Maidstone Cemetery, Maidstone, Kent, June 2013

Last week I had occasion to visit Maidstone Cemetery and couldn’t help but notice that it might be interesting to take a walk in different circumstances. It is an old graveyard, with headstones dating back to the mid 1800s, set in around 200 acres to the south of Kent’s county town. The main entrance is from the Sutton Road at Google Earth ref; 51 15 20N 0 31 57E.

The cemetery does not actually include bird watching on its menu of services and the gate opening times reflect this, but it does provide a very quiet location to enjoy a walk among mature trees and the grass has been left long with quite a selection of wildflowers growing there. Without visiting regularly, I cannot say that the plots are allowed to grow like this throughout the season, but today there was a real meadow-like feel to it.

And there were birds. Woodpigeons and Blackbirds were very common. Some of the lawns around the entrance had been mown and proved popular with Song Thrushes.

Chaffinches and Greenfinches sang from the tops of trees, Coal Tits foraged in the manicured Yew bushes and a Green Woodpecker showed briefly on a headstone.

Birds seen;

Black-headed Gull 1, Herring Gull 2, Stock Dove 5, Common Woodpigeon 40, Eurasian Collared Dove 2, Green Woodpecker 1, Eurasian Magpie 2, Carrion Crow 5, Coal Tit 3, Great Tit 1, Eurasian Blue Tit 1, Eurasian Wren 1, Eurasian Blackbird 12, Song Thrush 3, European Starling 4, Dunnock 1, Common Chaffinch 4, European Greenfinch 2.

Bohemian Waxwings, Woulham, Kent, March 2013

There has long been an inexcusable omission from my British list; Bohemian Waxwing. My individual country lists are not usually very important, but the Bohemian Waxwing is a special bird and deserving of a special effort. I think that every other bird watcher in the country must have seen them, photographed them and ticked them with a flourish after last year’s glut of the Scandinavian visitors, but I had missed out. Today it was my turn at last.

I had heard of a flock in a village close to home and had taken a little drive out there to find 32 Bohemian Waxwings sitting in the bare tops of a couple of trees. They were silhouetted against a heavy sky, but they were added to my British list with some ceremony just the same.  A few at a time dropped down into a bush laden with red berries which hung over a wall from a garden, but only stopped for a few moments before returning to the treetops while another handful came down to feed.

But of course I am greedy and found disappointment even on such a momentous occasion. The light was poor and my photos were dull and lifeless. For many birds, the sighting is the important thing and the photo is simply a record for myself and (if the photo is approximately in focus without too much camera shake), for the blog.I wanted to mark this occasion with something better.

On my way home from the airport this morning, the sun was shining and the air was still. I really wanted a better picture of these glorious birds, so I took a slight detour to see if they were still there. When I arrived at the village, they were nowhere to be seen. I took a couple of turns around the vicinity, including a stretch of the River Medway on my wanderings, but couldn’t see or hear them.

I had previously met Ken who told me that they tended to come down for a feed at around 09.00 in the morning and 16.00 in the afternoon. At 08.58 I was returning to the corner where I had seen them before and I heard their sleigh-bell-like call (thank you to www.xeno-canto.org for the recording). As predicted, just on 09.00, the first group came down to feed in the overhanging bush.

The light was perfect and I was delighted to see them so well. They were very approachable, but I was worried that my closeness was making them nervous and that was why just a few fed, hurriedly, for a short while before retreating back to the treetops. I returned to my car to watch from there, but dog-walkers and pedestrians passed right beneath the bush without disturbing them.

A young lady who lived in the house stopped to say “Hello” and told me that they had arrived a week or so ago. She was not a birder, but had quickly contacted someone who was, who in turn posted the notice that I had seen.

Thank you to both of them. It was a beautiful encounter.
There were fewer birds today, but Alice mentioned that numbers fluctuate and 38 had been the highest count to date.

Oare Marshes, Kent, May 2012

Something was missing. I couldn’t put my finger on it straight away, but something was different. It took a while, but then it suddenly occurred to me that the rain had stopped. Could Britain’s wettest drought since records began be over? The sun appeared momentarily and the sound of lawn mowers began almost immediately after. The Great Outdoors beckoned and I followed, choosing Oare Marshes which has recently been hosting a Grasshopper Warbler according to the Kentos website.

