A chilly and quick, for me, walk round Dunorlan Park this morning as the mist rose and the frost lay yielded 29 bird species including a small number of Lesser Redpolls. #TunbridgeWells

25 Cattle Egrets (at least) in field behind Woolpack Inn. #KentBirding

Spring has sprung, although the Black-headed Gulls were standing on a thin layer of ice at Dunorlan Park first thing this morning. #TunbridgeWells

A very late Swallow with damaged tail streamer over #TunbridgeWells sewage works this afternoon. There’s plenty of insect food available still.

I was hoping for a better experience when I eventually got my first Crossbill for patch but there we go: two heading south - picked up calling - I got on to a back-end murky silhouette view as they disappeared off. Half a dozen Siskins too - and Woodpigeons heading somewhere.

After a disappointing Seawatch this morning, and after arriving at the Obs, we found that the Pallas’s Warbler rung on Sunday had been caught again in the moat, always worth a photo. @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social #birds #birding #kentbirding #ukbitding

The first few days of November have produced two Sibe’ Stonechats in Kent (Bockhill, 2008, & Dungeness - thank you Jacob, dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social - 3 years ago today) Also: the superb summer plumaged White-biller Diver off Margate (2018) and Shorelark was also a mega Dungeness bird in 2019.

Dunorlan’ this morning: I had it in mind that it was All Saints Day but some @rtwparkrun.bsky.social participants didn’t seem to be dressed accordingly 😲😳😃 I hope everyone enjoyed it, maybe the first muddy one of the season. Birds: 38 species, triple Common Gull the highlight 🤷🏻‍♂️ #TunbridgeWells

40 species of birds on my wander around Dunorlan Park before work today including Common Gull again, 20+ over-flying Redpoll and my first Chiffchaff for a couple of weeks. A few more Blackbird and Redwing noted too. #63 species for the month is probably a record - 19 visits. #TunbridgeWells

An adult Common Gull in Dunorlan Park this morning makes it a record-breaking gull total for patch with six species 😳 noted this month/year/ever). Yep, 6 - scope for improvement! It also brings me to #63 for the month, 80% of my year to date total bird species. #TunbridgeWells

Pretty chuffed to just have a female Vagrant Emperor in/off at Sandwich Bay beach (opposite the Princes Golf Clubhouse) at 1240hrs. Hawked the beach for a few minutes before heading off inland #Odonata @birdguides.bsky.social

The fields adjacent to Dunorlan Park were being ploughed this afternoon. Scanning the 400 or so gulls a couple of fields away eventually got me my first patch Med Gull of the year. 38 Stock Doves was a good count (but not as good as 130 nr Whetsted y’day). Red Kite nice too 👍🏻 #KentBirding

71 species locally today starting with Firecrest and a few Redpoll at Dunorlan’ and finishing with a Barn Owl. 1w drake Pintail (Whetsted GP’s) the best but a couple of Great White Egret, a late Stonechat, Peregrine, Raven and Fieldfares noteworthy.

A few bits and bobs in the last couple of visits to #DunorlanPark #TunbridgeWells including at least 31 Moorhens in the rain 🌧️ on Sunday afternoon 😃 59 species noted here so far this month…

Good to be out again this morning with my first Fieldfares of the autumn, small numbers Redwings about, a few Redpoll over, a few Siskin (more yesterday), 20 Goldfinch and a little more unexpected a single Lapwing (a couple of fields away but that’ll do). #DunorlanPark #TunbridgeWells #KentBirding

Bobolink at Prawle Point, 2001, and Siberian Accentor, 2016 were good birds on 14 October, Gtr Y’legs & Song Sparrow made for a good morning duo - 16/10/1996, Grey Catbird, Rufous Bushchat & Blackburnian Wbr were the for 17 October in days gone by, Masked Shrike was 18/10 for me - 5 years ago.

