Thursday 18 February 2016
GOOD DAY SUNSHINE.
Monday 8 February 2016
SWALE SOLITUDE.
The great british garden bird off last weekend was a bit of a damp squib, in my garden at least,with a male blackcap the highlight and four goldfinches and a pair of greenfinches runners up.
GOLDFINCH
GREENFINCH
On Thursday I eventually gave in to temptation and went to Minster on Sheppey to see the Shorelark,having found Barton Point without too much trouble I walked along the shingle ridge then back along the beach,no sign of said bird,so walked along beach and back along the top still no luck so I gave up and headed for Leysdown.
DUNLIN AND RINGED PLOVER ON THE BEACH AT MINSTER.
DUNLIN AND RINGED PLOVER IN FLIGHT.
DUNLIN IN FLIGHT.
I had been to Leysdown a couple of times previously but had not been to the SWALE NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE,so I walked from the sea wall car park down to Shellness hamlet and on to the reserve and went as far as the sea wall hide,there was a stiff north west breeze blowing and not another soul around,a feeling of wilderness was in the air
Little Egrets and a Curlew flew up from the saltmarsh as I passed by and a solitary Skylark sang briefly.From the hide White Fronted Geese could be seen in amongst the Greylags and Brents and a Peregrine was grounded nearby.On the return quite close to the entrance gate a small bird flew up and landed in the field across the dyke,it soon popped up and revealed itself to be the wintering RICHARDS PIPIT.
WHITE FRONTED GEESE
PEREGRINE
STONECHAT
RICHARDS PIPIT- A visitor from Siberia.These were taken from about 50 metres so I make no apologies for the poor quality images.
ANCIENT AND MODERN
SOME VIEWS OF THE RESERVE.
SOLITUDE
THE LONG WALK BACK.
Needless to say I left mine on today.
NICE PLACE TO LIVE.
SANDERLING TWINS.
After leaving Leysdown I just had time to nip back to Minster to have another look for the Shore Lark,I walked the top of the shingle ridge,plenty of pied wagtail but no lark-back along the beach,almost back to the car and it flew up in front of me and on to the top level,it was pretty gloomy by now so no photos but at least, at last I had found it.
SHORE LARK From Sandwich Bay 2010
On Thursday I eventually gave in to temptation and went to Minster on Sheppey to see the Shorelark,having found Barton Point without too much trouble I walked along the shingle ridge then back along the beach,no sign of said bird,so walked along beach and back along the top still no luck so I gave up and headed for Leysdown.
I had been to Leysdown a couple of times previously but had not been to the SWALE NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE,so I walked from the sea wall car park down to Shellness hamlet and on to the reserve and went as far as the sea wall hide,there was a stiff north west breeze blowing and not another soul around,a feeling of wilderness was in the air
Little Egrets and a Curlew flew up from the saltmarsh as I passed by and a solitary Skylark sang briefly.From the hide White Fronted Geese could be seen in amongst the Greylags and Brents and a Peregrine was grounded nearby.On the return quite close to the entrance gate a small bird flew up and landed in the field across the dyke,it soon popped up and revealed itself to be the wintering RICHARDS PIPIT.
After leaving Leysdown I just had time to nip back to Minster to have another look for the Shore Lark,I walked the top of the shingle ridge,plenty of pied wagtail but no lark-back along the beach,almost back to the car and it flew up in front of me and on to the top level,it was pretty gloomy by now so no photos but at least, at last I had found it.
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