Changing shapes

Grey Partridges are one of those birds that don't get a great deal of votes in the beauty contest polls.

However I think that on close inspection they are one of the most stunning of out native birds, and far out do the Frenchies (Red-legged Partridges) introduced by the gun brigade.

When they are feeding they can look very plump and neckless, almost like fat little rugby balls.

But when they are altered to some potential danger they can stretch up their necks and look quite attenuated. I have to admit that I've never eaten one, but I really think that they will always look much better creeping around the edges of fields rather than dressed on a dinner plate.

Woodnesborough Windows

I started off this afternoon with the intention of having a quiet look at the Restharrow Scrape, in the hope of some close birds to photograph. I got to about 10 yards from the hide and returned to the car. It sounded like a discussion club was in full swing in the hide and the likelihood of any birds being at that end of the scrape was pretty low. It turned out that this was a piece of luck.

As the sun was now shining I cut back inland in the hope of seeing something interesting in the air, but on my way round the striking church of St Mary the Blessed Virgin at Woodnesborough caught my eye. This Norman church dates back to 1180 and there was a previous Saxon church here and possible other places of worship. The name Woodnesborough is derived from the Anglo-Saxon God Woden. My luck was in, and as I parked I was given a friendly greeting by one of the church wardens, who told me a little of the history of the church and showed me the remains of a pillar that probably formed par of a previous building.

We discussed the wooden "box" on top of the tower and as I suspected this was fairly new and hid an interesting past. Previously there had been a tall steeple, that was maintained by Trinity House as a navigation landmark for sailors. When the river Sour became silted and was no longer used the steeple fell in to disrepair and was removed. My guide was kind enough to get me into the church. No mean feat as it was being given it's weekly clean by dedicated volunteers who didn't want my muddy feet in there. I was far luckier than James Antony Syms who found the church locked when he visited it.

The Church has a number of notable stained glass windows, so the visit inside was imperative. This Victorian window is above the alter and was placed there in 1896. It depicts the Good Shepherd, St Anne and St Elizabeth.

On the south side of the Chancel is the Mary Window, it shows three Marys- St Mary Cleophas, the Virgin Mary and St Mary of Bethany. The window is dated 1912 and is dedicated to Mary Savage.

This window was made by Frederick Cole, the Stained Glass Designer of Canterbury Cathedral. It is in memory of a Man of Kent (Tom Miller) and shows St Francis of Assisi with many animals and birds.

One of the gems in this church is the Sedilia (a stone seat for clergymen) that dates back to about 1350. It is very elaborate and in this is unusual for a parish church. I has been described as a priceless example of 13th century carving.

Around the base are some tiles, that were originally found under the altar. This also date back to around the same time.

Another window by Frederick Cole is found in the Children's Corner, depicting the creation, as described in the book of Genesis. This window was completed in 1977.

There are many other fascinating things to see in this church, including some graffiti carved into the stone columns, by pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. I would recommend this piece of history to anyone with an interest, there is a little guide book is available, if you don't manage a personal guide as I was lucky enough to do!

After I left I scanned the area from a high point a couple of mile away and was rewarded with a group of four raptors in the air together, two Common Buzzards and two Red Kites. Another Buzzard was nearby. Unfortunately they were all to far for photographs, by luckily I had my telescope in the car and got some really good views.

Blue Tit box update.

The two nest boxes with cameras are now both fixed to the recorder, although I will only monitor one at a time when it is set to video.

The box in the Birch Tree is being visited regularly, especially in the mornings. Quite often two birds pop in at the same time. So far they haven't hung around for long and there's no sign of any nest building yet. I hope that they will maintain their interest in this box.

The box in the Ash outside my study also has had quite a bit of attention, but until today it wasn't fitted to the recorder and we've just watched the comings and goings on the TV in the kitchen. Today I extended the cabling and fitted it to the recorder. Each day for the last week or so we've watched a Blue Tit settle down for a nights rest in this box. I did try today to get a picture of it arriving at the box before it entered, but I wasn't fast enough. At 17.34 hrs I saw it flying down the garden towards the box, and it went straight in, hardly touching the sides! Once inside it did spend a bit of time tidying itself up and doing a bit of preening, but it wasn't a very comprehensive grooming.

When it arrived at the box it was a sleek individual, just as you see them in their normal activities. Almost as soon as it entered the box and certainly as it preened it started to fluff up it's feathers. By the time it settled to sleep, just four minutes after it arrived, it was a ball of fluff, so much so that it is hard to tell where it has tucked it's head. It's a shame that he doesn't keep his quarters very clean. I feel as if I need to take the front of and give it a clean and vacuum while it's out, but that might disturb it.

Who's been fighting?

Spurred on by the paper in British Birds I had a look at some of the local Herring Gull flocks. Armed with all that information I felt ready for a Caspian, or at least a Yellow-legged Gull. What did I see? Lots of Herring Gulls.

When I got home the local Song Thrush was giving it all, high in the Ash tree next to the house. It was partly obscured, but i reckoned it would be right outside the attic window.

I was almost right, but I hadn't bargained for the fact that the change of angle meant that it was mostly hidden by branches. Nevertheless for that close the song was magnificent.

The first Badge appeared early this evening, well, before kick off time. It looked like the some one that had been coming regularly, but for some reason he was particularly jumpy and went when he saw movement inside the window. Although they often return quite quickly I didn't see this one again this evening, presumably it found some tit bits left elsewhere and forgot about the peanuts it had left behind.

What I think was a different Badger came after the Champions League game (5-0 to the Gunners), and allowed close inspection. At first I though it had a dirty snout.

When I got closer it was apparent that it had quite a deep wound on it's head, between it's eyes.

I know that they can fight, so I could be a domestic problem, but it didn't seem to stop it eating up the nuts. I wasn't so keen on some stale pastry that we put out. It tried a couple of bits and then left them. While I was watching this animal a rather beautiful Fox suddenly appeared on the patio. Sadly it didn't stay long. Whether it was because the Badger was there or because it could see me through the window I don't know, but it quickly retreated and disappeared, before I got a picture. Perhaps it will return later.

Waiting for Pamela (apologies to Samuel Becket!)

If I ever write an autobiography Waiting for Pamela will be the title. (her friends will know what I mean!).

Sometimes the gap between real time and PT (Pam Time) can be usefully put to use and yesterday I took the few minutes to watch and photograph the feeders out side my study. There is a good flock of Chaffinches round the garden at the moment and they spend most of their time on the ground, with an occasional foray to the feeders.

There's been a lot of posts on the KOS forum about the lack of Greenfinches in many members gardens, but the garden here has had a good number through most of the winter. I didn't manage a picture of one at each port but as this is just one of 12 sunflower seed feeders in the garden (total of 50 ports) you get an idea that the Greenfinches are quite numerous in the garden at this time. On the other hand I did find that all the finches seemed to be in short supply in both farmland and woodland when I did my TTV's. This week I've notices a lot of singing Greenfinches round the village.

The biggest bonus was the arrival of the first Siskin that I've seen in the garden this spring. In much of the county they are winter visitors as well as passage migrants, but here I only see them during migration. It was only one bird, but it did brighten up the day.

To complete the quartet of finches a few Goldfinches were around, and several were singing in the area.

We went to Walthamstow to help Rocio celebrate her 35++ birthday. Sam and his friends were keen to help Rocio cut the cake.

They were even keener to clear up the bits of chocolate that mysteriously became detached from the top of the cake. The Castle pub were we gathered is a real community Pub in Walthamstow Village, making families with children welcome and serving good food. Perhaps we're learning from our continental neighbours.