31 July 2014

Thursday 31st July



Bee-eater July 2012
Rest over and now hopefully back for some good autumn birding, and what a start it was today. As soon as I got onto the patch at 5:30am, it was pretty lively with quite a bit of activity around the remaining bushes, this resulted in 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Willow Warblers, 15 Blackcaps, 17 Whitethroats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Chiffchaffs. At 6am, I was pretty sure I heard a EUROPEAN BEE-EATER calling somewhere near the crematorium, but a little distant away that I was at the time I pretty much dismissed it, and with no further sign during the morning I thought that this was one that may of slipped away. Carry on as I did and the day just got better with an adult summer Mediterranean Gull which I just managed to pick out amongst the 700+ Black-headed Gulls (excellent numbers so far this summer), and then a total of 5 different raptors in the space of 20 minutes, including 3 Common Buzzards west at 11:40pm, 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine west, 3 Sparrowhawks and 3 Kestrels. There was also a movement of hirundines at 1pm, with most of the 250 Swallows heading south/east, 350 Swifts and a single Sand Martin. At 1:20pm, I was sitting down having a bit of lunch when yes EUROPEAN BEE-EATER was calling somewhere over the paddocks for about a minute but frustratingly I couldn't see the thing, but it did put my mind at rest knowing that this was probably the bird this morning. This is also the 3rd record in the last 3 years so who knows it still may be quietly lingering somewhere in the cemo. Other bits today were 3 Yellow  Wagtails, 14 Long-tailed Tits, 8 Green Woodpeckers, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 200+ Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Grey Partridges, 10 Linnets, 6 Goldfinches, 3 Pied Wagtails, 8 Skylarks, 2 Chaffinches and 10 House Sparrows.      

Wednesday 16th July

Yellow Wagtail (Juvenile)
There was very little around today in very humid and hot conditions, but with 3 Yellow Wagtails near the paddocks it did have a slight feel that autumn may not be far away. Warbler numbers were certainly poor with just 2 Whitethroats on show, but a female Peregrine did put on a nice hunting display by the rubbish dump. Other bits were 25 Swallows, 7 Swifts, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Kestrels, 1 Cormorant south/east, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 700+ Black-headed Gulls mainly heading west, 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Pied Wagtail and 7 Linnets. On the positive side it was nice to be out once again and now ready for hopefully, some exciting forth coming months. 

Thursday 3rd July

RARE PATCH BUTTERFLY TAKES THE HONOURS


Marbled White Butterfly
Bird wise as probably expected at this time of year was not particularly great, but it didn't matter that much as today the patch held another different kind of rarity this time in the form of 25 Marbled White Butterflies, which over the last 24 years I have only ever recorded twice, so not only was this a great record for the site, but the numbers present was also excellent, I couldn't help but to watch these beautiful butterflies for some time. Venturing on some time later I did a complete over hall of the area where I recorded 1 Little Owl, 10 Blackcaps, 7 Whitethroats, 200+ Swifts, 30 Swallows, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrels, 3 Corn Buntings, 1 Chaffinch, 4 Skylarks and 7 Green Woodpeckers