I arrived too late in the day to stand a real chance of seeing the warbler but just in case, I hung around for a while by the scrub along the path leading to the West Hide. There were plenty of Common Whitethroats as well as Linnets and Chaffinches. The Grasshopper Warbler has a distinctive song, said to be like the sound made by a fishing reel, but sadly it kept itself to itself today and was not seen.

A pair of Eurasian Coot had two chicks which followed the parents around and kept me entertained while I waited.

The West Hide can be found at Google Earth ref; 51 20 40N 00 53 04E . A Whimbrel had flown over as I approached and it was standing right in front of the hide as I opened the shutter. On a small island in the lake overlooked by the hide was a Eurasian Oystercatcher and a pair of Common Shelduck preened on the bank. The only Northern Lapwing of the day was seen to the west of the hide.

I had returned to the road and started to walk in a clockwise circle around the East Flood. A Little Egret landed very close and began to fish without being worried by my proximity.

The tide was at its lowest point so most of the waders that had not been struck by the urge to move north would have been out on the mud of the estuary. A few Black-tailed Godwit in their summer finery remained on a small spit reaching out into the water.

The Phragmites reed beds along the shore path were alive with Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers singing and a Cetti’s Warbler popped out of a bramble thicket behind the seawall hide to swear at passers-by.

A brisk wind across the east side of the flood kept the birds low in the reeds and only a Sedge Warbler in the shelter of a small dog rose was seen clearly.

The Reed Warblers proved to be very camera shy, staying down amongst the cover so that the auto focus could not catch them.

Birds seen; 48

Graylag Goose 25, Mute Swan 4, Common Shelduck 40, Gadwall 2, Mallard 6, Northern Pintail 3, Common Pochard 8, Tufted Duck 10, Ring-necked Pheasant 1, Great-crested Grebe 1, Great Cormorant 7, Grey Heron 3, Little Egret 5, Common Buzzard 1, Eurasian Kestrel 2, Eurasian Hobby 1, Eurasian Moorhen 1, Eurasian Coot 8, Northern Lapwing 1, Eurasian Oystercatcher 6, Pied Avocet 16, Common Redshank 3, Whimbrel 3, Black-tailed Godwit 45, Black-headed Gull 35, Herring Gull 4, Common Tern 7, Common Wood-pigeon 15, Eurasian Collared-dove 3, Common Swift 6, Green Woodpecker 1, Eurasian Magpie 5, Rook 2, Carrion Crow 30, Barn Swallow 15, Common House Martin 4, Cetti’s Warbler 2, Sedge Warbler 3, Eurasian Reed Warbler 4, Greater Whitethroat 7, Northern Wheatear 2, Eurasian Blackbird 4, European Starling 35, Reed Bunting 6, Chaffinch 5, European Greenfinch 1, Eurasian Linnet 10, House Sparrow 5.

There are more posts from Oare Marshes at the links below;
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/oare-marshes-november-2011.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2009/04/kicking-my-heels.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/glossy-ibis-at-oare-marshes.html

Visit the dedicated UK page for more posts from the area, including, Mote Park and Harmondsworth Moor.

Conyer (soon to be) Nature Reserve.

My son has taken up squash and was attending a coaching day at a club close to the estuary. It seemed foolish, nay environmentally irresponsible, to drive all the way home only to return a couple of hours later to pick him up, so I continued north to a less-well-known tract of mud at Conyer (Google ref; 51 21 22N 00 49 04E).

The approach to The Swale (the body of water separating the Isle of Sheppey from mainland Kent) was through a disused brick and cement works which has been re-colonised by Blackthorns and Elders.  Planning permission has been granted for 24 houses to be built on the foundations of the old works, but more importantly, permission was granted on the proviso that the majority of the site be set aside as a nature reserve. Blue Tits, Great Tits and European Robins sang from the thorn bushes which were still in full bloom in mid-April. My first (UK) Barn Swallows of spring whooshed over my shoulder and north across the mud.

Sadly the game of squash is not tide-dependent and I found that the waters had receded as far as they could go. The waders that I had hoped to see were very distant. With a scope, I was able to pick out Common Shelduck, European Curlew, Common Redshank and Pied Avocets. On an island in The Swale, Black-tailed Godwits roosted in rows along the waterline and a Sandwich Tern surveyed the area from a perch at the western end. Black-headed Gulls make an awful racket even when they are roosting. Perhaps 200 or so were screaming and crying from the salt marsh island making me suspect that there may be a breeding site there. It is a low-lying island and very close to the high-tide level so it would be a precarious nesting site.

