Driving along the approach road a weasel scurried across to disappear in the undergrowth.

I kept my eyes peeled skyward, plenty of buzzards and kestrels, but sadly no kites as reported by the Bexley group earlier on in the day.

Down at the Heronry bridge I was treated to the sight and sound of a juvenile kestrel chasing after a parent calling for food.

Small heaths, Meadow browns and Ringlets were everywhere with…

And what a week Purple Emperor butterflies and a pair of Spoonbills on Flamingo, but let me say both reserves are looking their summer best, lush and verdant. This is down to the hard work of Julian. Will, Ruby and Katie, supported by interns Rosemary and Elizabeth and a stalwart band of volunteers and supporters.

I take my Panama off to them!

A walk at Cliffe this afternoon was undertaken to assess the amount of plastic…

As Will the Warden said when I told him this weeks' blog will be butterflies again, "It is butterfly season, after all!" I felt that was vindication enough to do them again with a smattering of Hoverflies thrown in.

Tuesday saw a huge influx of Silver-washed Fritillary, this handsome butterfly is the largest of the British fritillaries. After a long decline its range is increasing. An easy fritillary to…

Now the sun has finally arrived, plants are blooming and butterflies are flying. There are some great photo opportunities for both on the reserves, here at Northward Hill and over at Cliffe Pools. Here are some to inspire you.

They are  Common Mullien, Large Skipper butterfly, Poppy and wild flower verge, Speckled Wood, Purple Salsify, Hawksbit and Bird's-foot Trefoil.

The thought of Peregrine Falcons predating Avocet chicks is a bit of a double irony in that both were scarce species in the 1940s and 50s and have made remarkable recoveries since. So to state the obvious any apex predator (the falcon) will catch any species around to feed it's chicks and if they happen to be a common youngster like a Redshank or Oystercatcher or rarer (and more valued) like the Avocet, then so be it…

It may be the 1st day of June but Spring is still definately in the air, with the butterfly as above and Gatekeepers. Plenty of Peacocks, Red Admirals, Small Tortoiseshells and Speckled Woods as well to delight lepidopterists (a posh word for butterfly and moth enthusiasts). Walking around the reserve at lunch-time this afternoon not only were there butterflies aplenty, but various insects etc. They are at the bottom…

This afternoon we had the great pleasure of officially naming the above Viewpoint in honour of the late Mr and Mrs Owen and Linda Sweeney. Both fantastic and loveable people. Linda sadly passed away a fair while ago now. Not only was she group Leader of the Medway Local Group for several years, she was also a terrific fund-raiser for the Group and the plaque in her memory has been at the viewpoint for many years, sadly…

This week I had the job of taking a class of year 4 children plus three staff on a nature trek to Cliffe Pools, they were from St Helen’s Church of England Primary School half a mile or so away.

We met at 9.30 and had a little look at the flowers left in tribute to Gill Moore as the class included her Grandaughter.

So we slowly made our way towards Radar Pool along the track, stopping to admire the delicate…

How far would you go to hear the fabulous song of the nightingale, fifty miles? A hundred miles? Two hundred miles? How about four hundred and thirty miles or eight hundred and sixty round trip. from Glasgow to Northward Hill RSPB reserve in Kent.

Retired solicitor Fiona McLean did exactly that and I was honoured to take her round Northward Hill reserve this afternoon. I met her yesterday at our Medway Local Group coach…

It is pleasing to note five nests have hatched chicks, making a total of 17 youngsters at the moment, with plenty more under their parents.

They are the symbol of the RSPB after all. Originally extinct as a breeding bird in 1842, due to land drainage, however large areas of East Anglia were flooded to hinder perceived invasions by the Germans during the second world war allowing them to breed again for the first time…

Last evening was the second of RSPB Medway Local Groups events to engage members of the public with these fantastic birds and listen to their iconic song.

