A combination of work and medical issues have restricted my trips out recently so it was great to get an opportunity, even though it wasn’t the most promising of days. to visit Keith and his local patch at Hoo in North Kent.
Greylag Geese
It rained heavily before I got to our meeting place, but as we arrived at Abbot’s court it had stopped and we were hopeful for a good day’s birdwatching. We began to walk towards the sea-wall but within a half-mile, the rain returned and we found shelter under some trees.
The view from our shelter
Male and female Cuckoo could be heard calling towards the old power station through the rain and Swallows and House Martin fed low over our heads driven low by the clouds and rain. On a pool a single Avocet was found and we had distant views of a Little Egret. There was, however, no let up in the rain and after 30 minutes we received a phone call from Elaine, Keith’s wife, who offered to come and pick us up in the car. We opted to be dropped at the diner at Hoo marina, where we could get some lunch and see if the weather would improve. An hour later the rain had stopped and we decided to retrace our intended route in the opposite direction back to Abbot’s Court – at first all seemed well and we saw Oystercatcher, Sparrowhawk and Linnet amongst other species.
Mute Swan
About half-way the rain returned and this time there was no shelter and no alternative so we had to carry on. By the time we arrived at Abbot’s Court and Elaine once again picked us up in the car we were both soaked. Retiring for a cup of tea and a change of clothes before I began my journey back to London was a welcome break. Typically as we left Hoo to go back to the railway station at Strood the weather cleared up and the rain stopped!
On review, not a bad days list considering the conditions and the time of year. Thanks to Keith for his company and to Elaine for ferrying us around.
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Little Egret [sp] (Egretta garzetta)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk [sp] (Accipiter nisus)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Eurasian Oystercatcher [sp] (Haematopus ostralegus)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Common Redshank [sp] (Tringa totanus)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Eurasian Collared Dove [sp] (Streptopelia decaocto)
Common Cuckoo [sp] (Cuculus canorus)
European Green Woodpecker [sp] (Picus viridis)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Barn Swallow [sp] (Hirundo rustica)
Common House Martin [sp] (Delichon urbicum)
Cetti’s Warbler [sp] (Cettia cetti)
Eurasian Reed Warbler [sp] (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Eurasian Blackcap [sp] (Sylvia atricapilla)
Common Whitethroat [sp] (Sylvia communis)
Goldcrest [sp] (Regulus regulus)
Eurasian Wren [sp] (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
Song Thrush [sp] (Turdus philomelos)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
House Sparrow [sp] (Passer domesticus)
Dunnock [sp] (Prunella modularis)
Pied Wagtail [sp] (Motacilla alba)
Common Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)
European Greenfinch [sp] (Carduelis chloris)
European Goldfinch [sp] (Carduelis carduelis)
Common Linnet [sp] (Carduelis cannabina)
