Kent Ornithological Society

Friday 23 January 2026

Furnace Pond (Horsmonden) (15:00 to 16:20) [Stephen Mills] Map

1 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Coot, 420 Starling, 300 Redwing, 200 Fieldfare, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3+ Brambling

Oare Marshes (12:30 to 14:05) Overcast & gloomy with moderate SW'ly breeze. HT 15.10 [Damon Smith] Map

2 Mute Swan (EF), 1 Canada Goose (with Greylags), 19 Greylag Goose (W side), 3 Egyptian Goose (FC), 2 Shelduck (EF), 40 Shoveler (EF), 29 Gadwall (EF), 2 Mallard (EF), 17 Pintail (EF), 175 Common Teal (EF), 2 Little Grebe (EF), 1 Moorhen (EF), 9 Coot (EF), 96 Avocet (mouth of FC), 1 Whimbrel (mouth of FC), 11 Curlew (mouth of FC), 1 Black-tailed Godwit 4 Redshank (EF), 1 Common Gull (EF), 2 Herring Gull (EF), 2 Great Black-backed Gull (EF), 2 Grey Heron (EF), 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Raven, 2 Rock Pipit (mouth of FC), bold;">Spoonbill (Sheppey saltings), bold;">Hen Harrier (male flew W @ 14.03),

Thursday 22 January 2026

Harty Ferry (North Side) (15:06 to 15:40) [Lee Evans] Map

55 Grey Plover, 330 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 5 Spoonbill

Oare Marshes (13:50 to 15:00) Overcast & gloomy with light showers. Light SE'ly breeze. HT 14.30 [Damon Smith] Map

2 Mute Swan (EF), 1 Shelduck (EF), 57 Shoveler (EF), 30 Gadwall (EF), 5 Mallard (EF), 13 Pintail (EF), 151 Common Teal (EF), 2 Moorhen (EF), 8 Coot (EF), 4 Grey Plover (EF), 27 Lapwing (landed briefly on EF), 4 Snipe (EF), 3 Black-headed Gull (EF), 2 Common Gull (EF), 1 Grey Heron (EF), 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Pied Wagtail (EF)

Faversham Creek (13:15 to 15:00) Light drizzle [Lee Evans] Map

2 Avocet, 34 Lapwing, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Pallas's Warbler (Showing very well in ivy and Elder at the confluence of the sewage farm and sluice at the sewage works), 30 Chiffchaff (Including an abietinus intergrade Eastern-type), 1 Blackcap, 1 Firecrest, 1 Goldcrest, 45 Pied Wagtail (All sightings around the sewage treatment works), 2 Reed Bunting

Chatham Maritime (11:45 to 12:00) [Keith Cutting] Map

1 Red breasted Merganser (Drake on Basin 2), 1 Sparrowhawk (Large female over)

Dartford Marshes (10:30 to 14:30) Rising tide [Stephen Gatley] Map

32 Greylag Goose, 1 Shelduck, 25 Shoveler, 17 Gadwall, c40 Wigeon, c280 Teal, 3 Little Grebe (2 on Darenth), c270 Stock Dove, 1 Oystercatcher, 42 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 14+ Redshank, c500 Dunlin, 1 Little Egret, 3 Kingfisher, 3 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Cetti's Warbler, c10 Redwing, c100 Fieldfare, 6 Stonechat, c25 Pied Wagtail, 7+ Meadow Pipit, 11 Goldfinch

Littlebrook (09:30 to 10:20) [Stephen Gatley] Map

1+ Egyptian Goose (Heard), 9 Pochard, 18 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Redwing, 10+ Goldfinch

Stodmarsh (09:00 to 12:00) cloudy, no wind,chilly [Bryan East] Map

16 Egyptian Goose

Clowes Wood (Canterbury) (08:00 to 10:00) [Jim Bloor] Map

14 Common Crossbill

Wednesday 21 January 2026

Furnace Pond (Horsmonden) (15:00 to 16:15) [Stephen Mills] Map

8 Coot, 1500+ Starling, 400 Redwing, 300 Fieldfare, 2 Grey Wagtail, 30+ Chaffinch, 35 Linnet, 8 Redpoll

Higham Marshes (10:00 to 10:30) [Matt Hindle] Map

63 Barnacle Goose, 43 White-fronted Goose

Old Hundreds (Elmstone) CBC Site Breeding pairs recorded during annual survey [Alastair Henderson] Map

