Trip reports

Oare Marshes and Seasalter

Sunday, 29 March 2009

Oare Marshes is a popular venue, so it was no surprise that 12 members assembled at the reserve car park ready to explore in the dry but cool conditions. The sun did come out on occasions making for a very enjoyable day. Our success with bird sightings started on the drive down to the reserve. A corn bunting was found on the wires above the road and a pair of mistle thrushes were seen opposite the cottages. We kicked off on the sea wall. The tide was out and a number of redshanks were feeding on the mud. Also present were a grey plover and a curlew. Later, as we moved towards the point a reed bunting was seen on a gate post and bearded reedlings gave fleeting views accompanied by their 'ping ping' calls. Out on the Swale there were a number of great crested grebes, brent geese and a whimbrel was seen flying to the exposed sandbanks. Here there were also shelduck, oystercatcher, and a flock of dunlin. A party of about a dozen avocets were assembled at the mouth of Faversham Creek. We then turned our thoughts to the East Flood. There was a good variety present, including mallard, gadwall, shoveler, wigeon, teal, pintail, pochard, greylag goose. As we passed the last of the reed beds there were calls deep in the reeds from water rails and a few members saw one individual take flight. Other birds seen were a peregrine high on a pylon, a kestrel perched on a small tree close to the path, grey heron, lapwing, snipe and a little egret. A short visit to the East Flood added long tailed tit, stock dove and little grebe. After lunch the group transferred to the far side of the Faversham Creek to where a stunning male marsh harrier was seen. By now the tide had risen to cover the mud. Turnstones and a single dunlin dodge the dog walkers on the sand left exposed. In land there was a large group of stock doves with a few starlings for company. Out on the sea a large raft of birds were found several miles out. Some were great created grebes, but the distance caused identification problems. Later we saw a raft of red-breasted mergansers. As we returned to the car park we picked up on the marsh harriers seen earlier, the skylarks were signing loudly and a breaded reedling put in a brief appearance. A single swallow was the first spring migrant of the year which was a nice end to the day.