Old days: I’ve seen 3 Daurian Shrikes this day (2, Norfolk, & Cliffe, Kent) + 1 at Dungeness on 15/10/2006. The bird at Holme was after the Two-barred Greenish’ at Wells which was after the Ramsgate King Eider & the day before the Great Knot, 1996 with Northern Waterthrush earlier that week!

Meadow Pipits: 40 was a good count at Haysden y’day afternoon but I noted them at 4 of the 6 local sites I hit. 2 over the house this morning were overdue house ticks. 50 species at Whetsted GP’s, where there were two Great White Egrets, was the greatest total from any of yesterday’s wanderings.

Patch month tick: House Sparrow Patch year tick: Linnet Patch tick: Great Black-backed Gull no less! ✔️ I’m so pleased I wasn’t in Yorkshire today (no, okay, that sentence might not quite be truthful). Dunorlan Park, #TunbridgeWells

Redwings and Kingfisher among the 36 species in just under an hour at Dunorlan Park this morning.

Sunday afternoons: Sandhill Crane, Suffolk - brilliant, 2011 Issy Wheatear, Kent, (1996) 4th for Britain American Buff-bellied Pipit, Salakee (900 observers that 1st day) - after Northern Oriole on ‘Agnes earlier White’s Thrush, Spurn, 2004 Audouin’s Gull, Dungeness, 2014 I do see some birds.

The dipping days of October have provided 3 failed attempts at Black & White Warblers, no show Pechora at Filey, 1994 (Lancey ample compensation), no show Rose-breasted Grosbeak, no show Rufous-tailed Robin, no show White-rumped Swift, no show Taiga Flycatchers & no show Chestnut-sided Warbler! 😳🤣

Dipping in the first days of October: Yellow-browed Bunting, Sandwich, 2022 Wilson’s Phal, Elmley, 2 days running, 1988 (Oriental Pratincole good consolation) Citrine Wagtail, Swalecliffe, 2017 - still need this for Kent Moltoni’s at Holkham, 2017 Parula, Portland, 1988 Green Wbr, Lundy, 2018

Redpoll over Dunorlan Park calling this morning was my first of the season (my first here since February in fact). 36 species in an hour made up primarily of the usual suspects including Grey Wagtail.

Birdy wallpaper was noted in the toilet @scarthinbooks.bsky.social (superb, see an earlier post) & Chatsworth House. Memories: visiting ‘no signal’ Dove Dale 20 years later: the day of the Acadian Flycatcher 😕 + passing Beeley where I clawed back Dusky Thrush! A great week in the Peak District.

Dungeness Spotted Flycatcher, Firecrest, Redpoll, Brambling in the Trapping Area 60 Siskin over 50+ Chiffchaffs and smaller numbers of Blackcap Merlin hunting the Point Thousands of hirundines moving South East out to sea this morning #kentbirdmigrationday

13000 Swallows, 500 House Martins 2780 Meadow Pipits, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 50 Skylarks, 100 Siskins and 30 Reed Buntings moving south-east out to sea this morning. Passage still on going. #kentbirdmigrationday

Siskins heard and Swallows heading south over both Tunbridge Wells & Tonbridge (while searching in vain for a reports Yellow-browed Warbler) this morning. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentmigrationday

Some unexpected birding in a bookshop toilet today 😀

My short walk before work today included Kingfisher & Firecrest - another good start. #TunbridgeWells

Siskin, Firecrest, Roe Deer and a Moorhen for every letter of the alphabet today #TunbridgeWells

Oh, okay, across Britain and now I’m late! I also couldn’t choose but what’s not to like about a Lady Orchid - it’s good in Kent and what a variety! #WildflowerHour

A choice of birds to try to see in Kent today: 18 Glossy Ibis, Red-rumped Swallow, Red-backed Shrike, Red-footed Falcon, Black Guillemot, etc. I decided to find my own birds instead but in a couple of miles of walking out from #TunbridgeWells this was the best I came across - they were distant! 🤷🏻‍♂️

40 species at Dunorlan Park was good first thing but nothing out of the ordinary. No sign of the Spotted Fly’ from yesterday. Sand Martins at 2 sites noteworthy, Firecrest and Dartford Warbler were nice - as was the Peregrine over my road. 53 species locally today (+ scones, brownies, etc).

