Kent trip 30.09.13

Last Monday saw me heading for North Kent at 5a.m. First stop was Oare Marshes near Faversham. Always a pleasant reserve, easy to park and view. The target was a spotted crake that had been present for a while, in a ditch behind the East Hide. I arrived at first light and immediately noted in excess of 750 black tailed godwits and 200 redshank. A flock of 33 avocet flew in as I made my way around the sea wall to the hide at the promontory. Plenty more redshank, some dunlin and 30+ little egrets along with several calling sandwich terns on the estuary. I continued to the east hide where, after a few minutes, the spotted crake showed ofr less than 30 seconds before heading back to the bullrushes and out of view. It called several times but was not seen again. Olly Frampton, up from Hants, waited 2 hours but a no show. See http://thedirtyburtonbirder.blogspot.co.uk for his birding blog.

sunrise at Oare Marshes

Sunrise over the estuary

lapwings

black tailed godwits and redshanks

more black tailed godwits and redshank

Looking east

After returning to the car, I made my way to Cliffe Reserve. Here was a lesser yellowlegs, but as I had plenty of time I wandered off to the distant flamingo pool first, checking the redshanks and ruffs for the el yell. No sign. Several kestrel were hunting and good numbers of little and great crested grebe along with over 50 little egrets. Usual wildfowl were also noted. I met up again with Olly who had not ticked the sp crake. We checked the pools before he drove us to the far Black Barn pools. Strangely a report came up the the lesser yellow legs had just been seen here, but with only 5 of us on the reserve and no one having seen it, seemed strange to be on rare bird network. A check, into the sun. of the black barn pools gave little new, so I thanked Olly for the lift and headed back to the car park. All in all, a rather disappointing reserve that was, if I recall correctly, going to be the RSPB flagship reserve when first purchased. Plenty of anti London's 3rd airport money was pumped into the purchase of this vast reserve, but there has been no development whatsoever. In fact, there seem to be fewer birds present than 15 - 20 years ago. There seems to be no management plan, no water level management and, I suspect no check on salinity. A shame. Also, trees that held a roost of long eared owls have been removed (to attract nightingales) and the local population of over wintering Short eared owls also appears to be in decline. Not too sure what the RSPB are doing as I see it just being a burden to them unless they make some much needed investment. I shall endeavour to find out. Very little was close for a worthwhile photo, just a few little grebe and a view looking north towards the Thames estuary

Having returned to the car, I headed off to Rainham Marsh as I wanted to be through the Dartford tunnel before rush hour. Here, after a coffee, I had a good wander around, without noting anything wonderful. 5 pintails coming out of eclipse plumage were good and I heard several bearded tits near thew dragonfly pond. Again usual suspects were present but I was soon back on the car park that was the M25. and home.
All in all, not my greatest day birding, but still a joy to be out.
Species list from the day:
little grebe, great crested grebe, cormorant, little egret, grey heron, mute swan, greylag goose, canada goose, brent goose, shelduck, (10 sp) mallard, gadwall, pintail, shoveler, wigeon, teal, pochard, tufted duck, sparrowhawk, kestrel, (20 sp) common buzzard, pheasant, spotted crake, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, golden plover, lapwing, dunlin, (30 sp) redshank, greenshank, black tailed godwit, curlew, snipe, ruff, black headed gull, mediterranean gull, herring gull, lesser blcak backed gull (40 sp) great black backed gull, sandwich tern, stock dove, wood pigeon, collared dove, tawny owl, green woodpecker, greateer spotted woodpecker, swallow, meadow pipit, (50 sp) pied wagtail, grey wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, redwing, mistle thrush, blackbird, blackcap, chiffchaff, (60 sp) great tit, coal tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, bearded tit (heard)magpie, jay, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, (70 sp) starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, linnet, goldfinch, greenfinch, bullfinch, reed bunting.
In total 78 species.