Late/last patch walk for January.

I arrived at the church late Sunday afternoon, it must have been 3.15pm. the sun was still out so I set about a brisk walk. It wasn't too long before I spotted my first Buzzard, it was on the ground a fair distance away, then another Buzzard flew in front of me, and landed in a tree. A Sparrowhawk made several low passes(chasing varies small birds) but perched way off in the distance empty handed! Then it took off once more, within a short space of time, the Sparrowhawk flew past me again, but this time it was carrying  its prey(which was quite large) it flew off deep into the woods, so no chance of a photo. Next came the Green Woodpecker foraging/feeding in the grass, I could hear a loud Jay in its usual area, but couldn't see it this time. I spotted yet another Buzzard perched high in a tree, then stopped to take some photos of the Deer. I carried on walking(but the sun was low in the sky now) so photos would be poor in this light. I heard Bullfinches, and just managed a shot of a female. Then it was time to head back, but not before I saw 3 Goldcrests chasing each other in the trees. Halfway back to the church, and there was the Kestrel, in the grounds of Roydon Hall. One more Buzzard was seen, but the photo was so poor in this light, that it looked ghost like and grey.
Other birds seen were, Pheasant, Red legged Partridge, flock of Fieldfare, Blackbird, Robin, Blue tit, Great tit, Long tailed tit, Coal tit, GS Woodpecker, Sparrow, Crow, Wood pigeon, Mallard, Greylag, and a Fly over Cormorant. Nuthatches were also heard too.

Note- I am assuming these are Red deer? but there are also 2 other types of deer here as well.

Some photos then. As usual, if you click on a photo, it will enlarge.

Buzzard in the distance, and this one is on the ground

The next Buzzard was slightly closer, and was perched 30 feet up a tree.

Green Woodpecker, with a Rabbit in the background(I saw many rabbits!)

Yet another Buzzard perched  high.

Some of the Deer(Red I think?!)

Female Bullfinch(photo taken at 4.37pm)

The Kestrel.

Brooklands lake? I didn't quite make it!

Last weekend was not the best(weather wise) but Saturday, I set out with good intentions for Brooklands lake. The weather forecast was bleak, but I'm stubborn, I was going to give it a go regardless!
First stop though was the river, so I parked up near Snodland Church/Train station, and set about scanning the river, the tide was on the rise and all I could see were a few Black headed Gulls, a pair of Teal, and 1 Lapwing. Then a flock of approx. 30 to 40 Lapwing took flight from some distance away. I was now ready to go to Brooklands lake, when I saw 2 birds fly right over me, circle around, and land on the other side of the river bank. I just managed to get a poor long range shot of one of them, then they flew off in the same direction as I was heading. I couldn't be sure, but it looked like a pair of Green Sandpipers to me?
I parked up in Brooklands car park, but headed up Streamside then continued to Streamside lake, on the way I noted/photographed Grey Wagtail, flock of Siskin, Tufted, Mallard, Coot, Canada Geese, Goosander, Shoveler, Cormorant, Redwing, Magpie, Wren, Robin, flock of Goldfinches.
Made my way back to the car park, had a quick drink/banana, then onto Brooklands Lake, I got as far as the other side of the train tunnel, then down came the rain, so I didnt quite get to my intended destination after all, maybe next time? when the weather is more favourable perhaps.
I made the best of it though, and here are the photo highlights.

I believe this to be one of the two Green Sandpipers? seen on the river, but as always, I'm open for correction, if I've got this wrong? I will certainly not be offended if this is the case? It was very poor light, and a vast distance from me too.

Grey Wagtail(female?)seemed cheerful, despite the cold, damp conditions.

The flock of Siskins were going from treetop to treetop, across the other side of Streamside, so photos are poor quality, and rather cropped/edited!!! I think the Males showed up the best.

Cormorants and Shoveler in the background.

The Goosander was as ever being shy, and swam off a fair distance, but gave me some nice pics anyway.

Then just as I went through the train tunnel, I spotted one of the Goldfinches, and look what the sign reads in the background! I almost made it, but for the rain!!!

Lunchtime patch walks last week, equals good!

It had been awhile since I had a good session on my patch, so a couple of "lunchtime patch walks" were in order. Day 1. saw the usual Buzzards and Kestrels in good numbers, also at least 3 Jays were seen and heard! I would love to get close to a Jay and take a really good photo of one, they are such beauties, one day I might just get lucky? But not this day, the Jay shots are from a fair old distance away.
I also took some interesting shots of some Deer too, but those pics are for another day.

Day 2, was much better, the sun shone bright, and some good birds were both seen and photographed, the highlights being Nuthatches, Goldcrests, Kestrels(both Male and Female) Male Sparrowhawk, GS Woodpeckers etc.