My first autumnal Siskin of the year at Dunorlan Park this morning and whether it was a migrant or a more local disperser it was still good to see. Along with pleasantries such as Treecreeper, Mistle Thrush, Chiffchaffs, at least a couple of Blackcap and a shed load of titmice it was all okay.

35+ Swallow south early today was my attempt to joint the migration theme. 40+ Greenfinches leaving roost presumably indicates a good breeding season… … but the big hedge failed to deliver again (two Chiffchaff the only sign of migration here). Inland birding can be hard work. #UKbirding

Whinchat and two Wheatear the highlight locally today, near Tudeley. 73 Cormorants at Pembury water works the definite low point. A few butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies also noted.

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An evening wander around Dunorlan Park produced 32 species including a smart juvenile Whitethroat (my third here this year)… …and a moon which, in reality, was probably larger than the tree it hugged. A couple of House Martins - noteworthy these days. Firecrest was more expected. #TunbridgeWells

Just half an hour before work today at Pembury water works but a small downfall of Chiffchaff (about 16 birds), a couple of Willow Warbler, 15+ Sand Martins, a few House Martins, 6+ Grey Wagtails and triple Little Grebe. No waders, again. No chats, again.

Two full days socialising provided good food, Little Stints, Curlew Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Spoonbills, Cattle Egrets, a rather cute 😢😲 Polish Mute Swan and some rather pleasant moths - thank you to all involved.

Fan-tailed Warbler (aka Zit’) showed well but made us wait a bit this morning. Also: 50+ Yellow Wagtails mostly east and several Whinchat dotted about plus Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Ravens, etc. 3+ Cattle Egret Cooks Pool Next up: Minsmere was quiet: 2 Spotted Redshank the best but cakes still rock.

Memorable early morning down Galloways, Lydd MOD Ranges watching the Fan-tailed Warbler singing and moving around the grassy landscape for over an hour on my own It was showing every 5-10mins Bird below and left of the Whinchat on top of Bramble bush… 🤦 #kentbirding #ukbirding

35 species in an hour at Dunorlan Park today included Red Kite, Sparrowhawk and Peregrine but excluded Blackbird 🤔 13 species of waders in about 15 minutes from the Hanson hide y’day afternoon is about a dozen more than I can expect to see on patch this year. What zit? Arrived c.2:30, a maybe only

92 minutes in Dunorlan Park got me 42 species including a surprise Yellowhammer. Grey Wag, Firecrest, Willow Wbr, Garden Wbr (record count of 2), Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Blackcaps and probably 40 Chiffchaff were the most noteworthy. No raptors and no Goldfinch today. #KentBirding #TunbridgeWells

Just 16 species in 53 minutes this evening in/from Dunorlan Park including Peregrine bringing me to 50 species in 6 visits in August. This compares to 48 species in 14 visits in the whole of July. I may have seen more today if I had arrived before most birds had gone to roost.

Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler and a surprise appearance, after a six week absence, of two adult Common Terns at Dunorlan Park in 53 minutes this morning. 34 species noted. Always searching for better! #TunbridgeWells

Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch and Grey Wagtail the best of 37 species in Dunorlan Park, #TunbridgeWells in 62 minutes this morning. #KentBirding

Clearing the garage = tip trip. The best I could find however was a pretty mank Herring Gull. A short visit to the local water works produced the usual Little Grebe & Grey Wagtails plus a few more Chiffchaff than usual. Other wildlife included a Hummingbird Hawk-moth (and Southern Hawker).

Wasp Spider was one of the highlights of our Park Safaris in Dunorlan yesterday