Exciting Birding - well maybe!

Well, not all that exciting really, its my BTO breeding bird survey in Deal, in this square, not your first choice for birding, I think. I have been doing this survey since 1994, twice each spring, usually about 6am, prowling the streets with bins and mini tape recorder, not been arrested yet!

The BTO website explains more - http://blx1.bto.org/bbs/

The route is divided into 10 transects, as you can see, and here's a quick guided tour

Transect1 starts at the beach and castle

Then into Deal Castle Road, those bushes on the left often "busy" with blackbirds and blue tits

Next is Gilford Road - fewer House Sparrows these days now the houses (roofs especially) been repaired

The railway bank is often busy, Blackcaps like it apparently

Victoria Park is a dead loss except for Mistle Thrushes, and Herring Gulls on the sports centre roof

Park Avenue next, a few gardens and allotments but usually quiet 

Clocked this fox this time, what with Phil Smith and the Dumpton Nonconformist, Foxes are in fashion - DO see Phil's blog, its brilliant - http://mrphil-kearsneybirder.blogspot.com/ - 18 June

Round to Southwall Road now

Birds few and far between here, tho the railway line is a haven - Whitethroat and Blackcap again

St Davids and St Patricks Road next, again always quiet, but suprisingly, relatively new houses on the right home to House Sparrows, thank goodness



St Georges Road and the churchyard always busy, best for birds in the whole square



Then its across the High Street and out to sea again

Boring and not many birds to see maybe, but its just as important to survey this area as one in a "better" site for birds. Over the years I have recorded 46 species altogether - today it was 19

Herring Gull 50

Starling 44

Jackdaw 5

Blackbird 16

Wren 4

Blue Tit 9

House Sparrow 41 (yippee!)

Woodpigeon 32

Collared Dove 19

Swift 14

Greenfinch 4

Chaffinch 4

Robin 1

Carrion Crow 4

Mistle Thrush 1

Blackcap 1

Magpie 3

Whitethroat 2

Dunnock 1 

Mothing been slow, too, but of interest have been -

Fern, lovely delicate moth

A new one for my Garden, Triple Spotted Clay - (who thought these names up?) 

  and, hold on to your hat, this spectacular and not uncommon beauty -

Privet Hawkmoth