Oare Marshes 18-9-2012

Tuesday was another nice day so Alan and I visited Oare Marshes though the wind was quite fresh it was warm enough (for me) to spend most of the day jacketless. My recent lack of practice at photography tells in these shots for which I apologise. We started off taking a quick look out from the jetty which revealed very little except a single Curlew and a number of Black Headed Gulls, a look down the margin from the western path revealed some Mallards, Coots, Tufted Ducks a sole Dabchick keeping close to the reeds and a Snipe snoozing in the corner of one of the islands. 

Linnet - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

We headed up the main road noting that the New West Scrape was dry with only a few flies buzzing about the remaining small puddle. The East Flood was also low on water but this did not diminish the variety of birds there. A large flock of Bar Tailed Godwits with a few Redshank around the edges were in the distance whilst nearer to us on a dried patch was a significant number of Ringed Plovers with a Curlew Sandpiper preening itself in their midst.

Ringed Plover - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

A large flock of Golden Plovers (aprox 150) covered one island with a similar number of Starlings scattered around as were a large number of Lapwings. Dunlin were dotted about busily feeding as was a Little Stint, however soon after spotting it all the Starlings and Plovers together with the Little Stint took to the air and I never found it again. A scan of the skies revealed a Peregrine Falcon quite high, they must have been very vigilant to pick it out as I needed my binoculars to identify it.

Little Stint - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Other occupants of the flood included Mute Swans, Cormorants, Little Egrets and several Ruffs

Lapwings - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Seen from the roadway was this odd looking heron.

Heron - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

And then it closed its wings.

 

Heron closing wings - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

As we moved off towards the West Scrape a pair of Swallows flew through and a Goldfinch was seen in a nearby bush. The West Scrape was as usual relatively quiet with the only excitement a Hobby skimming fast and low over the reeds and disappearing behind the hide before I could point it out to Alan. In the distance a couple of Buzzards were over Mocketts, some young coots were in the water in front of us together with 4 Teal.

Starling - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

On the footpath to the East Flood Hide a Green Woodpecker flew out from our right. From the West Flood hide we had repeat views of a Curlew Sandpiper and excellent views of all the Bar Tailed Godwits among which a couple of Greenshanks were stood. There were about 70 odd Avocets in the flood and feeding along the far bank a pair of Spotted Redshank, the summer plumage still clinging to one of them. Occupants of the hide had been watching a Water Rail before our arrival but it did not appear for us.

Dunlin - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

We left and watched the butterflies and dragonflies around the water margin near to the hide. We were watching  a Small Copper, some Small Whites, and a Common Blue of the former and some Common Hawkers and a Common Darter of the latter when a gentleman called us back into the hide as a Water Rail had just reappeared, it was my first sighting of one this year and lovely to see as it walked along the waterline on the far bank too far away to photograph. It was very kind of those in the hide to consider calling us back.

Common Blue - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

The walk to the sluice was uneventful and we set up on the creek side of the flood to scour it from another angle but nothing new seen, however I looked over to where the Water Rail had been to see two Water Rails walking together which were then joined by a third – I was in seventh heaven, especially as one of them thought it best to walk in the sunshine avoiding the reeds all together.

Golden Plovers (from road) note summer plumage far right - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

The walk to the Sea Wall hide flushed out a solitary Long Tailed Tit, a pair of House Sparrows and a Linnet were seen in the various bushes whilst on the bank near the hide we saw a Pied Wagtail and some Reed Buntings. From the hide little was to be seen due to a very high tide however on the distant shore towards Seasalter were a large number of Oystercatchers. A check of Sheppey gave up a Marsh Harrier directly north of us.

Reed Bunting - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Other birds seen were Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons Collared Dove, and Herring Gull. A total of 42 for the days walk but for me the highlight was the three Water Rails. A final thank you to the person who found the lost eyecup to my telescope and put it on a post for me to find, I am very grateful.

