Saturday 21 April 2018

Nightingales

Park Wood, Appledore - warm, dry and sunny - Had to go to Ashford early this morning so on the way home called in at Park Wood for a couple of hours. With the canopy far from closed the ground flora was in fine fettle with the intoxicating smell of bluebells reminding me of my childhood spent in the Chiltern`s beech woods pre Red Kites. Along the southern fringes of this fine old woodland with its ancient purlieu, in contrast to a very modern vineyard, butterflies on the wing included orange tip, green-veined white, speckled wood and a gorgeous brimstone. Scanning across the canopy, over a hazy Low Weald, revealed a couple of Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and our first Hobby of spring.




  Across Park Wood at least three Nightingales sang intermittently with one briefly showing as it moved through dense cover. Garden Warbler was new for the year, but apart from the ubiquitous Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps the only other summer migrant was a lone Willow Warbler. However, Nuthatches were in good voice along with Treecreepers, the two woodpeckers, Jay, Goldcrest and common tits, finches and thrushes.



Lade - A late afternoon check of the local patch revealed the two Long-tailed Ducks still on south lake, plus a Ring Ouzel on the Desert along with a Wheatear and five Whimbrels that dropped in and out briefly.
 

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