13 November 2008 - In bed!

Chiffchaff calling and then a short burst of song - and all from the bed. No, it's not like finding a crippler, but I have to take my small bonuses when I can at the moment.

12 November 2008 - West Hythe

With no news on the Green Heron for a couple of days, I managed to slip out the house and shoot down to West Hythe to see if I could have another look at this superb bird for Kent (my views in October had been far from great).

With the weather looking fantastic, I gathered all camera gear and stepped out.


Was the Green Heron there? Was it buggery! Still, if I'm going to have to dip anything, I guess I've got to be happy that it is a bird I've already seen a couple of times in the UK.


Bits seen today included: Redpoll, Siskin, Kingfisher, Grey Wag, Sparrowhawk and, for the less serious minded, this Muscovey Duck - clearly having recently arrived from the feral population near Ely...

Perhaps of more interest was the presence of several Common Darter dragonflies still on the wing - I looked for vagrant Amur Falcons to feed on them, but without success.

11 November 2008 - 3.15am & another bed tick

Tawny Owl heard calling continuously for 15mins while I was on nappy and 'settling' duty. Seemingly not far from from the house and assumed not to be across the lake from where I live. Another new bird for the house and this one even adding itself onto the list of bed ticks - nice (though I would have preferred to have been sleeping at the time!).