Battle over the Cliffs

Although the snow continued to settle slowly this morning it only amounted to a couple of inches. A look at the road through the village convinced me that a drive down to the bay would be OK and despite the chill wind it was worth a sea watch. There was plenty going on, but as usual the distance was a bit more that I would have liked. Hundreds of Auks were moving south and of those I could be sure of the vast majority were Guillemots, with fewer Razorbills along with them. Gannets were quite numerous and there were a few divers flying by. Two of these were Black-throated Divers, appearing to already have darkish necks and the other two were Red-throats, doing the typical "bucking" flight. The cliffs were already being prospected by Fulmars, and their cackling calls echoed down to the bay. I failed to find any Rock Pipits, and that was with a highish tide, I hope this isn't a sign of decline.

 
Once I'd decided that everything was going to remain at that infuriating range that leaves you frustrated I decided to go up to the monument. Mainly to feast on what I hoped would be glorious views. 

When I got to the Monument I wasn't disappointed and the views looking north in the afternoon sun were glorious. As I was breathing in the vista over Bockhill the familiar and yet unique honking of a calling Raven alerted me. Looking towards the lighthouse, into the sun I could see the silhouettes of two Ravens.

Of course I had the wrong camera in my hand and I rushed back to the car and with little thought about all those things you should do when trying to shoot into the sun I took a few photos. It's lucky they are black birds, because that's all I could manage to get through the suns rays.

As I watched one of the Ravens rolled over as a Peregrine dive bombed it. It is now over seventy-two years since the Battle of Britain was fought over these cliffs but this dog fight was  evocative of that time.

 The much smaller Peregrine repeatedly swooped at it's larger opponents. In many places the two species exist side by side, in fact some breeding sites are used by Ravens one year and Peregrines the next. It may be that in time these two will become tolerant here, both are historically successful breeders in the area.

Peregrines were killed off during WW2 to stop them using the messages Carrier Pigeons were conveying as Luncheon Vouchers, and Ravens have returned (this is the forth year they've been around) after an absence since 1892.

The Ravens drifted south and the Peregrine disengaged and flew back over my head. At the moment there are some fantastic wildlife programmes on the TV. Attenborough's Africa, Winter-watch, Polar Bears and a couple of others, but nothing compares to being out in the open watching it take place over your head.

Snow may be a nuisance but it certainly is photogenic!

Something to lift the Gloom

Another unremittingly gloomy day, although I did quite like this view of Deal Pier with a flock of Black-headed Gulls, many now with black heads.

Now Something to Lift The Gloom.

If you live locally our talented St Margaret's Players are performing Cheshire Cats by Gail Young at the end of the month. Full details are on the Poster below. As you see it includes a donation to charity. I'm sorry to say I'll miss it because I should be on a plane heading towards New Zealand on the first night, so I hope it all goes extremely well.

Old birds can learn new tricks.

This week is the first that I've seen Blackbirds hanging on feeders. So far it's only been the doughnut fat-ball feeders, but they may learn more new tricks!

Rooks are only occasional visitors to the garden, this on didn't stay long, once if found most of the potato skins were picked clean.

There have been at least two, probably three Pied Wagtails around. The last one shown was an adult male, I think that this one is a first winter bird.

There have been a few thrushes around the garden, this is one of three Song Thrushes that came down to drink. As I went out the back door this morning I flushed a Redwing from a bush by the kitchen window. It seemed very lethargic at first, but eventually found it's way into a thick hedge for shelter.

The Blue Tits have still been very active with up to four coming down to bathe at one time. There must be a fine balance between the energy lost from the heat lost to the cold water and the energy save by having the feathers in good working order.

The snow is hanging on, and although it has disappeared in patches, particularly where the birds feed, in other areas it is still several inches deep.

The front garden is well covered and the ice on the pond quite deep. The pump has kept the water flowing down the "stream" but despite daily inspection I still haven't been visited by a Jack Snipe or a Woodcock. There was a Little Egret flying over this afternoon. It did a couple of laps but didn't land.

This is the view today from the end of the built up part of Kingsdown Rood looking towards Kingsdown.

And this ids the view from the end of the football field looking across towards the Monument.

The football pitch, with not a white line in sight!

Painting the Cliffs

Today was a glorious day, but although it doesn't show on the picture below it remained misty, especially over the sea, all day. As it warmed up I walked round the Paddock, down to the farm and then on to Hope Point. The most noticeable thing was the complete lack of Swallows and Martins. I did witness an interesting confrontation between a Green Woodpecker and a Sparrowhawk, near the monument. As the Sparrowhawk flew through the Woodpecker took off and the two birds almost collided. Both seemed startled by the near collision and disappeared in opposite directions.

