<Sep06>

To help keep this page as up-to-date and informative as possible, please send your sightings to Tony Swandale, Swale Area Warden, at tony.swandale@kentwildlife.org.uk. Thank you.

Volunteer conservation tasks are held on Mondays to carry out important habitat management work. Over the coming weeks we will be concentrating on controlling tall and invasive species of plants in and around the pools and scrapes. This is necessary to maintain the short vegetation and open conditions required by waders and wildfowl and this is the best time of year to undertake the task. If you are interested in taking part please call the Reserve Warden, Tony Swandale, on 07889 822412. No experience needed.

The following are currently on the reserve or in the general area: Bar-headed Goose#, Brent Goose, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon, Water Rail, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Little Owl, Barn Owl, Bearded Reedling, Cetti's Warbler

On 14th September two local birders recorded a total of 93 species at the reserve from 05:00 until darkness. This included birds seen or heard on adjacent land from the reserve and flying over. An Osprey, several flocks of Black Terns and a Spotted Flycatcher were some of the highlights. The most surprising omissions from their impressive list were Song Thrush and Greater Spotted Woodpecker.

Urgent Appeal: £150 000 needed for major extension to Oare Marshes Nature Reserve

Kent Wildlife Trust has had an unmissable opportunity to achieve huge gains for wildlife by purchasing a 35 acre extension to this popular reserve. We used cash reserves for this in order to act swiftly. We need your help to pay for the restoration of habitats flourishing in wildlife - and to cover the cost of purchase so that we are able to take similar action as opportunities arise in the future.

Please support this important project by making a gift in one of the following ways:

3. By sending a cheque to: Kent Wildlife Trust (Oare Marshes Appeal), Tyland Barn, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3BD. Please make cheques payable to "Kent Wildlife Trust".

The highlight today was a Honey Buzzard which circled the reserve and flew south (J Bartlett, J Cantelo & M Hindle)

Also 20 Little Stints, 9 Curlew Sandpipers, a first-winter Spotted Redshank, 1 Turnstone, 4 Greenshanks, 50 Ruff, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Knot, 27 Avocets, 25 Little Egrets, 9 Sandwich Terns, a male Sparrowhawk, 3 singing Cetti's Warblers and 2 Green Sandpipers (M Wright)

It would appear to have been a good breeding season for Little Stints: 30 juveniles were counted today, the highest number so far this millennium. Also on the East flood today: 10 Curlew Sandpipers (1 summer-plumaged ad. and 9 juvs.), a first winter Spotted Redshank, 1 Turnstone, 4 Greenshanks, 46 Ruff, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, c 600 Black-tailed Godwits and 135 Golden Plovers.

On the Swale: the first Red-throated Diver of the autumn (at high tide), 2 Arctic Skuas flying over, c50 'Comic' Terns, c50 Sandwich Terns, 12 Little Terns

1 Green Sandpiper on the west side, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Peregriens on pylons

(Murray Wright)

September 25th

At high water this afternoon 26 juv Little Stints, 12 Curlew Sandpipers, 44 Ruff and 1 Common Sandpiper. Also today 1 Spotted Redshank and 2 Green Sandpipers on the west side and 2 Common Buzzards on Harty Hill were visible distantly from the reserve, Sparrowhawk (A Swandale & Murray Wright)

September 24th

Numbers of Little Stints continue to increase with a total of 20 today. Also of note 3 different Peregrines in the area and a single Grey Wagtail flew over. (Geoff Burton & Murray Wright)

September 23rd

On the East Flood: 1 adult Little Gull, 3 Sandwich Terns, 17 juv Little Stints, 10 juv Curlew Sandpipers, 42 Ruff, 6 Knot, 9 Bar-tailed Godwits, circa 500 Black-tailed Godwits, c300 Golden Plovers, c300 Dunlin, c25 Ringed Plovers, 4 Wigeon, 1 female Sparrowhawk flew over, 4+ Bearded Reedlings, 1 Green Sandpiper on the west side, 24 Greenshanks circling overhead (M Wright)

