Brackenhurst 18th March

I didnt get to go round brack in feb, although i suspect it was a reasonably quiet month (apart from the red kite sighted there a few weeks back). But now spring is beginning (just about) i ventuerd out on a reasonably nice day to see what i could see.

Brackenhurst has over 100 birds on its species list, but in all the time i've been walking round there, my list has only got to 29, but today i managed to push it up to 41 birds.

Saw my first kestrels and buzzards today. i first heard a kestrel calling from some trees and as i got closer it flew low over a field and landed in another tree. While attempting to get closer, it fle once again, and it as then that i sa 2 buzzards circling in the distance, hearing them call to each other. after watching for a while, 2 other buzzards were seen in another field.

I proceeded onto 'sheepwalks' fields, and the first thing i saw was a buzzard alighting on a fencepost in the far SW corner of the west field. I watched for a while, and he was on my route, but i didn't want to disturb him, so i had to alter it a bit. While watching him i had the best backing track available i think, a skylark singing high, right over my head. it was one of four i'd see today. On my altered route, down the path between the east and west fields, there were two more kestrels. i also saw my first butterfly of the year, not sure what it was, may have been a peacock.

A couple of Mallard and one coot were seen on sheepwalks pond, where i don't often see any waterfowl, and on the path behind it was a lot of dogs mercury coming into flower. There were a few bees beginning to wake up around the pond as well.

At the ringing site and in the surrounding fields were up to around 100 yellowhammer, the best views i'd got of these, as usually they just run and hide, but as i stayed quiet, thy gained confidence and i managed to get a couple of shots. There were also a lot of chaffinch, a couple of reed bunting and a group of tree sparrows around here too. In the field next to it i also spotted a brown hare sitting low in the middle of the field.

coming back i saw a pied wagtail at the equestrian centre, which was odd as i was just thinking how i'd expect to see one there. in the sheep fields near the uni i also managed to see around 600 starling, c100 fieldfare and c50 redwing all feeding and making quite a racket.

329 of the starlings, coloured in 50 bird groups