Alan Fossey

Female Blackcap feeding on berries

Female Blackcap is doing a great job of hiding behind some berries. Look carefully!

Chiffchaff were quite plentiful today but very furtive and difficult to pin down for a photo! This one was taken through a fence, so I'm surprised it came out!

A short lunchtime walk along #FavershamCreek 2 Little Egret, 5 Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 23 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat. A few butterflies were also seen including 'Whites', 1 Clouded Yellow and several Holly Blue. #KentBirding #UKBirding #LowCarbonBirding

Wild area sandwiched between areas of the solar farm. It was from here that I watched two family groups of Stonechat and a couple of Common Whitethroat this evening in addition to a flyover Peregrine.

Cycling this far out along #FavershamCreek helps cover more area when restricted to birding after work and having less time available. Once I reach a stile however I'm snookered as there's little hope of me lifting this bike many times. Feels like it weighs a tonne even if i take the battery off first!

Viewing across Faversham Creek to Ham Marshes

Cycle ride this evening along #FavershamCreek Highlights: 1 Oystercatcher, 17 Lapwing, 1 Whimbrel, 5 Common Sandpiper, 6 Redshank, 7 Greenshank, 4 Little Egret, 1 Little Owl, 1 Peregrine, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, 7 Stonechat, 1 Yellowhammer #KentBirding #UKBirding ##LowCarbonBirding

Two distant Foxes near the school playing fields in Faversham

Viewing towards Ham Marshes across Faversham Creek

There's a Little Owl in here, honest!

Our Golden Retriever, Nell, still loves a long walk at 11 years old. Over 5 miles today! We're on the home leg here walking past the Sewage Farm from where we were hearing Yellowhammer today.

#FavershamCreek #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding #KentBirding Highlights:
Oystercatcher 1
Lapwing 10
Common Sandpiper 2
Greenshank 7
Little Egret 4
Little Owl 1
Buzzard 1
Green Woodpecker 6
Reed Warbler 2
Sand Martin 2
Swallow 44
House Martin 12
Chiffchaff 6
Blackcap 2
Whitethroat 1
Yellowhammer 2

Record crop of distant White-rumped Sandpiper, Oare Marshes

Record crop of distant White-rumped Sandpiper, Oare Marshes

Record crop of distant White-rumped Sandpiper, Oare Marshes

Record crop of distant White-rumped Sandpiper, Oare Marshes

Oare Marshes post work visit. Highlights were the still distant adult White-rumped Sandpiper found yesterday. Good to see many locals connecting today! Also, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Cattle Egret, 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Raven, Whimbrel and Bonaparte's Gull #KentBirding #UKBirding

Distant cropped photo of the moulting adult Black Tern flying west along the Swale Channel from Dan's Dock.

Oare Marshes with @chrisgbradshaw.bsky.social

A surprise flyby Stone-curlew was a highlight at Dan's Dock. Along with a single Black Tern, 72 Whimbrel, 2 Whinchat, 6 Little & 2 Cattle Egret, 3 Green & 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Water Rail, 12 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Greenshank and 1 Spoonbill #KentBirding

Swallows gathering around the Sewage Farm #FavershamCreek

Dodging showers #FavershamCreek 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Swift, 3 Sand Martin, 36 Swallow, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Reed Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 14 Chiffchaff, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Yellowhammer #KentBirding #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding

Viewing along Faversham Creek with an old wreck to the left and a couple of red buoys visible. I'm sheltered under bushes away from the rain and wind. The tide was out, and there were roosting Black-headed and Herring Gulls. Also, there were feeding Redshank, Teal, Little Grebe, and Cormorant. It was also here that the Grey Wagtail and Greenshank flew through.

Wet and breezy #FavershamCreek 2 Mute Swan, 10 Mallard, 16 Teal, 1 Stock Dove, 3 Moorhen, 2 Coot, 2 Little Grebe, 14 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 2 Cormorant, 4 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Cetti's, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail, 30 Linnets #KentBirding #Kent #LowCarbonBirding ##Faversham ##UKBirding

Spoonbill with bill wide open on Saltmarsh. A distant, heavily cropped image taken at dusk.

