<Aug06>

The following are currently resident on the reserve or in the general area: Bar-headed Goose#, Black Swan# from the 3rd, single male Wigeon, Ruddy Duck, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Water Rail, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Little Owl*, Barn Owl, Bearded Reedling, Cetti's Warbler*

Of local/reserve interest: 2+ Blue Tits (4 on the 16th), 3 Great Tits and c40 House Sparrows on the 16th, 26 Canada Geese on the 16th, on the 23rd 1 Wren near the car park, 1 Corn Bunting singing, carrying food and possibly feeding young near Dan's Dock, 15+ Yellow Wagtails, on the 25th 20+ Yellow Wagtails going to roost in reedbed near the Sea Wall Hide

This morning 4 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers on adjacent mudflats (the first record of juveniles this autumn), 1 juv Spotted Redshank on the East Flood, 2 Green Sandpipers on the west side and 2 Wheatears (Murray Wright)

Early a.m., 4 Whinchats near the NW corner of the reserve, 1 Wheatear, 1 Common Buzzard on Harty Hill, 1 Spotted Redshank & 2 Green Sandpipers from the West Hide, several Common & Lesser Whitethroats in adjacent scrub (Mike Roser)

From 19:00-20:00, 1 Black Tern, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Greenshank (John Bartlett)

2 Common Buzzards over Harty Hill, 2 Peregrines on a pylon east of Faversham Creek, 1 Hobby and a female Sparrowhawk over the reserve, 1 Wood Sandpiper on the South East Scrape, 1 Wheatear

(Murray Wright)

1 juv. Wood Sandpiper , 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 juv. Knot, circa 1000 Black Tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshanks, 21 Ruff, 131 Golden Plovers, 5 ad. Sandwich Terns
2 Green Sandpipers & 1 Winchat from the West Hide

(Murray Wright)

1 ad. Curlew Sandpiper, 2 juv. Wood Sandpipers, 3 juv. Spotted Redshanks, 23 Knot in the roost plus 125 birds over (flocks of 75 and 50), circa 750 Black-tailed Godwits, 51 Bar-tailed Godwits over, 5 Grey Plovers in roost plus 54 over, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Whimbrel in roost plus 18 over, 9 Greenshanks, 25 Ruff , 14 Avocets, 1 Turnstone, 3 Sandwich Terns over

(Murray Wright)

From the Sea Wall Hide in the afternoon: 1 Manx Shearwater, 4 Arctic Skuas, 18 Black Terns, 5 Little Gulls (Rob Clements)

In the morning 2 Wood Sandpipers on the East Flood, 2 Green Sandpipers from the West Hide and a Whinchat on the west side near the disused jetty at Dan's Dock, 1 Hobby (Murray Wright)

In the afternoon at high water 92 Golden Plovers, 10+ Knot, 13 Avocets, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1000+ Black-tailed Godwits on the East Flood (A Swandale)

Juvenile Montagu's Harrier hunting along the sea wall near the disused jetty at around 16:00, 5 Whinchats (Ian Bradshaw)

At nearby South Swale reserve an Aquatic Warbler was discovered in rushes between the Sportsman Inn and the beach chalets and last reported on the 21st. There is uncertainty regarding the age of this individual.

At high water this evening around 19:00, all on the East Flood: 2 Wood Sandpipers, 5 Knot, 5 Sandwich Terns (A Swandale)

There were also a few passerine migrants in the form of 1 Willow Warbler (heard) and 2 Chiffchaffs plus 5 Little Egrets, a Hobby, a Kingfisher and 15 Common Terns offshore (David Newman)

2 Willow Warblers & 3 Blackcaps in adjacent scrub, 22 Turtle Doves feeding on nearby stubble fields (Murray Wright)

Single Wheatear on the west side, flock of 28 Little Egrets flew south at 17:00 (John Conway)

Between 14:00 and 17:00 today (high tide around 17:00), fresh north-westerly wind: 1 moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Garganey, at least 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 18 Ruff, 11 Avocets, 4-5 Knot, 1120 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Turnstones, 5 Ringed Plovers and 3 Greenshanks on the east side; 6 Green Sandpipers and 6 Greenshanks on the west side

1 Black Tern and 1 Great Skua flew west over the Swale in the afternoon (Mark Kennett)

Juvenile Wood Sandpiper (Murray Wright)

August 13th

Seawatching from 07:00 - 11:00, strong NW wind & torrential rain: 1 Great Skua, 1 Black Tern, 4 Little Terns and approx. 25 'Commic' Terns.

