Sunday Nov 20th
Wonderful colours at sunset!
Dartford Warbler m at the bottom of Warren Glen, between the path and the cliff-top.
Barn Owl hunting over rough fields at Warren Farm - could be seen from the Firehills.
Carrion Crow - 20+ flying E along the cliffs to roost - but where??
Sunday November 20th 2005, 0/8 still, hard frost, warm sunshine. 56sp
It was so cold that the focus wheel was hard to turn on my binoculars, making it hard to keep track of the little birds up in the sunny treetops.
In general, the numbers of woodland birds seemed quite a lot lower than last month (esp Robins: 55>19) but there are more Blackbirds (28>44) and Bullfinch numbers are still good (15).
GS Woodpeckers are more numerous too (9>14) and the thinning of Scots Pines seems to suit them; there were 6 feeding in a 200m radius around TQ794202. There were a few noisy flocks of Crossbills in the pines, hard to count but at least 20. Sometimes birds calling overhead would provoke responses from others feeding unseen in the canopy. Read the rest of this entry »
Saturday 19th November 2005
2/8, still, hard frost.
42 sp
Frosty grass was crunching beneath my feet, and in the hollow by Pickham Mill, the branches were white with rime. Where the sun struck the upper branches though, birds were busy and included a Hawfinch which suddenly arrived clicking in the treetops by Watermill Lane.
From a small holly bush I disturbed a Tawny Owl, last seen among a mob of protesting Blackbirds. A Barn Owl was also reported near Guestling Church.
On the move westwards were 170 Starlings, low and purposeful, and 140 Woodpigeons. These latter may have formed a flock of 300 which burst up from the yellow oaks in response to gunshots from Kitchen Wood.
A Grey Wagtail flew W along the stream. They did not appear to nest in the area this year and this was a late first.
In the alders were 15 Goldfinches and 6 Siskins, 17 Redpolls were in circulation, 20 Meadow Pipits and a Skylark in among the turnip tops.
A lone lethargic Buzzard flopped over towards Icklesham and strangulated cries echoed from the Red-tailed Hawk, whose fate it is to be endlessly harried from tree-top to skeleton tree-top by vigilante crows.
Good selection of Birds along the shore at low tide this morning: 15 Shelduck, 13 Brent geese and 7 Pintail were roosting amongst the shallow pools. Feeding waders included 330 Oystercatcher, 175 curlew, 2 Bar-Tailed Godwit, 14 Grey Plover, 81 Sanderling, 240 Dunlin, 54 Ringed Plover and 33 Redshank. Also of interest, a Marsh Harrier flew over Flat Beach and a Merlin gave good views perched on a fence post at Wader Pool.
There is a curious sight along Military Road in Rye… a dead Tawny Owl is hanging from the overhead power cables by one foot. It looks as though it has been electrocuted… must be a rare cause of death, or is it usually overlooked?
Despite a very cold morning, a trickle of finches continues to pass overhead. Today it is mainly Chaffinch with a few Brambling. A Reed Warbler is a surprise, following a different individual yesterday. As the sun warmed up, at least a dozen Common Darter took to the wing.
On the Beach Reserve this morning. 3 Snow Bunting were by the Red Roofed Hut, 4 Rock Pipit, 20 Skylark and 11 Reed Bunting were also present within that area of shore and saltmarsh. At Ternery Pool 26 Shoveler and 31 Teal could be seen from Crittal Hide. Two Short Eared Owls were roosting in the shingle hollows at West Beach. The Long Eared Owls were making the most of the winter sunshine and showing well at Castle Water and Narrow Pit. Single Goldeneye, 95 wigeon, 43 Shoveler, 37 Teal, Green Sandpiper and Kingfisher were also at Castle Water.
The first really cold morning of the autumn induced a spectacular movement of thrushes with 1230 Blackbirds, 1550 Fieldfares and 190 Redwings coming in from the south-east during the morning. A handful of finches also arrived with three Bramblings and 51 Siskins of note and other birds included a Peregrine Falcon, a Merlin, six Woodcocks, a Snipe and a Blackcap.
David Walker from DBO website
A Snow Bunting was scuttling along the frosty seawall path level with the W end of Pett Pools this morning.
In the bight Winchelsea tree-tops, a Mistle Thrush was singing. You don’t usually hear the song much before the solstice.
During my hour’s route-march to work this morning I saw 56 sp, the most surprising of which was a late Wheatear which fluttered along the reed tops and skulked in bushes like the Stonechats, Reed Buntings and Blue Tits that accompanied it.
The total of Yellowhammers soared to a new high of 2, one each near the flood and at Newgate.
Along the canal were single Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher.
The only species moving overhead were Siskin & Redpoll going N and Skylarks W.