It's the back of a Barn Owl sitting in a distant tree (honest!). It was quite when I took this photo of our first Barn Owl on our patch this year. Thisbis why I included the poor and very heavily cropped image!

Faversham Creek patch in the dark this evening near town. Problem with drawing in evenings is limitations to birding time after work! I'd just recorded an Avocet in Silhouette prior to taking this photo.

Golden Retriever standing on Faversham Creek seawall with bend of Creek and attractive scenery behind her. Our Golden Retriever never wanders far. She had been watching Teal and Mallard in the creek as I took this photo. Never once did she make any attempt to chase and disturb them! Nell is a 'birdwise' dog and I am proud of her for such exceptional behaviour. Treats are on us tonight! 💜

#FavershamCreek visit: 2 Wigeon, Spoonbill, Barn Owl, Avocet, Grey Plover, Snipe, 2 Yellowhammer, Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Curlew, 4 Cattle & 5 Little Egret, 2 Stonechat, Kingfisher, 2 Oystercatcher, 5 Chiffchaff, Cetti's, Corn Bunting #LowCarbonBirding #KentBirding #Faversham #UKBirding

Reed Bunting posing in low scrub on edge of small reedbed

One of four Yellowhammer seen today in scrub alongside seawall.

Scenic view west across Faversham Creek overlooking Ham Marshes

Other users of the creek rowing by. Although not in the photo, a Kingfisher had just spent time along the outlet of Thorne Creek on the right.

Productive dog walk along #FavershamCreek Common & Geen Sandpiper, Avocet, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Cattle & Little Egret, Teal, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Oystercatcher, Yellowhammer, Cetti's, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Snipe, Redshank, Kingfisher
#LowCarbonBirding #KentBirding #UKBirding #Faversham

Moorhen feeding along the creek. A plentiful species, seen most days here.

A view south along Faversham Creek quite near the town centre. Surprising the species recorded close to this area over the last few years include: Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Avocet, Little Egret, Jack Snipe, Snipe, Kingfisher & Grey Wagtail!

Pied Avocet. A fairly common winter visitor to the creek. This is the first I've seen during the current winter period. Welcome back!

Viewing east from the creek seawall across fields, rough grassland and bushes within a pretty impenetrable reedbed! Not in the photo, but this is where I recorded the Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer today. Waxwings were a highlight here last winter!

Beautiful lunchtime walk along the #FavershamCreek. Birding highlights included: 4 Little Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Yellowhammer, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Common Sandpiper & 1 Avocet

#LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding #KentBirding #Faversham

Curlew walking away from my attempts to take a photograph with a Sony RX 10 camera!

Common Sandpiper hunkering down from the strong wind along Faversham Standard Quay.

Cattle Egret feeding on Ham Marshes. There were three together initially, but had increased to five on my return.

A warm, dry but very windy walk along the creek this morning. Highlights included 5 feeding Cattle Egrets, 1 flyover Spoonbill, 1 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Curlew and a Yellowhammer.
#FavershamCreek #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding #KentBirding #Faversham

Viewing South towards Faversham, from eastern bank of Faversham Creek

Viewing North towards the Swale Channel (not visible), from eastern bank of Faversham Creek

Viewing South East, from eastern bank of Faversham Creek

Viewing North East, from eastern bank of Faversham Creek. There are often good numbers of Teal and common waders along this stretch of Creek visible on the left.

Surprisingly managed to stay dry this morning, though weather grim! 69 Teal, c50 Greylag, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Fieldfare, 1 Greenshank the highlights #FavershamCreek #LowCarbonBirding #Faversham #KentBirding

Field Bird Nest Fungus

Field Bird Nest Fungus

Field Bird Nest Fungus

Took the opportunity for a lunchtime walk in good weather.

Wildfowl numbers at Ham Road Pits growing: 64 Tufted Duck, 14 Shoveler, 22 Mallard, 11 Gadwall, 10 Coot, 1 Pochard, 4 Great Crested Grebe.

Also, pleased to see some Field Bird Nest fungus found by a friend #LowCarbonBirding #Faversham

Brilliant Kevin. 🤭 Interesting how different people responded. Some turned around, others tried driving along the bank. Many braved the road/water. One guy got stuck (pandemonium!), and two impatient drivers overtook slower vehicles on the flooded road.