1 Mallard, 1 Pheasant, 1 Cuckoo, 16 Wood Pigeon, 4 Stock Dove, 4 Moorhen, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Jay, 2 Magpie, 5 Jackdaw, 3 Carrion Crow, 4 Blue Tit, 6 Great Tit, 5 Reed Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 11 Wren, 2 Song Thrush, 12 Blackbird, 6 Robin, 1 Dunnock, 5 Chaffinch

Tuesday 20 January 2026

Knockholt (10:30 to 12:30) Village lanes walk [Russell Brockett] Map

50 Stock Dove, 3 Herring Gull (Flyover), 1 Cormorant (Flyover), 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Sparrowhawk, 8 Red Kite, 6 Common Buzzard, 2 Raven, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Goldcrest, 6 Nuthatch, 60 Redwing, 40 Fieldfare, 14 Common Crossbill (Mobile flock)

Riverhead Parkland (08:00 to 08:30) Added to BirdTrack. [Richard Jenkinson] Map

11 Redpoll (traditional wintering area)

North Foreland (07:45 to 09:45) Sea-watch, 2 observers, highlights. [Dr Peter Carr] Map

477 Large alcid sp (2N, 475S), 1 Little Gull (Adult South), 41 Red-throated Diver (3N, 38S), 35 Gannet (1N, 34S), 1 Raven (North along cliffs)

Oare Marshes (07:00 to 11:00) Sunny intervals and a moderate SSE breeze. Temp. up to 9C. LT circa 07:30. With GJAB. [Murray Wright] Map

1 Canada Goose (with Greylags on NA), 61 Greylag Goose (on NA), 55 Shoveler (on EF), 24 Gadwall (on EF), 12 Mallard (on EF), 16 Pintail (incl. 10 drakes on EF), 150 Common Teal (circa on EF), 1 Whimbrel (regular wintering bird at mouth FC still), 2 Spoonbill (on Sheppey saltings), 2 Great White Egret (one flew S over reserve, plus one on Sheppey saltings), 1 Barn Owl, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Marsh Harrier (male), 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Fieldfare, 4 Stonechat (two pairs)

Monday 19 January 2026

Oare Marshes (13:30 to 15:45) Mostly cloudy & calm. HT 12.35 [Damon Smith] Map

2 Mute Swan (EF), 2 Egyptian Goose (EF), 26 Shoveler (EF), 25 Gadwall (EF), 3 Mallard (EF), 6 Pintail (EF), 79 Common Teal (EF), 2 Moorhen (EF), 7 Coot (EF), 6 Avocet (EF), 6 Snipe (EF), 10 Black-headed Gull (EF), 1 Common Gull (EF), 2 Herring Gull (EF), 1 Cormorant (EF), 6 Spoonbill (Sheppey saltings), 1 Great White Egret (flew W over EF), 1 Grey Heron (EF), 1 Barn Owl (Sheppey side), 1 Hen Harrier (Male flew W alongside sea wall @ 13.51), 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Dartford Warbler, 2 Stonechat

Paddock Wood (12:30 to 14:00) Dry, light breeze, overcast. Dunbrel Drive to Church Road footpath. [Ray Allen] Map

2 Mallard, 4 Collared Dove, 0+ Wood Pigeon, 1 Moorhen, 7 Magpie, 4 Carrion Crow, 26 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 0+ Starling, 35+ Redwing (Mostly flying south), 7 Blackbird, 2 Robin, 1 Black Redstart (Male near pond), 1 Stonechat (Male near pond), 5 House Sparrow, 1 Reed Bunting (Female near pond)

Grain Marshes (12:00 to 12:30) [Matt Hindle] Map

1 Greenshank, 11 Water Pipit

Otterham Creek (Medway) (12:00 to 13:30) Cold and grey [Dave Willis] Map

150+ Shoveler, 4 Lapwing, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 20+ Redwing, 5 Blackbird, 20+ Fieldfare, 1 Stonechat

Bough Beech Reservoir (10:00 to 14:05) Early mist, sunny spells, light breeze, 9C (with Eric Brown) [James Butler] Map

1 Mandarin Duck, 50+ Pochard, 15 Wigeon, 12 Common Teal, 2 Little Grebe, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Snipe, 1 Red Kite, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Kestrel, 2 Marsh Tit, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush, 8 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Reed Bunting

