Elmley Marshes - March 2010

Reporting Your Sightings

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This month will see the departure of most of the winter wildfowl and the arrival of the first of the spring migrants. Wheatears may be found sharing the seawalls with lingering snow buntings and check the remaining teal for newly arrived garganey. Yellow wagtails have usually arrived by the last week. The first nesting lapwings will be on eggs by the end of the month. March is not a classic rarity month at Elmley, but 1999 saw a greater yellowlegs present on the marsh for a couple of days.

31st: 2 Med gull, 1 buzzard

28th: 1 spotted redshank, 135 grey plover, 43 bar-tailed godwit, 30 knot, 5 red-breasted merganser, 1 merlin, 1 peregrine, leucistic herring gull

27th: 1 pair garganey (Kingshill Farm), 1 yellow wagtail, 2 Med gull

26th: 1 peregrine

25th: 1 spotted redshank, 2 grey partidge, 1 sparrowhawk, 1 peregrine

24th: 3 spotted redshank, 101 bar-tailed godwit, 105 grey plover, 295 avocet, 1 swallow, 2 red-breasted merganser, 1 peregrine, 1 barn owl

23rd: 1 swallow, 1 green sandpiper, 1 woodcock, 1st lapwing nests found

22nd: 1 black redstart (Kingshill Farm), 300 dunlin, 267 grey plover, 25 knot

21st: 1 wheatear, 2 peregrine, 2 buzzard, 2 sparrowhawk, 1 corn bunting

18th: 3+ wheatear, 1 R-T hen harrier, 1 merlin, 400 dunlin, 250 grey plover, 54 brent geese, 1 corn bunting

17th: 3 ruff, 1 barn owl, 1F merlin, 1 peregrine, 2 sparrowhawk, 1 corn bunting, 130 shoveler, 74 gadwall

16th: 1 peregrine, 1 merlin, 5 fieldfare

14th: 1 short-eared owl, 1 peregrine

13th: 1 LRP

11th: 1 r-t hen harrier, 2 peregrine, 1 merlin, 1 buzzard, 1 barn owl, 500+ brent geese, 120 black-tailed godwit

10th: 1 merlin, 1 sparrowhawk

9th: 1 little stint, 2 barn owl

8th: 1 spotted redshank

7th: 2 buzzard, 2 peregrine, 1 R-T hen harrier, 1 merlin, 1 barn owl, 130 pochard

5th: 1 buzzard, 1 peregrine, 320 avocet, 520 black-tailed godwit, 1500 dunlin, 400 knot, 300 grey plover, 1 bar-tailed godwit, 20 turnstone, 123 shoveler, 10 pintail

4th: 1450 dunlin, 500+ knot, 350+ black-tailed godwit, 270 grey plover, 180 avocet, 60 golden plover, 1 peregrine, 1 buzzard

3rd: 1 rt hen harrier, 1 buzzard, 2 peregrine, 1 sparrowhawk, 250+ black-tailed godwit

2nd: 4 Med gull, 3 peregrine, 350 black-tailed godwit, 200 avocet

1st: 2 peregrine, 1 barn owl, 300+ golden plover, 260 black-tailed godwit, 200 avocet, 104 shoveler, 1 stonechat