December - Sheppey

On Sunday 12th we had a field trip to The Isle of Sheppey… It was a bit ‘parky’ and one young lady admitted to 5 layers of clothing, not a bad judgement!

We started at Funton Creek, good numbers and varieties of waders including Grey, Golden, and Green Plover [Lapwing], Redshank, Blacktailed Godwit, Curlew and Avocets. About 300 Pintail, Wigeon and Shelduck. Next stop Elmley RSPB reserve Sky Lark,close Curlew and Lapwing. Then onto Harty Ferry Road, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, White Front and Pinkfooted Geese. On down to the Ferry Inn  for large numbers of Fieldfares and Redwings.

Lunch by the sea wall at Leysdown: lots of Sanderlings, Turnstones and Oystercatchers. Back to the Raptor watch point close Golden Plover,better views of the geese,40-50 Corn Buntings,Marsh Harriers everywhere, then a very obliging Hen Harrier sitting on a fence post a female, the male came by later. A fly-over Spotted Redshank was another good winter record. Well worth braving the weather! 

Brian Hobley.

October - Oare and Reculver

Our group's field trip to Oare Marsh and Reculver was amazing, it started well but slowly at Oare. We saw Arctic breeding birds in the form of curlew sandpipers, dunlin, golden plover, black and bartailed godwits, finishing with a red-throated diver, there were also a lot of starlings and skylarks escaping the Russian winter all flying west.

Continuing on to Reculver we witnessed one of the miracles of nature. Goldcrests - one of Britain's smallest birds at only three and a half inches long - coming in off the North Sea in their dozens, hungry and exhausted, too tired to be afraid... One actually landed on one of our telescope tripod legs! They have been coming in all week on the N E winds; yesterday (October 17th) there were over 200 along the north Kent coast.

Walking along behind the Oyster farm we also saw 6 brambling, another Scandinavian species here for the winter. Also seen was a wheatear on its way to Africa along with a few late swallows. Then we found the icing on the cake - another three and a half inch sprite - Pallas's leaf warbler - a little bit off course it should be in Burma or southern China. This bird was previously only recorded about 10 times in 100 years, then suddenly 135 arrived in one year! Now it is seen annually. A pretty good outing, most of them are, so why not give us a go?

Brian Hobley.

July - Dungeness

The RSPB reserve at Dungeness is still turning up trumps - the Purple Herons have produced at least one chick seen momentarily when the wind flattened the reeds. Also seen: Grey Herons, Little Egrets, Bitterns and a Great White Egret.The star bird has been a White Tailed Lapwing - a relative of our Peewit or Lapwing. This bird should be in Iraq, Iran or near there not being chased by Oyster Catchers in Southern England!

Brian Hobley.

June 20 - Norfolk/Suffolk trip

The early morning trip to Norfolk/Suffolk was successful though windy.
Good views of 3 Cuckoos together. Heard Golden Oriole and saw flying Bittern twice, Hobby and Turtle Dove. Went to Weeting Heath and had good views of Stone Curlew. A good trip well worth getting up for.

Brian Hobley.

May 9 - Minsmere coach trip

The trip to Minsmere was very successful a full coach, reasonable weather - a bit nippy in the morning but  bright.
Just sitting in the west hide finding male Ruff in breeding plumage, Avocets ,6 Med gulls, Common Sandpiper, Black tailed Godwits - these were just some of the birds on view. Then a stroll down to the South hide produced Bartailed Godwit, Arctic, Common and Little Terns.
The star bird then appeared! - a wing tagged Montague's Harrier which was tagged in the Laverne region of France. Walking back to the West hide Marsh Harrier appeared back at the hide I saw the Monties eating an egg on the ground. A man in the hide asked had I seen the Wood Sandpiper from the North Hide?... So off I went!
Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler and Nightingale were bonuses on the way back for a welcome cup of tea after an excellent day's birding.

Brian Hobley.

April 18 - Stodmarsh and Grove Ferry

On a field trip to Grove Ferry and Stodmarsh, near Canterbury, it was very good to hear large numbers of Cetti's warblers - a bird which was feared would be hit badly by the recent severe winter. Bearded reedlings were flitting about in the reed beds - another bird which can suffer in harsh winters.
It was also pleasing to see summer migrants such as blackcaps and sedge warblers were also showing well all the way back from Africa. Look out for swallows and house martins which are now appearing everywhere.

Back to this year's notes

FIELD TRIP NOTES - 2009

Sep 14 - Pett Level and Dungeness

Possibly one of the group's best days for rarities! The trip to Pett Level and a slight detour to Dungeness produced little gull, black tern, white winged black terns,2 common cranesand 2 ospreys. Buzzard, merlin, hobby, yellow wagtails, plus a good variety of waders and waterfowl - not forgetting marsh harrier supplying the supporting cast.

July 13 - Elmley

Elmley was the chosen venue for the Mystery Trip, 50+ species which included beautifully coloured yellow wagtails, a hobby sitting on a post next to the track and swallows nesting in the toilets! Plus PECTORAL SANDPIPER and 8+ spotted redshanks, 5 marsh harriers, a buzzard, sparrowhawk, peregrine and a small, paler harrier mixing it with the highest marsh harrier at the same time. We also had 6 species of butterflies on the buddleia. A very enjoyable day's birding.

May 11 - Minsmere

Warm and sunny with slight breeze. Bitterns, bearded tits, little terns, little gulls, marsh harriers (5 in the air at one time!),wigeon, whimbrel, hobby and honey buzzard were the highlights of the birds that the group saw - nobody saw everything! But a good day was had by all - the weather certainly helped and most of the birds were obliging enough to stay in sight long enough! Cold in the coach though - the air conditioning was turned to 'Arctic' I think...

Apr 27 - Pagham

The weather forcast was not very promising so we went to Sidlesham to begin with... not very inspiring! Saw whitethroat, whimbrel and cuckoo. As the clouds were getting blacker,Selsey was considered the next best option. 3 great northern divers,1 blackthroated diver, a great skua, common and sandwich terns. Then at 11am OSPREY IN OFF THE SEA right over head! Thunder storm so took shelter for lunch; 4 pomarine skuas and 20 plus gannets, 18 little terns. Then back to Church Norton to finish off with a female redstart and a female pied flycatcher - good trip!