Birding Braunie

...because you’re about to be bombarded. The RSPB reserve at Rainham Marshes has worked hard over the past couple of years to encourage Kingfishers to nest in artificial banks. This year things have worked really well. With electric fencing deterring predators, the birds have been able to nest safely and have now produced young. This means constant trips back and forth with food carried out by both parents. And being creatures of habit, they generally rest up (briefly) on the same perches. But photographing them isn’t as easy as it seems. The hide has a glass front and to keep the birds undisturbed, camouflaged netting has been draped over the glass to hide all the commotion we make when we see these little gems. Enough. In other news, a Grasshopper Warbler reeled away near the Serin Mound and even gave good if distant views early morning. Grasshopper Warbler Female Wheatear Speckled Wood

This year, up to now, I have done all my birding in Essex and Herts. But this week I have managed to slip my chains and abscond down to Kent; Dungeness to be exact. To me, Dungeness is comfort food birding. You know what you’re going to get but Dungeness always chucks in a couple of surprises every now and then. Dungeness sometimes makes you work for your birds. This was such a day. I generally work the Long Pits, Trapping area and Desert first, looking for migrants. There were a few Chiffchaff and Blackcaps calling. Checked every Blackbird for a Ring Ouzel and spent too long chasing Common Whitethroats for a photo with no success. I wandered about aimlessly before deciding to try sea watching instead. This would surely be stacked with goodies. As I approached the Nuclear Power Station’s perimeter, the instantly recognisable call of a Black Redstart filled the air. A rather smart male (they’re always smart) sat squarely on a post waiting for me to get my camera out.