Trip reports

Oare Marsh

Sunday, 1 April 2007

Oare Marshes was whipped by strong winds, which made using the telescope difficult on the sea wall. A pair of avocets, a kestrel and green finches were seen from the car park. We scanned the mud flats and found red shank, oystercatcher, curlew and a group of black tailed godwits in full breeding plumage. Looking a little longer in the strong winds we discovered a bar tailed godwit feeding on its own near the water's edge. Turning inland the wind was less noticeable. A snipe was found sheltering behind some reeds. Meadow pipits and reed buntings were flitting around the grasses adjacent to the path. From the east hide we found three little stints, pintail, gadwall, shoveler, teal, mallard, lesser blacked back gull, wigeon, tufted duck. Moving across the road to the west hide revealed some stock doves on the roof of the sheds and a skylark was seen singing high in the sky. From the hide we saw Pochard, tufted duck, little grebe, lapwing, greylag goose and little egret. In the afternoon we followed the sea wall to Dan's Dock. Here we passed close to mute swans and distant marsh harriers were seen. We decided to return via Uplees which offered the opportunity to see many garden bird species. Great and blue tit. House sparrow, Wood pigeon, collared dove, song thrush and also a green woodpecker, a jay and magpies. The final bird of the day was a mistle thrush. Unfortunately we did not find a little owl or the long billed dowitcher, but that just a good reason to return again another day,