0730—1130 Cool W air; bright sun and high cloud. Walked the E flood and creek then to Uplees. 3 Cetti`s were widely dispersed, plus a forth later at Uplees. The Little Owl was mobile around its favoured site and on the E flood 7 Gadwall were centre stage; with the other duck sps much as yesterday—save for the Garganey—–secreted or…
Author: Michael
Oare Marshes
0745-0945 High hazy cloud and warming. A quick visit and walk west; stopping for a catch up with JR who already had found a male Garganey on the E flood—thks for my first Spring migrant! A Kingfisher zipped through ,whilst two Cettis sang simultaneously, plus a third was centre W flood. There were numerous wildfowl , with Pintail; Wigeon; Teal; Tufted Duck and Pochard well represented, plus eight Canada Geese loudly announcing their presence. A…
Oare Marshes
0745—1145 Initially walked west; into eye-watering westerly air, the glaring sun at my back. Cetti`s as usual, was vocal at the car-park; a couple of Wigeon; 11 Tufted Ducks; a pair of Pochard and three Gadwall were in the main dyke. A cock Stonechat was at the copse; Skylarks were prominently singing but a Song Thrush outdid all the vocalists from the upper circle of the arbour. A scattering of Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets were shoreline,and three Gt Crested Grebes were on…
Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve
5-3-17 Shoveler x 6, pochard x 2, little grebe x 1 (Sutton Hide), little egret x 2, water rail x 1, Mediterranean gull x 2 (East lake), black-headed gull x 325, lesser black-backed gull x 2, herring gull x 38, common gull x 17, sparrowhawk x 2, common snipe x 6, redwing x 10, siskin x 15, chiffchaff x 1, grey wagtail…
Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve
4-3-17 Grey heron x 1 (sitting on nest on North Lake), siskin x 15, reed bunting x 2, common snipe x 1. 3-3-17 Common snipe x 2, siskin x 50, reed bunting x 1 (Slingsby Hide). 25-2-2017 Water rail x 2, common snipe x 2, little egret x 3, siskin x 1, goldfinch x 15, redwing x 4, little grebe…
Oare Marshes
March 3 08:05-11:50 – cloudy, light rain at first and a moderate SE wind. Ducks on the east flood included five Gadwall, 20 Pintail, 21 Shoveler and 11Pochard whilst 36 Tufted Ducks had relocated to the west main dyke. A female Great Spotted Woodpecker paused briefly at the cottages before heading east and two adult Mediterranean Gulls flew SE over…
Oare Marshes
0830—1030 A cool SW breeze, but at least some half decent light in a cloudy sky. A slow walk, predominately round the E flood, although for starters the Little Owl gave good views from one of its favoured spots.On the E flood eight Gadwall were seemingly paired; a pair of Pochards increased to twelve, with several smart males appearing from the cover of reeds. c 30 Tufted…
Oare Marshes
1000—1300. A brisk W/NW was a tad eye-watering; but after yesterday`s blow it seemed pedestrian. A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers flew W , whilst Sheppey skyline was seemingly inundated with Lapwings; long ragged lines of ca. two thousand with c 150 Golden Plover separate in a tight wheeling flock .Marsh Harriers were active along the saltings and around Mocketts, and a couple of Buzzards were noted. In the…
Oare Marshes
0800–0930 Feeling masochistic, I thought I would test Doris`s wrath and the effect it was having on Oare`s birdlife. A 200 m battering to the seawall hide; composure and a hot coffee, provided the following. Lapwings were tossed in ragged lines, or facing the wind—crests parallel with the upper body—unsteady in the gusting violence; Black-tailed Godwits swept in low over the seawall; Avocets , startlingly black…
Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve
15-2-2017 Monthly transect Pheasant x 1 male (wild garden space), stock dove x 1, woodpigeon x 6, rose-ringed parakeet x 4, kingfisher x 2 (1 on West Lake and 1 on North Lake), green woodpecker x 1, great-spotted woodpecker x 3, grey wagtail x 1 (singing at the South western corner of the West Lake), pied wagtail x 2, wren…