Remnants of the old wharf still exist and from here you can look out across the widest stretch of The Swale to the Isle of Sheppey over three quarters of a mile away. With the tide at its lowest ebb, it was almost entirely mud. I have an old map from 1908 which shows the navigation lines for use by barges transporting raw materials in and newly-made brick out from Conyer Creek. They appeared to correspond almost exactly to the channels and gullies cut through the mud by the receding waters a century later.

A flock of Black-tailed Godwits gave a flypast after being disturbed from their roost by the incoming tide, sadly I could not stop to wait for the tide to push the birds closer in. Time and rain was pushing me on. As I left, I was struck by the sight of a Eurasian Collared Dove that had made its nest at the top of a rainwater downpipe. With a drought in progress the bird could be forgiven for choosing the nest site, but with a storm coming, the poor choice would soon become apparent.

My son’s squash training continued the next day and I returned to Conyer for another visit with my Father-in-Law, Frank, to find that only the top of the bird’s head was visible and the nest must have shrunk and compacted with the water. As I write this up a few days, later, it is still raining (such is the nature of drought in the UK) and I suspect that the dove’s perseverance will have been in vain.

A Stoat dashed across the path in front of me and disappeared into the thickets of thorn scrub and bracken. I was very excited as I very seldom see Stoats. Even better the next day after I dropped Frank off, I stopped in at Bax Farm and saw two Stoats. They were very secretive, keeping mostly to the reeds alongside the river but I was able to track their progress upstream by the leaping frogs and the hystreical Moorhens.

Birds seen; 30

Great Crested Grebe 1, Great Cormorant 1, Little Egret 1, Canada Goose 6, Brent Goose 45, Common Shelduck 35, Mallard 15, Common Pheasant 2, Eurasian Oystercatcher 6, Pied Avocet 60, Northern Lapwing 2, Black-tailed Godwit 70, European Curlew 12, Common Redshank 12, Black-headed Gull 250, Herring Gull 2, Sandwich Tern 1, Common Wood Pigeon 4, Eurasian Collared Dove 1, European Swallow 3, Common Blackbird 4, European Robin 1, Great Tit 2, Blue Tit 2, Long-tailed Tit 1, Eurasian Magpie 6, Carrion Crow 60, Chaffinch 15, European Goldfinch 1, Reed Bunting 1.

Visit the dedicated UK page for other posts from Kent including Oare Marshes and Mote Park.

Rehab in Mote Park

Keeping kids entertained during the Easter break had driven me crazy by mid- afternoon and I escaped while they weren’t looking and took the bike down to Mote Park for an hour.

I entered from the Ashford Road. A Mistle Thrush was feeding from the grass here, still managing to get into the hardening ground of drought-hit Kent. The Old Pond is just along from here and has recently been dredged. I have not seen the Water Rails here since the improvements.

I followed the River Len upstream and found Blue Tits and Great Tits among the Alders along the bank. A high pitched call was a Eurasian Treecreeper and it took a few moments to pin it down. Despite it being fairly close across the narrow river, it would not sit still for a nice portrait.

A Common Blackbird was seen and heard singing at close quarters and was more obliging than the tree creeper.

Birds seen; 27

Grey Heron 2, Mute Swan 4, Canada Goose 12, Mallard 12, Tufted Duck 3, Common Moorhen 3, Comon Coot 6, Black-headed Gull 35, Herring Gull 2, Stock Dove 4, Common Woodpigeon 35, EUrasian Collared Dove 4, Grey Wagtail 1, Northern Wren 1, Mistle Thrush 2, Common Blackbird 4, European Robin 7, Blackcap 1, Great Tit 6, Blue Tit 8, Eurasian Nuthatch 2, Eurasian Treecreeper 1, Eurasian Jay 3, Eurasian Magpie 15, Carrion Crow 25, Common Starling 6, Chaffinch,

Other posts from Mote Park can be found at the links below;
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2010/02/jack-sipe-in-mote-park.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2010/02/on-my-own-doorstep.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/04/cats-back.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/04/poaching-on-patchwork.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/04/while-cat-is-away.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/05/keira-knightly-in-mote-park.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/mote-park-cormorant-oct-2011.html

Visit the dedicated UK page for more posts from the area, including Leybourne Lakes and Oare Marshes.

