#indoorstoomuch

I got to Rainham for 3.30pm today and seeing as I haven't been out for some time I felt a little guilty that the hour I had wasn't spent over the Valley. It was an alright hour...

Today I was invited to join the London Bird Club on a field trip to Sheppey, my first trip to Sheppey and my first LBC field trip or any field trip with a club.   Organised by Peter Lambert and his son David Darrell-Lambert.   West Thurrock   I joined David first though this morning to settle a score with West Thurrock Marshes, on the occasions I have been over in search of Jack Snipe they haven't yielded but this morning was different; first a couple of Snipe took flight over the wall and finally a Jack Snipe. A life tick .   Yellow Legged Gull x2 patrolled the shore line, Fieldfare  called from over the wall.   On the mud a large group of Dunlin moved around the waters edge some way off. Dave found within this group a Stint sp but it was to far out to call it any further. Black Tailed Godwit, Curlew, Rock Pipit & Avocet all added to the cast.   Shellness   The LBC met at Sittingbourne station and we...

You would have thought that after working in Southend for 18 months a while back that i would know two things: 1. Southend has a lot of speed cameras 2. Southend traffic wardens love their jobs.   So why was it then that when i cut my way to Mess Road i decided to park elsewhere and take a walk through the new estate leaving the car at the mecery of Sounthend Council? As such it turned out to be a relatively expensive trip. £70 or £35 if i pay within 14 days, how nice of them.   Why did i park elsewhere? I was being a considerate and careful birder, not knowing where in Mess Road the Crossbills would be i decided a quiet approach would be better - shouldnt have bothered after seeing all the cars and construction equipment down the road.   Anyway the Parrot Crossbills performed exremely well in the fir towards the the far end of the road on the coastal side. Arriving on site about 10am all four birds were in and out of the tree giving their own little per...

The first full circuit of Rainham in an age. I had No1 Son and we arrived at the center for about 10ish and with the weather looking Ok we couldnt have asked for more.   It has been a while; there has been a few changes to the walk as well it seems with new viewing areas being put in to enhance the experience.   As we came off the ramp we headed right towards the woodland but initially stopped and scoped the scrape. Teal, Wigeon were in good numbers along with Greylag & Canada Geese , it was whilst scanning the back of the scrape that a white rump darted in front of the view briefly and down into a gulley. A few minutes later and there it was a fresh faced looking Wheatear, my first of the Autumn.   Heath was being pretty vocal so the chances of seeing much close up was thin so distance birding was the order of the day and as such not much seen within the Woodland area; heard a fair bit though, mixed tits, cettis warbler...the usual around this area. ...

Not one for early mornings I was out side the Valley gates at 5.00am, still pitch black, could have had another half our in bed......   I ventured in at about 5.20am with a hope of an owl silently gliding across the marsh; my expectation dashed by a thick layer of mist that had settled over the flood and scrape so much so that in the dim light i could see barely into it. I edged my way along to the main viewing area where you could hear more than see; two Cettis Warbler battled it out with song, Mallard making them selves known along with Coot and Moorhen. Two Water Rail from different end of the scrapes "sharmed" as a Green Woodpecker "yaffled" behind me; and it was cold, hands firmly in pockets so it was just as well i couldn't see.   Dave Mo tweeted 5.20 am "Hobby Barking Bay" at least i wasn't the only one up and as i got to the iron bridge heading towards the Bottom Paddock i heard my first " COME HERE !" which broke the...

The porch has pulled in a few moths of late:  Sqaure Spot Rustic Angle Shades  Yellow Shell   Light Emerald   Marbled Beauty   Orange Swift Brimstome 

Oh well yet another Spotted Flycatcher comes and goes at the Valley without yours truly being any where near the area.........   As such i was at the Lower Paddock this morning for about 7ish in the hope that latest of the visitors had decided to hang about for a bit.   The paddock was busy this morning; a lot busier than normal, in fact i havnt seen it so busy since it was covered in Redwing and Fieldfare late last year after the berries. From the gate the first bird was a Lesser Whitethroat along the edging to the back lake, shortly followed by another however this time it was in the bushes running up the side of the path.   As i edged my way along the fencing it was evident that most of the Whitethroat,  some 20 odd in total and now 6 Lesser Whitethroat were fresh faced youngsters.   Again fresh faced and looking good were the Chiffchaffs who were silently working the shrubs.   At the far end looking into the farm fields the c...