Today I spent quite more few more hours on the reserve than I can normally afford, so I was there in
the afternoon for about 4 or 5 hours.
I spoke to Sonja Hardy, the Warden and assured her I would be locking up this reserve and RSPB Cliffe Pools.
I set off along the main track, slowly making my way to Sweeney Viewpoint. I noted the Black Horehound
flowers were even now, beginning to fade.
At ‘Sweeney’ the whole vista across the Thames to Essex was clear, with the unusual spectacle as often
mentioned, of huge container ships ploughing across the green fields of the North Kent Salt Marshes.
On the island gulls were making a din as usual fighting and squabbling over territory, the frenzy and noise
increasing 5 fold as a female Marsh Harrier drifted overhead only to be incessantly mobbed by the Blackheads
until seeking refuge in the reeds.
On a bank a pair of Oystercatchers foraged with two almost fully fledged youngsters in tow.
On the water Mute Swans had two cygnets, I have seen them with up to seven so maybe others were in
the vegetation, Coots and Moorhen also had youngsters with them.
A Common Buzzard sat on the roof of the CRS building again not escaping the Gulls’ attention.
There were some butterflies about but mostly in single numbers, Small Heath, Speckled Wood,
Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral.
A couple of Dragonflies too distant and fast to ID.
Three species of Damselflies were around, Azure Damsel, Blue-tailed and Common.
Scorpion Flies and False Oil Beetles were fairly easy to spot with care.
I love to watch the Red Ants farming ‘their Aphids’ on the thistles and occasionally see
Ladybirds chancing their luck to nick a couple risking the wrath of the Ants and their acid spray.
They never last very long!
Personally I would never jump in my Diesel guzzling vehicle to drive to the far end of the County to see
(for example a Falcon I have seen many times in the Greek Islands) a particular bird.
I much prefer to immerse myself in the ordinary and be occasionally thrilled at the unexpected extraordinary.
It is interesting to note that at least one male Cuckoo is still calling (and this evening 13/06/22).
It is still my mission to locate a baby Cuckoo, not to photograph or otherwise disturb it just hear it calling to
its’ duped parents, ‘FEED ME’!
This is for me the essence of ‘Patch Birding’ to know every tree, bush and patch of vegetation and truly be
in a position to witness the change from season to season, year on year, noting the species there before, last year
5 years ago, ten years ago.
The North Kent Marshes are a very special area and worth preserving at all cost.