First Fine Careless Raptors

Of course I am misquoting Browning, who was anyway speaking of a different bird, in a different month, but perhaps he deserves a mention as his is rather an overlooked centenary compared to that of Dickens.

This week, "Last of the Summer Wing" headed all the way down into darkest Kent in search of lapland bunting. Unfortunately we never did find the little chaps, possibly because we were looking in the wrong bit of the wide open fields behind Leydown or perhaps simply because they are small and there's lots of cover. The day provided ample compensations though and I had a joyful time of it.

It was certainly fill-yer-boots day as far as raptors were concerned which is always exciting for me. First though we looked seawards from where the car was parked and discovered that the beach was positively infested with turnstones, along with them were a number of sanderling, a couple of dunlin and a two ringed plover. My ornithology tutor also spotted great-crested grebes and later a common gull. There were plenty of the black-headed variety.

Turning inland for a bit of a yomp through the fields we saw a stock dove before spotting linnets and a number of other small birds, none of which carried a lapland passport. This is an area with several reminders of its past links with early aviation.

Best was yet to come however as, after passing the body of an unfortunate fox, we began to see the raptors. There were a couple of marsh harriers and wonderful views of a hen harrier slowly investigating the reeds for food while cruising low over them.

After a late lunch perched on some convenient concrete pipes we conceded that the laplanders had evaded us (although the linnets' calls had us excited for a while) and headed to the Capel Fleet raptor viewpoint where we saw more marsh harriers, kestrel, great black-backed gull, pheasant, grey partridge, stonechat and short-eared owls. In fact my companion at one point exclaimed "There are short-eared owls everywhere you look"

On our return to the car my day was made complete by a fly-past of my favourite birds: oystercatchers.

A wonderful day despite the elusive target.