Blowing in the wind

I was out early today, trying to make the most of the rain free period, if the forecast was to be believed. It was a gloomy morning with a threatening sky. Most notable were the groups of Swallows, with smaller numbers of House Martins moving along the cliff. A few "alba" wagtails called "chiswick" as they flew over and small flocks of Linnets and Goldfinches were on the move.

Out in the big field a Wheatear popped up on a clod of earth. It seemed big and bold when I saw it next to a meadow Pipit.

Although Wheatears are widespread we do get a passage of the sub-species leucorhoa that breeds in Greenland. In Spring some of the late birds are picked out as this population, and although I'm not suggesting that this bird was one, they do move through in Autumn. The only way to be certain it by the measurements when the are caught for ringing.

Farm Wood still had a very mobile group of Chiffchaffs roaming from the wood and along the hedges. It's getting to the time that we should find a Yellow-browed Warbler amongst them, but today I had not luck in finding one of these Sibes. They are being reported from various east coast sites and there is even one in Cornwall. The number of Ring Ouzels seems to have increased, with at least five along one of the hedges. They are difficult to see, remaining deep in the bushes while announcing their presence with a characteristic harsh "tacking". There also seemed to be an increase in Song Thrushes. By 10.30 the rain arrived, but cleared up enough for a further walk round this afternoon, but the day remained resolutely gloomy and

Now that the stubble has gone there been a good deal of much spreading going on, but fortunately the wind has mainly been from a quarter with a large westerly component, keeping any less pleasant odours away from my garden!

Getting a Grip?

I didn't get very long at Bockhill today, but there was time to see two Lapland Buntings and one Wheatear in the big field. A few Swallows and House Martins were moving through, often, it seemed, in batches, and with them there were a few Swifts.

As evening approached I decided to go over to the "otherside" (along Reach Road) and give the large stubble field there a quick look in case it was harbouring a flock of Lapland Buntings as yet un-found. I didn't find any, but there were two Ravens out in the middle, attracting the attention of several Jackdaws and Carrion Crows. By now it was about ten to seven and the evening sun reflected wonderfully off the glossy black feathers.

As they flew off, towards the remaining two of the three sisters, the deep honking "prook prook" call echoed across the field.

They may not be the most colourful of our birds but they are certainly a great addition the the local scene.

I did walk as far as the cliffs and got to a point with a good view along them. There are few more thrilling sights than an adult Peregrine sitting perched on a flint stone within range.

This evening I remembered to put the Badgers supper out early, and I was rewarded when one arrived at about 9.pm. This one was quite jumpy and unusually appeared to be aware of me on the other side of the glass, in spite of me having all the lights off in the room. It didn't stay long and left over half of the supper for later.

Later arrived at about 11 pm. and was a different Badger. This one wasn't going to be disturbed and even lay down to get into a comfortable position. I was sad to learn that it looks as if some farmers will get their way and be allowed to cull badgers on their land, this despite the evidence from research that seems to indicate that it will be counter productive. I get the feeling that for some farmers they scape goat the badgers as it saves them facing up to their own responsibilities for good practice on their farms and in the way they move stock around.

Answers on a postcard if you can fathom today's title!

Straw Men

Having got used to large round bales of straw over the last few decades I now think that they can look really attractive making interesting patterns in the fields. In addition they make great perches for birds and I enjoy collecting pictures of as many species as possible.

The big field nest to the golf course has been harvested and the bales have been out in the field a couple of days.
This year it is not going to have the straw bales on it for very long. The straw was quickly being taken away. I think that the driver of this piece of kit had the best job. Dashing round the field and loading up the trailers in double quick time.

There were several tractors and trailers in use, so it didn't take very long to clear the field. I presume the straw is of the the big diary farm at Ripple. At least Pam met a tractor and trailer full on a narrow road near Ripple this afternoon.

Once the trailer had 22 bales on it, they were secured and the driver was quickly away.

The field look very bare now, but with a bit of luck it will attract something interesting in the next few days, a rare Pipit or Bunting would be good. fingers crossed.

The area seemed quiet this afternoon. I did see a couple of Arctic Skuas for Samphire Hoe that Phil Smith saw while we were having a cuppa with Paul Holt. We got the scopes on them and watched them sadistically chasing migrating terns about. There were quite a few Gannets fishing out there, so I suspect there were plenty of opportunities for the piratical Skuas.

