06/08/2017 East Grinstead RSPB Group visit to Oare Marshes

Sunday 6 August 2017
Oare Marshes, Kent

Our group's first outing of the new birding year - to Oare Marshes on the north Kent coast - went down very well with all 17 members.  The weather was ideal with temperatures around the 20C mark with only a light sea breeze.  We were rewarded with some good birding moments and a species count well in excess of 50.

• We missed our target species, the Bonaparte's Gull.  We decided to go round in a clockwise direction from the car park and by the time we got to the east flood, around lunchtime,  the bird had flown off to the River Swale.   Try as we may, we were unable to find it when we re-visited the Swale in the afternoon.  Had we gone round anti-clockwise we would probably have seen it -  but, by now, with a much-changed plumage from when we last saw it.

• We did manage to see the 2 Little Stints on the east flood.  They were the closest birds to us, a mere 25 metres from our viewing point on the layby by the roadside.  In the prevailing lighting conditions, they looked absolutely fabulous.

• Again we were fortunate to see a Turtle Dove here, a rather distant view of the bird perched on a tall post.

• Likewise, Bearded Tits showed in the reeds as we neared the NE corner of the reserve and headed along the path by Faversham Creek.  Not everyone was able to see them as they flew by rather quickly.

• Other highlights included a Peregrine and a Kestrel seen as soon as we got out of the car right at the start of the outing. 

• We saw several Ringed Plovers and one very young Little Ringed Plover at the East Flood.

• Needless to say, there were huge numbers of Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, Black-headed Gulls, Lapwings and Dunlin.

• A Snipe, a Water Rail, several Golden Plover and several Ruff were also interesting sightings.

Capel Fleet from 15.00

Around 14.30, nine of us made our way to Capel Fleet, on the Isle of Sheppey.  

• Here we were able to add Corn Bunting, Marsh Harrier, Greenfinch and Red-legged Partridge to our species list.

A smashing outing!