* A Hour At The River In Halling.*

I had a hour to spare today, so I walked down to the river. It was about a hour short of high tide. I wasn't sure what I would see but I gave it my best shot. As it happens it wan't too bad. The species I saw was: Lapwing(4); Redshank(6); B/H/Gull; Herring Gull; Common Gull; Moorhen(3); Mute Swan( M,F,1Juv); Starling; C/Crow; C/Dove;Wood Pigeon; Cormorant(3, 2 of them was diving for food); Robin; L/T/Tit(3); H/Sparrow(5); Magpie; Kestrel; Common Buzzard(1 over Wouldham Woods). Then as I was about to leave 2 Common Sandpiper's flew in and settled on one of the only bits of muds not covered in water.
Other wildlife seen was one of the elusive Common Seal's that are seen now and again. This is the first time I have seen in quite a while.
On my way home I saw some of the usual garden birds, plus 1 Jay, and 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker's, 1m,1f on the top of the same tree.
Today I am selecting "Wildlife of the day", and that is the ** Common Seal.**

**Great White Egret & Goosander Video At Dungeness.**

Today was the day I decided to go and see if the Great White Egret was still around. I knew it was in the Denge Marsh area, so we stopped off first down the Denge Marsh Road. We stopped by the pathway that leads down to the Springfield Bridge that overlooks the reserve. I waited for about 10 minutes, and then out of the reeds left came the Great White Egret. It waded into the shallows and showed very well for quite a while. At this point I was on my own, until a chap turned up with his little girl, but they didn't stay. I did manage to take a short of video of it. While I was watching the Egret a couple of Marsh Harriers came across, and they was shortly followed by a Sparrowhawk. There was also a large flock of mixed Lapwing, and Golden Plover flying over. Other species of bird seen from here was: Mute Swan; Coot; Moorhen; B/H/Gull; Herring Gull; G/B/B/Gull; Mallard; Teal; Shoveler; Tufted Duck; Gadwall; G/C/Grebe; Dabchick; Pintail; Wigeon; C/Crow; Magpie; Reed Bunting; Rook; Starling; Cormorant.
Next stop was to be the visitors centre. When I went in I was told that there was a Goosander present. I was looking quite a way back for it, but I was actually just out in front of the centre. I was a scruffy looking male and it was behaving in a very strange way. Normally they are out in the deeper water and dive for food, but this one was chasing it's prey in the shallows, acting a bit like a Shoveler, apart from hoovering up some food, it also just stuck it's head below the surface to feed, at times it was almost out of the water. I wondered if something might be wrong with it, maybe it had damaged it's internal organs and that was stopping it from diving to feed, or maybe it was just filling up on easy pickings. It was fairly quiet birdwise, on the Burrows Pit, but I did manage to video a Little Egret to compare it to the Great White.
I then went over the road to the ARC Pit, Hanson Hide. There was plenty of bird life over here. and they was looking good with the sun on them. I was watching them, making my list when all the birds went up, this was due to a Peregrine Falcon making a fly past. There was suppose to be a couple of Bewick Swan's present, but I could find them, but what I did see was 4 Goldeneye's,(1M,3F)
The other species of bird seen was; Mute Swan; Mallard; Teal; Gadwall; Pintail; Wigeon; Shoveler; Shelduck; Tufted Duck; Pochard; G/B/B/Gull; L/B/B/Gull; Herring Gull; Common Gull; B/H/Gull; Lapwing; C/Crow; Magpie; Coot; Moorhen; Marsh Harrier; Cormorant; Little Egret; Robin; Reed Bunting; Greylag Geese; Pheasant.

My " Bird Of The Day" is going to be the ** Great White Egret.**

Below: The Great White Egret Video No 1. Great White Egret Video No2

Above: Little Egret, and the scruffy male Goosander.