Back at Bockhill a Whinchat played hide and seek with me along the cliff top, and disappeared without trace just when I though I'd got close enough, and in the right direction for the light for a portrait session. As a front came through it brought a group of Swifts, I counted 11 but think I missed the first ones as I wasn't concentration on the sky. With them were at least 25 Sand Martins and good numbers of Swallows.

Little Brown Jobs.

Today seemed like the perfect day to find those early migrants that we are all waiting for, a light south-westerly wind and some sunshine. I have to say the wind didn't feel that light along the cliff top.

When I arrived at the edge of the cliff I was surprised to see a Peregrine perched quite close, and although I carefully retreated and crawled to the edge with my camera set up, I was too late and it was away. I had another close encounter later but again I didn't get my camera on it in time.

Further out to sea the visibility was awful and I gave up hope of a decent sea watch.

I take far too many pictures of Fulmars, but I liked this one. Normally I get the underneath when I'm at the bottom of the cliff looking skywards, or the upper-parts when I'm at the top looking down. This picture of the under-parts with the boulders on the beach below seems a little incongruous but it shows just how manoeuvrable they are as they swoop up to a potential nest site.

Meanwhile Dave was out on the big field spraying the grass, for future silage to rid it of chickweed.

My walk was accompanied by a lot of singing, and one of the main vocalists was this Meadow Pipit. As usual I tried to get pictures of it parachuting downwards as it gave the long trill that finishes it's song. Unlike the Skylark the Meadow Pipit is in the air for only a short while, but I just cant get sharp pictures of it while it's up there, my set up just want pick it up and focus quickly enough, I wonder if the EOS 7D would manage it?

All the time several Skylarks were up in the air singing away. With the Meadow Pipit they are in the group of birds often labelled as LBJs. They stay up in the air far a long time and are often more or less stationary, but they are normally very high. So high that I find it difficult to find them and then when I do, even with a 400mm lens they are still just little dots in the sky. Even so the song is really the sound of spring and summer in the open country side. I don't know what song would top the poll as the "peoples favourite". Very Often the Nightingale is elevated to the number one position, but I wonder how many people regularly hear Nightingales, as they are really confined to the south-east, while the Skylark is widespread and although in lower numbers than in years gone by, it is within reach of most people.

Another of my favourite songsters is the Mistle Thrush an a pair were on the field next to the paddock.As is normal they didn't allow close approach. Although not really a "Little Brown Job" they are a bird more often heard than seen. They are also one of the earliest breeders so it is worth watching out for the adults collecting food to take back to their nests.

The BTO Bird Atlas 2007-11

With the return of decent weather I decided it was time to get out the field and get another TTV done for the new BTO bird atlas. A TTV is a timed tetrad vist, and a tetrad is a 2KM by 2KM square as defined on the Ordnance Survey may. Each 10KM square has 25 tetrads named from A-Z (there's no O), and I'm surveying five of them. What's the altlas for? Here are the words of the BTO

"It is now over 15 years since we finished the fieldwork for the last breeding atlas and over 20 years since the last winter atlas. In the intervening period much has happened to Britain and Ireland’s habitats and climate but how have our birds been affected?"

The 10Km square around here is TR24 and the tetrad I visited to day was TR34E, that includes Ashley and Studdal.

West Studdal Farm forms most of the NE corner and as well it being a great looking and well kept farm the people are helpful and friendly and seem to farm in a way that is sympathetic to wildlife and the environment.

Compared to when I did the early winter visit there were far fewer small birds about, I saw hardly any finches, just a handful of Chaffinches. This may be the result of the cold weather moving wintering birds on, trying to find better feeding areas. There were quite a lot of Blue Tits around, and there were already vocal staking out their claims for their territories. Where there were coniferous trees the clear "pseeooo" calls could be heard.

Only just lest numerous than Blue Tits their larger cousins, Great Tits were equally vocal, giving their "teacher teacher" call.

And of course the ever irresistible Long-tailed Tits were around the hedge rows and the edges of the woods. I saw just one Woodcock, but the farm manager told me that at the peak of the cold spell he saw about ten in one area, by headlights, in the dark.

Bunnies

I had hoped to get some photos of the Little Owls that are around Bockhill Farm. Several times recently I've heard one being mobbed in Farm Wood but I've never managed to get in a position to get a picture before it's either moved on or buried itself in the ivy. Recently Gerald got a nice series of shots and I hoped that I would be cooperative for me. It wasn't when I hoped it would be but when I got to the hedge at the back of the Freedown I could hear the tell tale calls and scoldings that means small birds are mobbing an Owl.