Foreness (09:00 to 10:00) [Simon Mount] Map

5 Eider, 24 Purple Sandpiper, 22 Red-throated Diver (E), 1 Reed Bunting (E), 1 Corn Bunting (E)

Dover Harbour (08:00 to 10:30) [Mark Kennett] Map

2 Purple Sandpiper, 2 Shag

Sunday 18 January 2026

Potmans Heath (14:00 to 16:00) [Stephen Message] Map

21 Goosander (8 drakes), 230 Shoveler, 70 Gadwall, 2000 Wigeon, 30 Pintail, 480 Common Teal, 1000 Lapwing, 2 Great White Egret

Faversham Creek (11:15 to 13:00) [David Renham] Map

1 Yellow-browed Warbler (Sewage works/ Sluice. Brief views with large group of Chiffchaff.), 10 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap (Male), 1 Water Pipit

Faversham Creek (10:15 to 13:05) Mild and cloudt [Jeremy David Hall] Map

40 Common Teal, 2 Avocet, 1 Common Sandpiper, 30 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Great White Egret (Ham marshes), 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff (Feeding in bushes near sewage works), 1 Water Pipit (Feeding on creek with pied wagtails)

Cliffe Pools RSPB Reserve (09:30 to 12:50) Bright, sunny and light cloud [George Kalli] Map

1 Ruddy Duck (Crystal Pool), 10 Barnacle Goose, 20 Shelduck, 7 Goldeneye (2 male, 5 female), 5 Pochard, 15 Tufted Duck, 35 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall, 150 Wigeon, 10 Pintail, 150 Common Teal, 15 Little Grebe, 7 Avocet, 3 Oystercatcher, 80 Grey Plover, 2000 Golden Plover, 1500 Lapwing, 30 Curlew, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2000 Dunlin, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, 5 Skylark, 1 Blackcap (Female), 5 Song Thrush, 10 Redwing, 25 Fieldfare

Oare Marshes (09:20 to 12:00) Overcast & calm. HT 11.55 [Damon Smith] Map

2 Mute Swan (EF), 68 Shoveler (EF), 15 Gadwall (EF), 7 Mallard (EF), 6 Pintail (EF), 64 Common Teal (EF), 1 Moorhen (EF), 8 Coot (EF), 119 Avocet (mouth of FC), 2 Oystercatcher (EF), 1 Whimbrel, 17 Curlew (mouth of FC), 1 Black-tailed Godwit (mouth of FC), 6 Snipe (EF), 25 Redshank (EF), 6 Turnstone (slipway), 12 Black-headed Gull (EF), 1 Common Gull (EF), 1 Great Black-backed Gull (EF), 3 Spoonbill (1 Horsesands 2 Sheppey saltings), 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Skylark, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Stonechat, 3 Pied Wagtail (EF)

Reculver (08:00 to 09:45) [Chris Hindle] Map

1 Goldeneye (male flying E), 24 Ringed Plover, 1 Black Redstart (first winter male), 1 Grey Wagtail, 63 Corn Bunting

Seaton Gravel Pits [Richard Collins] Map

1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Apologies, Woodpecker was watched not washed!!)

Seaton Gravel Pits Mild, cloudy, windless [Richard Collins] Map

11 Egyptian Goose, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Little Egret, 7 Cattle Egret, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (female washed well with brendan Threlfall feeding in alders at S end of S lake in mixed flock of Long-tailed and Blue Tits. This and record here a few days ago first records here for at least 25 years.), 3 Yellowhammer

Saturday 17 January 2026

Cliffe Pools RSPB Reserve (14:00 to 16:45) Mostly cloudy with sunny spells, cool, light SSE breeze. Limited counts. [Murray Orchard] Map

1 Ruddy Duck (immature drake on Crystal Pool), 4 Goldeneye (drake and 3 ducks on Crystal Pool. Very low numbers at Cliffe this winter), 76 Gadwall (BB3), 300 Golden Plover (BBPs), 1000+ Lapwing (over reserve), 13 Snipe (tight flock flew over CP), 2 Greenshank (Crystal Pool), 1 Marsh Harrier (male), 1 Common Buzzard (BBPs), 1 Cetti's Warbler, 500 Fieldfare (big numbers in bushes around BBPs and Coastguards, with huge flock lifting up at dusk), 4 Corn Bunting

Oare Marshes (10:00 to 12:30) [David Perrin] Map

1 Dartford Warbler (11:10 between car park and sea wall hide near 2 stonechats.)

Cliffe/Cooling Marshes Offshore (09:45 to 12:30) Cool, cloud and sunshine, light SSE breeze. WeBS count. High tide 11:45 [Murray Orchard] Map

