1

STOP PRESS……….

EXCITING NEWS: BRIAN NOBBS WINNER OF PRESIDENT’S AWARD 2015

I am delighted to announce that Brian Nobbs has been chosen as a winner of this year’s President’s Award and will be presented with his award at the RSPB AGM in October by the President of the RSPB, Miranda Krestovnikoff. The President’s Awards have been running for 27 years to honour and recognise volunteers who have made an outstanding contribution to the RSPB – the equivalent to the volunteering “Oscars” and only six are awarded each year.

Brian has been volunteering with the RSPB since 1978, firstly with the Guildford group and latterly, since 1991, with the Sevenoaks group. His contribution to our local group is already acknowledged by our members as he compiles and edits both the newsletter and the website for Sevenoaks Local Group, assists Jean with the organization of the Indoor Meetings and helps at local events.

However, his involvement in the wider community is possibly less known: Brian’s talks and presentations to groups ranging from RSPB to W.I., gardening clubs and residential homes have raised to date in the region of £10,000. He spends a great deal of time travelling to new RSPB reserves in the South East to take habitat photographs for inclusion in his talks and is a marvellous ambassador for the RSPB. He also volunteers at RSPB Tudeley Woods Nature Reserve, joining in regular monthly work parties and carries out breeding bird and other surveys for the BTO and RSPB as well as farm surveys; and finally is an avid campaign letter writer in support of various RSPB issues.

This is probably just a fraction of his involvement for RSPB over the years and I think you will all agree, Brian is most definitely a worthy winner of this prestigious award and on behalf of the group I would like to extend our warmest congratulations.

Jean has also received a President’s Award, in 1992 from Magnus Magnusson. It is not unknown for a couple to receive the award jointly, but for a couple to win the award separately in their own right is extremely unusual.

Anne Chapman Group Leader

SEPTEMBER 2015 NEWSLETTER

SEVENOAKS LOCAL GROUP

2

A very warm welcome to any new members. I hope you will enjoy this edition of the Sevenoaks RSPB Group Newsletter. As usual, the diary section listing indoor and field meetings is on the centre pages, so they can be pulled out and kept as an aide memoire. There will be a minibus trip to Havergate Island on April 24

th 2016 – details and booking form on

page 9, and to give you a flavour, Tony Rose has written a report on this May’s weekend trip to

Fowlmere, Hickling Broad, Dunwich Heath, and Minsmere Nature Reserves (page 10). Venturing further afield we have the finale to Dave and Lesley Smith’s perambulations in South America.

At the AGM in May: Anne Chapman reported another very successful year, in which we had donated over £11,000 to the RSPB, an increase of almost £1000 over last year, £7354 of which was from pin badge sales, in large part due to the valiant and untiring efforts of Mick and Jane Love, and the Quiz Night in March had raised £644 – so thanks to everyone who had come along and supported that. We have launched a new venture this year and printed 10 of the winning entries from the photographic competition as blank greetings cards. They are on sale at £1 each (or 5 for £4), so look out for them on sale at indoor meetings! It was agreed by the members at the AGM that the annual membership subscription, which has remained unchanged for years, should be raised to £8 for single and £14 for joint membership, with effect from May 2016. Following a suggestion at the AGM, in an attempt to reduce postage costs, the January and May Newsletters will be put out at the respective monthly indoor meeting for collection by recipients. They will be in addressed envelopes, and those not collected on the night will be stamped and posted as usual. Finally, the membership of the Committee remains unchanged, except that Jacquie Martin’s role is now that of Press Officer.

