Friday 1st March 2013

With yesterday's work day up on the Common , and Saturday and Sunday 'tree laying' on a small Nature Reserve , I decided that despite 'odd spots of drizzle' in the forecast , I would spend the morning at Sevenoaks Reserve , with the main target being the Bittern which has been showing on a regular basis at Long Lake . What I drove through was more like a monsoon than drizzle , and it was no surprise that the car park was empty on my arrival . I headed , full of enthusiasm down the track between the River Darenth and the East Lake . Unfortunately , that enthusiasm diminished very quickly when I spotted a tree surgeon's vehicle on the far side of the river at the junction of Snipe Bog and North Lakes . The sound of chainsaws and smoke from their fire was not what I was hoping for when I set off . I was sure that I was not going to see the Bittern , but still made my way down the track . A pair of Little and three Great Crested Grebes together with the usual Tufted Ducks and Coots were seen on that the East Lake , which was like a mill pond at the time . Reaching the start of Long Lake , I scanned the back edge of the lake , but no sign of the Bittern . I could see something light in colour right down in the corner of the East Lake , but that only turned out to be the white goose with unusual blue/grey on it's wing feathers together with a Canada Goose . Plenty of song on the way down and back , mostly Tits , Wrens and Thrushes . Just Black-headed Gulls and sheep in the fields at the end of the track , and no sign of any Parakeets , perhaps already nesting . Even though the weather hadn't improved any , I retraced my steps , knowing that Willow Hide overlooking Snipe Bog Lake would be a waste of time , I stayed on the main track and on the bend found my first flock of about 25 Siskins , feeding right at the top of the tallest Silver Birches and Alders . Without their constant chatter , it would be very easy to have passed them by . Heading over towards Tyler Hide , it was almost birdless , apart from two Bullfinches calling to each other . I just got to the hide as the drizzle became heavy rain again
 , but scanning the islands did little to warm things up , with lots of BHGulls together with a single Common

and a single Lesser Black-backed . A scan of the grass/bog area to the left revealed lots of Coots and a few Moorhens , but not a single Common Snipe . When the rain returned to drizzle , I made my way down to Sutton/Tower Hide , arriving just as the rain got heavier again . I always hope to find a Bittern in the open when opening the flap , but I had to make do with three Coots and six Teal . The reedbed between there and Slingsby Hide looked very quiet and with another drizzle period and a quick dash , that was exactly how I found it , not even a squeal of a Water Rail . On leaving the hide and taking the lower route back , another smaller flock of Siskins were seen , once again , silhouettes high in the Alders . Another scan of the islands produced ten Shoveler , split equally M/F , the usual Lapwings and a couple of Cormorants . A third flock of Siskins was in the vicinity of Tyler Hide on my way back , as was a calling GSWoodpecker . As I got near the fishermen's car park , something told me to go back to Long Lake , and I took notice . As I passed the contractors , the noise was louder and the smoke thicker , and the drizzle was returning to rain again , brought in by a chilly wind . I would love to report that when I got back to Long Lake , the Bittern was out in the open waiting for me , but it wasn't , and all I got was colder and wetter . I made my way back to the car park without bothering with Carter Hide with all the commotion going on . A look at the feeders outside Grebe Hide failed to find the Marsh Tit , but out on the West Lake , below the hide , eight smart drake

Pochard were dozing , not in the least bothered by the conditions . Another sign of Spring , with Goat

Willow catkins opening , which will provide much welcomed pollen to many insects when fully out .
On the way home , I saw the Common Buzzard , sat out on a post in the horse field , looking pretty miserable , and probably even wetter than I was . One good thing came out of the day though , at least February is out of the way .