June Sightings

Sightings can be Emailed to:

      Martyn Wilson -  martynwilson@talktalk.net  

  Brendan Ryan -  brendan.ryan@yahoo.co.uk

  Marc Heath - Heathym007@aol.com   

For more photographs of birds in the Stour Valley click here

30th June

I had a few hours in the valley today, spending a few hours at the Grove end with a visit back there later in the day. In hot conditions I noted 15 Little Egret, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Common Tern, 7 Marsh Harrier, 27 Black headed Gull present, 1 Common Gull, 2 Redshank, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Greenshank, 3 Ringed Plover, 16 Green Sandpiper, 1 Jay, 2 Cuckoo including the Hepatic bird and 7 Bearded Tit. There were c40 Lapwing, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 4 Tufted Duck including 1 adult with 3 young, 1 Hobby, 1 Curlew east, 1 adult Shelduck with 3 young and a few Swifts, House Martin and Swallow. Butterflies were enjoying the sun with 4 Red Admiral, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, c300 Meadow Brown, 10 Marblew White, 8 Small Heath (not me), 3 Small Skipper, 1 female Common blue, 1 Comma and a few Large, Small and Green veined Whites seen.

(Marc Heath)

28th June

After stopping in Wickambreaux for a chat with Norman McCanch where a juvenile Grey Wagtail was on telegraph wires by the mill, I arrived at Grove at 7.45 and stayed only until 10.15. Very quiet still, with all much as yesterday. Just Sue Morton and Mark Chidwick were present today and apart from 18 Little Egrets (13 from ramp) and 29 Green Sandpipers it was all very samey, perhaps there will be more to write about next week.

(Martyn Wilson)

27th June

The warmest start to the mornings so far, being very humid at 4.00am when I arrived. Mark Chidwick was already on site, perhaps he's taken on Marc Heath's silly o'clock roll? Birds today included 2 Cuckoo's (one being the hepatic female), the 3 juvenile Shelduck family, 6 Hobbies, 11 Grey Herons, 3 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little-ringed Plover, 10 Little Egrets, 1 Redshank and 31 Green Sandpipers. There were 5 Common Terns, 9 Marsh Harriers (just one juvenile seen), 1 drake Wigeon, 3 Turtle Doves, 4 Curlew east at 5.50 and plenty of young Reed and Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings being fed. Only 24 Black-headed and 1 Common Gull today, but yesterday afternoon there were 304 Black-heads including 9 juveniles as well as 5 Common Gulls, including one first winter with 'white' carpals. Also today were, 3 Great-spotted and 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Bittern, a couple of Swallows, 1 Sparrowhawk, the odd 1 or 2 Skylark, 1 Water Rail, 1 Yellow Wagtail, several Whitethroats and Cetti's Warblers, and 1 Kestrel. Yesterday I encountered a single Marbled White Butterfly as I was leaving. (The first for three years) so had another look today where, I came across six between the road and the ramp.

(Martyn Wilson)

23rd June

I made 2 brief visits into the valley today at either end of the day. Not that there is much of note to see at this time of year, but 21 Green Sandpiper were noteworthy this morning, and this afternoon 26 were present on the reserve. Also 3 Ringed Plover, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Avocet, 2 Black tailed Godwit, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Bearded Tit, 2 Common Tern and 7 Marsh Harrier, including 3 juvenile birds. There were 2 Hobby, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Little Egret, 8 Black headed Gull, 1 Shelduck, with 3 young still, 1 Yellow Wagtail, c40 Lapwing, and a few Teal and Mallard from the pools. On the butterfly front, there were 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady, and c10 Meadow Brown along the entrance track.

(Marc Heath)

22nd June

A couple of hours spent on the ramp from 15.00-17.00 in nice warm sunshine yield; 7 Cormorant, 4 Little Egrets, 5 Grey Heron, the pair of Shelduck with 3 young, small numbers of Gadwall & Teal, 6 Marsh Harrier inc 3m 2f 1juv, 2 Kestrel, 1m Peregrine with a successful kill, 3 Hobby, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, numbers of Lapwing seem to be on the up with at least 120 taken to flight with the Peregrine attack, 8+ Green Sandpipers (a visit to harrison's may have produced more), 2 Black-tailed Godwit, some 30+ Black-headed Gulls on pool to the right, 2 Cuckoo's and a family of Bearded Tits noted.

