East Malling, Ditton and Barming

2x Buzzards lingered in the East Farleigh/Barming area most of the morning.  Later 8+ Bullfinch were seen feeding in some of the dense blackthorn bushes just west of Barming Bridge

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2015/03/sunday-1st-march-2015.html

3x Med Gulls on the cattle field near Kiln Barn Farm this morning, along with 65+ BH, 20+ and 2 LBB Gulls.  Not quite as many as the 48+ I had in Mote Park last week, but good to have on patch.

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2015/03/monday-2nd-march-2015.html

A WOODCOCK flew out of woodland east of Teston Bridge This afternoon (16:30) as I walked the dog along the banks of the Medway between Barming & Teston Bridges.  It was followed by a calling KI...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2015/01/sunday-11th-january-2015.html

One of those mornings you dream of, no expectations of anything out of the ordinary and BANG a cracking bird, GREAT GREY SHRIKE turns up on patch!  I was walking the dog on part of the patch th...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/12/saturday-20th-december-2014.html

A lovely last day of sunshine and warmth, as the summer slipped into autumn.  A good run of records on patch, included another STONECHAT, my 4th this autumn, 12x MISTLE THRUSH, singing CHIF...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/10/friday-3rd-october-2014.html

My run of migrants continues, another Wheatear, this time on the Sweets Lane Paddocks, East Malling at lunchtime.  Distant, not even worth posting the photo ;-)

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/09/tuesday-30th-september.html

A bright start and another migrant in, this time a WHEATEAR on the newly rolled/tilled field N of Church Lane, Barming.  It had 56+ MEADOW PIPIT, PIED WAGS and a small flock of LINNETS for c...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/09/sunday-29th-september.html

My run of migrants continued this morning with another STONECHAT in the 'pylon' hedgerow just W of Hall Place Farm, Barming (and probably viewable from the burger van layby on the A26 between Bar...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/09/saturday-27th-september.html

Both the WHEATEAR and STONECHAT were still present on East Malling Research Station land this morning, but unexpectedly a KINGFISHER dashed across the stubble field behind, calling, as it fle...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/09/friday-26th-september-2014.html

I was lucky to be out walking some of my strawberry plots on the East Malling Research site mid-morning and quickly noticed a WHEATEAR feeding around the Research Station weather station. �...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/09/thursday-25th-september-2014.html

No grounded migrants this morning but a good passage of SWALLOW with 206 west in 10 minutes early morning, and a trickle of 36 through in the late evening.

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/09/wednesday-24th-september-2014.html

The first day of Autumn was greeted with a blanket of dense fog which precluded many sightings, with only the MEADOW PIPIT flock showing well as they foraged along the edges of Church Lane, ...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/09/tuesday-23rd-september.html

Revitalised by the migrant birds that have been dropping down in Barming over the last week I ventured out at sunrise to Hall Place Farm.  With the mist hanging low in the valley a distant ...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/09/monday-22nd-september-2014.html

An interesting couple of days on patch: Thursday 18th September REDSTART (briefly) working it's way south through the 'pylon' hedgerow west of Hall Place Farm, with a few chiffies around, includ...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/09/sunday-21st-september.html

An interesting walk from Barming to Teston and back via Oaken Wood and the River Medway this morning.  Two WHINCHAT were a bonus, flitting along the hedgerow, with a couple of YELLOWHAMMERS...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/09/sunday-14th-september-2014.html

Two Hobbies were hawking after a large swarm of Swifts (50+) that fed over the rape field north of Church Lane, Barming at 13:00 today.  One of the Hobbies attempted to take a Yellowhammer that ...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/07/4th-july-2014.html

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/05/for-ross.html

First Wheatear of the year (female) on Sweets Lane  paddocks, East Malling.  Little Owl and a few Mipits still around.  Cracking day for butterflies with Peacock, Small Tort and an Orange Tip ...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2014/04/tuesday-1st-april-2014.html

It's all be fairly quiet on patch since October, but Christmas Day morning turned up a bonus in the form of a KINGFISHER.  It was sitting on the washing line in my back garden, a new one for the...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-2013.html

At least 2x BRAMBLING in St Margaret's churchyard early morning, but difficult to pin down in the dense foliage.  Also 10+ Goldfinch, 2x Jay, 1x Mistle Thrush, 1x Song Thrush, 6x Chaffinch, 4x B...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2013/10/wednesday-16th-october-2013.html

St Margaret's churchyard, Barming:  6x BRAMBLING feeding in tree full of red berries (Prunus) to the west of the church tower.  Also 2x Redwing, 3x Blackbirds, 3x Chaffinch, Great Tit, Goldcres...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2013/10/sunday-13th-october-2013.html

Paris Farm Paddocks:  Osprey over low south (17:02).  Cracking view!  Checking for Ring Ouzels not Ospreys! Ditton Court Quarry:  55+ Redwing over W (in small flocks, varying highs, 17:30-45...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2013/10/saturday-12th-october-2013.html

Ruddy Darter? Black-bordered, yellow pterostigma had me thinking Red-veined...but seems to be lacking 'red veins'!  Any comments?

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2013/08/ruddy-things.html

 A rare day out, necessitated by needing to take my eldest lad to a Scouts afternoon on the Isle of Sheppey.  6+ MED GULLS loafed with 15 or so BLACK-HEADED GULLS opposite the burger van o...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2013/06/saturday-16th-june-2013-sheppey.html

 A sortie of Oaken Woods this morning turned up a couple of BUZZARDS and a TURTLE DOVE.  Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat and Bullfinch were all seen or h...

http://dittoneastmallingbarming.blogspot.com/2013/05/tuesday-7th-may-2013.html