Monthly Birding Reports
February 2010
The re-arranged winter bird walk took place on 13 February, a dry but cold day, and with some mud to contend with. Highlights were Common Buzzard using the winter thermals almost above the FC car park, great views of Common Crossbill on the track towards Three Chimneys Farm, a Grey Heron by Marshal’s Lake, and good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare. Some of the party saw a Kingfisher speeding across the Great Lake. Hawfinches were sadly nowhere to be seen, and their numbers anyhow seem to be generally down this winter. The total bird count was 42, made up thus:
Great crested grebe Cormorant Grey heron Greylag goose
Canada goose Mallard Common buzzard Sparrowhawk
Kestrel Pheasant Moorhen Black-headed gull
Common gull Stock dove Woodpigeon Collared dove
Kingfisher Green woodpecker Pied wagtail Wren**
Robin Song thrush Redwing Mistle thrush
Fieldfare Goldcrest Great tit Coal tit
Blue tit Marsh tit Long-tailed tit Nuthatch
Treecreeper Magpie Jay Carrion crow
House sparrow Chaffinch Goldfinch Greenfinch
Siskin Common crossbill ** heard only
The day previous, the walk leader had taken virtually the same route and saw, in addition, Red-legged partridge, Woodcock and Bullfinch.
The Wetland Trust, a small charitable trust based at Icklesham in East Sussex and whose activities include bird research there and elsewhere, carried out a bird ringing exercise at Bedgebury on 15 Feb. At a location just behind the FC offices, they ringed 51 birds (1 Great spotted woodpecker, 1 Robin, 3 Blackbird, 12 Great tit, 8 Coal tit, 19 Blue tit, 1 Marsh tit, 1 Long-tailed tit, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Chaffinch and 3 Siskin)
January 2010
A couple of Hawfinches were reported as seen on 16 January and, on a visit to the Pinetum on 24 January, I saw a solitary female Hawfinch but there was a flock of at least 30 Siskins as well as Goldcrest, Bullfinch and a small mixed flock of Coal Tit and Blue TitIt was good to see, on that 24 January occasion, a visit by around 10 birdwatchers from Essex
December 2009
Some hitherto unreported sightings from late October to begin with – on the white Bird Notes board at the Visitor Centre (“VC”), Siskin, Nuthatch, Common Redstart and Green Woodpecker were all spotted on 30 Oct; and a male Bullfinch and many Long-Tailed Tits were seen on 31 Oct. During the last week of Oct, four Crossbills were seen flying by Park House near to the Forestry Commission offices
The first Hawfinch report was on 6 Nov, the same person spotting Brambling and Crossbills all from the view point near to the fallen tree, looking eastwards towards the tall firs. Two days later, a Coal Tit was seen on the feeders by the VC; and a number of Jays were seen from the family cycle trail
But on 8 Nov as well, a Raven was seen near to Point 16, at the eastern edge of the Pinetum. It was heard calling and then spotted, and a little while later it left being mobbed by a couple of Carrion Crows. This is the second recorded spot of a Raven in Bedgebury, the first being in February 2008
A member of this Group visited on 11 Nov and saw the following (with approximate numbers in brackets where applicable):
Green woodpecker Gt spotted woodpecker Song thrush Redwing/Fieldfare (50) Goldcrest (3) Great/blue tits (30) Coal tit Long-tailed tits (15) Siskin (20)Chaffinch/Greenfinch (numerous)
On 21 Nov, a flock of 30+ Crossbills were seen in the clump of larches, near the fallen tree area, to the rear of where one usually stands to watch for Hawfinches in the tall firs. A little while later, 15 or so were seen nearer to Marshal’s Lake
On 28 Nov, a handful of Crossbills were evident as well, in a similar location. Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Redpoll and Siskin were also seen on that same visit
On a rainy 23 Nov morning, there were two Song Thrushes already in good voice in the Pinetum, towards the corner near to the FC offices
October 2009
One hitherto unreported sighting from September – a pair of Yellowhammers was seen on 22 Sept near to the FC offices
During the morning of 10 October, four Crossbills were seen in the Pinetum, close to the furthest corner by the FC offices. This is the “traditional” area for Crossbills, dating from when they were seen quite regularly in past winters. There appears to be an eruption of Crossbills this winter, as they have been reported in many other locations in the south-east, so hopefully their numbers will grow in Bedgebury in the coming weeks. Also seen on 10 October by the same member of this Group were Common Buzzard, Fieldfare and Redwing, among a total of 46 species
During late morning on, coincidentally, the same day, I saw a flock of about 100 birds, the large majority being Siskin with a few Goldfinches, just behind the FC offices, the same spot as Siskin and Common Redstart were seen on our 22 August walk
August/September 2009
Two Red Kites were seen flying over the Lady Oak Lane edge of the Pinetum, in the direction of Goudhurst, on 10 August.
