Final Bird List Totals for 2020...........

                                           KENT BIRD YEAR LIST 2020

 In a very difficult year birdwatching has been the one consistent i have enjoyed more then anything and was a good way of escaping the difficult times we all live in at the moment.

My Kent Bird Year List Total ended on 225 , which included 4 new birds for my Kent bird list : Gull Billed Tern, Long Tailed Skua, Masked Shrike (1st for Kent) and Crag Martin (1st for Kent).

                                                        

Crag Martin at Kingsdown.

Masked Shrike at Shuart.

UK  BIRD YEAR LIST 2020

I also kept a UK Bird Year List and although the virus restricted what i could do and my Shetland holiday was cancelled i still managed a reasonable 244 bird species for 2020.

I was also very lucky to add 2 new bird species to my British Bird List : Siberian Thrush & Eastern Rufous Bush Chat.

Siberian Thrush photo by Oli Mockridge.

Eastern Rufous Bush Chat at Stiffkey.

GARDEN BIRD LIST 2020

I really enjoy Garden birdwatching and have several feeders up plus a bird bath.

My Garden Bird List is now on : 67 species and i added 12 of those species in 2020.

The new additions are : Greenfinch (2), Fieldfare, Raven (2) , Green Woodpecker. Siskin (25+) , Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Common Crossbill, Lesser Redpoll (25+), Skylark (3), Brent Goose (Heard only) and finally Greylag Goose (25+).

Most if not all these birds were seen flying over the garden, i get regular Curlew & Cormorant over the garden plus in recent weeks 2 Grey Wagtails have started to feed around my drive.

Greenfinch & Goldfinch on feeders.

So that about wraps up my birding totals for 2020 , i would just like to wish everyone a Happy 2021 with plenty of good bird & nature watching to help keep us all sane !! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

                                                                      

Just like to wish everyone who has visited my blog this year a

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

&

GREAT BIRDING

FOR

2021

Local Kent Birding......

                                       December  19th  :  Reculver Marshes

                                                             

Snow Bunting.

A pleasant walk along the sea wall at Reculver on Saturday with the hope of locating the small flock of Snow Buntings the main target birds.

Lot's of birds seen included Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Curlew & Redshank plus good numbers of Dark Bellied Brent Geese.

I eventually reached the environment agency steps where the Snow Buntings have been favouring and sure enough all 3 birds were there happily feeding away.

                                                                      

Snow Bunting.

December 19th  :  Oare Marshes

Red Breasted Merganser

After a really pleasant walk at Reculver i ended the day at Oare Marshes , bumping into DS who very kindly informed me of a male Red Breasted Merganser which was showing well in Faversham creek.

Having a stretch.

So after a quick look over the East Flood where there were plenty of Pintail and at least 200 Avocets.

The weather was closing in and the rain came pouring down, so the decision was made to head to Faversham creek and superb views of the bedraggled Red Breasted Merganser were obtained.

Red Breasted Merganser.

There was a least 20+ Little Grebes on one of the pools plus a superb Kingfisher successfully feeding along the creek.

Several Redshank plus 4+ Greenshank and a single Green Sandpiper were also seen.

Kingfisher.