Birds and birdsong at NT Knole Park At the invitation of the National Trust at Knole, the Sevenoaks RSPB Local Group ran two one-hour long walks in the park, on Saturday 2

nd May. A total of 50 people, including a number of families

and one dog, enjoyed a gentle stroll starting at the Ice House, climbing up a bank of ancient ant hills (made by Yellow Meadow Ants and an indicator of uncultivated pasture) to an area of woodland where the songs of recent migrants could be heard, then down into an old river valley before ending up in an area containing a number of dead trees. Many of the dead trees had visible holes of various sizes being used as nesting and feeding sites by a number of species of birds, indicating how important it is to leave dead trees standing where possible. These were being actively used by the many Jackdaws in the area, and by Stock Doves – the only British doves that nest in holes. Even without binoculars, people were able to enjoy seeing and hearing the songs and contact calls of 25 species of birds. Highlights included a Great Tit perched on a deer, pulling out its hairs for nest lining to some puzzlement by the animal, and several Green Woodpeckers hunting for ants, which showed their colours well when they flew past. As the walks were so successful, they will probably be repeated next year.

Brian & Jean Nobbs, Anne & Dave Chapman, Ann Breame and Penny Hargreaves at Knole.

3

The Inca Trail by Lesley Smith

The third and final part of Lesley and Dave’s perambulations in South America

Ever since I was a young girl I have dreamed of walking the Inca trail. From the moment I first read about it, it filled me with wonder, excitement and anticipation. It is a shame it has taken me so long to fulfil this dream, for it is definitely a walk that would be better undertaken younger rather than older! Still, better late than never. There are two ways to reach Machu Picchu, the easy way and the hard way. The easy way is to do a day trip by train and bus, look at the ruins, go home and put a tick in the box. The other way is to spend a few days walking through the Andean peaks, marvelling at the scenery, the birds and the flowers and wondering why anyone would choose to build a city in such an inaccessible place. It was in 1948 that the American Hiram Bingham 'discovered' Machu Picchu. The once magnificent city had been abandoned, seemingly in a rush, and left to be consumed by the mountain vegetation. It is now such a popular tourist attraction that the number of people allowed to trek the 'classic Inca Trail' per day has to be limited to 500 persons including porters and guides. You are not allowed to simply set off and walk it yourself, you are obliged to have porters and guides. And you have to have a permit which is checked at several points along the trek. Nights are spent under canvas and realistically when darkness falls you go to bed and awake before the dawn. The nights are pretty cold, the altitude ranging from 8,000' to 14,200'. Some people succumb to altitude sickness at this height but fortunately we did not. There is no remedy, the only thing to do is go back down - very disappointing for some people. But what is very apparent is the lack of oxygen, breathing becomes very laboured under exertion, literally the moment you start to climb as opposed to walking along on the flat you become very conscious of just how difficult it is to breathe. So, one walks at a fairly slow pace for there is a lot of climbing to do. The porters are incredible, very much akin to Sherpas. We carried only a daily pack containing essentials such as water, lunch, waterproofs and of course binoculars; the porters carry tents, sleeping bags and mats, portable loos, food supplies for 4 days, and the much welcomed hot water bottles! They are limited by regulations to carry a maximum of 25 Kg. This is quite some weight, far beyond that which we carry and yet they virtually run along the path, leaving after we do and passing us enroute in order to arrive at the camping area before us to set up the tents for our arrival, not to mention preparing our meals. They wear ridiculous footwear, open toed sandals usually and scant clothing. They earn every single penny and I guess get more than their wage in grateful tips. Our porters were a very happy bunch, always laughing. The 'head' porter was called Ballantine so we nicknamed him Whisky which seemed to amuse him very much for his laughter became much louder! The Trek began in earnest at the Km 82 trailhead shortly after the delightful mountain village of Ollantaytambo where last minute supplies and provisions can be obtained. Then we were off, crossing the Urubamba River where Torrent Ducks can be seen leaping in and out of the foaming water with consummate ease.

