Saturday 6 February 2021

First Peacock

Lade - mild, cloudy, drizzle, light airs - Friday was one of those balmy days, "when it felt like summer in the light and winter in the shade" (to paraphrase Dickens). As a result two sightings of Peacock butterflies soaking up the sunshine on brick walls reminded us that spring isn`t too far away, and today continued in that milder vein but with more cloud cover and rain during the afternoon; although looking at the weather forecast for the coming few days it would appear an icy blast from the east is heading our way with the threat of snow, something that hasn`t been seen down here on the coast for ages. But for now Woodpigeons and Collared Doves have been making love in the garden while outback around the ponds, Great Tit, Dunnock, Wren, Chaffinch, Robin and Blackbird are all in full song. Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Cetti`s Warbler, Chiffchaff and Greenfinch have also been present in the willows, plus a stunning male Firecrest beside north lake today. Five Goldeneyes were on the water but duck numbers in general remain low apart from c150 Teal on south lake. A large, swirling flock of several hundred Lapwings, Black-headed and Common Gulls, Woodpigeons and corvids continue to haunt the airport fields towards Romney Salts along with attendant Buzzards and the odd Marsh Harrier. On the beach a party of eight Ringed Plovers were probably migrant birds. 


                                 Dunnock in full song

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