24 January 2014

Friday 24th January


Chiffchaff
I birded for about 3 hours this afternoon, and once again when entering the main entrance I was treated to the sound of calling Firecrests, and it didn't take long before they began to show, the good thing on this occasion was that there was now a total of 5 birds which were mixed in with 4 Goldcrests and a single Long-tailed Tit, after a good 25 minute performance I moved on further into the cemo to which I flushed a Woodcock and had a rather obliging Chiffchaff which spent most of the time either feeding on the ground or low down in a couple of bramble bushes, a wander to the paddocks wasn't to bad with 2 male Peregrines giving a nice display over nearby fields, and 12 Golden Plovers which headed east. Other bits included 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Redwing, 31 Linnets, 9 Goldfinches, 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Chaffinches, 33 Magpies, 7 Mistle Thrushes, 4 Jays, 22 Stock Doves, 12 Skylarks, 2 Pied Wagtails 8 House Sparrows and 2 Song Thrushes which along with the other common species are vastly disappearing in the cemo  but not surprising considering their habitat is still being smashed to bits from the Margate Cemetery Friends Group who still persist in cutting down as much bramble etc as they possibly can, even within the very very old areas where only 2 visitors attend, extremely sad with a loss of about 80% and more to go no doubt, who has suffered well basically every common species here let alone migrant breeding species, currently lucky to see any Wrens these days let alone, as mentioned Song Thrushes, House Sparrows, Robins, Stock Doves etc in any/noticeable numbers in fact I have not recorded a Dunnock so far this year which says it all, but dont worry putting a bird feeder outside the 2 chapels makes up for it!!!, so I have been told!!!, next well I am just waiting for the tarmac and the traffic lights to go up and a few more roundabouts no doubt with good old Thanet District Council (not) I am sure it will be in their plans, I along with some other local wildlife enthusiasts am pretty disgusted to what has been done regarding the wildlife destruction In this cemo, and like Thanet as a whole they certainly never disappoint when it comes to killing off wildlife conservation, and we wont mention the good old squirrels which have recently been killed off here, in fact apart from 4 individuals from the original 50 or so were wiped out in one night, and of course nobody seems to know anything about it!!!.     

Tuesday 21st January


Firecrest
At long last another day out and this time in glorious sunshine, I went out for about 3 hours and bumped into Dave along the way, best of all was 3 Firecrests which showed very well near the main entrance and stayed pretty much in the same area all the time we was there, but today was just about stretching those legs once again for the new birding season and seeing whatever we could along the way and included 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Peregrine, 1 Corn Bunting, 4 Skylarks, 2 Meadow Pipits, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 9 Goldfinches, 14 Linnets, 9 Stock Doves, 3 Chaffinches, 4 Jays, 2 Pied Wagtails and 1 House Sparrow!! and that was pretty much it. 

Friday 10th January


Hume's Leaf Warbler
From one cemetery to the next was the order of the day, first of all was Ramsgate to  twitch the Hume's Leaf Warbler with Dave which put on a semi decent display on and off for about an hour, calling on several occasions as it did so, if it eventually gets accepted as one then it will be a new lifer for me so well worth the very short trip, then we was off to Margate cemo the patch of course which was extremely quiet, in contrast we noted 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Peregrine, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldcrests, 14 Chaffinches, 7 Long-tailed Tits, 5 Goldfinches, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 4 Ring-necked Parakeets. 

Wednesday 8th January

Could another Mega like this Female Dusky Thrush in May 2013 find its way on to the cemo list in 2014, which is now just 2 short of the magic 200 mark.
First of all happy new year to all of my blog readers, and yes after a rather hectic December in one way or another I have finally made my first trip on to the patch in 2014, and my word I have certainly missed it, but I am really looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and if this year is half as good as 2013 I along with Dave will be very happy people, today I was out for just over 4 hours and after a very long search I couldn't relocate the Yellow-browed Warbler from November which I presume may have gone a little while ago, but the year did start off well with a Firecrest a bird that I didn't record last spring let alone winter, but today I just enjoyed a lovely walk around noting what ever I could and this included 3 Goldcrests, 5 Redwings, 17 Chaffinches, 3 Goldfinches, 1 Kestrel, 7 Jays, 5 Grey Partridges, 7 Corn Buntings, 97 Linnets, 7 Meadow Pipits, 20 Skylarks, 59 Stock Doves, 10 House Sparrows, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Mistle Thrushes and 6 Ring-necked Parakeets.

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