When I got to Hope Point there was a artist just beyond, set up rather closer to the cliff edge than I would have been comfortable with.

Although it was still a bit misty out to sea, his view along the cliff top would still have been breath-taking.

I stopped to watch and listen, in the hope that something would pop up or make a sound that I recognised. There were birds around, still a few Chiffchaffs and good numbers of linnets, but not that elusive rarity that would illuminate the day. Eventually I did get onto a few Blackcaps, or in the case of the female above, brown cap.

Blackcaps were still numerous in the area, but such id the density of the scrub and the difficulty is seeing them it is difficult to know quite how many are there.

I walked on to the Lees and Kingsdown and then all the way to the Golf Course, but in all honesty it was almost birdless, save for the odd sight of about 10 crows at the top of two trees at then end of one of the gardens. They seemed very intent on something, almost as if they were expecting food to arrive at any minute.

On my return journey I could see the artist still working on his canvass, a small figure in a huge view of sea, cliffs and fields.

Walking closer I could see that he had a range of instruments to apply the paint, but that these did not include brushes. using various trowels and other tools the paint on the canvas was very thick, so that when it dries he will have created a three dimensional painting.

I had been careful not to impose on him on my first encounter, merely exchanging a good morning, but now I was intrigued and he seemed more relaxed so that we got into a conversation, about art and how we saw the modern trends. As on most subjects I know very little, and of course feel that this gives me the right to express my opinions. Since we coincided on many things, but not Georges Braque, who I just don't get, we had a pleasant chat. It turned out that our artist is one George Rowlett, a man who is quite well known in the art world and has held exhibitions in several countries. I think his next exhibition is in London, at the Art Space Gallery in Peter's Street (N1). It is called, "Paintings 2011 - The Outer Hebrides & East Kent " There is an on line catalogue.

Back at home there seemed to be a queue for both bird bath and shower. Great Spotted Woodpecker have large beaks so they don't have to wait for the warblers.

The water level was a bit low, so the Chiffchaff arrived and then disappeared when it went into have a splash.

When it came out it was clear that it had made a thorough job of getting wet.

On the other hand these two didn't seem to clear on what to do with a shower.

Standing on to of it wasn't going to get the feather washed.

It did manage to drop it's wings down to get a bit of feather care done, but it didn't seem to get the idea of standing under a shower. The only bird I've seen do this on this little fountain is a Blue Tit.

As you can see only the wings are wet, so in the controversy of shower vs bath, in the case of Chiffchaffs bath wins hands down.

Pigeon Holed

There were a few migrants feeding in the bushes round the "Big Bruce" gun-site this lunch time. I saw Chiffchaffs and Lesser Whitethroats and heard Blackcap and Common Whitethroat, but the wind made it difficult to get onto much.

This Chiffchaff was one that seems to have developed a wide range of calls that never seem to be heard until comparatively recent time. As well as the standard "hweet" there were various less melodic squeaks, whether these are young birds, still developing their vocabularies or birds from a population with a different accent I don't know.

I hadn't been to the undercliff at Kingsdown for a while, and since it does attract some migrants, and is particularly favoured by Black Redstarts I decided to have a look. What struck me today was just how many warning notices there are there. Bear in mind that the foot path, that is a public right of way is the closest to the cliff, and that the gates to the rest of the land are more or less always open.

I don't know how long the land has been left unused by the ministry of defence, but considering the difficulty it has in maintaining proper security one would hope that any dangerous items have been removed.

I wonder if someone in the ministry is a major shareholder in a company producing notices, there are at least 40 in the area.

If one is naughty enough to wander over to the edge of the sea wall this is the view one gets.

This is what is called a Pigeon Hole!

The cliffs still had lots of House Martins feeding along them, but I didn't see any going to nests to feed young, although there may well be some still occupied judging by the amount of activity there.

The various notices do have their uses, and although I didn't find a Black Redstart there were about six Wheatears around that were making use of the signs. I'm sure they realised that at high tide the water could be too deep to paddle in.

I have long felt that this is the ideal place to find a rarity, but every Wheatear I find there is just that. a (Northern) Wheatear, one day....................................

For a lot of the sea wall it is falling down, with large holes in it, just in case you thought that this was how it is meant to be a notice draws your attention, well several of them actually, to the fact that it is falling down!

In case you didn't realise, a high wall, well above the sea has a sudden drop on the seaward side of it.

And you may have thought that the large fissure in the concrete was a design feature, but no, it is a dangerous crack. What would be do without H & S ?