A moving, fitting, piece on a true giant of #KentBirding

RIP Dyl.

northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2026/03/dyla...

Dylan In the early hours of Saturday 7th March, Dylan, our dad, died peacefully at home surrounded by his family and so much love.  To continue ...

Just to let people know a touching post from the family has just appeared on 'Of Esox & observations':
dylan-wrathall.blogspot.com/2026/03/dyla...

Egyptian Geese!

Hope sale goes well, but will miss bumping into you on the occasional Kent twitch ;-)

The Great-tailed Grackle was a fun addition to today's Killdeer twitch with @jameslowenwild.bsky.social and @stuartwhite73.bsky.social wasnt at all bothered by passers by, but didn't like mopeds! #rarebirdsUK #ukbirding @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social

Where?

WOW WOW WOW

Diffuse mono glow visible faintly by eye south of the Plough

What a few hours. A stunning display of the #northernlights from Bishopstone, North Kent UK. Easily viewable to the eye and even overhead. A wow night!

Crossed the water I see! Popped by there last year for the first time while passing, like you say amazing survival!

Northern Lights from last night (10th Jan) at Bishopstone, North Kent. #Aurora #northernlights

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

Sadly I heard a few days ago that John Tilbrook died on 22nd Nov last year, a day after his 87th birthday . John had a stroke about seven years ago and was pretty much housebound from then on. Many of you will have fond memories of John or JT as we called in . He’s catchphrases will live on though

Rest up Kev, take it easy. Adam

Great walk that one!

Nice little cafe there if you want to avoid The Malta!

Almost made it to East Malling ;-)

A view over Ocean Lake, looking towards the North Downs.

Yay, paper maps. Who needs a mobile phone?

Dog owners know what close control means - if off lead, in sight at all times and comes when called.

Chiffchaff

Today's lunch bench view: Leybourne Lakes Country Park.

Whilst checking out www.kentcrp.org.uk 's leaflet route, nice to see sign promoting close control for dogs. And nice to see beautiful British warblers in the park 😉

(An 8-station journey for me, for less than cost of an advent calendar)

Remember

Dusky Warbler at Westgate, Kent, this afternoon - calling frequently and showing well occasionally. #KentBirding #RareBirdsUK

What a day Neil!

A day that will live long in the memory… elation when this little beauty popped up in front of me… a 1stW male Desert Wheatear !! At South Swale NNR on the seawall between the Sportsman Pub and Castle Coote (Seasalter). @rarebirdalertuk.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @kentishplover.bsky.social

Desert wheatear at seasalter bringing the total so far to 186 for the patch #kentbirding #ukbirding

Immature male Crossbill eating a Pine Cone seed

Female Crossbill, holding a Pine Cone and extracting seeds

Immature male Crossbill hanging beneath a Pine Cone

Crossbills perched up waiting to drop into some drinking puddles

Dungeness: A call from Colin alerted me that 20+ Crossbills had been seen in the Pines at the ARC, there have been plenty of flyovers this year but none have stuck, so I made my way there not expecting any to be present and was very pleasantly surprised on arrival.
#UKBirding
#Kentbirding

I wonder how the Great-tailed Grackle got here? 😂 #ukbirding

This little guy was off The Island on the east side. It drifted off towards the beaches with the incoming tide.

Apparently the BMDS were called and if it’s seen again it should be captured for rehabilitation.

St Ives Island. An ‘all-dayer’. 13 Leach’s Petrel, 2 Cory’s, 3 ESP, 2 Pomarine Skua, 1 Little Auk, 2 Puffin, 3 Little Gull, 8 Sootys & a Snow Bunting with 000’s Kitts, Auks etc. But the highlight was the Loggerhead Turtle off the NCI gully for a few mins. #cornwallbirding

Pic thanks to Adam H

C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) at 17 mm from a single 15 second exposure at F2.8 above Weymouth at 19:25 BST.

Had to be done. Back to Lower Halstow, to twitch the other three Ozzy Osbourne scarecrows.

4 Ozzies in one village? Now that's what I call an Ozzfest! 😊

Brilliant day at @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social where 231 (!) Crossbills flew over the recording area. Decent VisMig produced a Serin and thousands of Brent Geese offshore. A smart Yellow-browed Warbler was in the Trapping Area #kentbirding @kentishplover.bsky.social

Buff-breasted Sandpiper coming into land.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

American Golden Plover

I was out on my bike at Scotney making my way to check on the AGP, when a message came through that a Buff-breasted Sandpiper had been reported in the same field as the AGP by Colin Holter. A few minutes later I was on site watching the bird. Many thanks Colin.
#UKBirding
#Sussexbirding