Who am I?

An individual, of no great importance, who is unable to see the natural world as a place for competition. I catch fish, watch birds, derive immense pleasure from simply looking at butterflies, moths, bumble-bees, etc - without the need for rules! I am Dylan and this is my blog - if my opinions offend? Don't bother logging on again - simple!

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Sunday 12 April 2020

#BWKm0 - Fifty up

A day which never quite lived up to expectations. Despite the forecast for a repeat of yesterday's magnificent sunshine, a layer of high cloud persisted well into the early afternoon and put pay to that theory. I was out in the garden by 07.00 hrs (well it is Easter Sunday after all?) and had high hopes for species number fifty to make it onto my total. Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit and Common Whitethroat were all in my mind, as I set up the kit. A lone Fieldfare had me rather excited, as it flew over headed SW. Twice in a few minutes I saw birds well to the north, which I felt sure were Ring Ouzels, probably flushed by early morning dog walkers from a very reliable Spring stop off point around the Newlands Farm patch. It was 08.20 hrs when my suspicions were confirmed as a splendid male flew along the gardens, uttering a scolding rattle as it passed overhead. Absolutely elated, a milestone reached, I had to content myself with fairly moderate fare from that moment on. Two Common Buzzards, three Sparrowhawks and a Kestrel made up the raptor contingent for the session, whilst decent numbers of Linnet and Goldfinch were active around the area, suggesting local breeding populations looking for territories. Two more Black-headed Gulls, one south the other west, just don't tally up with my previous records and are a superb example of the unexpected when we're forced to look from a single viewpoint. Another Willow Warbler stopped off very briefly and an adult Great Black-back flew north. 23C and hardly a breathe of wind - life in lockdown ain't so bad here in downtown Dumpton.

I've never recorded a Spring Osprey, from the garden - with so much time
 on my hands here's hoping?
Next milestone has to be sixty species; that'll be a real struggle I'm guessing, although I still have plenty of targets to look for over the coming days/weeks/months?
50 - Ring Ouzel
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2 comments:

  1. Gareth Craddock13 April 2020 at 10:30

    Hello Dylan- Interesting reading mate. Lovely to see those hedgehogs in your backgarden, too, on the previous blogs. When I was very young, we lived on Rydal Avenue on the Nethercourt Estate. Back the, the old farm still existed behind the houses; it's been built on now. Anyway, we used to get hedgehogs coming in to our back-yard via what was left of the farm. We also had them in Pegwell when I was a teenager... And I haven't seen a live one since. Must be 25 years now. Intriguing to see what birds you're hitting on the home patch. I don't have much of a garden but I've got some good coastal walks locally for my daily allowance. Like you, I've seen some black-headed gulls. Saw one charging off towards Minster way, from Pegwell, the other day. I also saw a red kite hunting low recently. One thing I'd never realised, not coming from a classic kite area, is just how big they are! Really was something to watch it in the late afternoon light hunting over a small drain. At the limits of my daily walk, I've found a small stream that fosters a pair of kingfishers, so that's been nice. And I saw my first chiffchaff of the year the other day. And have been hearing them regularly. All the best and hope you clock a Big 'O' (an osprey!) coming through. My mate Tony seems to have it down to a fine art out at Acol way; he's got a window of several days each spring when they fly over... Stuff of dreams...

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    1. Dylan Wrathall13 April 2020 at 16:46

      Hi Gazza,
      Yes these garden hedgehogs are a really nice surprise for us during this crazy period. One of the guys whom I work with showed me some images from his own garden, just around the corner, which his wife had recorded using a camera trap. It was his success which encouraged us to see if we, too, could attract these wonderful creatures into our own garden. I get my "Spikes Dinner" hedgehog food from Kath Newbury, over at Maxim's pet shop, opposite The Hare & Hounds.
      The garden bird stuff is proving to be a great distraction and also helping a large number of complete strangers to find a positive during this lockdown period. It appears that the original idea stems from Italian birders who were forced to stay at home and devised this #BWKm0 as a way of keeping them occupied. With no fishing likely, any time soon, I might as well get involved in this challenge whilst I await the chance to get back to the syndicate venue and resume my split cane thirty pursuit. Great to hear from you mate.
      Stay safe and take care - Dylan

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