Kent Ornithological Society Providing information about birds and birdwatching in Kent

1957

Cliffe, single bird, low overhead, 8th March.

1959

Warden, Sheppey, single bird, 8th November.

1960

Sevenoaks, two birds flew west, 2nd July.

Lydd, single bird, 3rd May.

1963

Northward Hill, single birds seen on 3rd March, and another on 29th December.

1965

Northward Hill, two birds on 3rd January, and a single on 21st February.

1967

Hildenborough, one flew north, 7th July, with two birds over, 21st August.

1968

Hollingbourne, single bird, 23rd January.

1973

Sevenoaks, single bird, 25th September

Wrotham, single bird, 30th October.

1975

Sevenoaks, one west, 12th April.

1978

Dungeness, single bird, 26th April.

Coxheath, Maidstone, single bird, 11th June.

1979

Worth, one flew south-east, 4th February.

1981

Langley, Maidstone, single bird, 15th June. .

1986

Sandwich Bay, single bird over, 14th May.

Crundale, single bird over, 2nd July.

Bough Beech, single bird over, 28th September.

1987

Dungeness, single bird over, 25th May.

1990

Dungeness, single bird over, 7th May.

1991

Shuart, Minnis Bay, single bird amongst mixed corvid flock moving south-west, 17th September.

1994

North Foreland, single bird flew south-west, 21st April.

Herne, single bird flew south, 10th June.

1996

Bough Beech, two birds over, 3rd August, and presumably the same pair over the nearby Winkhurst Wood, 5th August.

1997

Dungeness, many sightings between 16th January and 5th April, probably relate to two or three individuals.

1998

Dungeness, single bird present, 3rd February until 21st April.

2001

Blean Woods, two birds over, 17th August.

2006

Scotney Court, Lydd, two birds, 25th February.

Samphire Hoe/Capel-le-Ferne, two birds, seen on several occasions, 19th April until 6th May.

Dartford, two birds over, 14th May.

Sandwich Bay, single bird over, 26th September.

2007

Samphire Hoe, two birds, 26th March. These birds were seen into April with presumably the same birds visiting Capel-le-Fern, Wye, and Dungeness.

Kingswood, Maidstone, possibly a different bird, 17th June.

St. Mary's Bay, Dymchurch, possibly one of the original birds on 6th August.

Dover, two birds, 10th August, and between 30th September and 17th October, they were seen at Dungeness, Scotney, and Chartham.

Belmont Park, Sheldwich, had a single on 23rd October.

Dungeness Reserve hosted the wandering two on 10th December.

2008

Samphire Hoe, up to four birds present up until 25th April.

Boughton Park, single bird, 1st February.

Bedgebury Pinetum, single bird, 8th February.

Godmersham, single bird, 14th February.

Capel-le-Ferne, single bird, 31st March.

Lydden Down, single bird, 25th April.

Kingswood, Maidstone, single bird, March.

Bough Beech, single bird, April.

Kearnsey, four birds over, 22nd July.

Dungeness BO, four birds over, 23rd July.

St. Margaret's, two birds, 22nd August.

Newington, two birds, 14th September.

Samphire Hoe, two birds, 19th September.

St. Margaret's, three birds, 27th September.

Samphire Hoe, four birds, 28th September.

Samphire Hoe, two birds, 6th October until late December.

Dover, two birds, 10th October.

Foreness, three birds, 4th November.

Little Cheyne Court, single bird, 23rd November.

Bedgebury Pinetum, single bird, 23rd November.

Bockhill, two birds, 6th December.

Sandwich Bay, two birds, 11th December.

New Romney, single bird, 19th December.

Bedgebury Pinetum, two birds, 20th December.

Bockhill, two birds, 23rd December.

2009

Pegwell Bay to Dungeness, reports from various localities of one-two birds during January to April. Impossible to say how many birds in total present.

Pembury, two birds present during January.

Dungeness, two birds, 15th March.

Capel-le-Ferne, two birds, 15th March.

Dungeness, two birds, 15th March.

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 15th March.

Boughton Park, single bird, 15th March.

East area, four young fledged from a cliff site.

