Showing posts with label armchair birding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label armchair birding. Show all posts

Thursday, 29 May 2008

Spring Watch

I didn't get any farther than the garden and television to day. I did take the opportunity to see Spring Watch and it definitely showed both sides of watching birds in the garden. The joy of watching them fledge and the disappointment of discovering that some or all of a brood haven't made it. The last few days will have been very difficult for nesting birds with so much rain. Some won't make it but many species will have second broods, although not Blue Tits.

One of the star birds tonight was a female Marsh Harrier, and it wasn't many years ago that it took a trip to Minsmere in Suffolk to see them in the breeding season. Who can forget the gentleman of mature years who used to be a volunteer warden at the Island Mere Hide and give a commentary, "Male Marsh Harrier passed no 20", as a harrier flew past one of the markers.

Now Kent is a strong hold and both the Stour Valley and Sheppey offer the opportunity to see these magnificent birds.