4

We could see at certain points along our route the snow covered mountains of Veronica and Salkantay, we passed other smaller Inca ruins, walked through scenic cloud forest, climbed to 4,200metres (13,776’) and descended 2000 stone steps. We saw Llamas and Alpacas, a variety of mountain birds and lots of mountain flowers and orchids. 4 days later we reached the ‘Sun Gate’. This had loomed ahead for a little while as we climbed yet again but it was literally not until the very last moment upon reaching this gate, which you had to turn at right angles to pass through, that you could see the ruins of Machu Picchu spread out before you way down the mountain. It was one of those magic moments, we were very fortunate to arrive at this point in beautiful sunshine and it shone below us in all its glory. As we arrived late in the afternoon we simply walked down to and through the ruins to catch a most welcome bus down the mountainside to the small town of Aguas Calientes. This is the 'hub' through which all people travel that visit the ruins. Even more welcome was our lovely bedroom with crisp white sheets upon the bed and a glorious hot shower. We thought we would celebrate our achievement by having a Pisco Sour, very much a Peruvian drink, and almost our first alcoholic drink of the last 6 weeks. But to our dismay it was Election time and it was forbidden to sell alcohol anywhere whilst this was on. We were very, very disappointed!!! The next day it was back up the mountain to investigate the archaeological ruins and mystical grounds in earnest. They are remarkably well preserved and/or restored. It is a vast complex. The Incas basic fundament of belief was a cosmic concept, the sacred valley itself being a land based form of the Milky Way. They believed in spirits which to them manifested in forms of nature. They could see birds and animals in natural rock formations and the Puma, Condor and Lizard had special significance. They constructed their city by incorporating the shapes of these animals in the overall layout of the buildings so that when viewed from the air you can, for example, see the shape of a Puma. But they couldn't see it themselves from the air, there were no flying cameras or airplanes in those days ! They were great astronomers and constructed astronomical observatories with incredible precision. Windows so aligned that they would catch the first rays of sunlight on the summer and winter solstice days allowing it to fall upon the temple altar. Their architecture was phenomenal. Huge stones cut with great accuracy so that they fit together in a trapezoidal form. This gave the buildings immense stability so that they could withstand the frequent earthquakes and tremors which beset this region. Testament to their skill is the fact that many Inca ruins still stand to this day whilst modern buildings crumble under such forces. They farmed the steep hillsides by forming terraces and where the land permitted by terracing circular depressions thus in effect making micro climatic areas. The Incas were a powerhouse, feeding thousands of their people all year round. A truly remarkable race. We had come almost to the end of our holiday but first we had to return to Cusco in order to start the plane journeys. But this time we caught the train! And what a train. Panoramic viewing from the comfort of our seats via the glass panelled roof. We could see the mountains that we had walked through and now, here at ground level the railway hugged the river giving us views again of the Torrent Ducks. The journey began mid-afternoon and later on dusk began to fall putting an end to sightseeing. But then the floor show began and we had an amazing fashion show exhibiting garments made from the wool of the Alpaca all accompanied to music. And guess what - they served Pisco Sours !

5

We meet on the first Thursday of the month, at OTFORD VILLAGE MEMORIAL HALL, Otford,

TN14 5PQ.

The car park is adjacent to the hall, and is free after 6 pm.

Entrance fee = Group Members £2.50, non-members £3.50.

Please note that meetings will START promptly at 7.45 pm, doors are open from 7.15 pm.

DONATIONS OF RAFFLE PRIZES ALWAYS APPRECIATED!

7.45 p.m. Thursday 3

rd

SEPTEMBER 2015

Chris Ward - Wildlife of peninsular Malaysia Malaysia has exceptional biodiversity, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and insects and of course birds.

7.45 p.m. Thursday 1

st

OCTOBER 2015

Dr Barry Yates - Managing the birds at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Barry is the manager of Rye Harbour reserve which has undergone significant conservation work over recent years making it a superb area for flora and fauna.

7.45 p.m. Thursday 5

th

NOVEMBER 2015

David Boag - A colourful introduction to birds

Some of the world’s birds are dramatic, brightly coloured or large which will encourage and enthuse us all to enjoy the wonderful birds to be found on our travels.

7.45 p.m. Thursday 3

rd

DECEMBER 2015

John Buckingham - The wonders of bird migration John now spends a great deal of time at Sandwich Bay Observatory, and will explain how new technology is helping to identify bird migration routes of the world.