I saw two Bullfinches on 17 August, close to post 118 in the Forest, to the east of the Pinetum.
The scheduled bird walk took place on Saturday morning, 22 August, with 12 walkers in addition to our leader, John Mulrenan, and myself. Highlights were good views of several Siskin close to the FC office; a sighting of a Common Redstart in that same location; a Common Buzzard being mobbed in the direction of Glassenbury; Grey wagtail, Mandarin Duck and Kingfisher on the Great Lake; and Mistle Thrush in the grounds of the Bell School. The Common Redstart’s sighting has earned a place for this species in the Bedgebury bird list, the updated version of which I will publish in December
In total, 45 species were seen and a further two heard, the full listing being:
Cormorant Canada goose Mandarin duck Mallard
Common buzzard Red-legged partridge Pheasant Moorhen
Coot Rock dove (feral) Stock dove Woodpigeon
Collared dove Kingfisher Green woodpecker Gt spotted woodp’r
Barn swallow House martin Pied wagtail Grey wagtail
Wren Dunnock Robin Common redstart
Song thrush Mistle thrush Blackbird Blackcap **
Willow warbler Chiffchaff Goldcrest Great tit
Coal tit Blue tit Long-tailed tit Nuthatch
Treecreeper Magpie Jay Jackdaw
Carrion Crow Starling House sparrow Chaffinch
Goldfinch Siskin Bullfinch ** [** heard only]
In addition, two Stoats were seen and a variety of Butterflies including the comparatively rare Silver washed fritillary as well as:
Speckled wood Small white Small copper Gatekeeper
Meadow wood Painted lady Meadow brown
July 2009
Early in the month, chicks of Little Grebe, Mallard, Moorhen and Coot were all to be seen on the lake in front of the Bedgebury Visitor Centre.
A visitor to Bedgebury spotted a Common Sandpiper on that same lake on 20 July. As recorded in the recently-published bird list for Bedgebury, there had been a sighting in 1999 so, ten years on, there has been another!
On the murky morning of 27 July, I was walking up the main trail from the play area towards the communication mast and in the direction of the A21 when a Tawny Owl flew quite low over my head and disappeared into the trees
By 30 July, three young Kestrels had fledged from their nest in the Pinetum.
Also on 30 July, two female Mandarin Ducks, most likely mother and daughter, were seen on Marshal’s Lake.
May/June 2009
Mallard chicks were first seen on the lake in front of the Bedgebury Visitor Centre on 10 May, that brood numbering 10. A second brood must have appeared a short time later as, on a visit there on 8 June, I saw two families happily enjoying life, one numbering 7 and one numbering just 3. Their apparent survival rate is probably good and arguably better than in 2008.
A non-member of this Group reported to me that, on 16 May, he saw Firecrest and Spotted Flycatcher as well as Goldcrest, Siskin and Bullfinch, additionally hearing Turtle Dove.