 

Oare Marshes 28-2-2012

Stephen and I made a visit to Oare Marshes on Tuesday. It was dull, grey and overcast all day, as this photo of a small skein of Greylags shows, it made photography difficult however it was pleasantly warm and at ground level almost windless.  

Greylag Geese - A very grey day - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

We started our day with a look over the Swale from the ramp, Redshanks, Grey Plovers and a couple of Bar Tailed Godwits were on the foreshore with a few Common and Black headed Gulls. A Pied Wagtail was also flitting around the ramp. On Sheppey there was a Marsh Harrier sat on a fence post near the church, sadly in the dull light little else was identifiable including another raptor which seemed to just disappear into the hillside.

We wandered up towards the East flood, passing a Heron looking particularly striking on our right.

Grey Heron - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

a number of Wigeon were grazing nearby and a pair of Mute Swans were partially hidden in the stream.

Wigeon - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

The East Flood was very busy with plenty of Tufted Ducks, Pintail Ducks, Shovelers, Coots, Mallards and a couple of Little Grebes occupying the water while large numbers of Lapwings, Starlings and Golden Plovers were on the islands. The islands were also home to five or six Snipe (hard to keep tabs on them as they kept moving about), four Ruff and a few Pochards.

Snipe nicely showing crown stripe - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

The West Flood is known for being very quiet but there is often something different there, no surprise then that whilst having our lunch in the hide the only activity was a couple of Mallards, three Teal and a trio of passing Greenfinches. The something different was a pair of Gadwall which flew past landing in the depths of the marsh not to be seen again, they were the only Gadwall we saw all day.

We headed back towards the East Flood, near the road was the usual chattering from the House Sparrows in the bushes, which is where we also saw a solitary Long Tailed Tit. From the hide we saw that the Golden Plover numbers had been augmented and were up to about 200, Shovelers were also present in large numbers, a Cormorant had arrived as had a Little Egret, an Oystercatcher and a Little Stint, whilst Greylag Geese could be seen grazing on the grass.

Male Shoveler - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Female Shoveler - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

The walk up to the sluice was uneventful. Walking along the creekside we scanned the only mud flat which was yet to be covered by the incoming tide (yes I had mistimed it again, the tide was well in and only a short stretch remained above the waterline). On it were some Black Tailed Godwits, Redshanks, a large number of Dunlin and three Little Stints. A check of the length of the opposite bank gave a Curlew, some Oystercatchers and more Redshanks. Walking towards the Sea Wall hide we heard a pheasant, but it was nowhere to be seen. One of the highlights of the day was a large flock of about 2000 Brent Geese which had gathered on the Swale, their honking carrying for quite some distance to us over the dead calm water. They were quite restless, flying off in large groups, then returning about 15 minutes later – or perhaps this was just a staging post for a larger gathering elsewhere.

Brent Geese in the Swale (more arrived later) - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

From the Sea Wall Hide the Swale was flat without a ripple and the surface unbroken except for the odd nose of a Common Seal here and there. Searching Sheppey again I eventually found a Short Eared Owl towards the Shellness end, but it wasn’t around for long. The walk back to the Car Park gave us three Rock Pipits feeding among the rocks and disappearing in the holes in the revetment, they were in company of a solitary Turnstone. To our left a Cetti’s Warbler called out, however the birds we saw among the reeds were a pair of Reed Buntings whilst back at the Car Park a Wren sang briefly from a bush.

We had enough light left to wander to Dan’s Dock and back, the journey out gave us a pair of Sky Larks, for once standing out quite nicely against a grey sky and a number of Stock Doves on and around the block houses. Dan’s Dock itself was very quiet, however Stephen scoping towards Uplees and to the West found a hunting Buzzard which we watched for about 15 minutes, first perching on a telegraph pole, swooping down to take a kill, eating it back on the pole and then moving on. Stephen believed it to be a Rough Legged Buzzard but it was too far for my eyesight to confirm. We also picked out in the distance Wood Pigeons and some Rooks. On the return trip we heard a Green Woodpecker, from the West Flood area, while repeated scans of the swale gave us our last spot for the day a Great Crested Grebe.

