Birding and other distractions

A generally sunny morning so it seemed an opportune time to look for Adders at the local site. Two Buzzards were circling nearby as I walked down the grassy slope. Nothing found in PV which was still quite shaded, the sun not being high enough in the sky at the time. However, the habitat looks really promising, with paths also reinstated on either side of the valley. TF was mostly in the sun, though the sky was gradually clouding over. Two Adders were found, the first of the year, three days later than initial sightings last year. As expected they were both males, with females expected to emerge in about two weeks.

Arriving at 10 a.m. we headed to the end of the cul de sac in Hill Road where the American Robin has been seen. By good fortune the bird was on view almost immediately, sitting in a tree about 75  metres away. It then disappeared for some time though when refound gave close views on Cotoneaster shrubs, initially behind a line of garages before feeding in a more open position. Around 50 birders were present to start with, including a few familiar faces from Kent, though more folk arrived later in the morning. Heading to the seafront we found the Holms Oaks in a large garden, from which Hume's Warbler has been reported. The bird was heard almost immediately though seeing it proved a different matter, the warbler generally keeping to the canopy of very leafy trees and typically being very active. In the end fleeting views was as good as it got, though the bird continued to call quite often. Polegate Services was then convenient for a coffee stop and to see a Hooded Crow, which has fou...

A late morning start in sunny weather at Cliffe, though clouding over in the afternoon.   From Westcourt Farm I followed the path alongside Brett's to the Alpha Pool. With no recent report of divers I was pleasantly surprised to find that two Black-throated Divers were still present on the Alpha. They were initially found at the fort end of the pool though typically dived for long periods, reappearing some distance away, and the birds were in the lower half of the pool when I left. Also present on the Alpha were two female Red-breasted Merganser, one on the black booms, the other nearby. Near the fort and just beyond the seawall an adult female Peregrine was trying to spook Teal and Wigeon into flight, though the ducks sat tight on the water and after a while the falcon flew off west. The breached sluice at Cliffe Creek has been successfully repaired and in the shallow lagoon behind this a Greenshank was found. The bird had been colour-ringed and photographs tak...

There was good activity from Marsh Tits in Bredhurst Woods this morning, mainly in the 'pylon valley' area. The birds were fairly vocal especially the usual 'pitchoo' call, making them easier to locate. Five were seen, with another heard only. One pair spent much time seemingly extracting seeds from the prickly heads of Burdock. Another held a large seed down with the feet and hammered it with its bill until the contents could be extracted. The closely related Willow Tit is the species more closely associated with damp or marshy woodland, hence the name of Marsh Tit is rather misleading. Also seen there one Bullfinch, one Greenfinch and one Buzzard. However, no reptiles of any description were found, as still a bit too early.