New Hythe Blue Tit & Garden Gull

The first thing I saw this morning through the kitchen window, apart from the snow, was a flock of Black Headed Gulls swirling and wheeling over the top end of the garden. Some seeming to come just an arms length or so from the house as they circled and circled, gradually plucking up courage to land on the snow where some left over scraps from yesterday afternoon would be their prize.

It's not until you stop and look that you realise how nice these birds are, especially in flight as they glide bouyantly, with just a few quick, effortless wing beats. I think the one above is a first winter bird and he did indeed share the prize despite being in competition, albeit briefly, with a huge Herring Gull which touched down for a second or two but was too nervous to stay so close to the house.

Carol and I walked back down to New Hythe today but there was little change from yesterday really. The Streamside lake is just about frozen over now and we wondered how the Bittern was coping with so much marginal reedbed being covered in ice. We saw all the usual species and three or four Common Snipe flying up from what pieces of muddy ditch or lakeside that are still available to them.

On Brookland lake we managed to relocate the Slavonian Grebe, a life tick for Carol and also yesterday's female Goldeneye. I think this bird might be the one that has recently been on the now completely frozen over Alders lake at the bottom of Lunsford Lane. Various small roving flocks of Longtailed Tits were seen with their usual cousins in attendance but although we heard a couple of possible Goldcrests calling amongst them none were seen.

The sunken marsh footpath was negotiated with appropriate care through the deep snow, so far untouched by human feet. There's something nice about being the first to leave tracks through it but the thought of putting a foot wrong on a now undefined path and ending up in a boggy ditch or bramble patch was a sobering one and eyes were mostly kept down. All we saw was a Redshank, three Lapwings and hundreds of berry stripping Redwings. The only other bird of note was a nice view of a Kingfisher which skimmed silently all the way across Abbey Mead lake about a foot above the surface, pity the sun wasn't out to show it in all it's glory.

The Blue Tit pictures below were taken by me yesterday in the small wood where the Treecreeper was. He was feeding earnestly, never stopping for more than a split second in his life or death search for sustenance and warmth. Not for him the opportunity to visit a well stocked peanut or sunflower heart feeder I guess.

New Hythe in the snow. 2nd December

Well the big news is of course the weather and what amazes me is how some of the birds and small creatures survive it, but a bit of assistance from us always helps.

The mouse above, Wood or Yellow Necked, i'm not sure which, has been scurrying to and fro across the patio for some time now. I know which route he always takes so i've been putting a handful of peanuts out for him each day during the cold spell. The picture was taken through the patio doors and this time I really was laying on my stomach, it's not so bad when it's on a nice soft carpet!

Today I walked to Tesco's and got some groceries for my parents who like so many people are temporarily housebound. They live at the far end of Snodland and the only way to deliver them was on foot, luckily the most direct route is across the country park, down to Brooklands and then through the town. So obviously I took the camera and binoculars, just in case, and these are some of the birds I saw on the way.

At the Bittern viewpoint I saw two Common Snipe and heard a Redshank calling from somewhere in the distance. No Bittern seen but as I stood there I heard what I thought was a Goldcrest calling from the nearby small wood, but it wasn't a Goldcrest it was a Treecreeper, i've seen them here before but not for a long time. I watched for a while and it gradually came a bit closer allowing me to get a few shots in (below) before it moved on. It wasn't the easiest thing to photograph, hardly ever stopping in it's search for food. I really like these birds with their mottled brown upperparts, down curved bill and long claws, ideal for climbing up treetrunks, but never down apparently. Shame I don't see them very often.

The next surprise was a Woodcock which flew up from the same wood as I made my way through it to the Millstream path. It came up about fifteen feet away and flew right past me, close enough to hear the wingbeats and giving me a great view. It circled briefly through the trees and then disappeared, no picture but a super and unexpected sighting.

I did find a Goldcrest later, further down the footpath, it was with a flock of Long Tailed, Blue and Great Tits which were making their way through the snow covered undergrowth. Then further down the path, just before the Brooklands car park I was lucky enough to see my first Water Rail since 1st Feb this year, in it's usual spot among the tree roots and marshy pools.

Groceries delivered, I returned via Brooklands lake to see what I could find. Alan Woodcock had earlier seen some Wigeon there but I couldn't locate them through the gloom and mist emanating from the mill, but I did see a female Goldeneye. It came to the edge of the lake further round so I made my way through the near virgin snow to try and get a picture, but no luck, it was away to the middle of the lake before I could get near. Just before I turned away from the edge of the lake to follow the railway path, pictured below, I found the Slavonian Grebe, close in the margins, but time was running out on me so I left it undisturbed and made my way home without incident.

I didn't keep a list of species today so i'll search my memory banks later and start the December New Hythe list. I also took a few other photo's of a much commoner species today but i'll post those tomorrow.