Lapwing (on East Flood earlier) - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Throughout the day we had seen plenty of Shelduck and the odd Avocet, other spots included Blackbird, Collared Dove, Herring Gull, Moorhen, Magpie Canada Goose and Robin. The full list was 57 seen, 3 others heard (sorry Stephen I cannot count the Rough Legged Buzzard).

Oare Marshes 6-1-2012

Friday was a lovely day with lots of sunshine and with a drop in wind from Thursday the perfect birding weather, Thus with a song in my heart and a skip to my step I made my way to Oare Marshes. Parking up I made my way up to the ramp to find the tide was already on its way out. Despite a tide table that Wendy has given me, I never seem to catch it right at Oare, I am either just too late for the tide going out or far too early waiting for it to come in. From the ramp I saw Curlews, Ringed Plovers, Dunlins, Redshanks and a Grey Plover feeding on the shore whilst a Common Gull watched me from a nearby pole. 

Redshank - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

I had decided to go anti-clockwise today and so walked back up the road passing a small flock of Greylag Geese to my right. On the East Flood my first scan revealed a couple of Snipe (sleeping), some Teal, Pintail Ducks, Starlings, Moorhens, Lapwings and Black Tailed Godwits on the islands, whilst in the water I saw some Shovelers, Mallards, Coots  and Wigeon.

I then made my way to the West Flood Hide, you never know your luck – the West Flood Hide either has nothing or a couple of nice surprises. On the way there I saw a Green Woodpecker, whilst from the hide itself a Greenshank was clearly visible and then a Green Sandpiper showed up (I am willing to be corrected see photo below), 2 Pheasants also chose to feed nearby one walking across straight in front of the hide, a Dunnock was in some distant Brambles and a heron flew overhead.

Greenshank - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Greenshank & Green Sandpiper - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Green Sandpiper - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Back walking around the East flood I found a Robin and a Blackbird to the south of the Path and a Little Egret which took off from near the hide, fresh looks over the flood revealed a Ruff feeding nearby with Coots and Tufted Ducks out on the water. A check of the reeds on the opposite bank provided a Dabchick. Walking towards the sluice gate a Reed Bunting sat and posed on a wire fence, but not long enough for me to get the camera out of its case.

Pheasant - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

The creek banks were home to loads of Redshank and Dunlin, a few Oystercatchers were interspersed among them. From the Seawall hide I saw Turnstone with one feeding quite close to the hide, it was interesting watching him climbing over the rocks and with his whole head bulldozing the seaweed around searching for food. A small flock of Brent Geese flew east, a Cormorant was the only non-Gull amongst the Herring and Black Headed Gulls on the Swale. Looking across the Swale Common Seals were basking on Horse Sands whilst in the far distance a flock of Avocets could just be seen. Some Shelducks were over towards Whitstable and on most of the exposed sandbanks in the Swale.

Turnstone - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Having warmed up again in the hide I walked back towards the car park, I had one last look at Sheppey from near the ramp top where 2 other birders were with their scopes; and what wonderful people they were initially pointing out 2 Kestrels, one in a tree on the west flood, the other on a tree half way up Mocketts on Sheppey and then guiding me to a Short Eared Owl which was patrolling the fields and ditches to the East of Ferry House Inn. I doubt if I would have picked out any of them myself. A fantastic finish to the day. Seen but missed off the list above are Magpie, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Mute Swan and Great Black Backed Gull. The tally was 46, not bad for me.

