Birds settling down for Winter

Posted on 5th November 2017 by Richard

Dungeness and Conningbrook

Late October and early November is a great time for spotting the smaller birds; the leaves are almost off the trees making things more visible and most of our feathered friends are now returning to their favourite Winter residences.

Stonechat

A trip down to the area around Dungeness Old Lighthouse produced the ever present Pied Wagtails on the Nuclear Power Station wall and in amongst the Gorse were the usual Robins, Starlings, Dunnocks and Meadow Pipits.

Meadow Pipit

Over the fields from here to Conningbrook showed some nice views of the Stonechats on North Field and on the fence posts beside the Great Stour, as indeed the Goldfinches did as well all be it they were only there for a couple of days before moving on.

Pied Wagtail – Goldfinches

As always, the unexpected seems to happen when I return home, a few days ago it was a Sparrowhawk and today, a Reed Bunting in the bushes of the front garden.
Garden wise we’re getting a lot of Long Tailed Tits who in a pack of around a dozen, flip along the trees before going on their way somewhere else. The Feeders have produced one Goldfinch and the Greater Spotted Woodp[ecker is back feeding at least three times a day.

Male Reed Warbler

It’s about now the Fieldfares along with Redwings return to the fields here. The challenge will be taking a photograph of them, they have a habit of wanting to be two trees ahead of you all the time !!

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Grey Wagtails back, Reptiles doing well

Posted on 21st August 2017 by Richard

Once again I’ve been confined to barracks over the last five days, but on the theory that nature and wildlife is not about four seasons but 365 days a year, I’m still spotting changes every time I walk up the Garden.

Grey Wagtails

Every year is the same with these fascinating birds, they show a face down the Lane in mid Spring, then return for a few weeks mid-August.
This is quite interesting as on the RSPB Grey Wagtail page, we’re just about borderline for Resident and Winter. I can only guess it’s a kind of mini migratory thing.

Reptiles around the Garden

The Slow Worms are continuing to thrive and another younger Grass Snake than last time appeared under the Rubber Mats.

About 12 weeks ago, the young lads over the Lane presented me with a jam jar with 5 Newts they’d found in a nearby Pond inside, their Mum thought it best to pass them on to me, so I put them in my little Pond.
That was the last I saw of them, but just in the last two days I’ve noticed two youngsters, so all did end well!
Obviously, their Predators being Grass Snakes, large Birds, Hedgehogs, Cats and Foxes, they’ll need to be on their guard!

Down the Lane

First rather exciting event was spotting an Argus Brown Butterfly, I can’t recall seeing one down here before.

Grass Snake – Young wild Trout

The other nice thing was to see a young Wild Trout in the Stream. Over the years quite a number have been born and precious few survive the odd visit from a Little Egret or Grey Heron. However, there are about 4 of reasonable size.

Egyptian Geese

Before being confined to my home and garden I did manage a short walk to the main Lake at Conningbrook, with the only thing more out of the ordinary were three Egyptian Geese

Egyptian Goose

It seems more and more of these birds are appearing around here and Dungeness has seen some breeding on the Islands.There’s a bit of controversy with these birdswith most Birders seeing them as a nuisance.
I think it’s a little like Parakeets, as much as they may be seen as ‘invasive’, they’re here to stay!
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The return of the Yellow Wagtails

Posted on 7th April 2017 by Richard

Yellow Wagtails

I’d heard the Yellow Wagtails had returned for the warmer months a few days back and knowing how they tend to mix on Cattle grazing pasture to begin with, made the trip down to Scotney Farm, just outside Lydd, with a view of getting some easier photos than in Summer when they tend to move around the tall crops more.

Needless to say I walked a long way along the footpath, gave up hope then saw them all only a couple of hundred meters away from where I parked. I’d been looking on the wrong side !

Although quite a lot more common, a Pied Wagtail gave a rather nice pose on a rock adjacent to the Lake.

At Dungeness

The Long Eared Owls once again weren’t there. I’d been hoping that because it being a nice sunny day they may be sitting in a more open position, but I have photos of them, so all not lost.

Whilst at the Dipping Pool there was an RSPB chap awaiting kids to turn up for an educational morning.
In preparation he’d pulled a Leech from the Dipping Pool and had pleasure of showing it to me.
I’m not usually spooked into not touching something, but these this threw me a little and the fact I’m on blood thinning tablets, gave that one a miss!

Other than that, it was very quiet. I also drove down to the Beach as I’d heard Willow Warblers and Black Redstarts were about, but saw neither.

