Friday 6 March 2009

Friday 6th.March 2009

An extra day working up on the Greensand Ridge today , but , it wasn't all working .
On the way , I needed fuel , which sent me on a different route to the usual . As I approached the traffic lights in Sundridge , just outside Sevenoaks , and crossing the main A.25 , something caught my attention on the grass area behind the War Memorial . I pulled across the junction , then went back , camera in hand . There , standing within 15 mtrs. of the busy junction , was a Little Egret . I had been asked a couple of weeks ago , what looks like a Heron , but is white . I said at the time that it was probably a Little Egret , thinking that it was just a ' one off '
appearance , but it seems that it has taken up residence at this junction , and probably feeds in the River Darenth , which flows parallel to the A.25 . I can only think that it came from the same brood as the one Adam posted on Tuesday , walking in the gutter through East Malling .
On reaching the yard , there was a lot of bird activity around the recently replenished feeders . Great and Blue Tits , Chaffinches , the odd Jay , Magpie , Woodpigeon , Dunnock , Greated Spotted Woodpecker and Blackbird were all frequent visitors , along with a pair of Nuthatches , who didn't hang about at the feeder , but grabbed and ran .
On the farm we passed through to get to the fencing job in hand , the first of this year's calves was seen .
I couldn't leave the Ridge without a quick look for reptiles , and was lucky enough to find my first Adder of the year on the site , a very dapper looking male .
The only other thing of interest was a Buff Tailed Bumblebee , searching in the leaf litter , perhaps trying to find a nest site .
Last but one hedgelaying day tomorrow , wildlife ?

3 comments:

Warren Baker said...

I haven't recorded little Egret on my patch this year yet Greenie. I'll take one from any brood!

John Young said...

Hi Greenie. Got my first adders of the year today with 3 males at Queendown Warren.

NikkiDev said...

I thought I was seeing things when I spotted a Little Egret sitting in a tree at Sundridge traffic lights today. Now I know I'm probably not going mad.