31st January 2026

A monthly round-up of bird sightings in and around Staple.

Woodcock (Library picture:Woodland Trust)

Birds in January: On the 2nd, a female Marsh Harrier was over the cover crop near Crixhall Court. It was a cold on the 3rd so it was a surprise to see 2 Chiffchaffs warming up in the early morning sunshine. They were in the Lime tree at the corner of the horse paddock at Great Pedding Farm. Chiffchaffs overwinter in small numbers and 2 more were seen in the hedgerow towards Crixhall Court on the 28th and 30th. Another warbler, the Blackcap also occasionally overwinters and one was in Twitham woods on the 28th. On the 4th, two Golden Plovers flew over a field at Chillenden but on one day in December there had been 15 at Summerfield. The Cattle Egret flock at Great Pedding had reached a magnificent total of 74 towards the end of December but once the cattle and sheep were taken out of the fields, most moved on. There were still 4 around on the 3rd, 2 on the 5th and 2 on the 26th. The Stonechat pair have been at Great Pedding on every visit, but Stonechats were also seen regularly around Crixhall Court. In theory it's been a good month of weather for ducks but sightings have been scarce. Just 3 Teal on the 5th and one on the 26th, both on the stream at Great Pedding. Snipe haven't been as obvious this winter as last but 5 flew up from the turnip field heading towards the stream on the 17th. Ravens have been regular in the area and a pair over the church on the 17th was nice. The odd Firecrest has popped up now and then, with one along the footpath behind the church on the 18th and one in the Crixhall Court orchard on the 23rd. The 20th saw a beautiful adult-plumaged, male Hen Harrier hunting over the seed cover at the top of the rise over to Goodnestone. Woodcock sightings haven't been as numerous this year but one flew up from the side of Buckland Lane late afternoon on the 20th and one was flushed from Twitham woods on the 28th. Little Owl courtship, a vocal affair, begins in January and the pair that frequents the hedgerow above Rowan Close have been heard regularly. On the 22nd, a pair of Treecreepers were seen together in Lea Wood. These are not common birds in east Kent, so the possibility of breeding locally is good news. A Peregrine Falcon sent a flock of 200 + gulls skywards from a field adjacent to the Miller Woodland Trust site in Chalkpit Lane on the 23rd, with a further sighting of one on the 28th at Crixhall Court. A flock of 32 Lapwings was a welcome sight at Summerfield Farm on the 23rd. At one time these would've been a normal occurence in winter fields, probably in their hundreds or more. A group of 16 were in the same field on the 27th. The 'chacking' of Fieldfares around Staple is pretty much constant at the moment, with the fallen apples in the orchards an appetising draw. Flocks of several hundred, with Redwings and other thrushes in the mix, are a regular sight. The early spring sound of 'drumming' Great Spotted Woodpeckers has already been heard particularly in the trees and old cherry orchard around the Old Vicarage.

This is a snapshot of birds seen in and around Staple this month but many more species than these have been seen and heard.