STEVE ASHTON'S WILDLIFE GALLERY

May 2008

Black-Winged Stilts at Elmley RSPB.

After hearing of the two Black-Winged Stilts yesterday at Elmley, I had a hunch that they may be at Oare this morning, so I was parked up and scanning the West Flood just before 05.00 a m. I met Allan Ashdown shortly after I arrived, fresh from a couple of days in and around Suffolk, but by 7 o clock, we had not located them, so we drove to Elmley. There was nothing out of the ordinary at Oare, but we did see a Common Buzzard, that flew along the road in front of us, between Oare and Teynham. It flew into a tree, and gave great views, before flying of over a field. Arriving at Elmley, we photographed a few Swallows resting on a telephone wire in the RSPB car park, before setting off on the trek to the hides on the reserve. The entrance track into the reserve allowed us a few photo’s from the car, and Yellow Wagtail, Grey Partridge, and Brown Hares were all snapped. A Hobby was seen as soon as we started walking down the slope towards the Wellmarsh hide, the last place that the Stilts were seen yesterday. A few hundred yards from the hide, the pager alerted us to 2 Black-Winged Stilts at Oare Marshes, (was someone having a laugh), so after deliberation between Allan and myself, We recovered our steps, back along the track to our cars. Leaving the reserve, having sighted a smart Drake Garganey on the way, we had not travelled half a mile, when our pager then alerted us to the 2 Stilts leaving Oare and travelling North West towards Elmley. (Yes someone was having a laugh). After more decision making, we thought that we had probably missed the birds, so decided on a cup of coffee, after doing a U turn and arriving back at the RSPB car park. A slow and leisurely walk back down the track to the hide complex, where we were able to photograph a Water Vole, just outside of the Wellmarsh hide, and the pager sounded again, telling us of the Stilts showing from the Wellmarsh hide. Two minutes later, we entered the hide, to see a Black-Winged Stilt 20 yards from us, the first time I have connected with this species. During the next hour we watched the 2 birds present, and also watched as they mated in front of the hide. They were continually harassed by the Avocets present, but we were treated to great views of these elegant Waders. A Common Sandpiper was seen, along with a Greenshank, a Ring Plover, several Whimbrel, and the species list for the morning was 58. A great morning, in bright sunshine, with the added bonus of a new life time tick.

Day List. Black-headed Gull, Coot, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Shell Duck, Redshank, Shoveller, Grey Heron, Mallard, Moorhen, Greylag Geese, Little Egret, Oyster-catcher, Tufted Duck, Starling, Lapwing, Pied Wagtail, Cuckoo, Nightingale, Red-legged Partridge, Curlew, Mute Swan, Reed Bunting, Pochard, Linnet, Marsh harrier, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Swift, Swallow, Magpie, Sand Martin, Little Grebe, Grey Partridge, Yellow Wagtail, Common Buzzard, Hobby, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Sparrow-hawk, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Avocet, Garganey, Common Tern, Great Crested Grebe, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Black-Winged Stilt, Ring Plover, Turnstone, Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Greenshank, Gadwall, Robin, Kestrel, Wood Pigeon.