As you know, the tide can be much higher!

#KentBirding #LowCarbonBirding #WeBS

Cormorant flying past my WeBS count point

Adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese with a single male Pintail.

Female and two male Pintail ducks feeding on the rising tide

The flooded road behind my WeBS count point this afternoon. Entertaining to watch how drivers negotiate the flooded road. I wait for the tide to go out, and the flood to disappear!

Noticeably chillier today. Standing for a number of hours over high tide, on the Medway Estuary, conducting the WeBS count had something to do with it!

Numbers of wildfowl and waders are certainly starting to increase, and the usual road flooding brings entertainment behind me at Bedlams Bottom!

Spelling error! Best stick to your original pronunciation 😉 It had been a long day 😴

Dartford Warbler showed well along the coastal footpath

Record shot of Comet A3 taken from rail footbridge in Faversham after work

View of coastal path walking along South Swale Channel towards Castlee Coote

Golden Retriever guarding the equipment while I went off photographing the Dartford Warbler

Patch gold during the lunchtime walk #FavershamCreek A very showy Dartford Warbler. Also 1 Great White Egret at South Swale, and a ring-tail Hen Harrier. After work, managed our first view of Comet A3 #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding #KentBirding

Oh dear! Hope it heals up quickly Stuart. Difficult to wield binoculars like that!

Chiffchaff feeding on plentiful insects along sewage farm boundary

Beautiful autumnal hedgerow along part of my local birding patch

Despite the very wet start to the day, rain had cleared enough for a quality lunchtime walk. #FavershamCreek highlights included 1 Firecrest, 12 Chiffchaff, 1 Swallow, 3 House & 1 Sand Martin, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Greenshank & 2 Little Egret #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding #KentBirding

Grey Wagtail popping in to the sewage outflow along Faversham Creek

Sparrowhawk flyover at Faversham Creek

1 of at least 7 Chiffchaff feeding along edge of sewage farm at Thorne Creek, Faversham Creek

Our Golden Retriever enjoys her walks along the seawall. She is bird friendly and has been trained to not chase or disturb roosting birds and other wildlife. She's heading back for a biscuit!

#FavershamCreek Highlights: 12+ Swallow, 1 male Blackcap, 4 Little Egret, 3 Grey Wagtail, 4 Teal, 2 Greenshank, 7 Chiffchaff, 11 Moorhen #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding #KentBirding

Scene of Faversham Creek. Sewage Farm outflow, often quite a productive viewpoint

#FavershamCreek Lunchtime walk in beautiful October weather. 3 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 13 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Teal, 4 Swallow, 1 Cetti's, 3 Chiffchaff and our 1st flyover Brambling of the year #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding #KentBirding

Very nice! 👍

Greenshank feeding along Faversham Creek edge on incoming tide

One of the Faversham Creek regular Common Sandpipers feeding along Standard Quay

Marsh Harrier quartering Ham Marshes, photographed across the creek. Unfortunately, an electrical pylon dominates the background

Lunchtime walk #FavershamCreek A brief sighting of a Lesser Whitethroat in a mixed flock of 12+ Chiffchaff & Long-tailed Tits near Thorne Greek, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Cattle & 7 Little Egrets, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Buzzard and 1 Marsh Harrier #KentBirding #UKBirding Then back to work!

Ruff feeding on Faversham Creek having just flown in from Ham Marshes

Patch birding #FavershamCreek today was rewarded with our first ever Ruff here, along with 5+ Cattle Egrets, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 3 Greenshank and some evident Hirundine passage, c78 Swallow & 185 House Martin #KentBirding #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding

Whimbrel feeding on exposed creek mudflat

Lunchtime walk #FavershamCreek today in glorious weather. Some nice surprises included the Little Owl hiding in its favoured hiding tree, 2 Stonechat, 3 Cattle Egret, 1 Common Sandpiper, and a Whimbrel. #KentBirding #UKBirding

Little Egret is feeding at Seasalter on an outgoing tide.

You did really well to get a photo! I missed completely, so I went for something closer 😀