North area, two young fledged from a quarry site.

Bockhill, four birds, 10th October.

Abbotscliffe, two birds, 10th October.

Paddock Wood, two birds, during September.

Cliffe Pools, two birds, during September.

Bough Beech, single bird, during October.

Cooling, single bird, during October.

2010

Up to five of this recent colonist appeared at four sites in Central, 10 in East, three in North and seven in both South and West, but wandering individuals, pairs or families make total numbers difficult to assess. Favoured areas in the first four months were Bedgebury in Central, Bockhill, Church Hougham, Langdon Cliffs, North Foreland and Pegwell Bay in East, Botolph's Bridge, Dungeness, Royal Military Canal at Hythe and Samphire Hoe in South and Bough Beech and Halling in West.

Breeding was reported from one site in West and one in East, only the latter producing young. In the May-August period Ravens additionally paid visits to Leeds Castle in Central, Chilham in East, Capel-le-Ferne, in South, where there were two adults and two juveniles in June, and Wouldham in West.

In the last four months new places on the itinerary were Boughton Park, Cranbrook and Sissinghurst in Central, South Foreland in East, Folkestone (three birds) and Scotney GPs in South, Cliffe in North and Knockholt and New Hythe in West.

2012

In the first half of the year this huge passerine was seen at one site in Central, eight in East, one in North, eight in South and three in West. The total of 21 is the same as for 2011. Highest counts were family parties of five at St Margaret's on Mar 8th, six at Dungeness on May 22nd after four young fledged, four at Cliffe on June 19th and four at Wouldham on the 21st.

In the second half of the year 26 sites were visited, the same as in 2011.

A pair bred and fledged four young at a site in West (per KOS Database).

2013

One-two of our largest passerine made their presence felt at five sites in Central. In East 26 sites were favoured, with highest counts of five at Sandwich Bay in December and four there and at St Margaret's in October. There were reports from 16 sites in North, with three birds at Elmley NNR and 15 in South with up to three birds at Samphire Hoe in October. Of 12 sites in West, Cobham recorded four in June and there were three at Wouldham in July. In February a bird was seen carrying food near Dover and in May there was a nest with two young at Swanscombe and two adults and four young at Dungeness.

2014

Recorded during every month of the year with the highest counts at the beginning of the year were six at Folkestone Warren in February and three at Sandwich Bay in March. Rather like last year there were nests at Swanscombe and Dungeness with three and four young respectively. Later in the year highest counts were three at Bockhill in August and October and four at Dungeness and three at Cliffe Pools in September.

2015

Recorded during every month of the year with the highest counts at the beginning of the year were six at Samphire Hoe in January, four at Kingsdown in February, and six at St Margaret's and four at Pegwell Bay in April.

Probable breeding was reported from Capel-le-Ferne and successful breeding from Dungeness PS, Swanscombe and Cliffe Pools where one bird was seen feeding on a lamb's carcass.

High counts during the rest of the year included four at Folkestone on July 10^th, four at Temple Ewell on the 13^th and four at Oare Marshes on the 18^th. Six were seen at Samphire Hoe on several dates during August, with further sixes in September at Capel-le-Ferne on the 12^th and Bough Beech on the 26^th.  There was an impressive count of 12 at Samphire Hoe on Oct 2^nd with four at Abbotscliffe on the 14^th, followed by five at Dungeness RSPB Reserve on Nov 28^th and 11 at Bedgebury Pinetum on Dec 17^th.

2016

Ravens are early breeders and the first report of nest building came from Swanscombe on Feb 16th. Breeding reports came from three other sites although it would appear that Ravens are now established as breeding species across the county. Broods or family parties appeared at Samphire Hoe, Seasalter, Vauxhall Lakes, Lydden and Lower Rainham. One bird was seen raiding Black-headed Gull nests on Fowley Island and taking the contents to Sheppey. At Bough Beech one was seen sporting jesses. The highest count of the year was nine at Samphire Hoe in January, while counts of five birds were received from Coldred, Dungeness, Harbledown and Otterham Creek.

