Oare Marshes Latest Sightings (March)

March 28th

Late afternoon.  East Flood:  single moulting Water Pipit now showing quite a bit of pink on the breast and 2 Yellow Wagtails (one closely resembling the race "cinereocapilla" - blue-grey crown & nape, dark grey ear coverts, white throat, only a very slight hint of a supercilium behind the eye).

West Flood:  9 Golden Plovers, 2 Avocets and at least 4 Black-tailed Godwits.  Two Mergansers on the Swale and a single "Scandinavian" Rock Pipit feeding on the sea wall and saltings on the west side.

March 26th

Early morning, thick fog:  3 Bearded Reedlings and 3 Water Rails on the east side.

March 23rd

Single Yellow Wagtail, one Ruff and about 13 Golden Plovers on the West Flood, one Merganser in Faversham Creek.

Several Small Tortoishells, 14 Seals (presumably Common) distantly on Horse Sands and the unusual spectacle of a large bat, probably Serotine, hawking for insects over the East Flood in brilliant sunshine around mid day!

March 22nd

The first Little Ringed Plover of the spring visited the West Flood.  Also one Wheatear and 2 Chiffchaffs.  Barn Owl hunting on the reserve at dawn, Little Owl, Peregrine and Marsh Harrier.  Jack Snipe near the path to the west hide, single Stonechat and "Scandinavian" Rock Pipit.  One Ruff, 2 Avocets and at least 10 Black-tailed Godwits on the West Flood.

March 19th

The first report of a Yellow Wagtail - an individual descibed as "Grey-headed" race.

March 18th

Chiffchaff singing in the car park, 4 Wheatears and 2 Sand Martins.

March 17th

Single Ruff, 2 Avocets and 100+ Black-tailed Godwits on the West Flood, at least 4 Water Rails, 2 Stonechats, Kingfisher and a Cetti's Warbler again near the sea wall hide. Short Eared Owl over west flood. Single Knot and 2 Ruff also on west flood. 3 RB Mergansers from Swale Hide along with 20 Avocet. Ringtail Hen Harrier over on Harty Ferry side. 5 Marsh Harriers during the day (1 pair displaying).

March 16th

50 Avocets at the junction of Faversham creek and the Swale at 06.30.

An escaped Saker falcon visited the reserve on Sunday 13th March at 08.40.

Photograph by J.C.Meedy

March 15th

The adult Glaucous Gull was on the west flood at dawn. It has clearly rid itself of the shackles that were attached to its left foot. There were also 18 Ruff on the west flood. A very early Swallow flew west along the sea wall today.

March 13th

Afternoon / high water:  8 Ruff on the East Flood, 13 Black-tailed Godwits on the West Flood, 3 Mergansers on the Swale near Faversham Creek, Little Owl just west of the reserve.  Some of the best wildfowl counts of the winter, including 58 Pintail.  There has been a general shift in birds from the east to the west side and the majority of ducks and waders were on the West Flood.

The Glaucous Gull was seen at Capel Fleet so it's still in the general area.

March 12th

Short-eared owl hunting on the reserve

March 10th

Early morning, low water. The Slavonian Grebe was still present with Great Crested Grebes on the Swale about 700m west of the causeway.  Three Med Gulls flew over - the first of the spring.  A Jack Snipe was flushed from very near the car park. Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, first winter male Marsh harrier, 2 Little Egrets, Cetti's Warbler, 3 or more Water Rails, 2 Stonechats, at least 18 Avocets in Faversham Creek and 7 Black-tailed Godwits on the West Flood.  A number of species now singing and displaying - redshanks, reed buntings, meadow pipits and various ducks. No sign of the Glaucous Gull this morning although it was seen on the north bank of the Swale yesterday.

March 4th

Early morning. Slavonian Grebe with 20+ Great Crested Grebes.  Also offshore, 2-3 Eider and 2 drake margansers in Faversham Creek.  The adult Glaucous Gull was on the East Flood again.  Much of the reserve is frozen over and the wildfowl in tightly packed groups.  There were 5 Little Grebes feeding together on one small patch of water.  On the West Flood approximately 300 Golden Plovers, 27 Ruff and a solitary Black-tailed Godwit were roosting on the ice.  Numbers of Avocets in Faversham Creek have decreased to 14.  A flock of 20+ Fieldfares feeding on the east side is not a particularly common sight on this reserve.  Also present this morning, 2 or more Marsh Harriers, 2 Stonechat, several Rock Pipits and a water Rail by the artesian well.

March 1st

Injured adult Glaucous Gull again on the East Flood late afternoon.  At least 5 Rock Pipits on the sea wall on the west side of the causeway.  About 10 Black-tailed Godwits on the East Flood at high tide in the afternoon; Grey & Ringed Plovers, Dunlins and Redshanks on the West Flood.  Single Yellowhammer and Goldcrest on the south boundary.  One Little Egret at Uplees.