Plus wine and cheese

7.45 p.m. Thursday 7

th

JANUARY 2016

Rolf Williams ( former RSPB Communications Officer)

- Crossing Boundaries Rolf served with the Royal Navy and was “ordered” to an Iraq oil platform. Join him in a dramatic story of unfolding human and wildlife drama in the dangerous waters of the North Arabian Gulf.

7.45 p.m. Thursday 4

th

FEBRUARY 2016

Ian Rumley Dawson - Birds of St Kilda

The islands of archipelago of St Kilda with their exceptional cliffs and sea stacks form the most important seabird breeding station in north-west Europe.

Plus sale of books and other media – bring and buy!

7.45 p.m. Thursday 3

rd

MARCH 2016

Brian Nobbs - East Anglian Highlights East Anglia is within easy reach for a day trip, long weekend or a longer holiday. As well as the better known sites, Brian will introduce some of the less well known wildlife hotspots in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.

DIARY SECTION

6

7.45 p.m. Thursday 7

th

APRIL 2016

Ed Drewett - New Zealand’s wildlife gems Ed is a naturalist and broadcaster. Enjoy some of the country's wildlife, from the longest-winged bird in the world, the Wandering Albatross, to the most acrobatic of cetaceans, the Dusky Dolphin.

7.45 p.m. Thursday 5

th

MAY 2016

AGM followed by Les Edwins - Operation Turtle Dove

Les is the Turtle Dove Conservation Advisor for South East England. The RSPB’s efforts to help turn the tide of the decline of this iconic species in its summer shores.

Plus plant sale – bring and buy! Also wine and cheese

Our field meetings are a great opportunity to see a wide variety of birds and get some fresh air and exercise at the same time. We will see over thirty different species on most walks and sometimes fifty plus. The walks are for people of all abilities and for the most part cover easy terrain at a leisurely pace, providing a chance to enjoy birds and learn more about them and their habitats, and share a common interest with others. On most walks we suggest you bring a packed lunch. Warm, waterproof clothing and stout footwear are advised on all trips. All walks are undertaken at your own risk. It does have to be pretty bad before we give up on a walk, but if the weather is dodgy please check with us that the walk is still on. Contact numbers are: John Waterman on 01959 532364 (weekends – see also box below) or, if you are late, ring John on 07935 206618, or Nick Barlow on 01732 762816 (weekdays), before setting out.

For Minibus trips, the contact is Mick Love on 01732 384573.

Remember to take your RSPB membership card to all meetings at RSPB reserves. Length of walk: “A” = 1 mile: “B” = 2 miles: “C” = up to 4 miles

For those with satellite navigation, we have included the nearest Post Code, but please note this only gives an approximation of the meeting point, but usually to within a few hundred metres.

September 2015

Sun 20

th

10.30 am “C” All day

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve (TQ942188) TN31 7TY

Autumn migrants From A259 towards Hastings, turn L, after Rye Town on minor road to Rye Harbour.

Meet in car park. Bring lunch

For car sharing, weekend meetings will start from the car park of Mavala UK Ltd., Unit 4, Morewood Close, London Road, Sevenoaks, TN13 2HU. Turn off London Road into Morewood Close (by Fire Station), follow road round sharp right hand bend. Mavala is on right before Station Car park. Those wishing to car share should arrive at 8:30 for an 8:45 departure. Participants are of course free to travel directly to the meeting location if they prefer.

If you coming to a weekend field meeting, please let John Waterman know by phone or text

[07935 206618], whether you are meeting at Mavala or travelling direct.

7

October 2015

Sun 4

th

10.30 am “C” All day

North Foreland/Joss Bay (TR399700) CT10 3PG

Migrants, Purple Sandpiper Take B2052 east then south to lighthouse. Meet at North Foreland Lighthouse.

Bring lunch

Tues 13th

11.00 am “C” All day

Shellness Nature Reserve (TR040703) ME12 4QL

Migrants, geese, waders, birds of prey. On the Isle of Sheppey. Meet at Leysdown on Sea seafront lay-by on B2231. (Approx. 1 mile after passing the toilet block).

