This Sunday (30th of April ) was a brilliant day to spend a few hours at RSPB Northward Hill. The Gravesend RSPB Local Group had already had a Dawn Chorus Walk and the Medway RSPB Local Group had already embarked on their walk by the time I set out from the car-park at Bromhey Farm at about 9.30 am.
Along the way going through the lower wood and past the reed pond a Peacock Butterfly was sunning itself on the path ahead as they often do when the sun is out.
Up ahead, just before I turned right toward Sweeney Viewpoint I saw a small white butterfly flitting over the low vegetation. On close inspection it was an Orange-tip male living magnificently up to its’ name. It even allowed me, unusually to grab a quick picture with it’s wing open showing it’s amazing orange tips.
At the viewpoint there were a huge number of birds on the marsh. A swirl of wings caught my attention, as they settled down I could see they were Godwits, about 50 most probably all Black-tailed. What was the best though was 6 or 7 were in stunning summer plumage. Even at a distance the rufous, rusty red individuals stood out from the crowd.
A pair of Egyptian Geese were a little closer, feeding on the reservoir bank, again that rufous red standing out. A little further out another pair were present, with luck one of them with breed this year.
Plenty of ducks were on the water Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Teal and Wigeon.
In addition to the afore-mentioned Egyptian Geese, Canada and Greylag (with 5 Goslings) fed on the grasses.
Lapwing were aerial chasing away intruders as were Oystercatchers. Coots and Moorhen also chased each other across the water surface.
Herons and Little Egrets fed in the shallows, the former stock still waiting for lunch to unwittingly come to them in stark contract to the Egrets showingly chasing after it.
In the low skies Whitethroat displayed calling their scritchy-scratchy call flying up a few metres then parachuting down to the same spot.
In a tree half way between the viewpoint and Gordons’ Hide a pair of Linnets landed the male showing well his red breast, the duller, streaked female sat on a branch just below him.
On high Common Buzzards soared with the Rooks, Jackdaws and Carrion Crows. It was nice to see them joined by a pair of Ravens, so distinctive with their thick neck and heavy bill. The wedge-shaped tail is a sure-fire giveaway and that when the other Corvids flew of they remained together proving that Ravens mate for life
In between the high and low air space kestrel hovered as Swallows flew through.
Butterfly-wise were Peacock, Tortoiseshell and quite a few Brimstones.
All in all as usual a brilliant few hours at the fantastic RSPB Northward Hill Reserve.
The North Kent Marshes are a very special area and worth preserving at all cost.