(Craig Sammels)

20th & 21st June

I had a busy afternoon and evening yesterday so had no time for reports but as today was near-on identical I thought i'd combine the two. With Marc Heath & Mark Chidwick (Saturday) and Steve Ray today (Sunday). First bird noted at 3.45 Saturday morning was a male Yellowhammer in the middle of the road as I approached the entrance plus also today, 4 Cuckoo's including the smart "hepatic" bird, 3 Black-tailed Gaodwits, 13 Green Sandpipers (together at Harrison's, Sunday), several Cetti's Warblers, 12 Great-crested Grebes including at least one carrying chicks, 3 Ringed Plovers and 4 Little Egrets. Although the Shelduck has 3 young still she seems to have lost one and gained another as two are fairly large, as was the third last week, and the new third is really quite small. There were a few Swifts, Sand Martins and a couple of House Martins but the only Swallows were 2 seen at Collard's. There were, 6 Pied Wagtails, 7 Grey Herons, 9 Marsh Harriers plus today(Sunday) the first 3 juveniles have taken to the air, 2 Kestrels, 5 Turtle Doves, 1 Bittern, 1 Common Snipe and 1 Little-ringed Plover. The Warblers all seem less voiciferous now but Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat Reed & Sedge Warbler were all noted. A single Treecreeper was seen in the Alderwood as were 3 newly fledged Green Woodpeckers. Ducks included many moulting Mallards, Gadwall , Shoveller and 9 drake Teal plus today (Sunday) a drake Wigeon on Stodmarsh lake. Only 4 Hobbies were noted, a Curlew flew west at 8.24 on Saturday and more evidence of Bearded Tit procreation was noted today with a family party of 10 seen near the Feast hide plus more heard and seen at Stodmarsh.

(Martyn Wilson)

19th June

With news of a rare bird in the valley yesterday, a Red necked Phalarope being seen from Harrisons hide in the afternoon, I made an early start before work to Grove Ferry at 5am. I stayed a couple of hours before retiring for breakfast and wandered around looking for the Phalarope, needless to say, I did not find it! Other birds encountered were 8 Green Sandpiper, 1 Shelduck with 3 young still, 9 Grey Heron including 8 juvenile birds, 3 Cetti’s Warbler, 5 Lapwing, 1 Turtle Dove, 6 Teal, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Black tailed Godwit, c30 Gadwall and 1 female Garganey. There were 2 Mute Swan with 5 cygnets, 1 Bearded Tit heard, 1 Great crested Grebe, 2 Cuckoo, 6 Common Tern, 2 Skylark, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Greylag Geese, 3 Marsh Harrier and 3 Little Egret. As I left around 7am, numbers of Swifts were building up as the temperature started to rise.

(Marc Heath)

14th June

Today was much as yesteday with Mark Chiddwick in attendance and Steve Ray instead of Alan, the bird life noted were, 7 Shelducks (including the 3 ducklings), 3 Cuckoo's, 5 Turtle Doves, 12 Great-crested Grebes, 1 Pochard, 2 Tufted Ducks, 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Egrets and 1 Bittern. There were at least 26 Hobbies but may have been more as they were more spread out today, the best count time was at midday when Brendan had 15 from Collard's looking toward Grove while I counted 11 from Collard's looking out over Seaton/Preston area. A water Rail was heard at Stodmarsh, 7+ Marsh Harriers seen, the usual collection of resident Warblers, 1 Common Buzzard and 8+ Bearded Tits with a male & two juveniles near marsh hide and 4+ juveniles at Harrison's. The Grasshopper Warbler was again in song near marsh hide.

(Martyn Wilson)

13th June

A Little Owl was on roadside posts just before Wingham Bird Park at 3.10 this morning and when I stopped on the Wingham-Ickham road a Tawny Owl called and also a Bittern was booming from the Seaton direction but, this may have been the Stodmarsh bird being heard in the still of the early morning. I arrived at Grove Ferry at 3.50 meeting Alan along the entrance path where the Bittern could be heard from plus the first of 3+ Cuckoo's. Mark Chidwick was already positioned on the ramp and at 4.00am 9 Hobbies were feeding over the ppols. A total of 32 Hobbies seen in the air between Grove and Stodmarsh from the ramp. Also today were, 5 Turtle Doves, 10+ Grey Herons with a flock of five east over the lapen wall, the Shelduck family still with 3 young, 1 female Garganey, 8 drake Teal, 1 female Wigeon and 7 Pochards (5 drakes). There were, 13 Great-crested Gebes, 20 Common Terns, 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Marsh Harriers, 3 Little Egrets and several moulting Mallards, Gadwll and Shoveler. Skylarks and Meadow Pipits still singing and displaying behind Harrison's and Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Garden Warbler and Whitethroat all encountered plus a singing Grasshopper Warbler close to marsh hide. There were a few Swifts and Swallows, 2 Tufted Ducks, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Jays, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers, 4 Canada Geese and 1 Common Buzzard.

