Friday 28 October 2016

RED OCTOBER

The Russian fleet sailed through the Dover Straits last week thus causing the biggest twitch for years on the cliffs at Dover.There were nine Russian ships and HMS Duncan shadowing them at the rear.The fleet was led by several frigates before the aircraft carrier and battle cruiser came by shadowed by HMS Duncan.




 AIRCRAFT CARRIER GENERAL KUZNETZOV

 BATTLE CRUISER PETER THE GREAT
 HMS DUNCAN
HMS DUNCAN PASSING THE VARNE.

 GREEN WOODPECKER LANGDON HOLE.
 STONECHAT LANGDON CLIFFS
 HERDWICK SHEEP AT DOVER CASTLE
 RED ADMIRALS ENJOY THE NECTAR FROM IVY FLOWERS IN OCTOBER.

 SAMPHIRE HOE KESTREL.





 RAVENS SOARING OVER SAMPHIRE HOE

 FIELDFARE AT SOUTH FORELAND VALLEY.

 LONE KITTIWAKE ADMIRALTY PIER DOVER


 GUILLEMOTS AT DOVER HARBOUR,The first of the winter.




 TURNSTONES ARE BACK ON THE PIER TOO.

 THIS ONE HAS GOT TANGLED UP IN DISCARDED FISHING LINE THIS WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO ITS DEMISE OR DISMEMBERMENT!
 I learnt at Sandwich Bay on Thursday evening that each Turnstone has a unique breast pattern and they recognise each other by these markings.
 ADULT MALE BLACK REDSTART Near the entrance to the Admiralty Pier.






 ROBINS AS WINTER MIGRANTS ARE EVERYWHERE AND THEY`RE SINGING.
 LONG TAILED TIT -WE HAVE LIFT OFF.
RECORD SHOT OF THE ABBOTSCLIFF DARTFORD WARBLER.

As usual just to please some of my followers a few new moths to finish with,don`t worry those that hate moths the season is almost over.

 RED LINE QUAKER
 BEADED CHESTNUT
 BARRED SALLOW

RUSTY DOT PEARL

GREEN BRINDLED CRESCENT.

LATE NEWS :- A moth that I had almost given up on finally turned up in my garden moth trap this morning, the holy grail of moths the beautiful MERVEILLE DU JOUR.

Tuesday 11 October 2016

HIT THE ROAD JACK

Its been a busy couple of  weeks one way and another with visits to Stodmarsh,Sheppey Sandwich and Oare as well as the local patches around Dover.
BITTERN FLY PAST AT STODMARSH



BEARDED TIT AT STODMARSH

DOVER LIFEBOAT CALLED INTO ACTION,OFF THE HOE.

STARLINGS
SWALLOWS STILL MOVING THROUGH IN GOOD NUMBERS
WHINCHAT

A walk along the sea wall at LEYSDOWN on the ISLE OF SHEPPEY was quite rewarding.

RINGED PLOVER

SANDWICH TERN







GREY PLOVER


TURNSTONES


SHORE LARK
SHORE LARK AT SANDWICH BAY IN THE GLOOM.
JACK SNIPE AT REST HARROW Seldom seen in the open this small cousin of the common snipe entertained us for a while,when they feed they bob up and down as if attached to a spring.






Aquick alarm call and he was off but not too far.


A FEW REDWINGS ARRIVED ON SUNDAY

REDWING

PINTAIL ON THE MAIN POND AT SAMPHIRE HOE
GOLDCREST AT SAMPHIRE HOE
BLACK REDSTART AT SAMPHIRE HOE
RING OUZEL AT LANGDON HOLE

REED BUNTING
RECORD SHOTS OF LONG BILLED DOWITCHER AT OARE





REDSHANK AT COLDHARBOUR RECULVER


 BLACK RUSTIC
 ANGLE SHADES
 SALLOW

 MALLOW
BARRED SALLOW