NEW HYTHE IN THE DARK TUES 1ST MARCH 2011

At last! I finally got out again today, albeit only for an hour and a half. It's the first day of March so every bird is a new species for the month. I quite like it like that.

The Dunnock pictured above is one I took earlier in the winter. I didn't get any pics today because as usual, the lights were OFF. I chose a Dunnock to brighten the blog because they brightened my walk today with their welcome, but somewhat thin song. There's not a lot to tell about today's walk, I started off along the millstream path in the hope of picking up a Water Rail in the marshy ground between the path and the railway line. I didn't find one but i'm sure i'll catch up with one sooner or later. I always struggle with these at New Hythe, I hear them often enough but don't see them very much. Further along the stream a flock of about 15 Siskins in an Alder tree cheered me up and then came another good tick in the shape of a Grey Wagtail, not a bad start to the month list.

Streamside lake was quiet and Goosander and Smew were both noticeable by their absence, I couldn't find them anyway. The only notable find was a Chiffchaff who searched for food in it's typically restless style along the lake edge. The east scrub was home to a Green Woodpecker and a mixed flock of Fieldfares, Redwings, Goldfinches and Chaffinches who lifted from the tops of some Hawthorns and did a low level flypast before returning to the same trees along the western edge of the scrub.

I made my way to the riverside wood and was greeted by my old friend the black Pheasant, but not much else. The tide was very high and backing up into the sunken marsh and the sharp teeth of the northerly wind were biting my face, so I decided that I would give the bucket seat a miss and head back to the car park. I stopped just once to note a Common Gull on Brooklands lake, my 34th and last species of the day.

Finally, i'm off to Tobago on thursday for a couple of weeks, where hopefully the lights will be ON! So no posts for a while, unless I can manage a quick hour or two in the morning. Hopefully there will be some new feathers in town by the time I get back, but if not, they shouldn't be too far away.