Oare Marshes Sightings February 2006

28th February

33 Whitefronts still at Ham Marshes

27th February

2 Barn Owls, 2 pairs of Stonechats, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Little Egrets

24th February

Single Water Pipit on the West Flood, 1 Ruff on the east side, Merlin, male Stonechat near the car park, male Marsh Harrier and 6 Black-tailed Godwits at low water this afternoon

23rd February

Barn owl again

22nd February

Bittern seen today

21st February

33 Whitefronts at Ham Marshes

18th February

Barn owl hunting on the reserve

15th February

c40 White-fronted Geese arrived from the direction of Ham Marshes in near darkness to roost on the East Flood.  As they circled nervously round several shots were fired by wildfowlers waiting on the other side of the sea wall, one dropped to the ground, others faltered as if struck by shot and the flock departed in the direction it had come.

13th February

At least 36 White-fronted Geese again at Ham Marshes about 1 mile south east of the reserve - a rare sight on this side of the Swale

12th February

Single Water Pipit on the West Flood, 3 Water Rails (2 running along the ditch next to the roadside view point), 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Kingfisher, Merlin, 1 Little Egret, 30 Pintails.

The following waders were counted on the reserve at high tide today:  28 Avocets, 350 Black-tailed Godwits, 28 Grey Plovers, 80+ Redshanks, 200 Dunlin, 4 Curlews and 4 Ringed Plovers.

6th February

A flock of c40 White-fronted Geese arrived from the east in the afternoon and spent a short period on the West Flood before departing.  They appeared to go down somewhere in the Ham Marshes area (36 were also seen on fields to the south of Nagden Cottages today).  They are presumably part of the recent influx to Kent resulting from the freezing weather on the Continent. 

The Barn Owl was hunting on the reserve again and there were 50 or more Golden Plovers on the East Flood.

5th February

Bittern on the west side, 11 Avocets on the East Flood, 6 Bearded Reedlings

3rd February

Barn owl hunting near the road at 1600, Little Owl, Rock Pipit, Kingfisher, Bearded Reedling

On the East Flood at high water in the afternoon:  530 Black-tailed Godwits, 28 Avocets, 61 Pintails, Grey Plovers

1st February

Jack Snipe in the north east corner, Dartford Warbler (probable male) in the north west corner, Barn Owl