** Halling Today,Including 2 Halling Lifers.**

As today is suppose to be the dryest day of the week, I decided to take a stroll down to the river Medway , and Halling Common.The wind was a light south/westerly( according to our Halling Weather Station, www.halling-weather.co.uk/index.php ), so it was a enjoyable walk. I made my usual stop on the cemetary bridge to scan over the Halling tree line and old abandoned quarry for the Common Buzzards, and I wasn't disappointed. I managed to see 4 of them soaring around with ease, and while watching them my eye was taken by another bird soaring around high up, and it turned out to be a Sparrowhawk( or Sprawk, just for Warren).I didn't hang about as I wanted to get to the Common. The only other birds I saw on my way there was some of the normal garden birds, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
It was heading for high tide when I got to the river, not my favourite time as there is never much about, so I made my way onto Halling Common. I started my walk, and the first birds I saw was 2 Grey Heron's, then I looked on the river just in case anything was about, and something caught my eye, I saw a bundle of old matted twigs and branches floating up stream, and something about it made me do a double take, I thought I saw a bird standing on it, so I stopped and got the ol bins on it and believe it or not, there was only a Common Sandpiper hitching a ride on it. I knew it was one because it did some teetering.
I just had to laugh, I have heard about birds hitching a ride on ships before, but never on rubbish on the river. Other species I saw as I walked on was: Blue Tit;
Goldfinch; Chaffinch; H/Sparrow; Robin; Herring Gull;B/H/Gull; C/Dove;
C/Crow;Cormorant(2); Kestrel; Magpie; Starling. Then I stopped for a drink and while I was there I saw three bird on the top of a bush, 2 of them turned out to be Stonechat's, and the other one was something I have never seen in Halling, or on the Common before ( I knew they was there because Alan Woodcock had seen them)It was only a male Bullfinch. It stayed there for about 10-15 seconds but with the sun on him that was enough. I then got to the second style where I normally set up my scope and I saw 2 more Buzzard sightings( probably 2 of the 4 I saw earlier) I also scoped up another Halling lifer on the waters edge, a single Ringed Plover. It stayed there for quite a while. I was now looking else where when I saw this bird out the corner of my eye coming towards me. Now this is the closest encounter I have had with one of these birds. It came fast from the Wouldham side of the river over to Halling. It was about 40-50 feet away and about 20 feet off of the ground. Now I didn't need my bins to know what species this was, it was a Peregrine Falcon,and going by it's size I would say it was a male. Now why it came in so low and fast, who know's, but one thing I do know is that when I checked to see if the R/Plover was still sitting on the rocks, it wasn't, so perhaps that's what the Peregrine was eyeing up! Then on my way back I saw 1 Yellowhammer, a Pheasant, 3 Green Woodpecker's, and another Grey Heron.
Later this afternoon I sat by the kitchen window to see what was about, and the only species I saw was: Great Tit; Blue Tit; Dunnock; C/Crow; Wood Pigeon; Chaffinch; Greenfinch; Goldfinch; B/H/Gull; Herring Gull; Starling; H/Sparrow;
I don't know if anyone was watching the moon this afternoon at about 4.20 as it rose into the night sky, but the atmosphere must have been clean as not only was it fairly big, but also through my bins it was possible to see all the craters on it, it was quite a sight, then about 10-15 minutes later I happened to see a large flock of Gulls fly across the front of it.A nice end to the day.

My "Bird Of The Day" is going to be the male ** Bullfinch.**

But seeing a Common Sandpiper hitching a ride on the river isn't something I am going to forget in a hurry!

** Birds Seen In Halling Throughout October.**

This is a list of bird species that I have seen on my walks in Halling throughout October:
Blackbird; B/H/Gull; Blue Tit; Canada Geese; C/Crow; Cetti's Warbler; Chaffinch;C/Dove; Common Buzzard; Common Sandpiper; Common Gull; Cormorant; Dunnock; Goldfinch; Great Black Backed Gull; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Great Tit; Greenfinch; Green Woodpecker; Grey Heron; Grey Wagtail; Herring Gull; House Sparrow; Jackdaw; Kestrel; Kingfisher; Lapwing; Linnet; Little Egret; Magpie; Mallard; Mistle Thrush; Moorhen; Mute Swan; Pheasant; Pied Wagtail; Redshank; Robin; Snipe; Sparrowhawk; Starling; Stonechat; Woodpigeon; Wren; Yellowhammer.
Total Species Seen = 45

* A Walk To The River At Halling.*

It was a bright, sunny day today so I decided to take a stroll to the river at mid-day as it was low tide time. I was convinced that the Common Buzzard's would be out on the thermals today, so I stopped at the cemetary bridge over the A228 and scanned the skies over the wooded area of Halling, and the Downs and I wasn't wrong. Virtually straight away I picked out one Buzzard, and then as I scanned around I found another 3. I watched these 3 Common Buzzard's, and they seemed to be playing, well they was certainly having a good time, and then the single one joined them giving me views of all 4 in my bins together. I watched them for ages but I eventually had to move on.
Once I got to the river I got myself comfy, and had a scan around. This is my findings:Kestrel; Canada Geese(3); Cormorant; B/H/Gull; Herring Gull; Common Gull; G/B/B/Gull; Magpie; C/Crow; Lapwing(11); Redshank(1); Green Woodpecker; Pied Wagtail; C/Dove; W/Pigeon; Grey Heron(2); Starling; Mallard(5); Common Buzzard( over Wouldham Woods); Then as I prepared to leave a Kingfisher flew northbound up the river.
I had a few glimpses out of the kitchen window this afternoon to see what was in, and around the garden area, and this is my findings; Chafinch; Goldfinch; greenfinch; Blue Tit; Magpie; C/Crow; Robin; Dunnock; Starling; W/Pigeon; C/Dove; Sparrowhawk( flyover); herring Gull; B/H/Gull;H/Sparrow.
*It has taken a few years for the Common Buzzard's to arrive in Halling, and now that they have, they seem to be holding their own. I know that there is about 5-6 around. I just hope nothing happens to cause them to move on. Not to forget the ones that are over in the Wouldham area.*

