Still they keep coming

The movement of Common Buzzards in the skies above Dumpton shows no signs of abating. Since that bunch of eleven that I witnessed, last Sunday, they have become a daily expectation. The high percentage of pale phase birds would suggest that these Buzzards originate from Scandinavia and/or the Low Countries, but I am perfectly happy to be corrected if this hypothesis is wrong.
I counted thirteen birds over the factory as I loaded the cardboard compactor, yesterday (10 mins max) and another seven passed over the garden this morning, yet the agitated behavior of the gulls suggested that I wasn't seeing them all. How long will this passage last? No idea, but I'm going to enjoy it whilst it does.

Garden fun continues

Wednesday and more of the same. Up early to see what was around; the conditions had changed from the ridiculous, withering heat to a far more bearable situation of heavy cloud cover, a gentle breeze and temperatures some 12 C lower.  Two Willow Warblers flitted through the garden, neither posing for the camera, before a Chiffchaff, the first of the autumn, appeared in the hedgerow. This bird was a little more cooperative, although my efforts aren't up to much, at least I got an image.

The raucous clamour of a bunch of Rose-ringed Parakeets alerted me to an adult Grey Heron, as they escorted it passing, high over Newlands Farm. Just a little later four Rooks moved north and a couple of Jackdaws flew east - all very weird for August? It won't be long before this trickle becomes a torrent. I'm intrigued to see how it pans out as my fishing projects won't be, particularly, high on the agenda whilst family issues must remain our priority. The ability of our garden to provide such encounters with passing waifs is exactly why I had the study (man cave) built. Kent Sectional Buildings have been round and are in the early stages of planning the replacement for our  conservatory which will see the whole bungalow project finished. Before Christmas?

Then today, there I was, standing at the back door, awaiting the time to leave for work when this beauty came spiraling over the garden - I didn't need to move an inch!

Ticking along nicely

Obviously, it's not for everyone, but I derive enormous pleasure from the simple activity of watching the wildlife that I encounter on my Newlands Farm patch. Status, rarity or common, means nothing under these circumstances and huge thrills can be derived from seemingly ordinary sightings. That our bungalow is situated on the edge of the farm, means I am able to treat it as a micro patch, within the bigger picture. We're now in our nineteenth year of residing here and still very ordinary creatures are able to provide me with a great sense of joy.
The Bank Holiday weekend has been absolutely roasting, here on Thanet, everyone, locals and visitors alike, have made the most of the conditions with plenty of tanned torsos and smiling faces on show as I wander around. However, all good things ......... it's back to reality today; work at 14.00 hrs. It was just after 08.00 hrs and I must have been on coffee number two, standing at the study door, when a flash of fiery orange-tail grabbed my attention, as a bird alighted in the garden hedge. Bloody hell, a Common Redstart, our third garden record and the first since 2008. Gone just as suddenly as it appeared, I was left with a vivid vision of joy. Garden birding doesn't get much better, unless you manage to get a photo, I guess?
So with nothing better to do, whilst awaiting a return to the daily grind, I was out in the garden for much of the morning, camera and binoculars to hand. The feeding station continues to be central to my garden observations, with a Rose-ringed Parakeet now starting to visit periodically. With this in mind, I was holding the camera when a movement caused me to look over the fence and watch a Grey Squirrel running along my neighbours fence! A garden mammal tick! How can that be so exciting - it's only a squirrel, yet the first one in our garden. I didn't actually see it in our hedge, but managed to capture a record shot as it continued along the fence line of my other neighbour. Quality!

By now I'm absolutely buzzing, after all it's days like these that make patch watching so rewarding. At 10.30 hrs four Common Buzzards pass eastwards overhead, with two more, south, a little later. One of the juvvy Kestrels then flies over the garden before hunting over the fallow area where I'd photographed the Whinchat, and a Sparrowhawk spiraled up over the farm paddocks. A Jay alighted in the conifers of a garden two doors down whilst Goldfinch and Linnet called as they pass overhead. Garden birding at it's very best. As I've already stated, birds don't need to be rare to be exciting at this level of involvement.

Pale phase Common Buzzard - how I wished it could have been so much better?

One, of two, juvvy Kestrel that has taken up territory around Newlands Farm

No surprises that I went to work, very smug with myself, life is good!