Greenshank - Canon 400D + 100-400mm

Oare Marshes

Last week I was lucky enough after a lull of a month to go out walking 4 times and 2 of those specifically for birding. A great time was had on each occasion. Each report will sadly be short but will contain a full sighting list. Unfortunately due to camera problems (mine is currently in Burton-on-Trent) my pictures are substandard, apologies for that. This is the second of the 4 reports, a day at Oare with Alan. Sadly there are no photos from me as mine was still on holiday and I had left my Olympus at home. The below are Alan’s shots and his Gallery can be seen at :- http://alanfoad.com/photos/

Tuesday 15/11/11 was a very nice day and we started off with a walk down to Dan’s Dock, on the foreshore were Dunlin’s a plenty with a few Ringed Plover and Grey Plover in their midst, whilst a Rock Pipit nagged us from the nearby rocks. To the South of the path a few Reed Buntings were in amongst the reeds whilst in the water were some Mallards, a Heron and a Wigeon. At Dan’s Dock a Robin, a Dunnock, a female Chaffinch and a Grey Wagtail all showed nicely, whilst a small flock of 7/8 birds took off from the Reeds on the seaward side, did a lap before disappearing back into the reeds again. From the few calls and their overall outline I believe these were the Twite that others had seen, but as they were always flying across the sun so all I got was a silhouette and they never showed in the reeds I cannot say for sure.

Grey Wagtail at Dan's Dock

We returned along the same path and then on to the seawall Hide, however the tide had just come in and on the remaining shoreline opposite could be seen a large number of Redshank with Curlews, Oystercatchers, Black Headed Gulls, Herring Gulls and a few number of Bar Tailed Godwits. In the Swale was a Great Crested Grebe whilst a couple of Goldfinches were seen in the nearby bushes.

Goldfinch

The East Flood had its usual cocktail of birdlife including Teal, Dabchick, Little Egrets, Cormorants, Tufted Duck, Teal, a couple of hundred Avocets, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Coots, a couple of Shovelers, Redshank, Lapwings, Golden Plovers, some Snipe, a pair of Mute Swans and a Little Stint. By the bridge on the East flood Alan and I saw the briefest of glimpses of a Water Rail whilst over on the West flood a Green Woodpecker was spotted.

Grey Heron - near watchtower

Other spots included carrion Crow, Collared Dove, a Jackdaw, Magpies, Moorhens, Wood Pigeon and Starlings, and on the farmland to the South of the Marshes I saw 3 Pheasants. An excellent day with a total of 46 spots.

Oare Marshes

My apologies for lack of posts, RSI to blame. This is an amalgamated report for Oare Marshes which I visited on 6^th and 14^th October and have slowly typed up over the last 10 days. Future posts may have to be less wordy in order to be more timely and less of a historical document.

Ruff - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (6/10)

Thursday 6/10/2011 was a blustery day with a warming sun fighting through broken cloud, however it was still cold enough that I had to wear a coat for the first time this side of summer. I arrived with the tide out and started off with a scan from the ramp being rewarded with a Wheatear by the west gate and a Ringed Plover on the foreshore. 



Ringed Plover - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

I travelled along the road where a Meadow Pipit shot off to the west and arrived at the East Flood where the Black Tailed Godwits were gathered in their hundreds, a few Redshank around the periphery. There was also a smaller group of Avocets nearby. Little Egrets were fishing round the edges of the flood and the Cormorants were sat on their usual island. Teal were at the back of the flood with a pair of Mallards, there was also a Little Grebe diving. Small groups of Starlings were flying around and as I moved from my viewing spot a Kingfisher took off from about 6 feet away flying low towards the sluice gate. I passed a group of House Sparrows on the road before heading to the East Flood hide

2 Black Tailed Godwits - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (6/10)

On the path I spotted a Kestrel in a small tree in the field to my right, it spotted me and flew a bit further away alighting on to a fence post. I watched it for about 5 minutes before it swooped onto some prey the other side of the fence, immediately after a Green Woodpecker flew over the same piece of fence in the opposite direction, a blackbird took off from a nearby bush and a hidden Robin became vocal, it was suddenly all go here.

