Saturday 9 January 2010

Lucky Charm!

OLD LUNSFORD LANE


Today Carol and I walked to Snodland to call in on my parents and deliver them some milk as the local shop had run out. We walked down the old part of Lunsford lane and into the Country Park but we didn't expect to see too much, most places seem pretty quiet at the moment, so we were pleased to spot a kingfisher quite early on from the bridge that crosses the millstream adjacent to the Larkfield end of the scrape. I would have liked to try and get a picture of it as it seemed more obliging than usual but decided that it had enough to deal with without being harassed by me. As we walked by the dipping pond alarm calls alerted us to the presence of a sparrowhawk making a low and fast pass along the stream and seven lapwings could be seen flying over heading south west.


GOLDFINCH





SONGTHRUSH




AGAIN!


I make no apology for posting more shots of song thrushes, I think they're great and sometimes they sit still so even I can take their picture.
We crossed over the railway line and turned left to go down the path between the railway and Abbey Mead, it was clear from the snow that we were the first to use the path this morning and so we were rewarded with..............another woodcock, hurtling out of the trees on the lakeside of the path and flying strongly over the lake, a new tick for Carol and almost embarrassingly my third in two weeks, sorry Alan W. !!







As we passed Brookland lake we watched a flock of black headed gulls (above) haranguing the resident coots and tufted ducks in an attempt to rob them of their hard earned lunch. The pecking order I suppose.
Our return journey from Snodland took us along the millstream from Brooklands, first stop was about 150 yards along where we watched a cetti's warbler hunting for food, quite openly among the tree roots at the waters edge where the water rail is often seen. This was really nice to see but possibly even better was the jack snipe which flew up a couple of yards away from the cetti's giving nice views as it headed straight up the stream where I think it came down again further along, another new tick for Carol who is now officially designated as my lucky charm!
After all the excitement the rest of the walk home was pretty uneventful but it was nice to be escorted along the towpath between the Alders lakes by a roving flock of long tailed tits to finish the trip.


9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Uncle Phil,

This is great!!! Aimee put the link on Face book for us to see...I have e-mailed the link to Dad too....

Hope you and Carol are well and had a lovely Christmas....

Lots of Love Claire xxxx

Phil said...

Claire!!!! What a surprise, great to hear from you. We had a very nice, very quiet Christmas, situation normal in other words.
Keep following.
XXX

Warren Baker said...

I agree with you on the Songthrush Phil,

You had some great birds today, but then, you've got some great habitat! I got a woodcock today yeaaaaaaaaaaa!

Phil said...

Well done with the woodcock Warren,I don't feel so guilty now!

Adam said...

Well a Woodcock and Jack Snipe - what a day! Thought about checking out around the streams that run into the Medway by me for Jack Snipe. Missed the one at Old Lunsford Lane last year - give me a text if you see it again!

Adam

Phil said...

Will do Adam. Hope to go down to the lakes again tomorrow. Oddly it was the cetti's sighting that I liked most, best views i've ever had of one. Desperation on it's part I guess to appear so oblivious to us, hope it survives these conditions.
Phil

Forest the Bear said...

Phil;great pictures once again.The Songthrush looks gorgeous in the snowy tree and shot of the Goldfinch just captures the winter so far for me,kind of looks as though it is trying to decide where to find it's next meal.
I love the picture of the Stag beetle in your sidebar!!!

Forest the Bear (Simon)

Steve said...

Good stuff Phil. I will be down there myself later. Fingers crossed I get anywhere near as good sightings as you!

Phil said...

Simon, thanks for your comments.

Steve, good luck, look forward to reading about it.

Phil