SHEEP TO SHORE

When the wind is blowing cold from the north and the sun is shining go to Samphire Hoe and you will find a micro climate that is much warmer than other coastal areas nearby,Tuesday was a good example of this.

SUNLIT EWE

RAMBO TASTING THE AIR

There are 40 ewes and a ram there at present,and now they need food supplements to keep them in good condition during pregnancy,their first feed of the winter took place on Tuesday afternoon and as usual the resident magpies and crows were quick to spot the free handout,then I heard the familiar" kronk kronk" of the raven and two of these huge birds came down to investigate before returning to the cliff face,hopefully it will become a regular occurrence.

Thursday evenings talk at Sandwich Bay was about southern Spain by John Cantello,very enjoyable too with lots of photos and delivered at break neck speed,thanks John.

REED BUNTING

SHORE LARK

WADER ROOST

SYNCHRONISED SHOVELLERS

Friday found me back there in an attempt to improve my shore lark photos,first birds of note seen were 6 white fronted geese flying towards Pegwell,the high tide roost on the beach had bar tailed godwits,grey plovers knot and dunlin,allin order with tallest at the back and shortest in front. Also on the beach were ringed plovers, sanderlings and oystercatchers , 5 black tailed godwits flew over and the wintering sandwich tern flew along the shoreline towards the point.Skylarks meadowpipits and reed buntings were also seen before locating the pair of shore larks.

SUNDOWN ON THE ANCIENT HIGHWAY

OUT WITH THE BUNTING AND UP WITH THE LARK

Its been a busy couple of days with a hike over the cliffs on sunday morning a quick sprint up to Whitstabubble with messrs Holt and Collins for the bunting rusticana,seen in fading light,and another attempt to see the shore larks at Sandwich Bay today.
The clifftop hike was pleasant but largely uneventful,only goldfinch and siskins on the move kept me going,on the way back I counted over 70 skylarks which is a very good number,but not a single meadow pipit was seen,not a good number.
Having just got home had a cuppa and settled down for an afternoons football/snooze, Paul phoned all twitchy with rustic bunting disease,so we duly made our way to Island Wall Whitstable to see this rare visitor from northern scandinavia,for once it was very straight forward the bird being easily seen in the grass about thirty feet away,the light was fading quickly so for once things worked out fine.I find twitching quite amusing and annoying at times but everyone here was well behaved and the locals were friendly too even the doggers showed an interest,so it was an enjoyable afternoon.

RUSTIC BUNTING(steve ashton and steve ray have much better pics on their blogs)

RUSTIC BUNTING

SLEEPY SNIPE

SNIPE AT REST( HARROW)

GREY PARTRIDGE

SANDERLING

SNOW BUNTING

SNOW BUNTING

SNOW BUNTING

SHORE LARKSHORE LARK  I determined to go to Sandwich Bay again today having failed to find the shore larks on friday afternoon and evenyually on the return journey from the point located a single bird about 400 m from the restricted access area and as a bonus two snow buntings were in the same spot.Back at the Obs a possible Rough Legged Buzzard was reported by Steve Ray but a thorough search failed to relocate it,so it was home for Countdown and a deserved cup of tea ,what a life, oh well someone has to do it.

NOT SUCH A PERFECT DAY

After yesterdays glory it was cold and grey  with a cool south easterly breeze,the following pics were not taken today but are from the route taken on previous walks.

REDWING

GREY WAGTAIL

LITTLE GREBE (BUSHY RUFF)

LITTLE GREBE

LITTLE EGRET

GREY HERON

GOLDCREST

BIG RED COMMON SEAL

The car was having its MOT on wednesday so I decided to walk from Bushy Ruff to the harbour following the River Dour as far as possible.There are certain places where it is hidden from view either underground or behind private houses but if you know where to look you can follow its progress from start,or one of its starts, to where it discharges into the Wellington Dock.From Bushy Ruff to Russell Gardens and Kearsney Abbey along Lower Road,it then disappears until Buckland Bridge it then again is hidden behind houses until at Barton Path it emerges once more, past Morrisons to Brook House gardens,Pencester Gardens and then at odd spots to the docks.On the way I saw 35 bird species including little grebe,grey wagtail(7),kingfisher(2).little egret.grey heron,mistle thrush,redwing,goldcrest and chiff chaff.The harbour is still quiet with only the normal gulls and two or three turnstones present along with the  resident common seal which can often be seen bobbing about near the POW Pier.

A PERFECT DAY

AFTERNOON CALM

FOLKESTONE PIER

GOING HOME

CREPUSCULAR RAYS and DUNGENESS

AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN

THE SEA IS A MIRROR

MAGPIE ON THE FENCE

NO THE VARNE LIGHTSHIP IS NOT SINKING ITS A MIRAGE.

Tuesday was a perfect autumn day weatherwise,calm warm and sunny,an early frost soon disappeared and Samphire Hoe was a superb showcase for it with the sea a mirror from dawn to dusk,who would believe the raging tempest of last week,amazing.The only thing lacking was a host of birds but it was a good to be alive day without a doubt.

LONDON CALLING

CATHY ON HER****BIRTHDAY    It was Cathy`s birthday last weekend,as part of the celebration we went to London for the day.Spent a  very enjoyable couple of hours in the National Portrait gallery,a fascinating place full of history and interesting art including a sculpture of Nelson Mandela.I then managed an hour in St James Park to have a gander at the wildfowl there, no clue to the impending wedding announcement though .From here we wandered around Regent St Oxford St Soho and Chinatown before spending the evening at the Piccadilly theatre watching Grease .

SNOW GOOSEBAR HEADED GOOSE

BAHAMA PINTAILBLACK SWAN

RED CRESTED POCHARD

CRISPY DUCK CHINATOWN

FULVOUS TREE DUCKEIDER DRAKE

RECULVER RECOVERY

BEWICKS SWANS

SNIPEat Coldharbour

GREY PLOVERBRENT GEESE

BRENT GEESE

Caught a grotty cold in france but managed a morning at Samphire Hoe on tuesday in the rain and when the sun was shining yesterday with a fresh nor wester blowing couldn`t resist a reccy at Reculver.There wasn`t a great deal moving on the sea but managed to note the following; a great crested grebe,14 eider inc one male,a steady trickle of common gulls,about 250 brent geese,8 mallard on the sea,a flock of 15 snow buntings,a grey plover ,several turnstones and redshanks a snipe an oystercatcher,3 shelduck and a flock of 18 whooper swans flying north towards Sheppey.After informing ChrisHindle of this last sighting,they would appear to be Bewick swans.