This weekend was such a wet one I nearly
didn’t bother with a write-up. Saturday just three brave souls, Chiddy, Brendan
and myself, ventured in to the Valley in the hope of not only adding a new
migrant to the valley’s year total but also watching some avian behaviour on
the two short days one gets between a heavy weeks work. Sunday however was just
me that made it out. On both days the wind was pretty fierce and blustery from
the east and lots of rain was falling but somehow we/I managed to stay dry. On
both days there were 2 male Bitterns heard with one bird close to the path near
Feast hide giving six very strong booms that you could feel resonating through
your chest as you walked by. The second bird was the usual four boomer behind Marsh
hide.
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| Grey Heron in the rain |
Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers were battling against the noise of the
wind to mark their territories while Skylarks even managed to get airborne to
sing their song. Nightingales were hard work with just 3 noted on each day and
Marsh Harriers were late to rise with six birds seen. On Sunday a male landed
on the dead bush beside Marsh hide in the gloomier early hours looking wet and
bedraggled and even with the ISO on the camera set to 3200 I could only get a
speed of 1/80th of a second.
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| a soggy male Marsh Harrier at Marsh hide 6.05am at ISO3200 |
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| a soggy male Marsh Harrier at Marsh hide 6.05am at ISO3200 |
Approaching Marsh hide on Saturday I
heard the familiar haunting call of a Whimbrel that was seen flying towards Grove
and when in the hide another three were seen on the next pool over and in this
very spot the next day the Valley’s first Common Sandpiper of the year was
located. There were 2 Little Egrets with a third on the Lampen Stream near
Stodmarsh Court Farm, 3 summer Plumaged Wigeon but no sign of them on Sunday, a
single Hobby and feeding over the lake were several thousand hirrundines, there
were House Martin, Sand Martin and Swallow in high numbers plus a good showing
of Common Swifts.
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| soggy Hosue Martin sheltering |
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| a rather damp Swallow Stodmarsh lake |
A pair of Grey Partridges and a Yellow Wagtail were added at
Collard’s while on Sunday other bits and pieces included, 1 Greenshank, 6
Canada Geese, 3 Water Rails, 3 Cuckoo’s, 46 Mute Swans, 22 Tufted Duck, 6
Great-crested Grebes and a Green Sandpiper.
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| Cetrti's Warbler avoiding the downpour |
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| Cetrti's Warbler avoiding the downpour |
I managed to catch up with a Garden
Warbler today after Brendan and I missed the one Chiddy got yesterday on a
detour to the toilets and, the first Turtle Dove of the year was purring away
nicely just past the ‘Jungle’ where it meets the river, a usual first spot.
There were 100+ Swallows and Martins today but only 6 Swifts were encountered
and a nice male Wheatear was on the last pool along Harrison’s.
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| wet Wheatear |
Today Monday 30th I was
fortunate enough to get to see a very smart Little Bunting at Sandwich Bay on
my way home. A new bird for me and a welcome addition to my Life/British/Kent
lists. A big thanks to Steve Ashton for the updates and also for the use of one of his photos, cheers Steve.
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| Little Bunting at Sandwich |