Adders in Kent

I have recently been harbouring a desire to see Adders, Vipera berus, the UK’s only venomous snake. After a couple of days of fruitless searching, I sought help from a pair of more practiced eyes and called in Phil Sharp. We met in the car park at Leybourne Lakes Country Park and headed to the Greensand Ridge, made famous by Phil's snakey friend, the author of Greenie in the wild.

A common misconception that I had carried until now is that snakes like to bask during the middle of the day (this being the most efficient time for gathering heat), thus my searching had taken place in the afternoon on the assumption that the snakes would be tempted out by the warm sunshine. Today however, we arrived at 09.30 and Phil found the first adder just moments later. It is more true to say that they bask earlier in the morning so that they have the energy to be active during the day. Reasonable temperatures overnight meant that the snakes needed just a little topping up in the morning to fuel them. The sun was only just appearing around the shoulder of the slope and we had to keep our distance to avoid casting long shadows across the snake.

Another assumption was that this was a female. The females have a brown background colour with black markings while the males’ background colour is lighter, usually grey. Some males are darker though and may resemble a female. We were not experienced enough to differentiate on any other criteria, so for the time being, we said female. Note that the eye is opaque which we took to be a sign that a slough was imminent. Phil published his account before me and received a comment from Greenie in the Wild stating that he thought that the snakes pictured were males. Thus began a trawl of the internet in an attempt to find out how to sex an Adder. Apart from the unreliable background colour, I found that the gradual tapering of the tail indicates a male and a sudden tapering is characteristic of a female. Of course if you know different.......

Very shortly afterwards, Phil spotted another two Adders coiled together in the lowest branches of a bramble bush. Without Phil, I would have certainly missed these two. Our fourth snake came as I lifted one of the refugia that dot the slopes. It coiled into what appeared to be a defensive attitude, so I lowered the cover to avoid disturbing it too much.

We climbed over the top of the hill and into another field which looked very promising, but the heat was more intense up here and the reptiles may well have gone to seek some shade by now. We did however find a Holly Blue and a Green Hairstreak, both life butterflies for me (another comment posted for Phil's account was that this was a very early Green Hairstreak and may be the earliest recorded in Kent).

This Common Lizard has lost its tail in the past, as indicated by a dark stump at the end.

Slow Worms and Common Lizards were also seen, but there was no question about which reptile I enjoyed the most. We returned towards the car and revisited a couple of the successful sighting spots. The square of corrugated iron that had provided refuge for the fourth Adder now held a fifth and made Phil jump as he had already seen number four to the side and was not expecting to find another one under there.

Thanks very much to Phil for his company, practiced eye and for driving during the fuel panic.

Mote Park, Kent, Feb 27th 2012

This is a cynical attempt to add a few species to my year list on 10,000 Birds. I have joined some of the beat writers and undertaken to maintain a year list and will include all the birds seen when using public transport or my own energies to find them. Thus this morning found me sailing down the hill on my bike with the wind behind me and hang the consequences of the uphill slog on the way home.

A Water Rail can regularly be found at the Old Pond, but it usually keeps to the back edge. Out on the lake, most of the diving ducks have moved on with only a few Tufted Ducks and Common Pochard remaining. A Black-headed Gull was keeping watch on the surface as a Pochard dived, hoping that it might stir up some goodies. It followed the swirls and whorls made by the diving duck as it foraged on the lake bed.

On the lawns that lead down to the lake from Mote House two Grey Wagtails were chasing down some tiny insects.

The Little Owl was sitting up outside his hole, but would retreat back inside if any of the walkers or joggers passed too close. On such a lovely day, he was quickly back out once the threat had passed.

Another bird to make it onto the list today was a European Nuthatch that was seen down by the little bridge that crosses the River Len on the path leading east towards Willington St.

