Andy Appleton

Rhubarb and custard flavoured Dark Red Helleborine on Hutton Roof, July 2025

A brilliant place with some ace helleborines. We’ll be back up there for sure!

Slightly out of focus photos are optional but my specialty 😲

Guilty as charged, pretty awesome especially as it stopped as quickly as it started from memory. Roller would have been Suffolk, presumably, as the only others that I have seen were in 1989 (Devon & Somerset).

I still venture out there but maybe haven’t managed early on Saturday mornings for a while. No doubt see you soon though!

Shore Lark, Tunbridge Wells tip in February 1991. I suspect this isn’t my photo’

In my lunch hour 35 years ago today I found this beauty at the tip in Tunbridge Wells, quite the surprise.

The only other Shore Lark that I have seen in West Kent was a bird at Bough Beech Resr the following year.

Hope so!!

Hey, congratulations! 🥳

At least two birds on this list that I scored: the gull in Essex (on my fourth attempt) and the Sussex sparrow but…

… the bird that caught my eye (not in real life): Great Snipe in #TunbridgeWells - not just 1, but 2 🤔 for two days in 1912 so a bit before my time. I wonder where (/what) they were!?

Superb sketch. I doubt you’ll get many more chance to draw another one of those so close to home!

Oh, what else did I miss in my haste?

I didn’t count the birds that don’t stop (so TW species of gull). I do usually when I’m out and about, I know.

20 species:

11 Moorhen
6 Mallard
10 Woodpigeon
Stock Dove
3 Carrion Crow
4 Jackdaw
3 Magpie
Song Thrush heard
3 Blackbird
4 Long-tailed Tit
8 Blue Tit
3 Great Tit
Coal Tit heard
Goldcrest,
Treecreeper
2 Nuthatch
3 Robin
8 Wrens heard
4 House Sparrow
2 Goldfinch

#BigGardenBirdwatch
#TunbridgeWells

Two superb birds!

I didn’t see the 1828 White’s Thrush however and had to wait until one turned up in East Yorkshire a few years ago for that prize.

Is the Golden-winged Warbler photo of the Kent bird? I don’t remember seeing it before but like it a lot. 👍🏻

A Gannet flying low over the sea with a Grey Seal in the background.

Dungeness: Grey Seal photobombing a Gannet at the fishing boats this afternoon.
#UKBirding
#Kentbirding

Very good Mike, a nice result for sure.

Thank you Carly

Eastern Black Redstart, Sheringham, 17 January 2026

Shez Black Red’

The rear end 😳

Airborne lobster also noted at Sheringham

Bluetail last weekend, a rarer red-tail this weekend…

Doh 😣

Looking forward to seeing how many different species we can find…

#TunbridgeWells

Red-flanked Bluetail habitat, Crockhamhill Common just up the hill from Crockham Hill.

I started my weekend by trudging around Whetsted GP’s where I got 51 species (just 80% of my NYD total there). 2 White-fronted Geese the best plus 3 Great White Egrets, 2 Ravens, drake Goldeneye, 600 Lapwing and a Muscovy Duck 🤭

RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL was #236 for West Kent - amazing!

It was only 200 metres more to Surrey 🧐🫣😎. Kent and LNHS won though 🫣🤗. Red-flanked Bluetail found by Will Oliver yesterday afternoon and very very elusive . Still difficult today but a few saw it well with patience . Also in the area, Woodcock, Brambling, Crossbills

I’ve never seen anything like it before Richard. It’s 5c and only very slowly dissipating. Frozen hail cum black ice I’d say 😳

I will try to remember to have a look at the weekend Sharon, ‘not sure’ is my initial answer as I’ve not seen anything other than the standard Collared Dove in my limited travels.

A frozen Dunorlan Park lake. It was -5c at the top of the hill so hardly surprising.

Coot, just one, but that’s infinitely more than I had at Dunorlan Park in 2025.

Also noted: at least 35 Moorhens around the same island where there was a very small area of unfrozen water. -5c

20 species by 8am. I may have seen more if I could have waited until sunrise…

#TunbridgeWells

Too far away for a browny black bird 😲 but I check every Cormorant out round here in the ridiculous hope that I might find one.

Ah yes Andrew, I must remember that!

Having stumbled across a mega 2nd for Kent, you’ve got to think there could be a 1st nearby. It seems one section of coast is doing quite well currently.

What’s next: a 1st for Britain at Reculver - Black-throated Accentor maybe?

Please not this week though!

Reed Bunting not seen at Haysden in two visits so far this year, so much scarcer these days sadly but great birds to see when they do show up.

Halls Hole Road car park, Dunorlan Park.

Snow, freezing conditions, pizza oven, job done (once we worked out how to keep the gas alight).

I popped out this morning before a slightly stressful day of work. 6 new birds for the year - Red Kite the best.

Finished with pizza in the frozen snow this evening.

Looking forward to that chapter!

4 White-fronted Geese at Whetsted GP’s this morning.

3 Roe Deer at Whetsted’

Just a farm building… … until you zoom in.

This is not a Little Owl 😳

64 species at Whetsted GP’s, 42 at Haysden. 70 in total today.

4 White-front’s at Whetsted & 2 at Haysden probably the best - unless the duck I found in fading light on Haysden Lake was Lesser Scaup 🤔

13 Goosander & 6 Mandarin Haysden, 2 Goldeneye Whetsted the best if the rest.

#KentBirding

Nice one Geoff, great reward for your efforts. A very Happy New Year!