Sometimes that’s the way, but seeing the Yellow Wagtails was good and a three or four mile walk through the barren scenery on a sunny day didn’t go amiss.
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New Wildlife Visitors down the Lane

Posted on 29th March 2017 by Richard

The last few days of March brought about a few new visitors, some of which returning and one new addition, a Treecreeper.
Maybe it’s my failing eyesight, but in two years of taking wildlife photos, I hadn’t come accross any, then like a London Bus I’ve had two sightings in a Month !

Our resident Fox has Cubs ?

You may recall I mentioned a second Fox showed up some weeks ago. This morning when she turned up for some food I noticed the Teats being very pert and heavy.
Rather than coming up the drive, she has recently been arriving from behind the Barn, so I guess that’s where it’s all going on.
She still has a limp and if anything got slightly worse, but to try and do anything about it now would be wrong as it would obviously mean separating her from the young ones. Also, I’m not exactly sure where the Nest is, somewhere in the old Derelict Windmill and adjoining Barns.

Grey Wagtails

Every year they come down the Lane; for a few weeks in Spring and again in Autumn.
Never a day goes by where they’re not paddling in the stream or gathering nesting material from the tarmac surfaces around and about.

Hedgehog is back

I’d been searching around the garden for a number of days hoping I would see some droppings thus showing Hedgy was out of hibernation and ready for Spring and Summer.
I’m pretty sure he or she spent Winter in one of my purpose built houses, it seems I was right.

However, since waking I don’t see him go in the Shed where I feed him, but I do see him coming out. Looks like his Summer Home will be within easy reach of food !!
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Bewick’s Swans at Dungeness

Posted on 8th December 2016 by Richard

I don’t recall Bewick’s Swans at Dungeness last year so was very keen to see them when I read on a Blog that upwards of 14 had turned up in the last week.

Being my only day spare this week and fearing they may move on I headed down there quite early. Regret to say when I arrived it was thick fog and I couldn’t see further than 50 meters or so.
Not being able to wait until late afternoon when they would fly in to roost, I headed off to the Old Lighthouse and around the main Reserve circuit. Each step seemed to clear the fog.

By the time I had to head home I thought I’d just give the ARC Hide one quick glance to see if they arrive early, low and behold, two did at 12.30pm!
I have to say, what majestic creatures they are. At first they were pretty distant, then slowly but surely they swam over to the small Island about 100 meters away and I managed a few shots.
It’s interesting I saw these on the day ‘The Swan Lady’ landed her Microlight at Dover after following their passage from Siberia. You can read about her journey here

Left; Shelduck – Right; Pied Wagtail on Power Station wall

One interesting thing around the Old Lighthouse was seeing quite a number of Bumble Bees still present, especially as the last few days hasn’t seen a temperature above 5 degrees and well below freezing at night.

Apparently a Peacock Butterfly and Red Admiral have been spotted around in the last few days. Is this worrying? I know these creatures can often appear in December, the concern is when it’s every year. Times and climate are changing!

Conningbrook Lakes first day of Winter

Posted on 1st December 2016 by Richard

Being the meteorological first day of Winter I thought it would be nice to have a walk around Conningbrook Lakes this morning.
The Weather forecast was for it to cloud over at 10am and as the last two nights have produced below freezing temperatures, I wrapped up with four layers.
Needless to say they got it wrong and clear blue sunny skies prolonged all day – I was boiling !

The Eco Lake was pretty much frozen over with no birds on or around it but the main lake was very busy; Greylags, Shovelers, Tufted Ducks and Pochards were the main stay with a sprinkling of Great Crested Grebes and Gadwalls.

Pochard – Male Tufted Ducks – Pied Wagtail

Very noticeable was the lack of small birds about, just Long Tailed Tits, Wrens, Blackbirds and every one’s favourite, the Robin ! I did mis-time a photo of a Pied Wagtail though. As often the case, getting a shot of a bird taking off is quite accidental !

Look out for Hedgehogs

The very mild Autumn has bought about a bit of a nightmare situation for many Hedgehogs. Many have been born quite late and will not have had time to get themselves up to the necessary weight for hibernation, 600 grams.

Should you see any Hedgehog walking about now, please report this to a local RSPCA or The Hedgehog Protection Society. They should be safely tucked away by now and any still out and about have little chance of survival.

More on Hedgehogs here on the main web site

Birds returning down the Lane after Summer breaks

Posted on 1st November 2016 by Richard

The last few days of the month have welcomed back a few birds down the Lane.
First it was the Chiffchaffs and Grey Wagtails and now the Pied Wagtails, some Chaffinches, Lapwings and the always welcomed Fieldfares.

