For the fourth consecutive year, I attended school camp on the Penshurst estate in Kent.
Some heavy rain on Tuesday was hard work, but the weather improved, attaining true July status by the end of the week.
The estate lies above Penshurst Place, on the gently sloping valley side north of the Medway river. It rises to a ridge that forms the northern edge of the High Weald, with views of the North Downs.
The farmland has good areas of woodland, including patches of ancient trees, most notably a amazing group of enormous Chestnuts which are close to a thousand years old. There are also some truly massive Oaks, though the famous Sydney Oak appears to be dead.
My standout highlight has to be the Little Owl, a lifetime first. I also saw a Barn Owl flying on two nights, a fantastic Hornet, wonderful close views of Yellowhammers and a Redpoll.
I saw 54 species of bird on the camp, which beat my previous total of 44. Other notable species included Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler. Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Collard Dove and Redpoll were all new species for me at this site. The ones that got away were Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron and Black-headed Gull.
Full list:
| Greylag Goose |
| Canada Goose |
| Egyptian Goose |
| Mallard |
| Red-legged Partridge |
| Pheasant |
| Common Buzzard |
| Kestrel |
| Moorhen |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull |
| Herring Gull |
| Stock Dove |
| Woodpigeon |
| Collared Dove |
| Little Owl |
| Barn Owl |
| Common Swift |
| Green Woodpecker |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
| Magpie |
| Jay |
| Jackdaw |
| Rook |
| Carrion Crow |
| Blue Tit |
| Great Tit |
| Coal Tit |
| Willow Tit |
| Skylark |
| Swallow |
| House Martin |
| Long-tailed Tit |
| Common Chiffchaff |
| Blackcap |
| Garden Warbler |
| Common Whitethroat |
| Goldcrest |
| Wren |
| Nuthatch |
| Treecreeper |
| Starling |
| Blackbird |
| Song Thrush |
| Spotted Flycatcher |
| Robin |
| Dunnock |
| House Sparrow |
| Grey Wagtail |
| Pied Wagtail |
| Chaffinch |
| Goldfinch |
| Linnet |
| Lesser Redpoll |
| Yellowhammer |
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