64 White-fronted Goose (flocks of 21 SW and 43 E), 2 Egyptian Goose, 39 Shelduck, 130 Wigeon, 50 Mallard, 970 Common Teal, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 875 Avocet, 4 Oystercatcher, 110 Grey Plover, 160 Lapwing, 55 Curlew, 400 Black-tailed Godwit, 32 Redshank, 1900 Dunlin

Cooling Marshes (09:15 to 13:00) Cool, cloudy with increasing sunshine, light SSE breeze. [Murray Orchard] Map

1 Egyptian Goose, 1 Marsh Harrier, 500 Starling, 2 Stonechat (males), 6 Linnet, 32 Corn Bunting (groups of 10, 4 and 18)

Godmersham Church (09:00 to 10:30) High cloud, intermittent rain [Rebecca Torry] Map

2 Goldcrest, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush

South Swale LNR (07:50 to 13:00) Cloudy with sunny intervals and a southerly light breeze. [Colin Fisher] Map

560 Brent Goose, 137 Shelduck, 24 Shoveler (on the Swale), 250 Wigeon, 1 Little Grebe (Castle Coote inlet), 25 Avocet, 160 Oystercatcher (Castle Coote), 20 Grey Plover (Castle Coote), 55 Ringed Plover, 61 Lapwing, 290 Bar-tailed Godwit (mudflats), 36 Redshank (Castle Coote), 50 Turnstone, 900 Knot (mudflats), 250 Dunlin (Castle Coote), 18 Cormorant, 6 Spoonbill (Sheppey salt marsh), 2 Marsh Harrier, 60 House Sparrow (beach huts), 28 Meadow Pipit, 4 Corn Bunting (three were singing males)

Furnace Pond (Horsmonden) (07:30 to 09:40) [Stephen Mills] Map

1 canada/greylag hybrid, 1 mealy redpoll, 53 Canada Goose (47+5+1), 1 Barnacle Goose, 6 Coot, 1 Little Egret, 400 Jackdaw (south at first light), 2 Raven, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Mistle Thrush, 350+ Redwing, 400 Fieldfare, 7 Meadow Pipit, 30 Chaffinch, 30 Redpoll, 30 Goldfinch, 6 Siskin

Friday 16 January 2026

Reculver (14:00 to 15:00) [Chris Hindle] Map

2 Black Redstart (around the Towers)

Oare Marshes (11:10 to 13:45) Starting overcast then quickly turning sunny with light S'ly breeze. HT 10.25 [Damon Smith] Map

4 Mute Swan (EF), 2 Shelduck (EF), 40 Shoveler (EF), 7 Pintail (EF), 65 Common Teal (EF), 2 Moorhen (EF), 5 Coot (EF), 7 Snipe (EF), 3 Black-headed Gull (EF), 1 Common Gull (EF), 1 Cormorant (EF), 5 Spoonbill (Sheppey saltings), 1 Great White Egret (EF), 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail on Sheppey), 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 2 Stonechat, 2 Pied Wagtail (EF), 2 Meadow Pipit (+ EF), 1 Rock Pipit (by slipway)

Bishopstone (Reculver) (08:00) [Chris Hindle] Map

1 Blackcap (female in garden)

Thursday 15 January 2026

Capel Fleet (East Sheppey) (15:57 to 16:30) Appalling - windy with heavy rain [Lee Evans] Map

4 Whooper Swan (4 adults), 500 Brent Goose, 70 White-fronted Goose (At least 70 with the Greylags), 12 Red-legged Partridge, 30 Marsh Harrier (At least 30 roosted)

Long Rock (Swalecliffe) (08:00 to 09:00) [Jim Bloor] Map

1 Great Northern Diver (flew west)

Cliffe Pools Very wet and very muddy underfoot [Lee Evans] Map

1 Ruddy Duck (An immature drake showing well on the Crystal Pool), 69 Barnacle Goose (A flock of at least 69 on the eastern edge of Higham Marshes), 950 Greylag Goose (On flooded fields north of the Timber Lake), 24 White-fronted Goose (24 Russian birds with the large flock of Greylags), 2 Goldeneye (A pair on the Crystal Pool), 1600 Wigeon (At least 1600 on the Timber Lake), 1 Spotted Redshank (A winter plumaged bird on the Crystal Pool), 2 Greenshank (2 on the Crystal Pool), 120 Fieldfare, 30 Linnet

Leysdown Low tide; heavy rain [Lee Evans] Map

270 Oystercatcher (Feeding at low tide along the shoreline), 16 Grey Plover, 1 Ringed Plover, 7 Curlew, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Sanderling

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