My thanks to the field guy's, A Hobby.

This bird is a bit of an enigma to me, but certain features are not quite right for Kestrel.I am using Collins Bird Guide.

Any thoughts you field guy's?

Ken and Warren or anybody, what is the characteristic feature the confirms this species.

Two Birds One Shot!

Yes and they are both Waders, a preening Oyster Catcher, and a very nice Dunlin, taken at Leysdowne, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, from the promenade.

My Rarest Shot Ever

I took this shot about three years ago, it is a Trumpeter Finch, all the way from Africa, it was taken at Tankerton , Whitstable, on the North Kent Coast, three years ago, only two have ever made it to the UK, to get the shot I was using a 400mm zoom lens the distance at least 75 yds, I would add that some birders were less than concerned for the birds welfare and to my mind were tantamount to harassing the exhausted bird.

Strangely that day I was in contact with another great rarity which was spotted by Bill Oddy the day before, whilst in the company of top brass from the RSPB, they were out on the pools at Cliffe Marshes for whatever reason, he apparently exclaimed quietly, are you aware of that Terek Sandpiper over yonder! Lots of red faced RSPB Brass, and because of this quite brassed off.

I lived in Cliffe at the time and went down to the pools in the evening after returning from my encounter with the Trumpeter Finch, stopping off at Oare, Faversham, on the way home. On the viewing mound there were probably 30 birders, I managed to get my shot and drove further out onto the marsh there was a bird which was flying low the other side of the fence catching the occasional glimpse, the colouring was such I thought Kestrel, it got ahead of me by about 25 yds and settled on a post, identification was then unmistakable it was a Rufous Cuckoo not only that it flew off and joined another.

I will never be blessed in my lifetime, with the vision of three rarities in one day, but one never knows!

A Garden Spider

What a wonderful colouring nature gave this common spider, at the moment it probably has a representative of the species in every garden in the UK, if you enlarge he has quite a pretty countenance.

Same Spider

In this shot this insignificant little spider had grabbed a wood lice, wrapped it up, sucked out the body fluids, and dispensed with the shell by cutting it free from its web.

I am glad it is the size it is.

One of those very slender spiders that are everywhere.

No! he does not have headlamps, they are eyes and show up beautifully.

Collared Doves

The birds are just making a comeback now that they have finished breeding a big first for me on my feeder was a Great Spotted Woodpecker unfortunately no picture, maybe it will make another or even a regular appearance.

Corn Bunting

A Pleasant Morning Birding.

Had a trip to Oare and Elmley not much doing, but it was a lovely autumnal morning, about 350 Black Tailed Godwits present and resting, a few Golden Plover, and 30 to 40 Teal. Quite a lot of Lapwing present at Elmley, Wellmarsh Hide scrape is now bordered by an electric fence to deter mainly foxes, it is very green as the power is supplied by sun and wind. A great deal of work has been carried out widening dykes and scrapes and providing more cover for wildlife, RSPB, Well Done!! I suppose highlight of the day was catching a Peregrine in one of the waterless scrapes sunning itself happened so fast was unable to get a shot.

Meadow Pipits

Black Headed Gull

Juvenile first winter.

Two Egrets

Spider on my Staghorn Fern

I think this one came in from the cold.