoyable day.
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