My Diary
The weekend around East Kent.
11/07/10
1st summer Little Gull, seen at Oare marshes.
A fairly quiet weekend, with a trip to Oare marshes and Seasalter on the Saturday evening, and a raptor watch at Dunquerke on the Sunday morning. I arrived at Oare just after 4.00 pm on Saturday, and immediately noted a Little Gull, roosting on the spit out from the road on the East flood. It was a first summer bird, this being confirmed later by Martyn Wilson and Dylan Wrathall. Putting an age to Gulls is a nightmare for me, so I take the picture, and then seek advice later from the people that know. Several young Redshank on the East flood, 3 Ruff noted, the first returning birds I have seen this year, and several Avocets grouped together on the end of the Spit. Three main bodies of Black-tailed Godwits on the flood, numbers not being my strong point, but there were a good few hundred present. Herons were all Grey, Egrets all little, and a small party of Sand Martins flew east. I left just after 6, calling in at that well know Barn Owl Mecca in Kent, Seasalter. I have been there 4 times over the past week, and not seen one yet. I think MR Gould and Mr Chidwick have got me running around on a wild Goose chase. Or am I just unlucky? I counted 6 Grey Herons in a distant dyke, (it gave me something to do) and a Male Marsh Harrier was seen delivering a kill to 3 Juvenile birds over the flats. Sunday morning took in a quick walk around Groveferry, with two sightings of the elusive Grasshopper Warbler, (still no photos) and a red tagged Juvenile Marsh Harrier was watched hunting over the reed beds as i left the reserve. Sunday afternoon had me cadging a lift from Mark Heath, to the arc pit at Dungeness, to see a White-tailed Plover, a lifer for me, and a mega rarity to these shores. Although too distant for good photo results, we had excellent views of this elegant wader.