Species seen; 25

Mute Swan 7, Canada Goose 25, Mallard 25, Common Pochard 9, Tufted Duck 8, Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1, Water Rail 1, Common Moorhen 15, Common Coot 30, Black-headed Gull 80, Common Woodpigeon 60, Eurasian Collared Dove 6, Little Owl 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Green Woodpecker 2, Grey Wagtail 2, Northern Wren 1, Long-tailed Tit 4, Great Tiut 10, Blue Tit 25, Nuthatch 1, Eurasian Magpie 5, Carrion Crow 50, Chaffinch 6, European Greenfinch 2.

For the record, birds will also be included on the list if they are seen as part of a necessary journey or a family day out and some teensy weensy diversions may be deemed acceptable.  Birds seen on family holidays will also be included.
Flights will not be considered as public transport, but taxis and hire cars will.

Margate cemetery, Kent.

As a grand spectacle of landscape design and commemorative architecture, the cemetery at Margate cannot rival the wonderful Mount Auburn of Boston, but it has the advantage of being a short drive away rather than on the other side of the ocean. It also has a very attractive decrepit feel to it. The cemetery is still in use, but the more recent tenants are laid to rest in the south-eastern section, leaving the more established residents to enjoy the woodland and scrub that has been reclaiming the headstones in the older, north-western section.

Entry is via the gate (Google Earth ref; 51 22 24N 01 22 42E) from the crematorium and the sense of peace and restful quiet is immediate. Carrion Crows were cawing in the trees by the crematorium to add a truly authentic air. Small bushes and trees lined the cemetery side of the wall with more shrubs and brambles creating a very birdy feel. A Chiff Chaff was flicking through the bare upper branches of the small trees here. It was enjoying the rewards of overwintering on this beautifully warm February morning.

The resident blogger, Steve, who writes almost daily updates at Margate Cemetery Birder, was making his round and we took a quick tour together. He mentioned that the Firecrests move around the graveyard, but could usually be found around the birdy area where we had met. Steve noted the calls of a couple of Crossbill and pointed them out as they flew over. He also explained with a sigh that the cemetery had recently been taken over by a new maintenance and management firm. Much of the scrub is being cut back and burned to make the approach to the active area tidier. It is a shame to see all the lovely habitat being lost in an area that people seldom visit.

Eurasian Magpies and Jays were obvious and plenty of smaller birds such as European Robin, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits could be constantly heard in the background. A very friendly, albino Grey Squirrel kept me company as I waited for the Firecrests to pass through.

A spike in numbers of European Woodcock had drawn me to this site, but the cold weather that had driven them from the continent had gone and the woodcock had moved on as the sun warmed the north-eastern tip of Kent. A Firecrest did eventually show. I returned to the birdy area a couple of times, standing vigil for a short while on each pass before finding one which was feeding in the ivy climbing the bare trees. It came out into the open for a reasonable view and I managed to get the camera trained on it, but couldn’t get the focus.

Birds seen; 21

Common Kestrel 1, Common Woodpigeon 60, Rose-ringed Parakeet 15, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Dunnock 2, Song Thrush 2, Common Blackbird 10, European Robin 1, Common Chiff Chaff 4, Goldcrest 1, Firecrest 1, Great Tit 4, Blue Tit 10, Jay 3, Eurasian Magpie 20, Eurasian Jackdaw 60, Rook 4, Carrion Crow 120, Common Starling 30, Chaffinch 6, Common Crossbill 2.

Visit the dedicated UK page for other sites nearby including; Oare Marshes, Reculver Saxon Shoreline and Mote Park.

Taking a break, Mote Park Feb 2012

In a perfect world there would be enough time in the day to write up the posts from Singapore and Australia as well as going for a walk through the park in the snow. With so many pictures to sort through from last week, I felt that the best thing to do would be to go out and take even more.

I made it as far as the Little Owl who was not showing when I reached its oak, but came to the front of its hole in response to the sun breaking through the cloud.

Two male Goosanders (Common Mergansers), had been reported from Mote Park Lake, so on the way to meet my son, I dropped in for a quick look. They were on the south side of the lake and I had chosen to traipse along the north shore, so they were a little distant, but quickly recognisable. Another birder had reported a couple of Smew females that had taken off and could not be relocated. A Water Rail flicked away into the far corner of Old Pond as I approached, but showed a bit better on my return journey.

On the bank leading down towards the watersports launch jetty, a European Golden Plover was seen to pull a large worm from the grass from which the snow had been removed to build a snow fort.