The Fieldfares arrived last Sunday, about 30 or 40 to begin with, then the following day,probably 150 came in and have spread themselves across the fields along the half mile stretch from here to the Great Stour two fields down.

The Grey Wagtails are still bathing a lot in the Stream which at present is quite low due to a fairly long dry period. It will be interesting to see what happens when the water rises a bit. Not too much I hope.

In fact, on Tuesday, a walk down to the River afforded me not only the above but a Buzzard popping here and there on the field, a few Yellowhammers just meters away from the house and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Yellowhammer – Great Spotted Woodpecker – Lapwings – Pied Wagtail

From all the above only the Fieldfares are migrants from overseas, but there are many birds who seemed to leave in late Spring and now returning.

Of note is the huge increase in Blackbirds. As far as I can make out, none are migrants, so just flown further south to here for Winter.

Finally, Jay, again first viewing of one here since Spring when I regret to say had 4 or 5 fledgling Sparrows from the nest above the back door.
Always a great shame, but nature rules.

Here comes Winter and the weather this week seems to be confirming just that.

Grey Wagtails back down the Lane

Posted on 23rd September 2016 by Richard

After a summer break, the Grey Wagtails suddenly appeared this week, mainly hanging around the Stream which at present is quite low so giving them ample places to splash around in.
Add to that the re-appearance of countless Chiffchaffs, the Lane has become quite noisy again.

Autumn is upon us, at present warm sunny days with rapid temperature drops late afternoon bringing out the forever young (it seems) Blackbirds who scurry around the Blackcurrant Bushes and under the Laurel Tree.
This seems to go on until more or less darkness, only yesterday I nearly fell over one as I returned from my Garden Office to the Back Door.

Blackcap – Wren – Red Admiral

Butterrlies are hanging on but seem now to be reduced to more or less Whites, Speckled Woods with the odd Peacock and Red Admiral. Invertebrates are still making their winter homes in the bug house, the fox is feeding nightly as is the Hedgehog who seems to be eating less as the evenings go on.
Mind you, this is probably not bad. I know Hogs are supposed to be of good weight for their hibernation, but this one’s huge !!

Green Woodpecker over the fields at Conningbrook

So not many sightings this week, I did spot a huge Slow Worm by the Stream, but it this instance it didn’t live up to it’s name and did a fast exit before I could get my Camera pointed.
Why is it you always see something after the event !

Conningbrook Lakes – Late July

Posted on 26th July 2016 by Richard

I went to Conningbrook Lakes this afternoon for two reasons 1. Hoping to see the reported Turtle Dove and 2. some Snakes.
I saw neither of course, but as always, something will take your fancy.

Being School Summer Holidays and what I thought was a perfect day for getting out and about after the heatwave, I was surprised that in my two hour stroll, I saw no one else at all!
Maybe they’re all queuing up at Dover Docks!

Although very common birds, the highlight was sitting on a Bench just by the bridge separating the main lake and watching a dozen or so juvenile Pied Wagtails darting around in a frenzy as if life depended on it. Saying that, to a bird, life does depend on it!

Gatekeeper – Marbled White – Speckled Wood

Damselfly – Banded – Heron in the Trees beside Eco Lake

Progressing around to the Eco and North Lakes I could hear many birds, mainly Long Tailed Tits, what I believe were juvenile Chaffinches and a couple of Green Woodpeckers.
As hard as I tried to get a photo, their darting between the leafy smaller trees beat me.
In the fields on the other side of the River there were intermittent groups of Skylarks.

The Wild Plants and Flowers alongside the Great Stour looked splendid. Now in their full glory you can see that much food supply will be there for Autumn and Winter, plus of course, many Butterflies, Bees and Dragon Flies enjoying them as they are now.

Now in it’s second year of opening much is happening at Conningbrook and I’m sure that many Nature lovers will be enjoying a very special last half of 2016 and next year to boot.

As for the Turtle Dove and Bees, I need to get myself out of bed at silly o’clock I think !!

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Tag Archives: Wagtails

Birds settling down for Winter

Dungeness and Conningbrook

Grey Wagtails back, Reptiles doing well

Grey Wagtails

Reptiles around the Garden

Down the Lane

Egyptian Geese

The return of the Yellow Wagtails

Yellow Wagtails

At Dungeness

New Wildlife Visitors down the Lane

Our resident Fox has Cubs ?

Grey Wagtails

Hedgehog is back

Bewick’s Swans at Dungeness

Conningbrook Lakes first day of Winter

Look out for Hedgehogs

Birds returning down the Lane after Summer breaks

Grey Wagtails back down the Lane

Conningbrook Lakes – Late July