**Sunday 25th October At Staines Moor.**

On Sunday 25th October we was going to visit our Grandaughter in Kingston Upon Thames. We wasn't expected until mid-day so I was hoping that the Brown Shrike was going to still be at Staines Moor, Surrey, if it was then it was going to be a earlier start to try and see it. I checked Birdguides the night before and it had been seen late Saturday so we decided to go for it. I would like to thank Adam Whitehouse at this point to not only for giving me directions, but also for texting me on Sunday morning to tell me that it was still showing.We arrived at 10ish, and when I got to the bridge there was about 20 birders there. I waited for about 50 minutes and then I saw it, the * Brown Shrike*. It came out into the open giving me great views for about 5 minutes, also the light was very good, and it was sunny, so I was able to zoom in. This was a lifer for me so the wait was worth it. When I left there was now about 50-60 birders at the site.
You can find out a little about this bird at the following link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Shrike

** Saturday 24th October On The Island.**

I went to the Isle Of Sheppey for a few hours on Saturday. It was not a good day for the weather, it started off drizzling which went on for quite a long time, and then it eased off, once it eased I was able to have a scan around and these are the species that was seen: Marsh Harrier(5); Corn Bunting( 110+, the most I a have ever seen); Reed Bunting(3); Goldfinch(4); Lapwing; Stonechat(2); Golden Plover; Red Legged Partridge(11); Greylag Geese; Herring Gull; B/H/Gull; Mute Swan; Wood Pigeon; Linnet; Grey Heron(4); Pheasant; Kestrel(4); Robin; Magpie; C/Crow; Blue Tit; Dunnock; Chaffinch; Curlew; Blackbird; Shelduck; Cormorant; Redshank; G/B/B/Gull; Oystercatcher; Little Egret(6); Brent Geese( Large gaggle in the Swale area); Grey Plover; Sparrowhawk; Starling.
Next stop off point was Elmley RSPB Reserve, but we only had time to take a slow drive down to the main car park, then home. Shortly after we got onto the track we spotted 4 uncommon Grey Partridge; Marsh Harrier; Grey Heron; Lapwing(very large number); Starling; Mallard; G/B/B/Gull; Curlew(quite large groups scattered around); Herring Gull; B/H/Gull; C/Crow; Mute Swan; Canada Geese( Large number in the fields behind the toilet block); Kestrel; Moorhen; Coot; Ringed Plover.

My "Bird Of The Day" is the uncommon ** Grey Partridge**

** The Grove Ferry Shrike.**

Today I woke up to a lovely bright, sunny day, and as the Great Grey Shrike was still at Grove Ferry Pam said that she would take me down there to see it, so off we went. I didn't get there until about mid-day. As I made my way to where it was, everyone I met coming the opposite way said it was showing very well so that was good. I also saw 2 Swallow's on the way. The Shrike was passed the Harrison Hide going towards the Marsh Hide.
There was ony 3 people there when I got there, Martyn Wilson being one of them. The Shrike was sitting on top of one of three bushes from where it made darting flights. I understand it is a 1st winter bird.
When it did fly chasing something, it did something I didn't know Shrike's do, and that was to do a short hover. The light was very good, in fact it was that good I could see the very fine downward tip of it's bill. I stayed and watched it for about45 minutes, having great views all the time I was there. It was well worth the trip.
Other birds I saw on the way back to the car was: Water Rail(heard); great Spotted Woodpecker; Ruff(3); B/H/Gull; Herring Gull; Lapwing; Teal; Snipe(2, one of which I flushed on the way to see the Shrike); Starling; Cetti's Warbler(2); Golden Plover(c50-70); Robin; W/pigeon; Grey Heron; Mute Swan; Cormorant; Marsh Harrier; Magpie; C/Crow.
I did pop around to Stodmarsh, and it was how I expected it to be... very quiet.
All I saw there was:Mallard; Shoveler; Teal; Gadwall; Robin; Cormorant; B/H/Gull; Herring Gull; Grey Heron; C/Crow; Cetti's Warbler; Blackbird; great Spotted Woodpecker(juv); Moorhen; Mute Swan; G/C/Grebe; Chaffinch.
I didn't really go for quantity today, I went for quality, and I found it.

My "Bird Of The Day" has to be the **1st Winter, Great Grey Shrike**
The last time I saw one of these birds was at A257 Nr Sandwich, on 16th March 2003.