Trip reports

Oare Marshes Trip Report

Sunday, 21 September 2008

Our trip to Oare Marshes was blessed with mild warm weather, so there was no need for the usual hats, scarves and coats. The group assembled at the car park and wandered along the sea wall looking over the exposed mud for the waders. There were redshank, grey plover, black-tailed godwit, ringed plover, great black backed gull and common gull. The still air meant that the conditions were ideal for the bearded reedlings who were active, appearing quickly from the reed tops, looping around in flight before quickly disappearing again into cover. There were many small birds in the reeds: meadow pipits, reed buntings, goldfinch, stonechat and greenfinch were seen plus a large flock of linnets. On the sand banks a number of seals were hauled out and little egrets were feeding. A kingfisher was spotted in flight over the creek. We turned our attention to the east flood. There were a large number of birds busy feeding or quietly resting. In one area the black-tailed godwit had gathered, in another a large group of redshank had come in from the creek. In the shallows visiting ruff were evident, displaying a wide variation in plumage colours requiring each bird to be examined carefully before deciding its identity. There were a small group of golden plover and a single greenshank was a nice surprise. Wild fowl were present. Teal, shoveler, mallard and gadwall were dotted around the flood. Other species were identified. A little grebe was busy diving at the far edge of the water. A single little stint came into view and a peregrine falcon put up the majority of the waders including a number of lapwing. A hunting kestrel hovered over the grasses and a distant sparrowhawk added to our tally. By now the packed lunch back at the car became a priority so we picnicked in the sun overlooking the west flood. A distant raptor was identified as a hobby. After lunch we walked along the seawall to the west and were rewarded with excellent views of the bird perched on posts and flying at speed over the reed tops. We paid particular attention to the small pools in this area where water rail and spotted crake had been seen in previous days, but we were disappointed. However a close up of a sedge warbler was some consolation. Continuing to Dan's Dock we were rewarded with a wheatear and a distant marsh harrier. The tide was rising as we returned, so a final view over the roost on the east flood completed our day. The bird numbers had increased since our morning visit. There was a starling flock that completely covered one island. Also of interest were a number of snipe that were located in the long grasses at the water edge. A number of cormorants had arrived and there were a number of smaller waders. There were at least four little stint and in one area we had little stint, dunlin and curlew sandpiper in view at the same time. Our last sighting before returning was a beautiful yellow wagtail.