Around & About in March

Posted on 27th March 2020 by Richard

Lockdown begins, bad for us, good for nature

After some weeks of the Coronavirus Pandemic spreading itself across the U.K., the Prime Minister announced what would be a virtual shutting down of the Country, we were told to stay at home with only essential shops remaining open.
Luckily we were allowed daily outdoor exercise and although officially limited to one hour, where I go for walks is mostly to places where people don’t go. In other words, further out into the horizons.

Kestrel

The town of Bishop’s Waltham has many walks and close by places to explore. The houses on the north side of the town border the South Downs National Park and to the south it’s mainly fields with streams flowing into the River Meon. North and south I have about 6 variations of circular walks ranging from 4k to 8k, so depending on my general state of mobility, this is a nice variation.

Jackdaw – Goldcrest – Deer

Song Thrush – A late Fieldfare (early March) – Common Buzzard

There are some benefits of being indoors so much and that is to look out the window more and see what’s going on nature wise more closely than usual maybe.
Outside mt window, we’ve had Long Tailed, Blue, Great and Coal Tits, Chaffinches, Goldcrest (right outside my window), Starlings, Jackdaws, Goldfinches and not forgetting Blackbirds and Robins of course

There’s always one close by !

Not only has Bishop’s Waltham the fields and River, but also a derelict Abbey (or Palace) and two large ponds no further than a 200 meter walk from my Flat.
Both are separated by the Winchester Road; the North Pond is largest more natural with varying depths of water which attract Herons and Cormorants, the south Pond was man made back in the day solely to farm fish. This attracts fewer water birds but does attract Kingfishers, Grey Wagtails and Gulls.

Much to see in the coming months !

Cold weather at Dungeness

Posted on 11th December 2017 by Richard

With the weather being cold one day, mild the next, wet the next and windy the next, the Birds seem to be in a constant state, maybe like us humans, in constant confusion as to if it’s December or Spring !

Caspian Gull

RSPB Dungeness

The main Reserve area was very active with Waders and other Wetland Birds with the highlights being Caspian Gulls seen very well from the Firth Hide and a male Kestrel who sat rather nicely on a tree beside the gravel road leading up to the Reserve Shop and Offices.
Also around this area were probably 600 Cormorants and a good mixture of Ducks and Geese

Some of the many Cormorants

I passed some Bewick Swans in the fields north of the Reserve., but being not the best place to safely stop, I hoped to see them fly into the ARC.
I drove there, but owing to some work going on plus a bonfire on one of the Islands, there was nothing there.
On that note I have to say a good word for the Interns, so nice to see young people doing work which they both enjoy and work which is beneficial to the future of Wildlife.
On a political note, what a shame that these youngsters study something that’s close to their heart rather than study something which is close to their wallet. They can’t earn a lot, so all respect to them.

Male Kestrel

After that I drove down to the Power Station and parked the Van next to the Old Lighthouse; nothing around there, or in the shrubs / Gorse lading up to the Boird Observatory.

All in all, not a special day for spotting anything, but offset by a fairly dry and light day.

Bittern on North Lake Conningbrook

Posted on 17th February 2017 by Richard

Right place, right time!

The more I get into birdwatching, the more I find it’s often a case of being in the right place at the right time.
Today was no exception.
A long walk over the fields to Conningbrook, after two hours, produced nothing, then just as I was leaving North Lake for home I was awakened by a splashing sound in the reeds behind me…..A Bittern !!

I’d read a few people had seen one around and about, last year I saw one flying on main lake, but as usual only noticed it after it had flown past enabling me a distant rear view shot.
I was lucky enough to get a sideways shot of one flying past from the Island Mere Hide at Minsmere last October, so getting today’s, all be it a brief glimpse was quite a eurika moment.

Last Spring I heard one booming in Dungeness and followed the sound for quite some while but the sound semed no closer the further I went.
It appears their tone and volume can sound as if they’re they’re a couple of hundred meters away, but they are in fact about two miles away!

The Kestrel looking for Lunch

Walking back accross the fields nothing much about other than about 50+ Fieldfares, a Kestrel, Skylarks noisily hovering over their designed nesting areas above the young crops, many Longed Tailed Tits and some 70 heavily pregnant Sheep in the second field down.

With Spring just around the corner everything seems to be getting into place, the bird song in the Garden has switched up a couple of notches, so all’s well.
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A quiet day at Dungeness

Posted on 10th January 2017 by Richard

As with any great birdwatching place, Dungeness can often be a little hit and miss and today, for me anyway, was one of those days.

I started off at RSPB in hope of getting a photograph of the now two Long Eared Owls. Needless to say, not even one was there!
Rather than doing my usual circuit of the main Reserve area I headed off to the Beach, again quiet although it was interesting to see there are still Bumble Bees flying around the hedgerow at the old Lighthouse Garden.
However, it gave me a chance of capturing a few Gulls all be it not seeing the Caspian Gulls which are there or thereabouts of late.

