John Cantelo
Well-known member
A short visit to Stodmarsh NNR with my wife this morning produced nothing unexpected – Cetti's Warbler, a Hobby, several Marsh Harriers, etc. The only unusual feature was the large number of Swifts (200+) in the area as we left. However, as we drove uphill and out of the village towards Canterbury a couple of small birdsflew up from the roadside; the first scarcely registered and the second wouldn't have were it not for the flash of yellow on the rump. “Serin” my brain instantly told me and, a millisecond or two later, it registered that I was in the UK, not Spain! The bird flew low along the road just in front of the car showing off its yellow rump, dark tail, dull streaked back and faint double wing bar before flipping over the hedge towards Stodmarsh Court Farm. Unfortunately, having parked up and summoned reinforcements I could not relocate the bird. On my return home I checked the valley list on the KOS website and was delighted to find that this seems to be the first record for the valley. OK not a huge rarity and I can think of a good few birds I'd rather have found, but certainly a find that gave me much pleasure,