Bring lunch.

November 2015

Wed 11

th

10.30 am “C” All day

Oare Marshes KWT Reserve (TR013648) ME13 0QD

Waders, raptors, migrants Off A2 before Faversham. Continue on from B2045 along Harty Ferry Road to car park by Kent Wildlife Trust information centre. Signposted from Oare Village.

Bring lunch.

Sun 15

th

10.00 am “C” All day

Oare Marshes KWT Reserve (TR013648) ME13 0QD

Waders, raptors, migrants Off A2 before Faversham. Continue on from B2045 along Harty Ferry Road to car park by Kent Wildlife Trust information centre. Signposted from Oare Village.

Bring lunch.

December 2015

Thurs 10

th

10.30 am “C” All day

Elmley Nature Reserve (TQ939679) ME12 3RW

Waders, wildfowl, raptors. Take A249 from M20 J7. One mile after Kingsferry Bridge turn R on signposted rough track for 2 miles to reserve car park.

Bring lunch. NB. Long walk to hides.

Sun 13

th

10.00 am “C” All day

Rainham Marshes RSPB Reserve (TQ552792) RM19 1SX

Wetland birds Exit M25 at J30. Follow signs to Dagenham, London, on west bound A13. Exit A13 at the A1306 (first junction signposted Wennington, Aveley and Purfleet). From junction follow signs to Purfleet along A1306 for half mile. At traffic lights, take R, signposted A1090 to Purfleet onto New Tank Hill Road flyover. The entrance is 300m along this road, on R just after bottom of the flyover.

Bring lunch & RSPB Membership card. NB Dartford crossing charges can be paid at Hancocks Newsagent, Knockholt Road, Halstead or L.J. Hubert, Newsagent, 46 Telston Lane, Otford, or see www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge

January 2016

Thurs 14

th

11.00 am “C” All day

Dungeness RSPB Nature Reserve (TR063196) TN29 9PN

Waders, wildfowl From B2075 Rye to Romney road take Dungeness road to Lydd. After 1 mile turn R at Boulderwall Farm onto gravel track leading to reserve centre.

Bring lunch & RSPB Membership card.

8

January 2016 continued

Sun 17

th

10.00 am “C” All day

Dungeness RSPB Nature Reserve (TR063196) TN29 9PN

Waders, wildfowl From B2075 Rye to Romney road take Dungeness road to Lydd. After 1 mile turn R at Boulderwall Farm onto gravel track leading to reserve centre.

Bring lunch & RSPB Membership card.

If you’ve ever fancied getting involved with some practical conservation, why not come out to one of our work parties? Try felling a tree, making a dead hedge or starting a bonfire; get some fresh air and make a difference. Send an email to tudeley.woods@rspb.org.uk or call 01892 752430 if you’d like more information.

Meet at the Reserve car park at 10:00 am. All work is conducted under the supervision of the

warden, and tools can be provided, though you may prefer to bring your own (gloves, saw, loppers,

etc.). Don’t forget to bring some lunch and a drink!

The reserve is off the A21. From the Sevenoaks direction, pass the turning for Tunbridge Wells, and

turn left into Half Moon Lane (signposted “Capel 2”). Post code TN11 0PT. The reserve car park is

approximately 0.3 miles down the lane on the left (look out for brown RSPB sign).

2015/2016 Work Parties

2015 Sunday Wednesday

September 27th

9th

, 23rd

October 25th

7th

, 21st

November 22nd

4th

, 18th

December 20th

2nd

, 16th

2016

January 17th

13th

, 27th

February 14th

10th

, 24th

March 13th

9th

, 23rd

In the woodland section, the coppicing cycle is being maintained to keep a variety of habitats, from the ground flora to the canopy, to suit as wide a range of wildlife as possibly, including flowers, insects, mammals (including the threatened Dormouse) and birds. Wide rides are being created to encourage flowers that support butterflies, bumblebees and other insects. In the Pembury section the former heathland is being restored by removing invading scrub, bracken and post-war conifer plantations.