Newlands - bits, bobs and a surprise finale

With the Autumn migration now well underway, there has been quite a bit to see around the "patch". Willow Warblers are regularly seen in the garden although none has deigned to pose for a photo, thus far. A late Swift was watched flying south on Thursday afternoon and a Green Sandpiper called out in the evening sky as it passed, unseen, overhead. I've been seeing odd Common Buzzards quite regularly throughout the Summer, so I would assume they are local birds, however, at 13.30 hrs yesterday a group of eleven came over, five passing straight through whilst the other six spiraled up into the heavens before setting off steadily SSE.

Up early this morning, just because it was too hot to stay in bed! A quick lap of the farm revealed a couple of juvvy Kestrels, two Willow Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Whinchat - happy days! The study still provides the bulk of my photographic opportunities and I'm rather enjoying this simplistic approach. That foolish notion that I might record images of fifty species from, in or around, the garden might require a major rethink and it may be that I'll just see how far I can go with the idea rather than set targets?

As with many other garden watchers, the Painted Lady influx here on Thanet, has been a very welcome bonus and just adds that little touch of the exotic.

Then, just when I'm about to press the "publish" button there it is, perched no more than six feet away! A bloody Pied Flycatcher on the garden swing seat frame! As I grabbed the camera it flitted off into next door's garden and I managed a few shots as it perched briefly in their apple tree. It didn't stop there,, oh no! Just looking at the images on the back of the camera when a Common Whitethroat appears in a tangled mass of cut bramble and dog rose. I don't know what's occurring, but am extremely glad that I was able to capture these moments . Who knows what'll turn up next?

Garden Starling update

Just home from work and discovered an email from the BTO pertaining to the ringed Starling that was at our feeding station last week. This is what I've received

Ringing Scheme: London Ring Number: LK37249 Species of bird: Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

This bird was ringed by East Kent Wildlife Group as age juvenile (passerines only), sex unknown on 28-Jun-2019 12:05:00 at Elizabeth Carter Avenue, Deal, Kent, UK

OS Map reference TR3551 accuracy 0, - co-ordinates 51deg 13min N 1deg 22min E accuracy 0.

It was found on 15-Aug-2019 time unknown at Dumpton, Kent, UK

OS Map reference TR3867 accuracy 0, - co-ordinates 51deg 21min N 1deg 25min E accuracy 0.

Finding condition: Sight record by non-ringer

Finding circumstances: Metal Ring Read In Field

Extra Information: -

It was found 48 days after it was ringed, 16 km from the ringing site, direction NNE.

Not much, as I'm sure you'll agree, but it does add something to our understanding of bird behavior and a little bit of sparkle to the simple pleasure of recording the wildlife in/around the garden

More garden mystery

The past couple of days have been rather eventful for Bev and I - life is good! What little debt we had is now consigned to the history books and we can get on with the rest of our lives. On getting back from Ramsgate, we'd been into Lloyd's to draw a line under the proceedings, I settled down in my study, coffee to hand, watching the activity around the feeders. Starling numbers are starting to build and it was during a particularly frenzied gathering that I spotted a juvenile bird sporting a silver leg ring. Quickly the camera was pressed into service and I managed to rattle off a few shots which have allowed me to see that it is a BTO ring with the starting code of LK3........? Most likely to have been ringed by the guys at Sandwich Bay Obs, but I can't discount the possibility that Chris and Anne Hindle, over at Reculver, might be responsible?

Well the bird reappeared just after I made the original post and I'm able to add a little more to the ring code. I now know that the ring is LK3724.....?

Just got in from a late shift and downloaded another bunch of images that I'd taken just before leaving for work. Looking through this new bunch of pics has finally allowed me to put together the complete ring code of this bird. The final combination has been revealed as LK37249. Although I've already contacted Sandwich Bay Obs, I'll send this info to the BTO and see what I can find out about the journey this bird has made to reach my feeding station.

Common encounter

A beautiful morning, here in darkest Thanet, I spent the majority of it entertaining Emily by playing with a ball or generally being silly. It was while we were looking at the butterflies which had been attracted to the Buddlieas that I became distracted by a pair of dragonflies, in tandem, that alighted in the adjacent dog rose. I grabbed the camera from my study and managed just a handful of images before they were away.

Only a pair of Common Darters, but yet another demonstration of how the unexpected can brighten any day. Well; I enjoyed them anyway!