Lapwing - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

I went into the hide out of the stiffening breeze where I was able to look closer at the Godwits. At the edge of the flock near the Redshanks were a couple of Curlew Sandpipers a nice find but too far away to photograph. Out of the hide and up to the sluice gate where I had a good look for the Kingfisher, but no joy, that was until I walked across the sluice and once again it shot off this time from under my feet! How can something that colourful stay so well hidden?

Dunlin - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

The wind was well up by now and the path to the Sea Wall hide was so blustery that I had to hold my tripod to stop it toppling. From here I got better views of the Teal, but nothing new on the flood. Behind me in the creek there were about two hundred Redshank dotted up and down both banks busily probing the wet silt. The only other sighting before I took refuge in the Sea wall hide was a Reed Bunting and a Curlew.

Little Egret - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

I settled down in the hide to watch the tide come in, spending a couple of hours there. In the Estuary were some Great Crested Grebes whilst out towards Seasalter Brent Geese were gathering. On the foreshore of the opposite bank were Turnstones, Cormorants, Shelducks, Oystercatchers, Curlews, Grey Plovers and Redshanks. A mixed flock of about 30 Dunlin and Ringed Plover flew in but were scared off by a low flying military jet as was a Sandwich Tern who was sheltering in a dip along with the Black Headed and Herring Gulls.

Black Headed Gull - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (6/10)

Wendy joined me about 5pm, and ten minutes later a bird hit the hide! I leant out of the flap to see if it was hurt, but it was a Kestrel that had landed (heavily) on a ledge attached to the hide. It took off immediately, the below photo is the same bird as it wheeled round in front.

Kestrel- Canon 400D + 100-400mm (6/10)

We left the hide and headed back towards the East Flood for one last look from the road, this gave me four more fresh sightings for the day, this included several Herons who had up until now remained hidden, a sole Golden Plover on one of the islands, 3 Shovelers at the back of the flood and a Snipe by the Southern shore. Seen but not listed above are Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons, Great Black Backed Gull, Lapwing, Coot, Moorhen, It was a good day with 36 sightings, nothing new, but lots of activity.

Friday 14^th was a sunny day so I returned to Oare to try to get some better photos unfortunately something was wrong with the autofocus, nonetheless another good day was had. First up was a Cetti’s Warbler by the car park – as always, heard but not seen. Up to the East flood where the nearest islands revealed a few Ruff, Moorhens, and Ringed Plovers, whilst present in larger numbers were Lapwings, Starlings, Dunlin and Golden Plovers; Avocets, Cormorants, Redshank and Black Tailed Godwits were in the middle whilst at the back were Dabchicks, Teal, Little Egrets, Shovellers and some Mallards.


Group Photo (all facing into the wind) Golden Plover/Little Stint/ 2 Ringed plover/Lapwing - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

The nicest spot here were 3 Little Stint that were running around the nearest islands which I had missed the previous week.

Dunlin & Little Stint - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

Little Stint - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

The Golden Plovers were so dense on one of the islands that it was almost a carpet of gold, highlighted by the reddish heather they were standing on.

Golden Plover - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

 The West flood was completely dry, the only spot a distant Green Woodpecker.

A very blurry Green Woodpecker - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

The path to the sluice gate revealed a female pheasant in the field to my right, a Robin, some House Sparrows and a Blackbird. A flock of Goldfinches also kept me company for a while whilst a closer study of the Black Tailed Godwits revealed a Bar Tailed Godwit in their midst which I managed to pick out as it stretched its wings revealing its barred tail.

Goldfinch - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

The next year spot was a flock of five Bearded Reedlings that flew past me near the sluice gate heading up the creek, despite many visits in the past this was the first time I had seen them. Excuse the blurry picture but they did not want to hang around for photos.

Bearded Reedling - Canon 400D + 100-400mm (14/10)

The walk to the Estuary revealed very little as it was now high tide. The estuary had a few Great Black Backed Gulls and a larger number of Black Headed Gulls whilst in the Swale were Brent Geese. Other spots for the day were Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons, Herons and a Blue Tit. A total of 33 spots, not bad, especially as the tide was in.