Buzzards in a gale

Three buzzards were close together on the wheat field this morning. It is unusual to see more than one and very unusual to see them on the ground/ As I approached they eventually took to the air but only flew some twenty meters before re-alighting. I presume that they were feeding on worms and their reluctance to take to the air was due to the exceptionally high wind. The gulls on the field showed no such reluctance.

One for sorrow, two for joy - what about 25?

Preparing to roost today were twenty five magpies. This must constitute by far the greatest congregation of this species I have ever seen. There has been a large family group of around twelve individuals roosting in the trees beyond the garden of late, but today, two or more groups must have conjoined to produce this amazing flock. Their chattering was cacophonous and the sight of so many pied birds together was quite spectacular.

Two seasons in one day

This morning was a mild calm spring-like day. Birds were singing a dawn chorus and later, greenfinches and goldfinches joined in. Some of the greenfinches were even chasing around as if in courtship mood.
This afternoon is wet and windy and cold. Miserable. Confined to the house.

Singing Skylark

Although it was a damp dismal day, and there was no sign whatsoever of the local skylarks, one was singing on the hill at Nettlestead this morning. Perhaps it is because I am situated at the foot of the North Downs and therefore temperatures tend to be a little lower that the skylarks are yet to begin establishing their breeding territories.

Anyway, it was great to hear a sound that I associate most with summer and although this is said to be a declining species ion the UK there remains a very healthy population in this part of Kent.

Drumming Woodpecker

Heard for the first time this year a woodpecker drilling on the slopes of the North Downs. No doubt a male bird making an early start to establishing a breeding territory. The weather has turned mild again and I expect to hear and see other evidence of birds responding to the unseasonal urge to breed. A pair of mistle thrushes appear to have established a territory nearby and they are one of the earliest birds to breed. The many magpies are still in large family groups, but they will be dispersing soon and it will not be long before I see individuals carrying twigs to their bulky nests.

Belgian Lapwings

I spent much of yesterday in Belgium. There were actually relatively few birds to be seen, but it was great to see fields full of lapwings. The sodden flat lands of this country provide ideal feeding winter quarters for these birds and there must have been a hundred or more on some of the fields. Otherwise, there were the odd crow and then a large number of unidentifiable wild fowl as I sped along the motorway.

Value of hedges

My normal morning walk with Dylan (dog), takes me across the field to the church and then up towards the Downs. Before I reach the Pilgrims Way, there is a footpath with a hedge either side. On the one side it is quite thin, but sufficient to give protection from the wind and a thicker hedge lies on the other side leaving a narrow passageway between. Every morning I encounter birds within these hedges. This morning I counted the different species: blackbird hedge accentor, blue tit, great tit, ;long tailed tit, song thrush, tree sparrow (a first sighting for this area), and robin. If ever there was evidence for the value of hedgerows this is it. However, the single hedges around the fields here never appear to hold so many birds, usually a scattering of tits, robins hedge accentors and yellow hammers will be what you would expect to see, but nothing like the concentration seen within the double hedge.

Snow

This was the first covering of snow for two years in this part of the country. It was only a couple of centimeters deep and was gone by lunchtime, but it is surprising how it immediately brought birds into the garden. In particular, I counted, four blackbirds at one time. Yesterday, there were some very hardy skylarks feeding on the open field in a biting wind. Not sure what they were feeding on in those conditions.

Returning Fieldfares

For the first time in about two months, I today saw some fieldfares. It is interesting that they should have returned as soon as the cold weather should reach us after such an abnormally mild winter to date. I presume they have been feeding on lowland fields and in the orchards but are now perhaps returning for the last of the berries on the hedges hger at the foot of the North Downs.
For the first time in many years, I have yet to see a redwing this winter.

Flocking Finches

The scrub land behind the house was cleared a few weeks back and is now foraging ground for all manner of birds. But the dominant bird by far is the chaffinch. There are up to fifty individuals (mainly male) on a two acre patch. There are also greenfinches mixing with them. Today I also saw a flock of some thirty goldfinches feeding on the ground. It is a bit of a mystery to ascertain exactly what their food source is.

Hunting Goshawk

I have known for some time that there were goshawks in the area.  Having disturbed one from the carcass of a rabbit, it seemed likely that there was a resident population, but these birds are secretive and it can be very difficult to ascertain their presence. The environment in this part of Kent is ideal as there are large open fields interspersed with copse cover and also two large woodlands.
Yesterday I had the good fortune to be able to observe a hunting bird. It merged from the woods and flew low to the ground just rising to hurdle hedgerows. It was flying at some speed and clearly was hoping to take its prey by surprise,. There are plenty of crows and magpies around and still a healthy population of rabbits so food is readily available.

First song of Spring

Although several birds have been singing of late, especially the robin and song thrush, I was very surprised this morning to hear a greenfinch singing. It was not as if it was one of those lovely sunny January mornings as it is downcast with intermittent rain. Greenfinches will sing early in the year and I always wait to hear a chaffinch singing before I conclude that spring has truly arrived, but this is a particularly early instance.