Biking Birder I January 29th 2010 Tudeley Woods RSPB Reserve

 

29^th January               Teddy Bear’s Picnic                                           Jimmy Kennedy

               With no breakfast at the night’s Bed & Breakfast, I cycled to try to find the next RSPB reserve on my itinerary, Tudeley Woods RSPB Reserve. I was to be there by 10:00 a.m. to meet the warden, a volunteer and the local press. The large RSPB reserve consisted mostly of deciduous woodland and was the other side of Royal Tunbridge Wells from where I had spent the night. On a very cold yet sunny dry day, I eventually found the reserve, despite having taken a wrong country lane. Luck had been with me because an RSPB worker had seen me cycling along and he stopped to direct me in the right direction.

              A barrier of a long, thick, metal pole at the car park was lifted when Matthew, the assistant warden and Sarah Cobell, an enthusiastic sunshine volunteer with the look of Diane Keaton about her, arrived. Almost immediately four other cars arrived with single men in each, staring at we three. Discretion prevents me from saying why these men had arrived. Anyway, they all scooted off post haste when an extremely attractive photographer arrived from the local press. As soon as her camera was out, they were off! Obviously, these young men only had eyes for each other, weren’t here for a teddy bears’ picnic and did not want the local people to know that. The photographer was from the Kent Courier newspaper and I only hope that the photo with Matthew and Sarah, as well as me, was the one chosen for the paper. Wonderful people, sunshine people and I was so lucky to meet them.

              Once the photographer had left, I was taken by Land Rover to another part of the extensive reserve. The Marsh Tit seen there amongst the other woodland birds could not be counted on my year list. No carbon! Back at the original Tudeley Woods, the RSPB staff bade goodbye around midday and I birded the rest of the day by myself, exploring areas to the north and south. This wonderful RSPB reserve had a wide variety of woodland and heath habitats with few birds yet it was very enjoyable birding here despite the cool conditions. My teenage birding had been around ancient Oak woodlands like this one so I felt right at home despite being far from it. Very few birds were around; the wintry weather perhaps having moved them on or maybe they were flocked up in areas that I did not explore. I did see a male Sparrowhawk and a Treecreeper. [121] Otherwise the four mile walk around all areas of the reserve was mostly bird free. Mind you I love trees and there is enough here for anyone.

              Interesting charcoal manufacturing artefacts were in the northern woods, signs of the history of the forest. To the south, Matthew and the amazingly enthusiastic volunteer, Sarah were working in the afternoon on clearing Silver Birch scrub, increasing the heath habitat in that area. Nearby there were fabulously large Beech trees. Beautiful!

After birding at Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve, the cycle to the B & B was tough as snow fell and I then took a wrong road down a very steep hill to Groombridge instead of Stone Cross. Having been given directions, I still managed to get lost and an attempt to ask for directions in the dark, at a house on a small country lane, was greeted with all the previously bright house lights being turned off and no answer! I am sorry if I frightened someone!
 

17.61 miles                                                     1373 feet elevation up   1384 feet down