I didn't managed to see anything other that the briefest glimpse of a Little Owl slipping round the corner. There were two or three Rabbits that had ventured out into the field of flax, and most of the time I could only see the ears. This one stood up to look round, as if to say "when the hell am I" but didn't seem to be over worried by the camera.

Hopefully the stubble fields will attract some migrants now that things are beginning to move, I might even get the chance to increase the number of species I've phtoes sitting on bales of straw.

Energy saving day.

There was little sign of any visible migration this morning.

Robins seemed to be encouraged by the beautiful morning and their song was plentiful. I managed to position my self so that the monument formed the background, so it will be the first of a series.

The resident Kestrel was on an energy saving mission today. Instead of hovering for ages over a spot, it sat on the flag pole and dropped from there into the long grass below.

Having caught something, I couldn't see what, he circled round then the back to his other favourite spot,

on the monument. Again from this lookout he was able to watch for movement, therefore reducing his energy consumption, it's the credit crunch!

Dave was spraying out in the big field, herbicide and growth regulator, or something of that ilk.

Let us hope that the Corn Buntings and Skylarks that are busying themselves in this field are unaffected.

On the large field to the left of Station Road, as you leave the village, a bit of good old fashioned muck spreading was going on, and very ripe it smelled too.

As usual the plough brought the gulls in.

Unlike the autumn ploughing there was only one species following the plough, Herring Gulls. Not even one Black-headed Gull was out there, and no Meds, Commons or Lesser Black-backs in sight.
There was a Chiffchaff in te Garden first thing this morning.
Tomorrow is April fools day and to prove it the government has increased the tax on fuel. It will slap 2.12p more tax on every litre of unleaded and diesel sold from tomorrow.

Find an old apple Orchard, find Thrushes

Wandering through the lanes towards Ash, from Richborough Castle, there is a lot of low lying grazing land and then you come upon Apple Orchards. Before the orchards I did come across this Mistle Thrush perched on a wire. Nice bird shame about the perch!

Apple Orchards are mostly different to the ones I used to go to round Maidstone back in the 1950's. The the trees grew much older and were probably more attractive to birds. Even now some of the older ones do have fallen apples on the ground. When this happens there will be thrushes. This Blackbird is enjoying a fallen apple right beside the road.

This is one of the older orchards and it really was full of birds, but the mostly vanished at the sight of a camera, or perhaps me. I really like the look of the older trees, although I realise that the more modern growing methods are why I can get apples at the price I do in the shops.

Although the Redwings quickly vanished into the depths of the hedges quite a few of the Fieldfares sat on top of the tallest trees chuckling away.

There were birds feeding in this much younger orchard, but it didn't seem to hold as many as my first stop. I did see at least one Song Thrush, completing out four wintering "Turdus" species here.

Another pair of Mistle Thrushes came out of this area and sat on a recently lopped hedgerow.

Almost underneath the Thrush a young Lapwing was worming in the field, but disappointingly I failed to find any Golden Plovers out here, there must be some in the fields out here, but I wasn't looking in the right place.

Where there were a few buildings there seemed to be a healthy number of House Sparrows, and not a paved over garden in sight!

A view to fight for.

Curlews have always held a fascination for me. That beak is amazing. It has to perform such accurate tasks and it looks so cumbersome to use. Have you ever watched one preening, it really is a skillful operation.

When it comes to extracting a worm out of the ground the beak must have some extremely sensitive nerves in the tip for it to be able to feel and grip the worm. I watched about a dozen on Worth Marshes in a little detour from Deal.

On my way back via East Langdon I was amused by this Pheasant. It was striding across the field, until I stopped the car, whereupon it lay down on the ground and obviously thought that it was invisible, but of course the grass was too short to hide it. A touch of the Ostrich syndrome?

A6t East Langdon I stopped at the gate of Enifer Downs form to look at the cattle. The notice says that they have a herd of Pedigree South Devons, and since I'm no expert I suppose that these are them. The brown ones are what I expected, but the very pale and grey ones are not like the ones in my I-spy book!

I thought that this looked a splendid beast, I really picturesque site in the English rural scene, but for how long? Imagine this with a background of five whining 120 metre high wind turbines, a thought that I find repulsive. Not that I'm not green, I am very much in favour of a proper strategy to combat global climate change. But these schemes will do nothing towards that end, but will make some people very much better off, while doing environmental damage.

Having said all that, this guy is a really splendid looking animal.