More work going on this winter will be the start of a project to restore Brakeybank Meadow, in the heart of Tudeley. Contractors will begin in September with the task of removing over a hectare of encroaching scrub from the existing meadow boundary. With a further bit of ground clearance and some seed spreading, this should more than double the size of this incredibly diverse and rare habitat. Lowland meadows like this one nestled in the middle of Tudeley Woods have declined by a terrifying 97% over the last 30 years! A huge range of invertebrates, flowers and fungi all have a home in Brakeybank and with the planned improvements to the visitor infrastructure there, more people will be able to experience this idyllic spot in the future.

9

Minibus Day Trip 24th April 2016

Havergate Island Suffolk

Following the devastation caused on the 5th December 2013, when a surge tide overwhelmed Havergate Island causing untold damage to the lagoons, hides and infrastructure, I can confirm that visits to the island are now possible again. Having been forced to cancel a spring trip in 2014 due to the devastation, I am pleased to say that following a period of reconstruction and regeneration we are now able to reinstate our visit to this iconic island. Havergate, Suffolk’s only island, is situated in the Ore estuary south of the village of Orford, and is only accessible by the RSPB boat, which has to be pre-booked. This makes this trip an ideal opportunity to visit this tranquil haven. The island covers just over 100 hectares and comprises six saline lagoons surrounded by salt-marshes and mudflats. To visit all 5 hides would involve less than 3 miles of easy walking. Following a 20 minute boat trip from Orford we would arrive on the island at about 10am and spend about 4 hours exploring the reserve. As this is a spring visit, the islands Hares, a good number of which I am pleased to confirm survived the flooding, will be at their most active. We will also be able to admire the flowering thrift that turns the salt-marsh pink. There should be a good selection of wading birds and ducks displaying and hopefully various tern species will have returned to nest. Following our return to the mainland, time and weather permitting, we will take a leisurely walk round another local reserve before heading back to Sevenoaks.

The cost of the trip, which includes the minibus and boat trips costs, will be £35.00. Minibus will leave Mavala car park at 06.45am, returning at about 6.30pm. There no facilities on Havergate other than a basic toilet and although there is a café at Orford quay I would recommend that a packed lunch is taken. Mick Love

______________________________________________

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW AND RETURN TO MICHAEL LOVE,

14 THE LANDWAY, KEMSING, SEVENOAKS, KENT, TN15 6TG.

Please reserve ………….... place/s for Havergate Island on 24th

April 2016 A cheque for £35 each is enclosed, payable to Sevenoaks RSPB Local Group.

NAME: ……………………………………………….. DATE: ………………… ADDRESS:……………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. TEL.NO: ……………………………………………………………………………………………… E-MAIL:………………………………………………………………………………………………...

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

NB: There are still a few places available for the Brownsea Island trip on Sunday 25th

October 2015 – full details were in the May Newsletter (reproduced on the website) –

at £29 per person. Contact Mick Love at the above address.

10

And here’s a trip we made earlier!

Birds, Boats and Big Skies! Weekend Field Trip to Fowlmere, Hickling Broad, Dunwich Heath, and Minsmere

Nature Reserves – 16th and 17th May 2015

Report by Tony Rose Fowlmere An early rise saw our group minibus on the road and heading northeast under grey clouds for our first visit to Fowlmere Nature reserve. We were welcomed by two chasing Hares raising dirt dust over an adjacent field and the reserve’s warden, who gave us a brief resume of what we would be likely to see. The reserve itself belies the phonics of its name and is blessed by natural springs yielding crystal clear water to the many meandering streams and pools embedded in damp woodland and reeds. Visual highlights were Kestrel, Reed Warblers, Little Grebe, Barn Owl (head showing in its box!) and Common Buzzard with the sound of Turtle Doves and Woodpeckers heard close by. Yellow Flag was starting to show on the banks with Burdock and Hawthorn Mayflower pathside, amongst many other flora and occasional fungi on dead wood. On departing, a Muntjac Deer gave us a farewell showing and a Corn Bunting skedaddled over a field of rape plants.