A Barnacle Goose was seen on the Great Lake, in front of the Bell Bedgebury School, on 20 May. This is a new one for the Bedgebury Bird List and it will be included, for the moment in the Accidentals/Rarities section, at the next revision of the list.
I saw a Tree Pipit song-flighting beautifully on 11 June, in the same area in the forest as it was seen during the 25 April walk, in the open, near to post #93.
April 2009
Coot chicks were first seen on the lake in front of the Visitor Centre on 24 April. A Cuckoo was heard in the Plots area, to the east of the main Pinetum, around 20 April and I first heard it, again in that area, two days later
The planned bird walk for Saturday morning, 25 April, duly took place. The weather was on the whole kind – an early threat of light rain disappeared and the sun eventually made an appearance. The walking group, including leader John Mulrenan, numbered eight. 42 bird species were seen and a further eight heard, as below:
Great crested grebe Canada goose Mandarin duck Mallard
Common buzzard Pheasant Herring gull Rock dove (feral)
Stock dove Woodpigeon Collared dove Turtle dove
Cuckoo * Green woodpecker * Gt spotted woodpecker *
Barn swallow House martin Tree pipit Pied Wagtail
Barn swallow House martin Tree pipit Pied Wagtail
Wren * Dunnock Robin Nightingale*
Song thrush Mistle thrush Blackbird Garden warbler
Song thrush Mistle thrush Blackbird Garden warbler
Blackcap Willow warbler Chiffchaff Goldcrest *
Great tit Coal tit Blue tit Marsh tit
Long-tailed tit Nuthatch Magpie Jay
Jackdaw Carrion crow Starling House sparrow
Chaffinch Linnet * Goldfinch Greenfinch
Siskin Bullfinch * Yellowhammer
[* heard only]
While it was disappointing not to see a Kingfisher on the Great Lake and not to see the Nightingale which was singing near Louisa Cottage, the stars of the show were close sightings of Yellowhammer and a distant view of the comparatively scarce Tree Pipit
A Greylag Goose was seen on the lake in front of the Visitor Centre on 27 April and, a day later, so was a pair of Tufted Ducks
March 2009
On the sunny afternoon of 2 March, on or by the feeders by the Visitor Centre were seen a pair of Goldfinches as well as a Great Spotted Woodpecker and Great, Blue and Marsh Tits
Two days later, a pair of Tufted Ducks was seen on the Visitor Centre lake
January 2009
The annual early January visit by the Battle RSPB group took place on the second day of the year. The weather was slightly overcast but blue sky did appear from time to time and there was a flurry of sunlight late on which helped to give us good views of Brambling. 15 members in total attended and it was good to see a birding group, from anywhere, at Bedgebury – a few years ago, groups were seen quite regularly but that appears no longer to be the case.
Some 18 species were seen which was perfectly reasonable for the time of year, the slightly overcast weather and considering the visit took in the Pinetum only. Highlights were four Hawfinch; a flock of 25-30 Siskin; and around eight Brambling. Just for the record, the other species seen were: Cormorant*, Mallard, Common Buzzard*, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Fieldfare, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Marsh Tit, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch. [* denotes seen in flight only]
A member of this Group saw five Hawfinch on 8 January together with Brambling, Redwing, Fieldfare, Siskin, several Greenfinch and Chaffinch, and a Kestrel, all around the usual “Hawfinch” area. He also saw a variety of birds around the feeders by the Visitor Centre, including a couple of Marsh Tit. Marsh Tits in fact have been sighted regularly in recent weeks.
There were several reports of Hawfinch activity throughout January in the usual place within the Pinetum.
On a dry and moderately bright late January morning, I did a walk, with dog, for the most part on the edge of or just outside the Pinetum. There were Grey heron, Canada goose, Mallard, Pheasant, Moorhen, Coot, Rock dove (feral), Great spotted woodpecker, Robin, Blackbird, Great tit, Blue tit, Long-tailed tit, Carrion crow and Chaffinch – an enjoyable result of an hour’s stroll.
December 2009
