The Rare Garden Visitors

Over the last few years the garden has been full of diverse Wildlife. Among the common visitors there has been a few surprise visitors too. This Blog documents them I have captured on camera...

Blackcap 13/4/2013

Starting with the rarest and one time visitor. A Male Blackcap, that for just a morning fed on one of the few Peanut cages. The following year I saw one at my local lake (Seen in Eastwell Lake blog) so this may have been the same bird moving through the area.

Flycatcher 29/9/2014

Flycatcher 29/9/2014

Next to appear was a Fly Catcher. The bird darted about in this Shrub for 30 minutes or so. The next rare, well I say rare, but visits on and off hunting is a Male Sparrowhawk. I finally captured him with the camera February 2015 when he landed on top of the bird table. The piercing stare from his yellow eye clearly visible along with the pristine blue/ grey plumage down his back. Talons so dainty too that defy the image of a formidable hunter.

Male Sparrowhawk 24/2/2015

The latest bird to appear is a Tree Creeper on our Cherry Tree in the garden. He appeared on the 13 January 2016.

Tree Creeper 13/1/2016

Another venturer into the garden was a Red Legged Partridge. Previous to this and unseen by me about 9 had come in, but this occasion just the solo bird. I had 2 quick grab shots from hiding in the conservatory shooting through a very narrow gap in a bush and was lucky to get the following shots...

Red Legged Partridge (also known as French Partridge)

Another colourful bird to appear on the front garden was a female Green Woodpecker. They are normally seen out in the back field feeding on bugs or heard calling in the mid distant trees. There was a youngster around too, but was found dead several days later under our Kitchen window. We couldn't believe how we had 2 young bird deaths in one summer. We put it down to the male Sparrowhawk flying through and spooking them as he was common at this point! 

Feeding by front path

Green Woodpecker female

Last of the infrequent visitors was a Pied Wagtail also at the front of the house. He visited the small feed table we have at the Kitchen window for just 2 days. They are normally out on the village green but one felt brave and made a journey over in front of the row of houses we live in. I love the quirky movements they make, darting about so fast in sporadic directions. Not akin to the dainty design the bird has...

Pied Wagtail on front parking place

Lastly, well not actually in our garden, but flew over the bottom of it was a Red Kite in 2014. I was told by my neighbour of its location he had actually seen it after I said to him we saw it. So we proceeded there that very afternoon and was in luck as it did appear high in the sky. The first of the 2 is the grab shot of it from my bedroom window and the second, if still not great was at the location at Challock, Kent. In fact walking the dogs twice to Eastwell Lake and once in Kings Wood Challock, I have seen one on these occasions too. All when I had no camera with me! Doh!. And at the woods he was really close and low too... just to rub it in!

From Bedroom

 

Over Challock

Over the years we have had other 1 off's but at those times I did not own a camera. But these are a Snipe, Yellow Hammer and even a Kingfisher stuck in our conservatory!!! More recently just this month too a Grey Wagtail appeared at the edge of our Fish pond, but just as I got to the camera (always set-up ready, but upstairs this time...lol) it flew off and as yet not returning. It really is amazing how diverse the wildlife is in our area over time.

First visit to Elmley Reserve

In 2012 a guest speaker at my camera club, enlightened me to Elmley Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey. In his talk he showed stunning photos of the Short Eared Owl that unbeknown to me, was a yearly visitor to the reserve. So armed with this new knowledge I made plans to visit the reserve in hope of photographing these Owls. In March 2013 a visit finally happened. During this first afternoon visit I saw my first Red Crested Pochards.

Red Crested Pochard in flight 

Watching how these birds flew in formation was mesmerizing. The subtle movements and lead bird changes was as if they were dancing in the air. There were several occasions that they took to the air for reasons which I was soon discover. About an hour later on the return walk of this section of reserve, I observed a flock of smaller white birds taking flight and changing direction very rapidly and erratically. At first I could not see any reason why they were doing this such movements but then was lucky enough to get the following sequence of photos that capture what in fact was happening. 

First shot showing the culprit, a female Sparrowhawk coming in from above

Swooping in low

Singling out its victim

Unfortunate victim just before being caught.

To see this, gave me chance to see natures brutality at its best. I felt sorry for the little bird but in the grand scheme of things there are hundreds of these and Sparrowhawks are rare and beautiful Birds of Prey in their own right. After researching what the prey bird was, I believe it to be a Dunlin. This visit did unfortunately not prove successful in seeing the Short Eared Owls, but 2 Barn Owls did make a flypast and a Marsh Harrier came fairly close by, but too far to photograph with my still primitive manual 300mm lens. I came away from this trip with the above sequence, which has more than made up for the blank session of the Owls.