Kent Birding Highlights for January 2026

                                                                1st

                                    ANCIENT HIGHWAY

                                        SANDWICH BAY

                                                 

White-Fronted Geese

I started 2026 with a visit to Sandwich Bay and spent sometime scanning the fields for wild Geese and thankfully the wintering flock of  White-fronted Geese was still present along the Ancient Highway, there was an impressive count of at least 170 birds.

Barnacle Geese

There was also 33 Barnacle Geese present with the WFG which are stunning looking Geese, Greylag & Canada Geese were also present.

COLLARDS  LAKE

Tundra Bean Geese

I left Sandwich Bay and headed to Collards Lake in the hope of adding even more Geese to my New Years Day birding trip and i wasn't disappointed as i saw 15 Tundra Bean Geese in the field just before the Lake.

3rd

OARE MARSHES

Grey Partridge

My first visit to Oare Marshes in 2026 produced  3 Grey Partridge in the roughly the same area they were seen near the end of 2025.

Other highlights were a Peregrine over the East flood plus an early Med Gull going down The Swale followed by 3 Red Breasted Mergansers.

The 2 Cattle Egrets were still feeding near the cattle on the East Flood.

Cattle Egret.

6th

Seasalter Rspb

My first Dip of 2026 and probably not my last was at Seasalter Rspb where i spent 2 hours in the morning with no luck looking for the Siberian Thrush, I also went back later in the afternoon for another 2 hour session but with the same result.

My reward was good numbers of Fieldfare & Redwing plus a single Mistle Thrush.

However the star of the day was a superb ♂ Hen Harrier which gave close  but brief views.

♂ Hen Harrier  (Photo from Oare Marshes)

12th

SARRE PEN

7 of the 20 Tundra Bean Geese.

A brief look at Sarre Pen on route to Dungeness was successful with the 20 Tundra Bean Geese still present but quite flighty.

DUNGENESS  RSPB 

Great Northern Diver

A winters day birding at Dungeness may not produce the goods of yesteryear but it still has many good wintering birds to see.

The Great Northern Diver on Burrowes proved tricky to locate but eventually gave itself up,  there was also only a handful of Goldeneye  (2 ♂ & 3♀) present.

♀ Goldeneye

A walk around to Denge Marsh Hide was a good choice as a Caspian Gull was showing well in front of the hide , there was also a Yellow legged Gull present.

Caspian Gull  (left hand bird)

Other birds of note were Little, Cattle & Great white Egrets plus a superb Bittern which had a brief fly around near Hookers ramp.

Bittern

21st

NEW HYTHE

A very wet day at New Hythe was rewarded with distant views of the over wintering Greater Scaup.

Greater Scaup with Tufted Duck

24th  &  25th

FAVERSHAM  TREATMENT  WORKS

Pallas's Warbler

A visit to Faversham treatment Works in the hope of seeing a Pallas's Warbler on the 24th & 25th eventually proved successful on the 25th.

Central  crown stripe very obvious

This delightful bird evaded me on the 24th but eventually showed very well on the 25th , other birds present were Goldcrest, Firecrest,  20+ Chiffchaffs, 100 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails & a Med Gull.

Pallas's Warbler.