Oare Marshes Latest Sightings (September)

The following species are resident in the general area at the moment:

Little Egret, Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal, Ruddy Duck, Brent Goose (3 on Swale), Eider (2 on Swale), Water Rail, Peregrine, Hobby, Marsh Harrier, Little Owl, Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler, Bearded Reedling, Corn Bunting

To help keep this page up-to-date, please email your sightings to tony.swandale@kentwildlife.org.uk.  Thank you.

30th September

5 Little Stints and a Greenshank this morning

20th September

An adult Paddyfield Warbler was trapped and ringed at nearby South Swale nature reserve (also managed by Kent Wildlife Trust) this morning.  It was released back into the reedbed about 500m west of the Sportsman Pub at about 0800 but it was not seen again until the early evening when a few had fleeting glimpses of what may have been the same individual.

Other birds seen at South Swale included an immature Mediterranean Gull, a Cetti's Warbler and a Wheatear.

18th September

A juvenile-first winter Barred Warbler was discovered at about 0800 this morning just outside the reserve near the cottages and it continued to show on and off all day.

At high tide in the afternoon there were 400 Black-tailed Godwits, 400 Redshanks, 28 Ruff, 70 Dunlin but only a single Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint.  Some of the waders, including 600 Golden Plovers, had apparently been disturbed by a Sparrowhawk earlier.  A Hobby, 2 Kingfishers, a Green Sandpiper and a Wheatear were also present on the reserve today and a Grey Wagtail flew west.  There was a grass snake near the east hide.

16th September

The following were observed from the sea wall hide between 0650 and 1000 this morning on a flooding tide and during a strong northerly force 6-7 wind:

7 Great Skuas

90 - 100 Arctic Skuas in groups of up to 20

3 Leach's Petrels

1 - 4 Manx Shearwaters (singles seen 4 times - possibly the same individual)

3 Gannets

1 Black Tern

1 juvenile Pomarine Skua

2 possible Long-tailed Skuas

1 Peregrine

1 female / immature Merlin

Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, 3+ Curlew Sandpipers

Many of the skuas flew over the hide and south west over land, gaining considerable altitude; some continued up the Swale and others turned round and went back out of the estuary.  The first of the petrels went down Faversham Creek, turned round and flew back out of the creek and was attacked by a Pergerine right in front of the hide.  After a narrow escape it headed out of the estuary, hugging the shoreline.  With the exception of a party of 4 Arctic Skuas and 2 possible Long-tailed Skuas which alighted briefly on Horse sands, all of the seabirds went past without stopping.

There were 10+ Curlew Sandpipers on the East Flood at high water.

13th September

Single Spotted Redshank and 3 Curlew Sandpipers

12th September

1 Wood Sandpiper, 17+ Curlew Sandpipers, 4 Greenshanks and a Hobby

9th September

The adult Temminck's Stint was again on the East Flood showing well very close to the road.  Also in the morning (low water) 5 Little Stints, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Green Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel, 44 Ruff and a Kingfisher.

7th September

Temminck's Stint on the East Flood at 1545

5th September

3 Black Terns on the Swale, 7+ Little Stints, 14 Curlew Sandpipers, 600+ Golden Plovers, 38 Ruff, Little Owl, Peregrine, 2 Hobbies, Sparrowhawk

3rd September

The brisk easterly wind resulted in a number of arrivals, most notably a juvenile White-winged Black Tern which was first spotted at about 1415 and spent the rest of the afternoon roosting and hunting for insects on the East Flood.  This species has been recorded once previously at Oare, on 6th September 1998, when another juvenile turned up during a spell of easterly winds but on this occasion lingered for only a couple of minutes.  Shortly beforehand 3 Black Terns appeared briefly over the flood with Common Terns before flying off high to the south.  Later 3 Sandwich Terns also passed overhead with Common Terns.  A juvenile Little Gull visited the the flood late in the afternoon and 8 Arctic Skuas flew up the Swale around the same time.

Also present today:  a Hobby, 20+ Curlew Sandpipers, 4+ Little Stints, 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Turnstones, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 11 Wigeon, several Knot and approximately 100 Golden Plovers.

2nd September

Still 3 Wood Sandpipers (2 on the East Flood and 1 on the west side). Numbers of Little Stints have increased to 8 (a mixture of juveniles and winter adults).  Also 78 Golden Plovers, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 30 Curlew Sandpipers and a Sparrowhawk.

1st September

4 Black Terns flew west down the Swale with Common Terns around 0630.  Later in the morning when the tide was in there were 3 Wood Sandpipers, 15 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Little Stints, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Golden Plovers and a Green Sandpiper.  A Common Buzzard flew over the reserve and another over Sheppy.  Two Hobbies and a Peregrine were also seen and a there was a Cetti's warbler singing near the car park (the first since early spring). 

There were 10 Common Seal including 1 pup on Horse Sands (viewable distantly from the Sea Wall hide).