At high water this afternoon 11 juv Little Stints, 12 Curlew Sandpipers, 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Grey Plovers, 9 Greenshanks, 37 Ruff and 3 Water Rails on the East Flood and 1 Green Sandpiper and 11 Snipe on the New West Scrape (viewable from the road). A singing Cetti's warbler has taken up residence near the car park. (A Swandale)

A Manx Shearwater was reported on the Swale

14 Greenshanks on the East Flood late afternoon (M Wright)

September 21st

8 juv Little Stints, 11 Culrew Sandpipers, 1 juv Spotted Redshanks, 37 Ruff, 23 Avocets, circa 300 Golden Plovers, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, circa 250 Dunlin, 6 Knot and 2 Wigeon

2 Green Sandpipers on the New West Scrape, 1 Hobby and 3 singing Cetti's Warblers on the reserve, Little Owl again near the cottages

(Murray Wright)

On the East Flood this morning before 11:00 i.e. at low tide: 4 juvenile Little Stints, 6 Curlew Sandpipers, 300 Golden Plovers, 2 Grey Plovers, circa 500 Black-tailed Godwits, 34 Ruff and 6 Avocets. Single Green Sandpiper on the New West Scrape. (Murray Wright)

September 18th

On the East Flood at high water this morning: 1 juv Curlew Sandpiper, 37 Ruff, circa 500 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, circa 75 Golden Plover, 4 Knot, 23 Little Egrets and only 2 Dunlin. A Little owl and various warblers were present in adjacent paddocks including 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff and 3 Blackcaps. Still 1 Green Sandpiper on the west side, 2 Peregrines on pylons to the east of Faversham Creek. (Murray Wright)

8 Clouded Yellows on the reserve and 6 seals (probably Common) on Horse Sands

(Brett Lewis)

September 17th

This morning 1 Arctic Skua resting on the Swale with 1 immature Gannet and 9 Sandwich Terns. Single adult Little Gull on the East Flood, plus 2 Spotted Redshanks, 2 Greenshanks (plus 3 on the west side), 41 Ruff, 2 Knot, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, circa 250 Black-tailed Godwits and 12 Little Egrets. One Green Sandpiper on the west side. There was also a steady passage of Swallows plus small numbers of Sand Martins flying west. Single Lesser and Common Whithethroat near the cottages. (Murray Wright)

Also 1 Pintail and 2 Little Stints in the afternoon (P King and J Hinton)

This morning from the Sea Wall hide in a light N wind with misty conditions and poor visibility: 1 Arctic Skua and 5 imm. Gannets (Murray Wright)

Early this morning a single Black Tern flew west along the Swale, there were 2 Spotted Redshanks and 2 Wheatears on the west side and 5 Greenshanks on adjacent mudflats (A Swandale)

From the Sea Wall hide in a fresh NW wind between 13:15 - 16:00: 19 Arctic Skuas, 8 Black Terns, 150 'commic' Terns, 50 Little Terns, 20 Sandwich Terns, 1 adult Kittiwake, 2 adult Little Gulls and 25 Brent Geese (Murray Wright & Keith Privett)

An Osprey was seen over the Swale in the early afternoon and it landed on the beach at South Swale. Two were reported later. The Spotted Flycatcher was still near the cottages and a total of 38 Black Terns were counted including flocks of 14 and 23 flying inland. There were 6 Little Stints and 13 Curlew Sandpipers on the East Flood over high water and a Spotted Redshank on the west side. Both Little and Barn Owl were seen at dawn. (Murray Wright & Geoff Burton)

Little Stint (M Wright)

Numbers of smaller waders are finally starting to build up. There were 19 Curlew Sandpipers, 180 Dunlin and over 100 Ringed Plovers at high water this afternoon but no little stints. Other wader counts included 800 Black-tailed Godwits, 650 Golden Plovers, 470 Redshanks, 34 Ruff, 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, 20 Knot and 23 Avocets. In addition there was a flock of 21 Little Terns on the East Flood, 1 Green Sandpiper on the west side, 2 Hobbys repeatedly flying over and a Spotted Flycatcher just outside the reserve opposite the cottages. Winter wildfowl are starting to arrive in the form of 4 Brent Geese on Horse Sands and 17 flying up the Swale and 2 Pintail on the East Flood. (A Swandale, S Clinch and M Wright)

