Purple Herons nesting at Dungeness

[Leon Roskilly]

First collard doves and inland cormorants (a sub-species from southern europe), then little egrets, now these:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/8691070.stm

 

Anyone seen a black woodpecker this side of the channel yet?

[Elton]

Are they anywhere near fishing spots?

[Leon Roskilly]

Are they anywhere near fishing spots?

 

 

There are a number of freshwater lakes (pits) at Dungeness

 

Mid-kent Fisheries now run the lakes at Dungeness ( http://www.cemexangling.co.uk/venue_guide....&venueid=41 )

 

 

I don't know whether the heron is on one of the lakes that anglers have access to.

Edited May 20, 2010 by Leon Roskilly

[Tony U]

Acco0rding to my mates at the Kent Ornithological Society, a Purple Heron has been seen at Stodmarsh, which, as you all know, is just down the road from Wingham; so keep your eyes peeled this weekend.

[Leon Roskilly]

Acco0rding to my mates at the Kent Ornithological Society, a Purple Heron has been seen at Stodmarsh, which, as you all know, is just down the road from Wingham; so keep your eyes peeled this weekend.

 

 

 

Shhhhhh!

 

I remember a previous fish-in when reports of a rare bird there hit the internet, and the road entrance was besieged with twitchers and their cameras, 'scopes etc.

[Sportsman]

Are you sure that it isn't an ordinary Heron that got too close to a nuclear power station?

[Tony U]

This is the latest Stour Valley report reproduced from the KOS website:

"In lovely warm sunshine birds noted were 25 Hobby with a further 18 seen at Grove Ferry not long after. Although there may be some duplication, it would seem that there are at least 40+ Hobby in the area. Also 16 Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel and 1 Little Owl heard at Collards. Birding at Grove produced 2 Blackcap, 2 Common Buzzard, 9 Turtle Dove, 2 Avocet were showing from the ramp for a while before flying off calling high east, also 3 Grey Heron, c20 Common Tern on the main lake with 2 Black Tern, 5 Marsh Harrier, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Water Rail, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 8 Chiffchaff and 2 Redshank. Whilst walking along the river bank by the Oxbow lake I was continually scanning the sky and luckily picked up an Osprey which slowly flew west towards Stodmarsh at some height. There were 6 Cetti's Warbler, 1 drake Garganey on the water meadow, 1 Greenshank, 4 Shelduck, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Corn Bunting and one last scan from the ramp on the way out produced 1 Little ringed Plover. Hirundines were less obvious today with small groups of Swift and a few Swallow, Sand and House Martin."

The lakes at Wingham are known as Seaton Pits to the Birding community and most if not all of the species observed at Stodmarsh will also show at Wingham.

[arbocop]

Anyone seen a black woodpecker this side of the channel yet?

 

 

I spotted one in Jersey once - about ten years ago. Does that count?

 

They're massive!

[Tony U]

This is the distribution map for the Black Woodpecker dryocopus martius They are expanding their range in north-western Europe, particularly in France and now found as far west as Brittany; so perhaps we will not have to wait too long.

Edited May 20, 2010 by Tony U

[Zigs]

Saw this little eagret the other day on the levels.

 

 

They are not really little, more like big.