Snow Bunting - Ray O'Reilly

Ray O’Reilly, KOS Field Trip Organiser writes:

‘On Wednesday 7th January we held our first KOS Field Trip of the year.  Our day began at a very icy RSPB Worth Marshes,  where we were met by resident ornithologist Neil Davies.

Many of the pools were frozen or semi frozen but there were still good numbers of wildfowl and waders, including several Common Snipe, Pintail, Gadwall, Golden Plover, Curlew and many Lapwings. Two Water Pipits were spotted and we compared the calls of these with the more numerous Meadow Pipits.

Winter thrushes - namely Redwing, Fieldfare, Blackbird and Song Thrush were also present.  A hidden Water Rail was screeching as were several Ring-necked Parakeets! Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine and Kestrel were all present and on the hunt - frequently flushing all other birds regularly.

Whilst it was very cold, the light was spectacular and enabled us to really enjoy the gleaming colours of the birds  - especially the Eurasian Teals’ vivid green speculums (wing-feathers). 

If, in the dim and distant past(!) -  as teenagers -  we had said that these species of birds would be commonly seen in London and Kent in the ice and snow in future winters, I suspect we simply would not have been believed.

Before lunch we made our way to the Ancient Highway near the golf links at Sandwich where we were soon closely examining via our telescopes a goose flock that contained five species; Greater White-fronted, Barnacle, Brent, Greylag and 18 Tundra Bean Geese. Two Grey Partridge were a bonus as were three Ruff and another flock of Curlew.

We took lunch at the Restharrow Scrape bird hide but the pool was mainly frozen.

After lunch we hiked up to the Point getting very close views of four Snow Bunting along with some Sanderling, Grey and Ringed Plovers.

The light was beginning to fade by the time that we reached Sandilands and we failed to add to our total of 68 species.

Thanks to Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory.

Tundra Bean Geese - Ray O'Reilly