Birds Of Prey - 23.5.13

A quiet day suddenly sprang into life when a Peregrine Falcon circled over KGVPF just before lunch and attempted to take one of the local pigeons but it just missed and drifted off towards Hampermill Lake. Then just before hometime a Buzzard flew east over the park closely followed by 2 Carrion Crows and then this evening at home my first Hobby of the year flew past the living room window.

Cassiobury Park - 21.5.13

A quiet day birdwise due to spending most of it wearing ear defenders while strimming. 10 Jackdaw were around the pools collecting food and 2 Little Owl called to each other near the bowls club.

Cassiobury Park - 20.5.13

After the weekends mega it was back to the park. A Yellow Wagtail and Cormorant flew over but it was a day of breeding birds. An adult Herring Gull dropped in and started dipping nesting material into the paddling pools which annoyed the bloke working there as he'd just finished cleaning them ready for the day! I then found a GS Woodpecker nest by the fishing lake and a Blue Tit nest near the toilets followed by a LT Tit nest near the car park. Further up the park a nest with at least 2 juv Starling were in a dead tree. On the way home I saw one of the Peregrines again circling over the town centre.

Down To Margate (to see a DUSKY THRUSH!) - 18.5.13

The Cracking Dusky Thrush

Well someone or something must have read my last post when I wrote that I hope something rare would turn up! Friday night and I was asleep in bed when Carey woke me to say something was beeping! I grabbed the pager off the bed side table and read with squinting eyes that a Dusky Thrush was in Kent for its 3rd day. Looks like i'd be off there in the morning! As it was I awoke around 6am anyway and checked for any news and luckily it was still present. So at 7am I set off and arrived on site just after 8.30am. It had showed 10 minutes earlier but another 20-30 minutes went by before the birder next to me said those magical words. "i've got it"! Sure enough stood motionless in an Ash tree there it was my first ever DUSKY THRUSH. For 15-20 minutes it stood still only moving its head revealing its pale throat. Only the 9th or 10th for Britain depending what you read, it was the first twitchable bird since 1959 so a very much awaited bird for pretty much everyone. Once i've seen a bird it generally disappears the next day and this one was no exception having not been see all day Sunday.

900th Post!!

Amazingly i've now reached the 900 posts landmark and so for something to write i'll let you all know that i'm now a newly fledged member of Twitter. If you are also a member then please feel free to follow me @ianbennell75

Hopefully something very rare will turn up somewhere south of Yorkshire (as anything decent lately has been Yorkshire northwards!) very soon and give me something to go have a look at! This is the worst run i've had since I started twitching in late 2001 with my last full blown BB rarity tick being the Baillon's Crake at Rainham way back in September. But I guess the more you see the less you need.

Cassiobury Park - 16.5.13

A Bullfinch was heard first thing outside home in Chipperfield and at the park 6 Stock Dove flew over the yard. Down at KGVPF 14 Herring Gull flew high over enjoying themselves. Also present were over 60 Swift which is one of the highest numbers at this site and a Buzzard was rising on the thermals.

Cassiobury Park - 14.5.13

A Common Tern flew north following the river mid morning while a Chiffchaff wassinging from the meadow. On the river itself a Grey Wagtail was by the weir and a female Mallard was present with 2 well grown juvs. A Swallow was hunting over the old cress beds.

Cassiobury Park - 10.5.13

On the way to work a Lapwing flew over the car in Chorleywood and in the park 3 Pied Wagtail were hanging around the cricket pitch.

Cassiobury Park - 8.5.13

A Little Owl called from the usual trees first thing and the first 2 Swift of the year flew over as did 2 House Martin. A Sparrowhawk headed over the yard in the afternoon.

KGVPF - 3.5.13

Whilst preparing the cricket squares for the weekend a Red Kite, 3 Buzzard and a single Swallow flew over and a Whitethroat was singing from the Ebury Way.

Cassiobury Park - 2.5.13

A late Siskin flew over as did a Sparrowhawk. A male Mandarin was again sat on the weir and a Grey Wagtail was by the rustic bridge.

At KGVPF a Buzzard soared over.

Cassiobury Park - 1.5.13

3 Mandarin and 2 Bullfinch were reported to me by the 2 plucky/mad (delete as applicable!) dawn chorus goers from the Pinner RSPB group and an adult Herring Gull paid a quick visit.