Birds seen; 25

Little Grebe 1, Mute Swan 12, Canada Goose 8, Eurasian Teal 3, Mallard 8,Common Pochard 15, Tufted Duck 35, Goosander 2, Water Rail 2, Common Moorhen 2, Common Coot 4, European Golden Plover 1, Black-headed Gull 120, Common Woodpigeon 40, Little Owl 1, Grey Wagtail 1, Northern Wren 2, Song Thrush 1, Common Blackbird 3, European Robin 1, Blue Tit 3, Eurasian Jay 3, Eurasian Magpie 6, Eurasian Jackdaw 3, Carrion Crow 15.

For more posts from Mote Park, follow the links below; http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2010/02/jack-sipe-in-mote-park.html http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2010/02/on-my-own-doorstep.html http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/04/cats-back.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/04/poaching-on-patchwork.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/04/while-cat-is-away.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/05/keira-knightly-in-mote-park.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/10/mote-park-cormorant-oct-2011.html

Visit the dedicated UK page for other sites around Kent.

Leybourne Lakes, Kent, UK, Jan 2012

A Bittern had been reported at Leybourne Lakes which is within very easy reach of my home, so I made a couple of attempts to locate it. The bird had been showing during Christmas Week and into the New Year and I hoped that I wasn't too late to find it in what sounded like a reasonably good location.
A small parking area is available just outside the gate of the Water Treatment Plant in Snodland (Google Earth ref; 51 19 09N 00 26 42E).

The Bittern had been seen in a small patch of phragmites reeds and bullrushes on Streamside Lake and I took up position on the opposite bank which would have given me a good view if the bird had shown. I had only popped in quickly as the sun was setting, but returned early the next morning for another look. A European Robin came to keep me company.

After staking out the Bittern for a while and hearing that another bird had been seen on Brooklands Lake, I took a stroll to see what else I could find. The chances of there being 2 Bitterns were not astronomical, but the likelyhood was that the bird had moved. Access had been made to reach the bank by the reeds and perhaps some over zealous spotters had flushed the bird.

Eurasian Siskins were feeding in the alders along the track leading to the railway line. Goldfinches wouldn't stay still long enough for me to get a long-dreamed of picture of them on a teasel head. A short way along, a path heads left between Streamside Lake and the adjacent lake. A Water Rail flushed from the margins.

Great Crested Grebes were indulging in their courtship dance. Each dove beneath the water and re-surfaced with a small piece of weed. Then, with their necks low to the water, they swam towards each other and raised themselves from the water in the 'penguin dance'.
My camera was not powerful enough to capture the moment; it really is time that I  began to think seriously about this digiscoping lark.

I returned for another stint across from the reed bed. Watching for the Bittern was not an arduous task while Tufted Ducks bobbed on the water and a Common Kingfisher darted back and forth. I was scoping the fringes and stood up for a moment only to see a browny, cinammon coloured pair of wings fold back into the rushes. It was as if the Bittern had just flown back in, but I am sure that I would have seen it coming up the lake, perhaps it was just having a stretch. I quickly found it in my binoculars and had a quick view of its head and neck before it melted back into the reeds.
Rushing around the bank to get a different angle didn't help. A small island with a thorn tree had obscured my view so I changed position, but could not relocate the bird.

Birds seen; 36

Little Grebe 1, Great crested Grebe 12, Great Cormorant 15, Grey Heron 2, Great Bittern 1, Mute Swan 3, Greylag Goose 15, Mallard 3, Northern Shoveler 6, Common Pochard 8, Tufted Duck 30, Eurasian Sparrowhawk 2, Water Rail 1, Common Moorhen 8, Common Coot 40, Herring Gull 2, Black-headed Gull 50, Stock Dove 2Common Woodpigeon 40, Eurasian Collared Dove 4, Common Kingfisher 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Northern Wren 2, Redwing 8, Fieldfare 12, Common Blackbird 8, European Robin 8, Long-tailed Tit 5, Great Tit 25, Blue Tit 15, Eurasian Magpie 15, Carrion Crow 4, Chaffinch 6, Eurasian Siskin 2, European Goldfinch 10, Bullfinch 1.

Other posts from Leybourne Lakes can be found via the links below;
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2010/05/to-celebrate-return-of-dragonflies-to.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/07/leybourne-lakes-maidstone-kent-july.html

Visit the dedicated UK page for more posts from the UK