Hickling Broad The next stop was Hickling Broad where we re-fuelled ourselves with lunch but saw a male Marsh Harrier and Swallows on the way, and were then treated to a display from an Orange Tip butterfly while we ate. On the way down to our boats a Cuckoo was heard together with good sightings of Common Terns and Marsh Harriers. After being acquainted with health and safety information and kitting out ourselves with life jackets, our guide and skipper for the afternoon explained that Hickling Broad is situated on the upper stretches of the river Thurne and is the largest expanse of open water in the Broads system. The Broads were hand dug by local people in the middle ages as they excavated for peat for use as fuel. Over time the diggings flooded, forming a unique network of marsh and fen. Once cast off, we navigated through extensive reedbeds aided by a steady breeze to where flat fenland gave up a gigantic sky in perfect sunshine. We visited two thatched hides only accessible by boat which had views over pools revealing Avocet, Shelduck, Redshank, Gadwall, Pied Wagtail, Ringed Plover, Little Egret, Dunlin, Egyptian Geese, Shoveler, Black-headed Gul, Common Sandpiper and a lone but perfect white goose egg which was incongruously beached on a scrape. Back to the boat and we were off to scale a 60ft tree tower that would unveil the whole of Hickling Broad Reserve in one vast panorama. Once on top the wind made the tower come alive and we swayed in the air with Marsh Harriers and gulls. After descending, we boarded for the last time and set off cruising down Hickling’s ‘Canal Grande’ observing a Grey Heron and a Great Crested Grebe. Once a delicate U-turn had been negotiated by our skipper, we picked up speed returning downstream against the breeze. We passed the other half of our group who had seen a Bittern in flight and were by now atop of the tower ‘enjoying’ their up close and personal views with the birds – a truly moving experience! However, the final goodbye to the Broad was left to two Bearded Reedlings who flashed across our bow orchestrating a synchronised tail-dip as they went.

Egyptian Goose © Brian Nobbs

11

Dunwich Heath After a very pleasant social evening at Lowestoft’s Premier Inn, Mick invited us to be out and about early with the promise of a tryst with Dartford Warblers, so after a hearty breakfast off we set for Dunwich Heath. On arrival our leader guided us to a stretch of heathland that, with some imagination, could be compared with Dartford’s 300 years ago and before the A2 crashed through it! As promised, it wasn’t long before we could first hear and then see this rare bird emerge from the scrub – well done Mick.

Minsmere Back to the coach and onto our final visit at Minsmere the RSPB’s celebrity reserve that was being prepared for the BBC’s Springwatch programme. After a quick briefing at the visitor centre to decide on groups we set off through the woods to South Hide and had no sooner settled when the cry of ‘Bittern’ went up as the bird flew across our view to land behind bushes and reed bank. After a few minutes our star bird was up again returning to whence it came – what a start!

A supporting cast of Barnacle Geese, Little Tern, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Redshank, Grey Plover and Avocet with ‘escaped’ chicks which were soon recaptured, kept our interest until the first ‘boom’ sounded and repeated for 10 seconds or so. Then after a short walk between reedbeds and marsh we reached the The Sluice with its red brick arches which the Swallows had rented as their holiday home to nest their young.

A stroll along the sea wall that separated the marsh from the beach, that was in fact a shingle garden of delight inhabited by many flowers and plants (Sea Kale, Sea Holly – Eryngium, Yellow Horned Poppy and SeaThrift), took us to the East Hide where we saw Great Black-backed

