Either that, or things are on the move early in this slightly odd year. Having confidently predicted the first returning autumn waders on the 9th or 10th of the month, it was almost inevitable I suppose, but I was still surprised to flush a green sandpiper yesterday. Green sands are scarce spring migrants at Elmley, with the last record a full month ago, so I'm fairly sure that this is a returning bird. They are much more common in late summer, with peak counts approaching 50 in August. Green sandpipers on passage prefer well vegetated, muddy margins and can often be flushed from ditch edges. In flight they look very black & white (although the upper-parts are dark olivey) with a white rump and a distinctive "Weet-weet-weet" flight call. It remains to be seen whether spotted redshanks will be on the move early as well. Watch this space..
The sub-adult spoonbill remained faithful to the dwindling pools at the eastern end of the reserve and, while checking the main ditch edge for a missing calf (which I had actually missed in the first group of cows & calfs that I'd checked) in the same area, I chanced upon the elusive Egyptian goose. One more for the Elmley list! It has a metal ring on it's right leg and it seems reluctant to fly (preferring to run away from the approaching truck!), which may indicate a captive origin as opposed to a "feral" bird. Not that it matters much, as any Gippo goose is generally regarded as "plastic" by most discerning birders. Sandwich terns are providing regular sightings - mainly out on the Swale at high tide, but 2 flew north across the reserve on Thursday. Amongst the "usual" marsh harriers & kestrels, buzzard is probably the commonest raptor, with hobby providing regular sightings. There are currently 3 pairs of barn owl around the reserve, so an evening visit in calm conditions ought to result in sightings of at least one of them. The strong breeze of the last couple of days has resulted in a steady northerly movement of swifts, with probably many hundreds of birds passing over the reserve daily. A wheatear was reported on Wednesday - possibly still a migrant moving through, although wheatear has bred at Elmley in the past, so one to keep an eye out for. Med gulls continue to be seen over the marshes on a daily basis: hardly surprising, with the Medway population now around the 350 pair mark!
Of interest, when I was driving back onto the reserve y/day evening, amongst the growing flocks of juvenile starlings around Straymarsh Farm, there was an albino bird. I can remember this being a regular occurrence when I was summer warden here in the late 90's, when you could see up to 4 (presumably from the same brood) on the marshes. But sightings have been far less frequent recently. Being a white bird in a crowd of darker ones, you'd think that these individuals would be an easy target for any marauding hobby or sparrowhawk, but clearly something is surviving to pass on these mutant genes
Gordon, I saw a Albino Starling late April near Raptor point. The photo is not the best but ive posted it to the gallery.