                                             Those long distance shots of the Jay.

Then the Jay leaning forward, and being very loud and vocal.

Day 2. was hard going, I had seen and heard Nuthatches all over the place, but all I got was an out of focus shot of one up a huge tree, I had almost given up, missing many chances of a good pic, then I followed one through the trees, got down on my knees and managed a close up shot(although poor light didnt help). Whilst I was chasing those Nuthatches, a lovely Goldcrest was amongst a flock of Long tailed Tits, so I finally got a Goldcrest photo that is clear(rather than a blurred shot, which seems normal for Goldcrests!).
Finished off was a nice Kestrel shot(the sun was behind me for once!).

                                                           The pesky Nuthatches.

The lovely Goldcrest.

The Female Kestrel.

Long Distance shot of a Male Sparrowhawk.

Male GS Woodpecker.

Mistle Thrush and a Fieldfare.

And a Redwing.

Little Egret, balancing Kestrel, Coots fighting, Mallards mating etc.

All that and more, in a working day!
I dropped in on Clare Park lake yesterday, the sun was shining, and I was on my lunch break(sort of!).
The First sight to greet me was a Little Egret, which was a first for me at Clare Park too, so although I was on the opposite side of the lake to it, I managed to get some shots before it flew off.
I also noticed a couple of Coots kicking each other/fighting, and a third muscling in on the action too.
Having never seen the mating behaviour of a duck before, Im pretty sure that's what the Mallard's were doing.
Three Tufted duck had returned, and the usual were seen such as- Black Bird, Song Thrush, Long tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Crow, Black Headed Gull, Chaffinch, Green Woodpecker, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Moorhen, Jay.

Back to work(Wateringbury area) and I came across a male Kestrel doing a high wire balancing act on a power line, the wind was gusting so the Kestrel had to fan its tail in order to try to keep its balance, and in one of the photos it appears to be doing a handstand!

The Little Egret. I dont normally complain about the sun, but when  it shines directly on bright white, its hard to take a decent shot!

Those aggressive Coots.

The Mallards mating.

The female Mallard is under the water here, but she is there!

I followed this Green Woodpecker right across the field, I was a long way off, but got a couple of shots.

Then the kestrel does its balancing act!

Sparrowhawk in garden, plus garden updates.

After spotting a Sparrowhawk in my garden twice(in flight briefly) over the last few months, she finally landed in one of the trees, so I grabbed my camera and took several shots. It just goes to show that if you watch your garden for some length of time, you will get to see some great sights like this. Even though the light was poor, and the distance had to be 40 feet away, Im pleased about these shots.
I also have GS Woodpeckers chasing each other around the dead tree, a male Blackcap has also visited too, and two abnormalities in the form of a Blue Tit with an elongated/twisted beak, and a Woodpigeon with a large growth on its lower beak.
The Treecreeper has been spotted several more times, as have those Goldcrests too.

                                                                Sparrowhawk.

I think these GS Woodpeckers are both males? one is clearly a male, the other does show a small path of red to the rear of its head/neck area.

Poor qaulity shot of the Blackcap, I also saw 2 more males in a neigbours tree, a few days before this one came to my garden.

Blue Tit with abnormal Beak(terrible light!)

Woodpigeon with large growth.

Long distance shot of one of the Goldcrests.

Sevenoaks Reserve, last visited on the third!

Ive been off line for several days now! and I do have some "backed up bloggin" to do I guess!
So going back to the 3rd of Jan here then. I took my young son to Sevenoaks Reserve(we like it there!) and although back then, there was plenty of ice about(not anymore I would guess?) we still managed to enjoy a good couple of hours there, even though it was very cold.
My parents/family come from that area, and I have fond childhood memories of Sevenoaks too.
Anyway, to the highlights then, we were hoping to see a Male Goosander there, but had to settle for the three females! The almost tame Robin once again said hello to us, the Black Necked Grebe was there, and also a strange little diving duck (that at the time I didnt know what it was!) After reading both Phil Sharps/Greenie's comments, it turns out to be a female Ruddy Duck. Snipe were all over the place, we counted at least 25 at once.
Unfortunately the light was poor, so the photos do suffer some. Cheers.

And if you click on a photo, it will enlarge.

                                                     First there were 2 Goosander.

Then there were three.

There are 8 Snipe here, but I have a photo of 10 in the one shot.

These three Snipe were a little closer to the hide for us.

And this Snipe was closer still.

The Black Necked Grebe.

The "unknown at the time" female Ruddy Duck.

And because those Goosander did so well for us, a couple more shots of them.