Gull, Turnstone, with Whitethroat and Sedge Warblers along the way. Travelling back to the visitor centre for lunch via the North Wall we saw a Long-tailed Tit and Bearded Reedlings before reaching the Sand Burrow which the Sand Martins entered with Kamikaze determination to feed their chicks. Our last hide visit proved on this occasion to be unworthy of its name, as the Bitterns refused to show despite or maybe because of the overwhelming presence of their admirers. However, a hobby was seen before our group made their egress. As a parting jaunt our leader took us up Whin Hill and to keep our tired legs on schedule directed us to a patch of plain scrub where nothing much seemed to be happening until a large Adder (well large for an Adder anyway) made a head on charge! On our final yomp we managed to see or hear a Long-tailed Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Cetti’s Warbler (heard), and Nightingale (heard). Trip Stats: In all we saw or heard 56 bird species and also Red and Muntjac Deer, Adders and Brown Hares. Our thanks to Michael Love for a superbly organised event, John Waterman our avian expert, Chris and Dave our professional drivers who always kept us on schedule and the BBC’s Boom Operator Mr B.Ittern for incredible sonic sound effects!

Tony Rose

Avocet nesting at Minsmere © Brian Nobbs

12

Some Field Trip reports by Nick Barlow.

Northward Hill RSPB Reserve, 27th

May. We went to the Ernie Hemsley viewpoint; then on to the Marshland Viewpoint, and Bernard’s Bench (with people lazing on the grass in the sunshine), and then Gordon’s hide for lunch. House Sparrows, a pair of Swifts, and a hunting, hovering Buzzard by the Visitor Centre - where a frog croaked confusingly! Cuckoos called from various parts of the reserve; Nightingales sang from the thicker scrub, and Blackcaps from more open perches; Whitethroat sang and made short display flights from patches of scrub and bramble where we also had good views of colourful Linnets and strikingly beautiful Burnet moths. At the flood there were pairs of Avocets seeing off any possible threats to their chicks, with Oystercatcher and Redshank also standing guard: Marsh Harrier and Jackdaw were not welcomed! A pair of Mute Swans with nine ‘babies’ tried to find a way through the fencing: the mother determined, the father resigned. The Woodland viewpoint provided interesting views and an ideal place to rest on an exceptionally warm day. A Kestrel hunted above the Grey Heron and Little Egrets, and Green Woodpeckers were busy all around. Various other species, but notably for some of us the sighting of an elusive Cuckoo.

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, 9th

July. A lovely, warm, sunny day: just right for some gentle bird-watching. The various different habitats allowed us to see a variety of birds and a total of fifty-seven species. We went to the Wader Pool and Flat Beach area where there were Avocets (some with chicks); Oystercatchers - some nesting, some calling their ringing ‘kleep’ and bringing food to their chicks, some solitary juveniles (in plumage so unlike the adults); Common and Little Terns nesting; and the odd Ringed Plover and Curlew. Then we saw Wheatear, adults and juveniles: later, the warden told us they’d had 40 pairs this year! He also told us of the large numbers of Badgers coming onto the reserve hoping to predate ground-nesting birds. Then, on to the beach for lunch: the highlight was Little Terns hovering over the water before plummeting to the surface to fish - an exhilarating sight. Among the Yellow Horned Poppies, our botanist found some Weasel’s Snout: what a delightfully unusual name for this little pink-flowered plant (more prosaically also called Lesser Snapdragon, I’m told). We also saw our only Painted Lady and some newly hatched Large Skippers; other butterflies included Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Large White, and Marbled White. At the Ternery Pool we had good views of breeding Sandwich Terns and Common Terns as well as the Black-headed Gulls (also, a couple of Mediterranean Gulls overhead). Looking back along Quarry Pool we saw a rather peculiar looking duck – a Tufted Duck with six little chicks hitching a lift before landing and walking into the long grasses; then a flock of six Stock Doves briefly landed close-by. We also saw small flocks of colourful Linnets. As we walked back along the path next to Narrow Pit and the river there were several Blackcaps, a few Whitethroats, some Goldfinch, a Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting, and a Kingfisher for some!

A colour version of this newsletter will appear in the “News” section on the website: www.rspb.org.uk/groups/sevenoaks.

Brian Nobbs, Editor. Brian.nobbs@tiscali.co.uk. 36 Main Road, Sundridge, Sevenoaks, TN14 6EP.

The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity:

England and Wales no. 207076; Scotland no. SC037654

Sandwich Tern and chick at Rye Harbour © Brian Nobbs