Kent Birding Highlights for April 2026

                                                           10th

                                    NR : DARGATE

                                                  

♂ Ring Ouzel

News of a local ♂ Ring Ouzel filtered through to me on the 10th April so i tried my luck and thankfully had some great (but distant) views of this cracking bird.

♂ Ring Ouzel

There was also a superb Yellowhammer & Firecrest nearby.

12th

SEASALTER LEVELS

Common Crane

Viewing from Pilgrims Lane on the 12th April was rewarded with very distant views of the recently found Common Crane.

There were also 2 Nightingales in full voice but both remained out of view.

Digi scoped Common Crane.

There was also 11 Cattle Egret feeding amongst the cows.

25th

DUNGENESS SEAWATCH

&

RSPB RESERVE & ARC 

3 Pomarine Skuas

You can read the full details of the Dungeness sea watch on my previous blog post.

Pomarine Skua

After my epic sea watch i visited the Dungeness Rspb reserve and added 2+ Hobby over the back of Cooks Pool.

I bumped into MC who informed me there were 2 Spotted Redshanks on ARC, so i headed straight there and thankfully had great scope views of these cracking waders.

2 Spotted Redshanks.

Superb full summer plumaged bird.

There was also a Great crested Newt in the pond just to the right of the hide.

I then received a message from NB informing me there is a good selection of waders by the Makepeice Hide including a Curlew Sandpiper !!

Curlew Sandpiper with Ringed Plover.

Many thanks MC & NB for the info, very much appreciated.

27th

OARE MARSHES

Imm Spoonbill

An afternoon visit to Oare Marshes was greeted with 2 imm Spoonbills on the East flood.

There was also 5 Wood Sandpipers, 1 Common Sandpiper & a Greenshank all close in near the road.

Wood Sandpiper

Greenshank & Wood Sandpiper

3 of the 5 Wood Sandpipers

A walk up to Uplees didn't add the hoped for Ring Ouzel but a distant Wheatear was good to see plus a Lesser Whitethroat was heard but remained unseen.

However Common Whitethroat & Sedge Warblers were far more showy.

Sedge Warbler

Common Whitethroat