Back in the early 1980s it was extremely rare to see a magpie in the wood, not surprisingly, given that it is essentially a bird of open habitats. However, in the later 1980s there was a fairly sudden rise in the number of sightings, reflecting a steep national increase, and coupled with the creation of more open spaces within the wood, and in the 1990s and 2000s magpies were regularly recorded, occasionally up to eight at a time, although breeding was never proved. In the 2010s it once more became a scarce bird, at a time when the national population had stabilised. However, recently there has been a minor reversal of that trend – not an invasion, or even a recolonization, but just the occasional individual. Sightings aren’t necessarily near the edge of the wood as, so long as there are wide rides or other clearings for them to fly through, they are bold enough to venture right to the centre.
Birdwatching pickings can be rather sparse in the winter months, and often my visits reveal little more than the odd woodpigeon and robin, but on 18th October a flock of sixty chittering redpolls flew over, making up for the marked recent decline in siskin sightings, and on 11th November I watched, fascinated, as a flock of at least 37 meadow pipits prepared to roost in the tall heather of the main heath. Having discovered the heath 16 years ago, the pipits have turned it into a traditional roost site, though numbers have tailed off in recent winters. They always give the impression of being leaderless, not knowing which spot to choose to bed down in each night; failing to receive direction from an accepted leader, they spend their time endlessly criss-crossing the heath in small groups until one braver individual gives the signal to drop down.
Goats have been helping with heathland management for some years now, having taken over the role from four konik ponies. Initially, just five goats were in residence, and these were all bagots, a rather attractive and hardy old breed that is mainly black at the front and white behind. Claimed to have been introduced from the Middle East by returning crusaders, bagots are now classed as vulnerable as there are only two or three hundred known breeding females. Numbers at Blean have increased erratically since then, diversified by the occasional arrival of golden Guernseys, a larger breed that was only established about 200 years ago. A pale orangey-brown, they don’t quite live up to the expectation created by their name. Finally, just this month, the heath has welcomed its first three Old English goats. In attractive shades of grey, and midway in size between bagots and golden Guernseys, the old English are the grand daddies of the goat world, believed to have been first domesticated by Neolithic peoples around 5000 years ago. The flock now totals 24 goats, the most there have ever been on the heath, which should mean they quickly get the birch and bramble under control by selectively browsing those species rather than other vegetation.
Mild weather saw two unidentified bats flying along a ride as dusk set in on 11th November. Hibernation for them is something of a movable feast, dictated by the weather in the winter months.
During lockdown the RSPB Canterbury Local Group is unable to hold its usual winter programme of monthly hall meetings, but it has grasped the nettle of Zoom technology to move its talks online. Non-members are welcome to join in, but are requested to make a donation of at least £2 to help us cover our cost, as speakers still need to be paid! Email michaelwalter434@gmail.com if you would like me to send you the link for any future meetings.
Michael Walter
michaelwalter434@gmail.com
01227 462491
Bagot
Golden Guernsey
Old English