Also, on the reserve this morning was 1 juv Spotted Redshank which dropped onto the mud in front of the Sea Wall hide, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 4 Common Sandpipers on the East Flood and a flock of 13 Greenshank flying SW over the car park.

(Murray Wright)

2pm - 3pm on the East Flood: 1 Little Stint, 5 Curlew Sandpipers, 81 Dunlin, 890 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Ruff, 3 Common Sandpipers, 7 Greenshanks (Chris Bradshaw)

August 12th

Seawatching from 08:00 - 11:00 in a strong NW wind: 52 Arctic Skuas, 80+ 'Commic' Terns and 3 Little Terns. Most of the Skuas were heading west along The Swale, but a couple of groups flew high SW inland. Passage seemed to dry up as the weather deteriorated and the heavy rain set in which ties up with counts from the other sea watch points around the county.

(Murray Wright & Steve Clinch)

From 13:30 to 16:30, high water, strong north-westerly wind and torrential rain: 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshanks, 6 Knot, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit (summer male), 1 Golden Plover, 20+ Grey Plovers, 1 Brent Goose (summering in the area), 1 Turnstone (A Swandale)

In contrast to the morning, only 1 Black Tern and 1 Arctic Skua were seen on the Swale this afternoon.

At high tide this afternoon: 2 Wood, 1 Curlew & 3 Green Sandpipers, 19 Ruff, 75 Dunlin, 18 Avocets, 5 Ringed Plovers, 3 Whimbrel and an estimated 1250+ Black-tailed Godwits

On the East Flood at high tide today: 6 Curlew Sandpipiers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Greenshanks, 12 Ruff, 35 Avocets, 25 Dunlin, 150 Redshanks, 3 Little Egrets. Also 2 Hobbys and 4 Clouded Yellow butterflies were seen. (Adrian Kerry)

In the morning a juvenile Montagu's Harrier flew south east at about 09:30, 2 Arctic Skuas were lingering and chasing gulls offshore and a Wood Sandpiper was on the East Flood (Murray Wright)

At high tide towards mid day there was a single Curlew Sandpiper on the East Flood plus 6 Greenshanks, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 1 Turnstone and approximately 900 Black-tailed Godwits. There was another Greenshank on the west side of the road, 1 Cuckoo and a Peregrine. (A Swandale)

A Wood Sanpiper flew high to the south east with 2 unidentified sandpipers in the morning and another was feeding on the New West Scrape. Also today at least 4 Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, a Hobby, 1 Little Tern on the East Flood and a flock of 18 Comic Terns flew south west.

The Wood Sandpiper again, 7 Green Sandpipers all on the west side, 1 Common Sandpier, 10-12 Bearded Reedlings (at least 8 juveniles). The first Wren since last winter was recorded on the reserve.

A juvenile Red-necked Phalarope discovered on the East Flood at 07:00 remained until 09:45.

A strong north-westerly wind resulted in the first real seabird passage of the autumn, although it was rather slow to get going. No skuas were seen until late afternoon when 22 Arctic and 8 unidentified skuas flew up the Swale and most continued south overland. In addition, c100 "Comic" and 21 Little tern flew west up the Swale.

The Wood Sandpiper was still on the New West Scrape and there were 3 Common and 8 Green Sandpipers (6 from the west hide).

Late afternoon, high water (neap tide): Wood Sandpiper on the New West Scrape (viewable from the road about 100 yards south of the car park) plus 4 Green Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover. On the Old West Scrape, 4 Green & 1 Common Sandpiper and 11 Snipe. On the East Flood, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Whimbrel, 7 Greenshanks and 2 Snipe. Visible migration involved a flock of 13 Common Terns going south and a total of 32 Whimbrel in 3 groups.