Oare Marshes
Little Egret
A fine day saw me on the North Kent marshes with Keith and Brian. Our day started at Oare Gunpowder works, where we recorded some woodland species, although the star bird was a Grey Wagtail which we found in one of the old works buildings.
Oare Gunpowder Works
Grey Wagtail
Then we moved onto the Marshes, which are one of the best places for migrating waders in the county.
Whilst waiting for the incoming tide to push the wading birds onto the marsh we went for a walk along the sea wall. We had been told that a Western Osprey had been fishing in the channel between Oare and Harty, but it seemed to have moved on. Then whilst searching the Harty bank, Brian found the bird perched on a post by the waters edge. As we watched it was clearly enjoying a meal of a fish it had caught.
On the rising tide, we saw increasing numbers of waders arriving on the marsh. Golden Plover, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Redshank and Black-Tailed Godwit were the most numerous species. Smaller numbers of Greenshank and Whimbrel were also present.
Golden Plover
Black-Tailed Godwits
In amongst these, we found at least 5 Little Stint and at least 4 Curlew Sandpiper.
Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin and Ringed Plover
Little Stint
There was a migrating passage of Swallows and smaller numbers of House and Sand Martins. We also heard and then briefly saw a Water Rail and had a brief flight view of two Bearded Reedlings.
Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters were present in good numbers and we also recorded 5 species of Butterfly including at least 6 Clouded Yellows. I also found a lizard which I believe is a Common Lizard basking in the grass.
Clouded Yellow. Photo by Nick Ford (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nickpix2008/)
Basking Lizard
An excellent day in a wonderful place. Thanks to Brian for driving us around and to him and Keith for their company.
Brant Goose [sp] (Branta bernicla)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Eurasian Teal [sp] (Anas crecca)
Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Little Egret [sp] (Egretta garzetta)
Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Western Osprey [sp] (Pandion haliaetus)
Western Marsh Harrier [sp] (Circus aeruginosus)
Common Buzzard [sp] (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel [sp] (Falco tinnunculus)
Water Rail [sp] (Rallus aquaticus)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Eurasian Oystercatcher [sp] (Haematopus ostralegus)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Grey Plover [sp] (Pluvialis squatarola)
Common Ringed Plover [sp] (Charadrius hiaticula)
Common Snipe [sp] (Gallinago gallinago)
Black-tailed Godwit [sp] (Limosa limosa)
Whimbrel [sp] (Numenius phaeopus)
Common Redshank [sp] (Tringa totanus)
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
Dunlin [sp] (Calidris alpina)
Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Mew Gull [sp] (Larus canus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Common Tern [sp] (Sterna hirundo)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Eurasian Collared Dove [sp] (Streptopelia decaocto)
European Green Woodpecker [sp] (Picus viridis)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Bearded Reedling [sp] (Panurus biarmicus)
Sand Martin [sp] (Riparia riparia)
Barn Swallow [sp] (Hirundo rustica)
Common House Martin [sp] (Delichon urbicum)
Cetti’s Warbler [sp] (Cettia cetti)
Long-tailed Tit [sp] (Aegithalos caudatus)
Common Chiffchaff [sp] (Phylloscopus collybita)
Eurasian Wren [sp] (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
House Sparrow [sp] (Passer domesticus)
Grey Wagtail [sp] (Motacilla cinerea)
Pied Wagtail [sp] (Motacilla alba)
Meadow Pipit [sp] (Anthus pratensis)
Common Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)
Common Linnet [sp] (Carduelis cannabina)
Large White (Pieris brassicae)
Small White (Artogeia rapae)
Green-veined White [sp] (Artogeia napi)
Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea)
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta)
Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)
