Sunday, 31 May 2009

31st May 2009

I was in Hampshire over the weekend and managed an hour at Acres Down watching for raptors:

Goshawk - 1 female.
Redstart - 1 female.
Siskin - 2 over.

Back on the local patch this evening from 1700 - 1800:

Red Kite - 1 circled over the farm then flew off West (a surprising 1st for the patch).
Lesser Whitethroat - 1 calling from the oaks near to the warbler hedge.
Mandarin - 1 female on the Trout Lake (a first for the patch).
Swallow - At least 3.
Swift - 15+
House Martin - 2.
Blackcap - 2 heard.
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 2.
Coot - 2 on the Trout Lake.
Tufted Duck - 4 (2 pairs) on the Trout Lake.

Total species today - 32.
Total species for 2009 - 72.
Patch list stands at 83.


Butterflies:

Comma
Common Blue
Painted Lady (showing Hayes hasn't escaped the mass migration of this butterfly!)
Large White
Speckled Wood

Tuesday, 12 May 2009

12th May 2009

This afternoon I went down to Grove Ferry and Stodmarsh - Black-winged Pratincole, Greenshank, drake Garganey, LRP, Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, House Martin and Marsh Harrier.

This morning, I took a walk around the local patch as I haven't been out for a while due to work etc. 0910 - 0950:

Swift - 2.
Swallow - 2.
House Martin - 2 and the first of the year.
Canada Goose - 6 on the trout lake.
Coot - down to 1 on the trout lake.
Tufted Duck - 8 on the trout lake.
Egyptian Goose - 1 remains on the trout lake.
Whitethroat - 2.
Blackcap - 2.

Total species today - 36.
Total species for 2009 - 70.
Patch list stands at 81.


Yesterday I popped out to Bough Beech Reservoir. One Cuckoo calling from the woods, plenty of Swifts and a couple of House Martins, but also a Black Tern near the dam end.

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

5th May 2009

0910 - 1000. A slightly earlier walk than recently, but nothing too interesting:

Chiffchaff - 1.
Willow Warbler - 2.
Whitethroat - 2.
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 2.
Greylag Goose - 4 on the trout lake.
Canada Goose - 1 on the trout lake.
Swallow - 2 over.
The Wheatear from yesterday had left.

Later in the day, from the garden, I saw 2 Swifts fly over the school fields. This adds another one to the year list:

Total species today - 36.
Total species for 2009 - 69.
Patch list stands at 81.

4th May 2009

A very quick walk before a day trip, with no time to check the trout lake:

Wheatear - 1 on the ploughed fields around the farm. The first since 2005!
Whitethroat - 2 singing.
Blackcap - 3 or 4 singing.
Chiffchaff - 2 singing.
Willow Warbler - 2 singing.
Kestrel - 1 over.
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 1.

Total species today - 28.
Total species for 2009 - 68.
Patch list stands at 81.

Friday, 1 May 2009

1st May 2009

Very warm and sunny, 1000 - 1110:

Egyptian Goose - 1 on the trout lake.
Coot - Only 2 on the trout lake.
Swallow - 2 around the farm.
Lesser Whitethroat - 1 on the top corner of the school field.
Whitethroat - 2 along the warbler hedge.
Blackcap - At least about.
Willow Warbler - Only 1 heard.
Chiffchaff - 3 or 4 singing.

Total species today - 37.
Total species for 2009 - 67.
Patch list stands at 81.


Butterflies:

Orange Tip
Large White
Speckled Wood
Peacock
Brimstone
Red Admiral

Yesterday, I made the trip to Dungeness for the Crested Lark (the first UK record for 13 yrs!). I only got flight views and 'twitching' isn't really my thing, but this was a mega and only just over an hour away, so it was worth the trip. I had a quick seawatch afterwards and saw lots of Common Terns, a Red-throated Diver and two Arctic Skuas past.