Much has been written about them and their vocal talents, but until you actually experience one in the flesh giving it their all a few yards away, they are only words. If a picture paints a thousand words then the same goes for a sound. An assault on the ear as well…

We are pleased to say that the above walk was a great success, a fantastic opportunity to showcase the bird and indeed the reserve. It has to be said the weather could have been a little kinder, it being overcast and quite chilly. That said fortunately it didn't put off the stars of the show performing.

But it wasn't all about nightingales, there was Whitethroat, lesser whitethroat in the scrub, still plenty else…

19.04.17, RSPB Northward Hill

11 of us ventured out onto the North Kent marshes of Northward Hill Reserve on a chilly but sunny morning. We set off to the Ernie Hemsley view point hoping to see passage migrants.

On the way a pair of Mediterranean gulls were above giving their call like a 'comment of surprise'. I caught a quick glimpse of a wheatear. Ring ouzel do pass through here sometimes maybe they did…

At this time of year, quite rightly we focus on the migrants as they begin to arrive, swallow, nightingales and of course cuckoo. Much has been written about their arrival and eventual departure.

We also think a lot of winter migrants like Redwing and Fieildfare etc.

Looking back to a blog in February for Cliffe and Northward Hill, widgeon, gadwall, goldeneye and pintail were very much on the literary menu. Today they…

Cliffs Pools dawn chorus report

Posted: 26 Apr 2017 04:24 PM PDT

Wendy is away in Australia for the next three weeks, anyone wishing to book a place please contact

David Saunders on 07788202445 or saunders303@hotmail.com. 

On St Georges' day the sun finally peeped through the cloud cover to encourage the insects to emerge and the birds to sing. True to the date Hawthorn or St Marks' Flies  were on the wing chasing each other around.

St. Mark’s Flies (Bibio marci) are so called because they emerge around St Mark’s Day on 25th April every year and can be seen in flight in May. They are found around woodland edges,…

It has to be said that unlike the weather for the school

Easter holidays generally,  Good Friday thro' Easter Monday has been a tad tish. That said, so maybe over the four days of Easter hasn't been quite as hoped, there were still things to excite the senses. A kestrel hunter-hovered overhead, being mobbed by of all things.....Swallows, never seen that before!!!

Along the path to Sweeney viewpoint a bee landed…

This evening I was privileged to hear some of the first of the years Nightingales at Northward Hill reserve although the very first were here a week ago. They are in the woods to the right as you pass the metal gate that leads to the (off limits) old Comms.building. They are also to be heard as you go up to the upper Marsh viewpoint.

Gadwall on the North Kent Marshes, and who was Jean? She played Hilda Ogden in Coronation Street, I'll let you work out the rest!

It was a misty start at Grain on Saturday. The incoming tide had already covered the mud flats, and so we set off along one of many paths of the Grain Coastal Park. Chiffchaff and chaffinch where singing from the trees and some of us had a nice view of a male blackcap. The melodic sound of a song thrush drifted through the trees but was hard to see. A raven was heard calling and we were lucky…

Here are the results of Murray Orchards' Wetland Bird Survey last Sunday at Cliffe Pools RSPB Reserve.

19 Greylag Goose, 7 Canada Goose, 45 Shelduck, 7 Gadwall, 13 Teal, 33 Mallard, 3 Pintail (pair and duck), 52 Shoveler, 51 Pochard, 99 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 7 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Moorhen, 70 Coot, 12 Oystercatcher, 216 Avocet, 8 Ringed Plover, 25 Grey Plover, 7 Lapwing (breeding birds on Coastguards/Black…

This afternoon and early evening have been amazing at Northward Hill, not only was the first cuckoo heard on the hill by Will Tofts (Snr Warden) and a stalwart volunteer Dave Evans, I heard the unmistakable call of a Lesser whitethroat on the way down from the upper viewpoint.

At that V.P. bee-flies buzzed, hovered and fought over a tiny chunk of air-space next to a rapidly fading patch of Gorse, nothing to the world…