Today was a Wetland Bird Survey day on behalf of the BTO and RSPB.
So I started from the newly named Sweeney Viewpoint looking out over Gordons' Hide to the scrapes and reservoir with the magnificent marshes seemingly endlessly stretching into the distance, in reality the mighty Thames curtails its' progress.
From here could be seen dabbling, dozing or probing :-Coot (73), Wigeon (70), Pochard (4), Shelduck (18), Moorhen (4), Tufted Duck (22), Mallard (7), Canada Goose (67), Lapwing (500+), Little Grebe ( Little Grebe (4), Heron (4), Oystercatcher (14), Redshank (4), Gadwall (4), Pintail (5), Shoveller (3), Black-tailed Godwit (1), Greylag Goose (108), 2 Mute Swans (2), Marsh Harrier (at least 1male and 2 females), Med Gull (1), Swallow (1), Cettis' Warbler (1).
Over on the Halstow Marshes side was an equally impressive array of wildfowl including 28 Tufties, 18 Coot, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Heron, 15 Shelduck, 8 Mallard, 24 Teal, 12 Shoveller, 2,000 Wigeon, put up by the grazier releasing a small herd of cattle nearby! 12 Shoveller, 1 Little Egret and two Gadwall.
The ringers told me they had had a least two Chiff Chaffs in the nets that morning, so with that and the recent sighting down on the coast especially the Dungeness area, not to mention the Swallow, the Spring migration is getting underway.
On the way back from Halstow Marsh a commotion in a nearby bush caught my attention, out flew a Meadow Pipit hottly pursued by a Merlin, still vocalising it set off across the field as fast as its'wings could go! But it stood no chance! The diminutive falcon was after it and on it in a flash and it was a flash. Grounding it and taking it back to the bush where I imagined it had mometarily wrigglesgd free somehow.
Walking past a reed bed I heard the single unmistakeable ping of a Bearded Tit
A Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly was on the reserve today.
So much to enjoy at this unique part of the Hoo Peninsular!
Murray Orchard did the WeBS count at Cliffe Pools yesterday and here are the results:-
4 Greylag Goose, 10 Canada Goose, 3 Egyptian Goose (on Alpha marshes), 94 Wigeon, 42 Gadwall, 34 Teal, 45 Mallard, 22 Pintail, 1 Garganey (drake on Radar Pool), 413 Shoveler, 80 Pochard, 72 Tufted Duck, 5 Goldeneye, 17 Little Grebe, 11 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Marsh Harrier (female), 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard (Cliffe Marsh), 1 Merlin (hunting over Cliffe Marsh), 195 Coot, 33 Oystercatcher, 125 Avocet, 80 Grey Plover, 165 Lapwing, 550 Dunlin, 1150 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 201 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 6 Mediterranean Gull, 1970 Black-headed Gull (on breeding islands), 2 Kingfisher (pair display chasing), 1 Water Pipit (on Black Barns 3 from viewpoint), 3 Cetti's Warbler .[]
Thanks to Douglas Wright and Eliza Saunders for the images.
The North Kent Marshes are a very special area and worth preserving at all cost.