East Peckham

1000 - 1130 Bright but clouding to occasional light rain

Having heard of the pits at East Peckham....and driven past several times being able to view a large-ish body of water....I decided to re-investigate....having tried once before....but on a different footpath...if only I had taken this one instead....

So...a bit of meandering around, 2 Buzzards, and I could see the body of water that was viewable through trees from the road.....not particularly exciting I have to admit....

Mallard, Little Grebe, Coot, Lapwing, Greylag Geese.....surely this couldn't be it....so...more wandering....

I meandered across a vast gravel-scape and found a few small ponds but nothing too fruitful....so decided to meander along the footpath again...which crossed the pits slightly nearer where they were working....

Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat.....

I could also hear Nightingale in the distance....though no surprise here as I had wandered in the direction of the pits from the Beltring side over the past few years on several occasions and found them around....

Then a small gap in the trees and there was a small scrape....2 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Green Sandpiper....

I meandered on to the woods....and had to cross the railway....at a crossing that clearly hadn't been used for a few years....

£2 for not shutting the gate!!

...looking down the track the other way...now overgrown...

...one careful owner....

I found 3 Nightingales in the near woods......at which point it decided to rain....so I made a retreat...