(Martyn Wilson)

7th June

A less early 6.30am start today after dropping the wife at work, meeting Mark Chidwick on the ramp and then Pete Solly at Harrison's. Bird life making the list today were, 12 Hobbies, 8 Marsh harriers, 3 Little-ringed Plovers, 4 Greenshank, 8 Ringed Plovers, just 2 of yesterdays 4 Green Sandpipers and 5 Shelducks (with the one bird still holding on to 3 ducklings). There were, at least 4 Cuckoo's (2 singing males & 2 females including the hepatic bird that has been returning for the past three years), 10 Common Terns, still plenty of Reed & Sedge Warblers (many feeding young), 9 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Little Egrets and the family of 6 Pied Wagtails still. I passed Brendan twice, once on the river and again at Stodmarsh where he narrowly missed a high dark morph Honey Buzzard drifting north over Stodmarsh at 11.25. Also today the Pink-footed Goose! was present with the resident Greylags at the water meadows but again no sign of the White-fronted. There was a singles of Redshank, drake Garganey, drake Pochard, sub-adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, booming Bittern and male Bullfinch. Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipit and Skylark were all encountered as were a family party of 4 Bearded Tits on the far side of Stodmarsh lake. There were 5 Grey Herons, 5 Turtle Doves, several Swifts, small numbers of Sand Martin but strangly no Swallows or House Martins Seen. A single male Sparrowhawk seen at Stodmarsh and the post breeding Lapwings have now risen to 41 on the main pool at Grove plus small numbers of Black-headed Gulls are starting to put in an appearance.

(Martyn Wilson)

6th June

A silly 4.00am start due to waking up at 2.30 and not being able to go back to sleep. Today on the Grove/Stodmarsh circuit there were, 1 Tawny Owl, 3 Cuckoo's, 8 Turtle Doves, 1 drake Wigeon, several Cetti's, Skylark, Reed & Sedge Warblers, 9 Tufted Ducks, 2 Teal, 24 Gadwall a large gathering of moulting Mallards, and the Shelduck family is down to 3 young, having lost another during the week. The first Hobby of the day was feeding over the back pools at 4.20am and another was perched behind me on the information board depicting a picture of a Hobby and the words "how far have you travelled today". A total of 9 Hobbies seen between Grove and Cow Corner. There were, 4 Green Sandpipers, a family of 6 Pied Wagtails, 2 Little-ringed Plovers, 2 Redshanks, 4 Grey Herons, 2 Ringed Plovers, 7 Marsh harriers and my first sighting of a live Shrew sp (I usually find them dead on the footpaths). Also today were 7 Little Egrets, 1 Bittern, 1 drake Garganey, 12 Common Terns, 4 Stock Doves, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1000's of Swifts, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Nightingale, 1 Kestrel, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Garden Warbler and 21 post breeding Lapwings loafing on the main pool at Grove. Several hundred Sand Martins as well as a few Swallows and House Martins were seen.

(Martyn Wilson, Marc Heath & Mark Chidwick)

4th June

The Stilt Sandpiper I reported here on Saturday May 30th was in fact a Curlew Sandpiper and I made a mistake. Appologies to everyone.

(Martyn Wilson)

On the basis of a reported Pratincole, I called in at Grove this afternoon and then this evening paid a longer visit walking the full circuit to Stodmarsh and back. Sadly no sign of the Pratincole on either visit. Best looked for at Elmley I would suggest as all pratincoles (i.e. both) in the valley have subsequently relocated to Elmley.  A single Green Sandpiper was the pick of the waders. Although it is only early June, it is likely that this is the first returning bird of the autumn. 8 Black-tailed Godwits were present along with a single Avocet, 2 Ringed and 2 Little Ringed Plovers. 3 Garganey including 2 drakes showed from the ramp. The Bittern was booming well and a Grasshopper Warbler was heard and seen near the Marsh hide. Turtle Doves were much in evidence with at least 8 individuals. It is difficult to know what to make of the Pinkfooted Goose seen in the afternoon from the Marsh Hide and later in the evening from the ramp. The assumption must be that it is an escape based on the unlikely date. It reminds me of a semi resident escaped Pinkfoot that was present on and off for a couple of years in the early 1990s.  Details of the colour ringed Godwit recently at Grove have been posted on the 30th May report.

(Brendan Ryan)

A Pratincole sp reported from Marsh Hide today but no sign all afternoon but there was a single Pink-footed Goose with the Greylags. Also John Cantelo saw a ring-tail Hen harrier at Marsh Hde at 5.15  and heard the Bittern booming as well.

1st June

With the sun shining and warmer temperatures, I made a visit to Grove Ferry after work to see if anything was around. The highlight of the visit was a Red Kite that flew North over Harrisons hide at 3.55pm and could be seen distantly over Hersden Industrial estate slowly heading East 10 minutes later. This is my 3rd record this year of Red Kite after going for many years without seeing any. Also noted were 1 Shelduck with only 3 young now, 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Little ringed Plover, 4 Avocet, 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swan, c90 Mallard in differing plumages, 12 Gadwall, 6 Teal, 2 Shoveler and 3 Greenshank from Harrisons. There were 9 Greylag Geese and the White fronted Goose was still in attendance, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 20 black headed Gull on the main pool, 1 Hobby, 2 Skylark and good numbers of Swift and Sand Martin seen.

(Marc Heath)