At the Reserve I’d bumped into the Warden of the BTO Observatory which reminded me I owed them money for this years ‘Friends’ Membership so I popped in there to pay up.
This gave me a chance to see if I’d missed anything on my journeys, I hadn’t apparently, a quiet day by all.

After this I went along to the Kerton Road area to see if I could spot the rare Stejneger’s Stonechat, couldn’t find him or her either. Oh dear !
A quick walk along the ARC did produce a photo of a Great White Egret.
It was then on to Scotney Farm where I thought at least I’d see the Little Owl which is present virtually daily, wasn’t there either!

I took the Walland Marsh route back home and at least got a photograph of a Kestrel posing quite nicely on top of a telegraph pole.

Maybe not a successful bird watching day, but the sun shone for most of the time and I convinced myself the fresh air did me good!

Kestrel at Conningbrook Lakes

Posted on 19th August 2016 by Richard

It was a hot muggy day when I went to Conningbrook Lakes yesterday so beside Dragon Flies, Butterflies and the usual Heron, Swans, Gulls and Wagtails I didn’t think I’d see much so what a nice surprise it was to sit and watch a female Kestrel predating some afternoon snacks of Dragon Flies and anything else she could find.

I see this bird quite often when I go, usually hanging around in the first part of the walk from where they keep the boats around to opposite the Bachelors Food Factory and second gateway of the main lake, but quite rare to see her moving around so much and obviously on a mission!

On my outward walk I saw her but just either perching on one of the sailing masts or the overhead cables so after the long walk around to the Eco Lake it was a pleasure to suddenly stumble across her on the way back and so close.

Female Kestrel lands to predate Dragon Fly

She perched on one of the lakeside trees and flew down a few times, each time just grabbing a Dragon Fly, obviously a mid afternoon snack as I saw quite a few Field Mice galloping through the now sunburnt grass.

There’s something about nature which fascinates; it has this strange ability to show you something special when 1. you’re least expecting it and 2. when you really need something to perk you up a bit.

It was special just to sit and watch, her second fly down landed her no more than 30 feet away from me, as you see, she did give me a wary eye!

I’m finding that by learning and trying to understand nature and wildlife, I’m learning and starting to understand life so much more.
I guess we are just a part of it, another species, it’s just we have brains which do things and change quicker, but also brains which can destroy.
May our wildlife be held together and may mankind sort itself out !

Conningbrook Lakes – 27th. April

Posted on 27th April 2016 by Richard

Conningbrook Lakes are now a part of Ashford Country Park, made up of four lakes they stretch out over a distance of about one mile.
The main lake is to be used more for leisure purposes but ‘the Eco Lake’ is being kept very much more on the lines of a Nature Reserve with much Reed and surrounding woodland.

A trip down there this morning, cold as it was, produced a beautiful Whitethroat darting in and out of the tall shrubs. It appeared there was only one, but it was the first one I’d seen this year.
Beside the usual Gulls and around 40 / 50 Swans there wasn’t much about, but plodding on as one does I was given a lovely hovering display by a Kestrel on the prowl no doubt for a mid morning snack of Field Mouse!

A walk along the bank of the Great Stour which flows alongside the Park afforded much noise, but no birds to be seen, not even the usual Heron or Little Egret.
Recent rainy weather has raised the water level up a lot of late and the pity is that a mile up stream lays Ashford Town Centre where some lazy layabouts, or just plain ignorant people throw away all sorts of things into the River. This morning, together with the countless number of empty drinks bottles I noticed a Bus Stop sign.

What a shame it always lays upon Volunteers to do all the clearing up. Maybe Community Service would cover this job, especially for those who are guilty of more social offences.

However, a pleasant couple of hours and home in time for Lunch!

Main Web Site article for Conningbrook Lakes

Kent Wildlife Trust Web Site

Over 60 pages of Garden Wildlife on the main Web Site here Nature on our Doorstep

Marsh Harrier at Dungeness

Posted on 10th March 2016 by Richard

A rather dull overcast day but worth a drive down to Dungeness as I was particularly keen to get a photograph of a Marsh Harrier, it didn’t disappoint.

Getting up close to the Marsh Harrier

I parked the Car at the ARC and walked from there along to the viewpoint close to Denge Marsh. It was one of those day where I thought luck would not be on my side, nothing mush else was about which surprised me.
Then out the blue I saw a Harrier flying more or less toward me and pretty low at that.
It’s always difficult with the faster birds and a telescopic lens, by the time you’ve hit the spot with focus, the bird has moved 100 feet further along, you get home only to find a blurred picture!

In flight and cruising!

A quick look at the Beach and a Coffee in my Camper and I was away by midday.
As it was still quite early I thought I’d drive back along the Marsh Lanes between Lydd and Brenzett. I have to say I need to be a bit careful when I do this, most of the time it’s more or less single file and keeping one eye on anything moving beside you can be a distraction.

The Kestrel

Again, nothing much seen except a fine looking Kestrel sitting on top of a Telegraph Pole who was quite condesending about having it’s photo taken from about 10 meters!

Not a diverse day, but an enjoyable one coming home with a photo or two I went there for.