Sunday 5 May 2013

Summers Day ........ at Oare Marshes

Reed Warbler.

I spent a very pleasant birding session at Oare Marshes today ,  l started of  listening to a Nightingale by the entrance track to the west hide , although i never saw it , there were several very vocal Common Whitethroats  here also , i then walked back past the east hide and onto the new accusations area ,  there was 2 or 3 Reed Warblers setting up territory along here and 1 bird showed well at times and was a year tick for me , there was not alot of activity on the new accusation other than several Lapwings and 2 Oystercatchers , although i did add another year tick in the shape of a distant Yellow Wagtail which was perched on top of a distant fence post .

Male Bearded Tit .

I then ventured around the east flood along Faversham creek towards the sea hide , there was a single Wheatear in the field near the sluice and at least 5 Bearded Tits  were " pinging " away all along the reed bed which runs along side the path , and i even managed to get one or two photos .

Bearded Tit in flight .

The reserve was alive with bird song , mainly Sedge and Reed Warblers but i did hear 3 Cettis Warblers  as well as several Reed Buntings , there were 2 Sandwich Terns  flying around the mouth of Faversham creek , as i walked back along the sea wall i saw 3 Common Buzzards over Mocketts Farm and a single Whimbrel in the flooded area west of the slip way .

One of many Sedge Warblers .

On my out of the reserve i bumped into Murray Wright and whilst we were chatting a Sparrowhawk circled around us and then drifted of west , i then had one final listen of the Nightingale and briefly heard the " rattling " call of a Lesser Whitethroat  , so all in all a pleasant summers day birding at Oare 

Grey Heron on pool west of the access road.