I can’t believe that sad news 😢
I’m just looking at Dylan’s account of his Kent year listing in 1999. He ‘achieved’ 263 species including Booted Eagle and travelled 13,000 miles. He dipped 12 species that he said were ‘available’ - Egyptian Goose was one bird he travelled for without success!
Thank you Beth. I’m going back to my original thought of Dunnock, a first year bird (so born last year) with a little yellow on the bill still remaining. The throat pattern appears quite unusual but I think it must be just a little ruffled!
Alpine Accentor would be a mega rare bird in Paris 🤔
They’re larger than Dunnock but closely related but Aloine Accentors generally feed on the ground (rocky quarries, short grass and mountains for example).
They should be quite rusty on the flanks which I can’t see from the pic’
Hi, I deleted my first reply as I’m not at all convinced it’s a Dunnock as it seems to have several features more consistent with Alpine Accentor which would be reasonably unusual around these parts.
Can I ask where was the photo taken please?
🤷🏻♂️😲😃😳
Tracey even, should read before hitting send 😲
Not the word Stracey used but pretty cool 👍🏻
2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff, usual Redwings, Mistle Thrushes and stuff.
40 species noted, 88 minutes.
#TunbridgeWells
#DunorlanPark
#KentBirding
Some analysis on a Kentish 'Iceland Gull', Originally photographed last month to the north. Flew past me y'day along the cliffs at South foreland. perdixbirding.com/2026/03/04/0...
They’re rather smart Starlings (sparkling in the sun for a change) but I wouldn’t mind betting they might have been Fieldfares around too - they often feed close to each other.
The sun rise with some blue sky - two days in a row! Dunorlan Park, Tunbridge Wells.
40 species around Dunorlan Park today including Peregrine (my first in #TunbridgeWells this year) and singing Chiffchaff (my first summer migrant of the year a few days earlier than usual).
Seeing red too: a bit of Redpoll action, Red Kite and Redwings - and sun, two days in a row!
Come stay at the Observatory this spring with the season being well underway already! We have plenty of availability and for a very reasonable price of £15 per night for friends, and £20 per night for others!
I had two singing Chiffchaffs on Saturday and ‘over-wintering’ was my verdict. At one of the sites I’m sure it was a bird I’ve been seeing for weeks.
Having said that I had my first patch LBbG of the year this morning and two more locally at the weekend so some stuff is moving about at least…
Gosh, that’s pretty interesting data, and impressive Neil 👍🏻
Lesser Whitethroat giving me the look.
Lesser Whitethroat caught in the act of pooing.
Lesser Whitethroat caught in the act of pooing.
Lesser Whitethroat poo ready for me to collect..
Finally after 7 weeks of watching and photographing this Lesser Whitethroat)halimodendri)? it gave me this look and I just knew it was going to do the deed 💩, safely collected into a moth pot.
#UKBirding
4 adult Med Gulls at Whetsted GP’s this morning. Little Owl calling at Haysden this evening was my first within 5 miles of home this year and that brings me up to 91 species now having, at last, also added Peregrine today.
Looked for Hawfinch today without luck which is probably not surprising.
You might not get rid of me from those big Kent birds that easily Adam!
I was pleased when I saw Crossbills and Woodlarks locally this morning (albeit just into Sussex) but then spoke to Tracey who has seen Egyptian Plover, Senegal Thick-knee, Little Green & Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters and a list of various other reasonable birds this afternoon (and a load of tombs).
Yes, correct mate - and a few other former Kent birders (plus my son and a brother) and hopefully some good birding!
I’m trying to reduce my hours a bit mate. I’m down to 8/9 hours a day now from 13/14 so going in the right direction! Retirement seems a little way off just yet 😟
We forgot to mention it for some reason 😢
The two Shore Larks reappeared for the first time this year, while the other overwintering rarities in Kent (Bluetail, American Wigeon and Pallas’s Warbler) remained on show. For full weekly highlights see kentos.org.uk. #kentbirding
The house has just gone on the market, shout if you want it or call up Sumner Pridham. #TunbridgeWells has lots going for it.
We plan to move to Norwich and Taverham is a favoured area - it’s also where we saw an overwintering Hoopoe on this day 1994 (on a school playing field, no idea which one).
We knew someone (just ‘a local dentist’ from memory) had seen it in their garden. It took weeks until about 4pm? 30 April 2016 for us to be nail it down (thanks mainly to @birdingbazzer.bsky.social), news was immediately broadcast and some arrived rather quickly after.
It only took about six more weeks to actually work out which back garden that Rufous Turtle Dove was in!
We only once got asked why we were staring into peoples gardens with telescopes - considering how much time was spent trawling the estate that seemed quite a good result 😳
My first days birding away from the local area in 2026. A certain warbler the main target (after 6 weeks 🤷🏻♂️) but it was great to see the American Wigeon, drake Goosander, 3 Whooper Swans, 32 Bewick’s (backlit with an awesome lightening display), Tree Sparrows, etc.
Good to catch up with folk too 👍🏻
😲😳😢
I remember hearing about the Falcated Teal as we left the Great Bustard site in Suffolk. I also remember the look of bewilderment on a dog walkers face as the car loads started pouring into Pitsford Resr, Northants, and despite it being 39 years ago I still remember the duck amongst the Wigeon!
This is a great write up Steve, thank you 👍🏻
@dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social
