Delightful Sunday in April

The morning started off with quite a bit of cloud around and the odd drop of rain, however we decided to explore the paths around Victory Wood in Dargate. This is a new plantation which has been created with the hope of linking two existing woods together (Blean and Ellenden). We were serenaded by skylarks for the entire duration of our walk, which was absolutely delightful! I don't think I have ever seen and heard so many before!

We didn't go for this walk specifically to see any particular bird, but I always think this is best because then we never go home disappointed! In fact we went home exceptionally happy today!

In the first few minutes of our walk we watched a flock of small finch like birds, unfortunately it was windy and a bit rainy so neither myself nor my mum got a decent look at them. I did get 2 photos of a bird in this flock but they are heavily cropped so aren't very sharp! I think they were linnets but not sure. If anyone reading this has any better idea, please do comment!! :)

Linnet???

Bracken was getting absolutely filthy and the rain was still spitting at us, which wasn't very kind of it! We took cover in the woods where it looked very autumnal! Bracken raced around with sticks and I found some moss to take a photo of!

We left the woods and walked across the top of the ridge where we were greeted by many more skylarks! I tried to get a decent photo, but they are particularly difficult to capture, in my opinion! Below are a couple of my attempts!

These don't even look like birds! But I am pretty sure they are skylarks!!

Skylark

The trees in the plantation are still pretty twig-like. It will be lovely to see them grow into a beautiful woodland! There was also lots of pussy willow to be seen, and many of the furry catkins were coming into flower.

I only realised this was some sort of fly when I was cropping this photo! Not sure how I didn't notice it before!

This walk also brought us our first 2 swallows of the year! I always used to say that swallows were my favourite bird, but now I find it very difficult to choose a favourite. I now take the view that each and every bird has beautiful qualities. However I will never ever get bored of watching these fantastic creatures!

Beautiful swallows

After about 1 and a half hours we had done a nice circular route and had reached the link sculpture where eventually the 2 original woods will meet. We had earned spectacular views from the top!

Myself and Bracken

On our way back down I thought I heard a chiffchaff amongst the overwhelming skylark song. We made our way towards the brambles and shrubs and managed to locate the little brown bird! This walk was turning into one filled with spring migrants!

Chiffchaff

Our next birdy spot was a kestrel which landed on a fence post and had a nice preen! It was fairly distant so the photos weren't great. I'll include them anyway :)

We then noticed what at first I thought was a blackbird. It was calling slightly differently. I joked with my mum, "Imagine if it was a ring ouzel!" It flew from the distant tree onto a fence post a bit nearer to us. Immediately we noticed a white bib!! I edged a bit nearer to try and get a photo that I could look back at when we got home, just to make sure! A RING OUZEL!! We love seeing new birds which we don't expect to see! That feeling will NEVER grow old! :)

Ring ouzel on the middle post

Ring ouzel (heavily cropped) showing distinctive white bib

This cropped photo shows the white streak down its wing and part of its white bib

This was most definitely the highlight of my day! It was a shame I couldn't get closer before it flew away and that the sun wasn't shining. Sod's law that as soon as we got in the car, the sun came out and the clouds cleared! We watched another 2 swallows dancing in the sunshine before we headed off!

We got home and had some lunch. Pup was knackered and lay in the sun on the patio. My camellia (which two of my friends bought me for my birthday last year) is flowering and so I took the opportunity, while it was sunny, to photograph it.

A blue tit was chirping in a nearby tree as was this rather demonic looking goldfinch!!

How blue is that sky?!

I then said to my mum: "Wouldn't it be lovely if a house martin flew over right now" and about 5 minutes later when we were taking the washing in, what did we spot? Only a blooming house martin! Could this day get any more perfect!! :)

So to wrap things up, today has been a wonderful one! Not only the hottest day of the year so far, but also brought spring migrants and a "lifer".

I hope everyone who reads this also had a lovely day!!

A sunny start just to fool us!

On the 1st day of April we were graced with some much needed sunshine! There was still a very chilly wind so we thought we would take pup for his first trip to the woods! We went to Blean woods, on the outskirts of Canterbury which is partly owned by the RSPB. There were quite a few other people who had obviously had the same idea! Bracken LOVES other people and dogs and is very excitable so it was an... interesting walk!

Still looking rather autumnal

Little drink from the stream

Contemplating whether or not to have another drink

I love old trees that have been coppiced, they make brilliant shapes!

I thought this looked like a perfect little hole for a birdy to nest in!

It was a lovely walk, but we were amazed that we didn't see any birds! We heard the odd corvid squawking and great tit calling but nothing much else other than a grey squirrel which Bracken missed! Then about 10 metres from the car we saw a jay which saved the day! We don't get many down our way so it was quite nice to see one :)

A lovely sunny walk indeed, but was April fools day fooling us into thinking that spring may be just around the corner?!


Well we thought not, as the next day we opened our curtains and there it was again... vast expanses of blue sky and ... the sun!! We had another delightful walk in the afternoon.

I love this tree!

Go on.. throw the ball

I'm still waiting...

Getting bored of waiting now...

 So after a couple of sunny days, did the weather last? Well you guessed it, no! Back to freezing biting winds, snow, hail and rain again. I don't think I was fooled!

Although I can't wait to see swallows and house martins and swifts swooping around once again, I really hope they hold off a bit longer as I think they will be in for a bit of a shock if they do return to our cold wet country any time soon!

The last few days of March...

After my last post which was mostly moaning about the lack of sunshine and freezing weather, this post is going to be more positive and shouting about the rays of sun which keep peeping out from behind those blooming clouds! There is still a very chilly wind and it seems to have changed from an Easterly to a North Easterly, so it is definitely no warmer!!

Along the pavement just outside our house, the daffodils are just coming out, and the crocuses are also looking beautiful. Well they would be if they hadn't been jumped on or kicked. Culprits are either the primary school kids nearby, whose parents don't seem to care that their delinquent children are ruining the spring flowers, or it is somebodies dog which has had a bit of a field day with them. I think I know which it is more likely to be. Anyway rant over. It was sad seeing unopened daffs lying around so mum took one home and put it in a little vase, and miraculously it survived!

Usually I don't bother taking my camera out with me when walking Bracken, often because it's so bloody cold and my fingers are like blocks of ice, but with the recent glimpses of that fiery ball in the sky, I decided to take it on the last couple of evening walks.

Sunlit tree trunk and bluebells emerging

Spring!!

Catkin silhouettes

Gorse looking wonderfully colourful

Action shot! Look I have my ball, but you can't have it!!

Another walk, another litter pick...

Mmmm ready salted crisps! My fave!

We also had rather distant views of a few buzzards flying way up in the cloud, soaring in the thermals. Must have been really chilly up there! We also saw a heron gliding really high up, which we thought unusual.

Heavily cropped so a bit blurry, but can make out it's markings.

 More pup shots...

Posing next to a large fallen tree

Racing back for a treat!

About a week ago I saw a couple of snipe down in the strawberry fields behind our house and then didn't see them again for a few days. We were just on our way back home and we flushed about 10 from the marshy ground. They really are endearing birds! Also quite agile in flight. I got one shot but it was already quite far away so the photo below is a cropped image.

Snipe showing its characteristically long straight bill.

Well March is finally over! We did go for a lovely walk down at Blean woods with plenty of sun but I will save that for another blog post.

So let us hope that this year April is remembered for glorious hot weather, rather than it's renowned showers!!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, and please visit again soon :)