Tuesday 1st July

ITS OFFICIALLY DONE IT FEMALE DUSKY THRUSH MAKES IT ONTO THE KENT LIST






FEMALE DUSKY THRUSH MY ORIGINAL PHOTOS TOP 4 (APART FROM THE LAST ONE ON ITS LAST DAY THE 18TH MAY).
I SHOULD BE OUT AT THE MOMENT CELEBRATING BUT I WILL LEAVE THAT UNTIL TOMORROW AFTER RECEIVING AND REPLYING TO SOME LOVELY E-MAILS. WHY, WELL IT SAYS IT FOR ITSELF, THE ABOVE PICTURE THE FEMALE DUSKY THRUSH (15TH - 18TH MAY 2013),WHICH AFTER I SENT IN THE DESCRIPTION ETC TO (BBRC) IN EARLY APRIL, IT TODAY OFFICIALLY GOT ACCEPTED. WHAT A WAY TO COME BACK FROM A LOVELY HOLIDAY IN ROME CENTRAL ITALY. TO BE HONEST I HAVE DONE LITTLE BIRDING SINCE MID MAY CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT THE ABOVE BIRD WILL IT GET THE GREEN LIGHT OR NOT, PERSONALLY I DON'T THINK THERE ARE MANY  ISSUES TO WHAT IT WAS BUT IT CERTAINLY WASN'T STRAIGHT FORWARD PLUMAGE WISE TO WHAT IT MAY SEEM, LETS BE HONEST WE KNOW LITERALLY NOTHING (NOT SURPRISING) ABOUT THIS SPECIES IN THIS COUNTRY BEING SOME 4,000 OR SO MILES OF COURSE WHY WOULD WE, SO THE FEATURES HAD TO BE PRETTY MUCH SPOT ON THIS BIRD TO CLINCH IT, BUT THE VARIOUS PICTURES TAKEN OVER THE FEW DAYS CERTAINLY GAVE A CHANCE TO STUDY IT IN MORE DETAIL, AND MY WORD THERE WAS SOME CRACKING PHOTOS OUT THERE THAT GAVE IT ITS CHANCE. 

STEVE ASHTON FOR ONE I COULD NOT BELIEVE THE QUALITY OF HIS PHOTO BUT THERE WERE ALSO MANY MANY MORE OF SHEER CLASS. BUT IT STILL HAS TO PROCESS THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS (BBRC) TO WHICH I AGREE WITH, PLUS I HAD TO GET ALL OF THE DETAILS FOR THE DESCRIPTION RIGHT (NO PRESSURE A), AT THE PRESENT MOMENT I AM IN A DIFFERENT WORLD NOT JUST BECAUSE ITS THE 1ST RECORD FOR KENT, 10TH BRITISH RECORD AND THE 1ST SPRING RECORD ANYWHERE BUT AFTER A MAGIC 24 YEARS OF WATCHING MARGATE CEMETERY A TRUE MEGA HAD STAYED AROUND FOR HUNDREDS OF BIRDERS TO SEE, (JUST), THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL, YES I HAVE HAD EXCELLENT BIRDS HERE SUCH AS GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO TO NAME A FEW (SEE CEMO LIST NOW ON 198) BUT THIS IS TRULY THE BEST BY A VERY VERY LONG WAY. BUT WAS I SURPRISED PROBABLY NOT, THIS PLACE WITH ITS SUPERB HABITAT OVER THE YEARS ALONG WITH EXCELLENT VIEWS COVERING ALL ROUND THE GLOBE, AND LOCATED NEAR THE SEA IT HAS THREATENED SOMETHING BIG AND I TRULY BELIEVED IT WOULD HAPPEN, PROBABLY NOT AS BIG AS THIS I MUST ADD, BUT IT GOES TO SHOW THAT STICKING IT OUT IN ALL CONDITIONS SPENDING MANY HOURS IN THE FIELD BRINGS IT REWARDS, AND SO IT HAS. 

I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT 4 DAYS ESPECIALLY WHEN I FIRST SAW IT (SOMETHING THRUSH LIKE) ON THE 15TH MAY WHICH GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND FOR THE FIRST 2 DAYS NOT GETTING ANY DECENT DETAILS OF THE BIRD WHAT SO EVER. MY GOD I'M JUST GLAD I STUCK WITH IT PRAYING THAT IT WOULD STAY AROUND, WHICH ON DAY 3 IT EVENTUALLY DID AND SHOWED IN THE OPEN FOR 20 MINUTES, DUSKY THRUSH IT WAS. I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE HERE, MY MAGIC MOMENT HAS HAPPENED AND IT CAN NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY.

2 comments:

chiddy said...

Well done on the dusky going though

Unknown said...

Fantastic read, awesome about the dusky! :D

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