Sixteen club members met in Gillingham on Kent’s north-west coast. Weather was generally mild and dry.
Day 1: Oare Marshes is 81 hectares of grazing marsh with freshwater dykes, open water scrapes, reed bed, saltmarsh and seawall, on the north Kent coast facing the Isle of Sheppey across the Swale. (It was thought too early to visit Sheppey for Harriers and Owls – though a Hen Harrier was reported the day after our return). We concentrated on the modest pools next to the access road, that had a full selection of waders in close view, including eight Spoonbills standing together with heads tucked, 180 Avocets who took off to wheel around in a magnificent show of flashing white and black, some large flocks of Lapwing, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Bar- and Black-tailed Godwit who could be heard ‘muttering’ together, Turnstone, Knot, Ruff, Sanderling, Dunlin, Snipe, Common and Spotted Redshank (the latter showing a fairly unmarked back but much spangling on the wings, and clear white round the eyes), and Greenshank. Bearded Tit and Cetti’s Warbler were heard in the reed beds and Marsh Harrier and Swallows seen. However, amidst these successes, our first target species ‘fail’ was for Curlew Sandpiper
Day 2: Dungeness is on Kent’s south coast, Europe’s largest area of shingle habitat, with miles of beachline and extensive areas of scrub and gravel extraction pits behind, including the large RSPB reserve. Our sea watch by the nuclear power station produced Gannet, Sandwich Tern, Great Crested Grebe, Auks, Mediterranean Gull – and ‘bird of the day’ if not ‘of the trip’ – a close-up juvenile Sabine’s Gull flying low along the surf line and showing how small it was when sitting in the waves. It hung around on the beach for the next two days. Further along at the power station’s warm water outfall, gulls fished in a frenzy or gathered in species groups on the beach – including the extraordinary sight of about 100 Great Black-backed Gulls all together with Cormorants, (Leader’s factoid: GBB Gulls are only found in the North Atlantic, unlike many other gull species which have a much more extensive range). Again we saw a few Swallows – mild weather and plenty of insects probably keeping them here. The RSPB reserve has a large circle of hides overlooking a series of pools surrounded by dunes and scrubland. Our watches there produced Greylag and Egyptian Goose, a selection of Ducks including Pintail, Pochard and Long-tailed, a Red-throated Diver in close view clearly showing its fine uptilted bill, Common Tern (easily mistaken for Sandwich as its bill goes dark in winter), Little and Great Crested Grebes but not a reported Black-necked, Cattle and Great White Egret (not yet expected in Kent), majestic views of Marsh Harriers – particularly a boldlypatterned female, a Little Stint in a small woodland pool, a flying flock of 40 Stock Dove, and lots of Cetti’s Warblers. Another birdwatcher surprised a Short-eared Owl literally outside one of our hides, We also missed Ring Ouzels, searched for in the shingle dunes of the ‘Moat’ by the lighthouse buildings, also Tree Sparrows which nest at the reserve entrance but weren’t currently being fed to keep their interest there!
Day 3: Driving in towards Cliffe Pools Reserve, we passed 27 Red-legged Partridge in a field. The reserve on the south bank of the Thames estuary below Tilbury, is an extensive area of semi-industrial gravel extraction lakes and scrubland with ponies and showing huge cranes and ships visible in the distance. The large lakes held scattered treasures, including large flocks of Lapwing, Golden Plover, Ruff and Greenshank, Greylag Goose, many Little Grebe, Pintail and Pochard, a charming flock of Avocet running to keep closely together as they fed, and Common Gull, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker and Marsh Harrier. As we had seen elsewhere, groups of Starlings were gathering into larger flocks to perform ‘mini-murmurations’. Returning home, we did a final twitch at Runnymede near the Thames, for the Ring-necked Parakeets that have made this their home. We walked to the meadow site of the historic signing of Magna Carta where three slender green Parakeets squawked as they flew over, and we admired two Mistle Thrushes high in a tree. Many thanks to Jane for her usual inspiring and informative leadership, and to our gallant drivers Keith Williams and Chris Neale for the long distances covered. Lois Pryce