Gary Howard's birds and wildlife

Early morning found me sitting in my car just outside Hextable village waiting for the mist to clear so that I could start my BTO breeding bird survey.  It's the 17th year that I have surveyed this square, I started the year the survey began in 1994, and it's been fascinating watching how the birds on my square have so often mirrored the national trend.

What really surprises me is that I am still recording a small but stable population of Corn Buntings. In fact this year there looks to be perhaps 4 pairs which would be the most I've recorded.  Given the national plight of this species I find it even more extraordinary when you consider the relative proximity to Greater London. The 1 km square takes in a mix of arable, predominantly winter wheat, some paddocks and some of the village of Wilmington which is now on the edge of "greater" Dartford and has mostly modest gardens. It's a fairly level area of land but from the high point you can see that the sight is bounded by the A2 to the north and the M25 to the east. It's classic "green belt" land; hemmed in by some of the busiest roads in Britain and on the outskirts of it's biggest city.

I strolled around on my usual route; still plenty of Skylark, a few Swallows, Chiffchaff, Blackcap but no Whitethroat as yet. Pied Wagtail's look to be breeding and Ring-necked Parakeets have unfortunately moved in.

I'll return in late May to do my second visit and see what else has arrived.