Speaking to the bird ringers this morning, Andrew showed me a picture of the bird of the day, as you can see below a beautiful Firecrest. A bird that dwells mainly in confers and is a short range migrant, so maybe it's passing through or likes the look of the reserve and will stay for the winter.
Talking of migrants Roger Kiddie told me he saw the first of the winter Redwings this morning with 21 flying overhead.
The North Kent Marshes are a very special area and worth preserving at all cost.
Dear Dr Hoo,
your assistance please,
we had a lovely eve on Saturday wandering around Cliffe Pools,
looking at some lovely waders, and the Buzzards buzzing the rabbits,
but we saw a water bird we cannot name.
there were 4 or 5 of them in the water and on the sand bar behind the Avocets, and other waders.
The birds in question were quite large, bigger than a duck, and were a non-bright white with some black markings, they were not Avocets as they were far too big, and they certainly weren't Egrets,
they had their bums in the air whilst feeding, but then walked on the sands like a wader? they were the size of a small Goose perhaps?
I can't locate them in my books, do you know what they may be please?
thanks in advance,
Miles