2017

In January one bird was seen to attack a Peregrine at St. Margaret’s on 4th January.

Breeding was reported from Dungeness Peninsula, Rede Common, Samphire Hoe and Swanscombe. Fledged young were also at Bockhill, Chetney, Cliffe Pools and Dungeness Power Station.

Highest individual counts were 10 at Dungeness BO in September, seven at Sandwich Bay in September, seven also at Kenardington in October and six at Beachborough in June.

2018

Highest individual counts at the beginning of the year were eight each at Graveney Marshes and Samphire Hoe in March and six in April in the Dungeness area.

Active nests were reported from Aycliffe in February, Swanscombe in March, Samphire Hoe and Dungeness RSPB in April. Nests with young were reported from Bockhill in March, Capel-le-Ferne in May and Beachborough and Blean Woods in June.

Highest counts in the latter part of the year were five in July at Samphire Hoe, five on the Dungeness Peninsula in August and in October six at Lympne Park Wood and five at Beachborough.

2019

One was seen feeding on a dead fox in January at Capel-le-Ferne.

Successful breeding took place at Chetney, Samphire Hoe, Dungeness, Tudeley Woods, Penshurst, Ashford Hospital, and Ash.

In May there were six at Dungeness BO, in June eight at Sevenoaks WR and in July four juveniles together at Cliffe Pools RSPB Reserve.

In October there were seven at South Foreland and six there in November. December saw six at Oare Marshes.

Ravens are now so widespread that it is not possible to compile accurate recording area totals. There were five at Burmarsh in July and six at Chartham on 5th and 22nd December. Additionally, counts of four – several representing family parties – were made at nine localities, spread across the county. Nest building was first noted at Aycliffe on 17th February. Successful breeding was recorded from Borstal, Lympne, Abbotscliffe, Lydden, Pembury, Swanscombe Marshes, Ash and Conyer, but is known to be more widespread than that.

The largest counts of the year were 14 at Bough Beech, a site record, on Oct 6th; a flock of 16 flying E over Hythe on Oct 10th (and seven flew E at Seabrook on the 11th); and 17 in a single noisy party at Dungeness on Nov 10th.

Counts of five and over in the first quarter of the year started with 10 in January at Walland Marsh, and then in March six at Tenterden and five at each of Graveney, Higham Marsh and Stodmarsh. On Feb 24th, seven flew N out to sea at Foreness. In the second half of the year, notable untabulated counts were five at Stodmarsh/Grove Ferry and seven at Small Hythe in August, where there were also five in September, and six at Reculver in September. October saw the 16 at Hythe and December rounded of the year off with eight at Penshurst.

Nest building was first seen at Goathurst Common on Feb 13th and at Lydden Down on the 20th. On Mar 30th, a pair were bringing food to a nest at Ash Levels where there was a nest on an electricity pylon. On Apr 16th, there were two young in a nest at Lympne. Successful breeding was also reported from Swanscombe, Abbot’s Court, Bockhill, Lydden Down, Samphire Hoe, Abbotscliffe and Sellindge.

In the first winter period untabulated counts of five or more were eight at Dunorlan Park (Tunbridge Wells) on Jan 16^th, and six at Royal Military Canal, Seabrook on Feb 28^th (though possibly the same six birds seen at Samphire Hoe earlier that month).

The earliest indication of breeding was of a pair nest building at Langdon Cliffs on Feb 5^th. At Richborough, there was a nest in the hood of a disused wind turbine on Apr 20^th. At Sandling Park (Hythe) lots of contact calls made between five-six birds on June 13^th suggested they were from fledged young and their parents. On the same day at Dungeness BO a party of six birds included four young.

In the latter half of the year the highest count was of eight at Bough Beech Reservoir on Aug 14^th. Four birds were seen on several occasions in the Sandwich Bay area between Sept 19^th to Dec 15^th. Four birds were also seen at several locations in Swale between Oct 16^th (Oare Marshes) to Nov 28^th (Elmley NNR).

The numerous reports throughout the year for Raven in all regions of Kent are testament to the remarkable population change for the corvid since 2006 when annual records started to occur in the KBR for this once rare visitor.