Golden Plovers on the East Flood (M Wright)

12 Curlew Sandpipers (1 ad & 11 juvs), 1 juv Spotted Redshank, 7 Bar-tailed Godwits, 22 Knot, c 150 Dunlin, c 100 Ringed Plovers, 42 Ruff, 6 Sandwich Terns on the East Flood, 2 Wheatears & 4

Whinchats near the north-west corner. A welcome increase in smaller waders. (M Wright & A Swandale)

Fresh north-easterly wind. On the East Flood over high water this afternoon: 1-2 Little Stints, 8-12 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Garganey. Two Pomarine Skuas flew west over the Swale, circled a few times and continued inland. Four Arctic Skuas were reported in addition.

Juvenile Pomarine Skua (Mike Gould)

Stiff northerly wind again veering to the east later. No migrating skuas or other seabirds were observed today although a Guillemot was seen on the Swale drifting into Faverhsam Creek. On the East Flood at high tide this afternoon there were 3 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers, a juv Spotted Redshank and roughly the same number of Golden Plovers, Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits as yesterday. There were 2 Green Sandpipers on the west side again and a Sparrowhawk. (Murray Wright)

Also on the East Flood: 3 Greenshanks, 4 Common Sandpipers, 20 Knot, 1 Grey Plover and 1 Bar-tailed Godwit (Marcus lawson)

Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper (M Wright)

2 Green Sandpipers on the west side

In addition, there were 2 Whinchats and a Wheatear on the west side, 12 Knot and 2 Little Stints on the East Flood and an unidentified "ringtail" (female/immature) harrier flew north across the Swale

(Mike Stevens)

2 adult Pomarine Skuas, up to 100 Arctic Skuas (some west along The Swale and some heading inland, but most lingering in the mouth of The Swale), 1 Manx Shearwater, 4 Black Terns, 25 Sandwich Terns, circa 200 'commic' Terns

(Murray Wright)

The juvenile Red-backed Shrike was present for its third day in the hedge on the southern boundary of the reserve and was observed impaling a dragonfly on a hawthorn. Other birds seen or heard today included a Spotted Redshank and 2 Green Sandpipers again on the west side, a Kingfisher, a Sparrowhawk, a Sandwich Tern and at least 29 Little Terns in Faversham Creek and a Little Owl near the cottages.

A Great White Egret flew south-east over the reserve from Sheppy at 17:30 (DH Dailey & KC Privet)

The juvenile Red-backed Shrike was still present and 2 Long-tailed Skuas (an adult and an immature) were reported flying inland over the reserve around mid day and (rather unusually) calling.

A juvenile Red-backed Shrike was discovered near the path to the West Hide this morning and continued to show well all day. There were also 12 Common Whitethroats in this area. Elsewhere there were 2 juv Wood Sandpipers on the South East Scrape, a juv Spotted Redshank and 2 Green Sandpipers on the west side, c300 Golden Plovers, 1 Greenshank, 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, c30 Ruff and 4 Knot on the East Flood. A Hobby was also seen, there were 4 Sandwich Terns on the Swale and 55 Bar-tailed Godwits* & 10 Whimbrel flew westwards. (Murray Wright & Tony Swandale)

Between 07:30 and 10:45: 3 juv Curlew Sandpipers and 16 Knot on adjacent mudflats, 1 juv Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshanks and 36 Ruff on the East Flood, 8 Turnstones on the foreshore, 3 Sandwich Terns on the Swale and 6 Whinchats in the north west corner of the reserve. (Murray Wright)

A Bittern was flushed from the dyke near the car park this morning, there were 2 Wood Sandpipers on the South East Scrape, 22 Ruff and 3 Greenshanks on the East Flood, 2 Green Sandpipers on the west side, 3 Sandwich Terns on the Swale and a Hobby. (Murray Wright)