A nice stroll around Marsh Farm this morning in a cold bright start to the day, which then clouded over from mid morning produced 15 Golden Plover along with 5 Lapwing in the fields, 2 Teal and 2 Tufted Duck on the main pool, 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest,  6 Yellowhammer, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Grey Wagtail, 10 Fieldfare, 43 Redwing, 2 Water Rail and a Kestrel in and around the bushes.

Chiffchaff and pale looking individual above

Grey Wagtail

Yesterday at Climping the Brent flock numbered c. 900 in Cudlow field which is west of the car park, also singles of Kestrel, Stonechat, Kingfisher and small numbers of both Meadow Pipit and Skylark. Offshore 5w 1e Shelduck, 2w Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Great-crested Grebe,  2w Curlew and 1e Diver spa.

Cold bright sunny morning with the golf course all to myself produced, 1-2 Raven at the back of the Mill cottage  singles of Peregrine, Buzzard, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, Little Egret and Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Heron, 5 Skylark, 9 Meadow Pipit, 6 Stonechat, and c.1500 Brent Geese in fields east of Climping car park.

A stroll around Marsh Farm in bright mild windless conditions this morning produced 10 Gadwall, 5 Teal 2 Grey Heron and a squealing Water Rail around the big pool, upto 10 Chiffchaff, at the  back of farm cottage with 3 Goldcrest, 3 Bullfinch, 1 Treecreeper and a Great-spotted Woodpecker, 23 Meadow Pipit in the flooded fields, along with a single Snipe, 7 Buzzard, 37 Redwing and 1 Fieldfare in the area.

Several Redwing in the area

Yesterday Fri 19th
A walk up river to Ford, east side from the Tesco roundabout on a high tide 
Common Sandpiper - 1

Grey Heron

Redshank - 30
Snipe - 1
Teal - 1
Meadow Pipit - 11
Curlew - 2
Little Grebe - 3
Sparrowhawk - 1
Mute Swan - 72
Kestrel - 1
Grey Heron - 8






Thursday 18th
A quick look at the patch this morning produced c.1200 Brent Geese west of the carpark, with 16 Curlew and 42 Pied Wagtail in the same field, 2 Stonechat, 4 Grey Partridge bread lane in the horse paddock, and singles of both Kingfisher and Little Grebe Marina.

Grey Partridge horse paddack

Kingfisher Marina

Negative news for the Tundra Bean and White-fronted Geese this morning, although still at least c.1000 Brent in the field west of Climping car park. 2e Red-throated Diver, 2w Gannet, 29 Curlew, 10 Grey Partridge, 4 Stonechat and singles of Kingfisher,  Rock Pipit and Little Egret.

The Tundra Bean Goose still present at Climping in cudlow's field west of the car park with c.1200 Brent Geese, 90 Curlew, and the White-fronted Goose present in field north of the horse paddock. Also today a Jack Snipe flushed from the rife, 4 Grey Partridge, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Stonechat, 3 Med Gull and several of both Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail.

A visit from local birders to see the White-fronted Goose, was rewarded with a Tundra Bean Goose amongst the Brent Geese flock, also present again a single Pale-bellied, in fields east of Climping car park.

Tundra Bean Goose  (Ads Bowley)

White-fronted Goose (Ads Bowley)

A cold but bright sunny morning produced c.1500 Brent Geese in the fields this morning, the White-fronted Goose flew in from the west with a flock of Brent at 09:12, and at least 1 Pale-bellied Brent viewable in the main flock. Also today, 2 Redshank, 1 Grey Plover, 25 Sanderling, 1 Med Gull, 7 Grey Partridge, 1 Buzzard, 2 Stonechat, 75 Pied wagtail, 2 Goldcrest 1 Chiffchaff and 2Jay

A bright sunny morning with a cold westerly wind produced no movement offshore. The number of Brent still on the increase with c1200 and the probable White-fronted Goose still in attendance. 5 Curlew in cudlows field, 32 Pied Wagtail in and around the fields with small numbers of Skylark and Meadow Pipit.7 Grey Partridge and 32 Sanderling west beach, and 4 Redshank in the Marina. Singles of Little Egret, Stonechat, Green Woodpecker in the area.

Brent numbers on the increase

White-fronted Goose

Very mild and bright this without a hint of wind early morning, 4 Chiffchaff and 4 Goldcrest with the Tit flock around Atherington pools this morning, also 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Stonechat, and 12 Meadow Pipit. Offshore, 2w Red-throated Diver, 5w Great-crested Grebe, 3e Red-breasted Merganser, 4w Curlew and a Grey Goose of unknown origin amongst the c. 1000 Brent Geese this morning, my impression of the bird is that it is a 1st year White-fronted Goose, any comments welcome.

Good numbers of Brent Geese Climping

White-fronted Goose

A bright cold morning in the patch saw the Brent Geese numbers soar to c.1000 in fields north of the horse paddock. Also singles of Buzzard, Kestrel, Water Rail, Chiffchaff, and Great-spotted Woodpecker, with 10 Song Thrush, upto 10 Stonechat, 4 Goldcrest, 7 Grey Partridge, 31 Grey Plover, 34 Sanderling and 40 Oystercatcher.

Quick look around Climping this morning in which the number of Brent Geese seemed to be on the increase with c600 present in fields north of the horse paddock, offshore 7 Great-crested Grebe, 85w Sanderling, 1e Med Gull, 1w Dunlin, 1w Red-breasted Merganser, in the fields 7 Curlew, 29 Grey Plover 1 Kestrel and 2 Stonechat.

Yesterday a walk up river from the Tesco roundabout on the east side produced, 2 Common Sandpiper, 33 Redshank, 5 Grey Heron, 11 Lapwing, 3 Little Grebe, 7 Snipe, 90 Mute Swan with 16 juv, 3 Teal and singles of Buzzard, Reed Bunting and Goldcrest, good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare feeding in  the hawthorn bushes.

Cold grey start to the morning at West Beach, then the sun appeard to add a bit of warmth to proceedings.

Brent Geese - c500 in fields behind the horse paddock
Little Egret - 1

Buzzard

Rock Pipit - 1 West Beach
Meadow Pipit - 13
Skylark - 4
Reed Bunting - 5
Stonechat - 4
Goldcrest - 4
Sanderling - 5
Oystercatcher - 9
Great-crested Grebe - 3
Great BB Gull - 45
Med Gull - 2
Song Thrush - 5
Blackbird - 37
Greenfinch - 34

Sanderling

Green Woodpecker - 1
Grey Partridge - 7

Stonechat

Kestrel - 2
Buzzard - 1

Reed Bunting

A cold grey morning ensured it was going to be a brief visit to the patch although it still produced the large flock of Brent Geese c500 still present in the fields and a Slavonian Grebe floating east from Climping car park. Also offshore 6 Great-crested Grebe, 4w Teal, 49w Sanderling, 1e Dunlin, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Stonechat bread lane and a Peregrine on the gas tower.