Saturday 31 December 2016

END OF THE YEAR SHOW


DOVER SEAWAYS
 GUILLEMOT ADMIRALTY PIER DOVER
SHAG OFF SAMPHIRE HOE
 DIVING SHAG
 KESTREL SAMPHIRE HOE

TURNSTONE ADMIRALTY PIER DOVER

WAR MEMORIAL MARINE STATION DOVER
COLOUR RINGED STONECHAT SAMPHIRE HOE



FULMAR PETRELS ARE BACK AT THE HOE



 SCAUP BACKSAND SCRAPE




34052 LORD DOWDING STEAMING PAST SAMPHIRE HOE
DUNNOCK ON THE ROCKS


 RINGED PLOVERS RECULVER


REDSHANK COLDHARBOUR LAGOON

 BEARDED TITS COLDHARBOUR



 SHORT EARED OWLS  OYSTER FARM RECULVER











RECULVER TOWERS.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOLKS.

Monday 19 December 2016

UP THE CREEK.

Went to Milton Creek at Sittingbourne on Friday in search of the Long Tailed Ducks that have been wintering there for a while.I had never been there before and my ordnance survey map was not up to date,however eventually after a little trial and error found the Saxon Shoreway,there was no signage at all,and started off towards the Swale.The creek was full of Teal,Redshank,Curlew, Greenshank,Grey Plover, even a Kingfisher on the muddy bank.
 GREENSHANK
 GREY PLOVER
Further out there is a reed bed which held a party of about 20 Bearded Tits and lots of Wigeon were on the creek.
 BEARDED TITS




WHO ATE ALL THE SEEDS?
I met up with Murray Orchard out towards the Swale and he said he had seen the Long Tailed Ducks fly in behind the muddy islands quaintly named the Lilies,so it was a waiting game as the tide came in lots of Shelduck were feeding on the Swale a drake Red Breasted Merganser and 4 Common Scoters were seen while on the lake inland 3 drake Goldeneye were resting up,no sign of the LTDs though.After a while Murray re appeared and said the ducks had gone up the creek without our seeing them .......
LONG TAILED DUCKS-the most and the best I have seen in Kent
At about this time Brendan Ryan joined us,to enjoy the four birds swimming up and down the creek continuously diving for food in the muddy waters.

THIS DRAKE CAUGHT A SMALL FLATFISH




So it was a very enjoyable mornings birding,with not a single dogger ,jogger biker or hiker to be seen for a change,its a bit of a walk through the industrial estate and a less than pretty path at the start but once beyond the brick works it is all worthwhile.

A TURNERESQUE SUNSET AT HOME TO END WITH.