Red Necked Phalarope & Glossy Ibis at Oare Marshes

                                               28th July 2018  :  Oare Marshes

Red necked Phalarope with Black tailed Godwit.

Oare Marshes has been in fine form all through July with some very special birds being seen , and that run continued with a Glossy Ibis being seen a couple of nights ago , i got a txt from MW early Saturday morning that the Glossy Ibis was on the East flood so i headed straight there to have only missed it by a few minutes , not a great start to the day.

I did a circuit of the East flood with MW and we saw the adult Bonaparte's Gull which has begun moulting it's head feathers but still looked good to me.

Various waders were seen including 5 Curlew Sandpipers , 3 Little ringed Plovers & 2 Common Sandpipers , Turtle Dove was heard near the paddocks and the Little Owl was in it's favoured tree.

I headed off home at about 6.45am and walked in the door made a coffee and settled down to do my bird notes when i get a phone call from RR informing me that there is now a Red necked Phalarope on the East flood , so once again i headed back to Oare & meet up with RR ,MW & JR only to be told it had flown off with some Common Snipe and although the Snipe had returned the Red necked Phalarope had not , i said 1 or 2 expletives as you can imagine.

Adult Red necked Phalarope.

Thankfully MW saved the day and refound the Red necked Phalarope at the back of the East flood , although distant it was great to see this superb wader , i decided i would return in the evening in the hope the Glossy Ibis would come into roost.

Red necked Phalarope.

RNP , Dunlin, Ruff & Black t Godwit.

Really pleased i came back to Oare marshes in the evening , the Red necked Phalarope was showing much closer to the road and there was 5 each of Curlew Sandpiper & Little Stint.

3 Little Stints & 2 Curlew Sandpipers.

Adult Curlew Sandpiper.

3 Little Stints & 1 Curlew Sandpiper.

Watching these waders at close quarters was a real treat , then another birder further down from where i was standing called out the Glossy Ibis is at the back of the flood.

I soon got onto this superb bird and although distant it looked good through the scope.

Glossy Ibis.

Glossy Ibis & Ruff

Glossy Ibis.

Oare marshes has had probably one of it's best July's on record, certainly in my experience of visiting this reserve (sure others will tell me different), hopefully August will be as good !!

Many thanks to MW & RR for the phone calls & txt and well done to Steve Clinch who found the Red necked Phalarope this morning. 

Great Week for Waders at Oare Marshes & Pegwell Bay

                                                 12th July 2018 : Oare Marshes

                                                               
                                                                  

Black winged Stilt.

This last week at Oare Marshes & Pegwell Bay has been a really great period to see various wader species , all at local sites .

The family party of  Black winged Stilts (2 ads & 2 juvs) were still present at Oare marshes  on the 12th July in all their glory, these exotic birds were really putting on a show for all who came to see them.

Black winged Stilt not happy with this Coot.

There was also an adult Temminck's Stint present on the 12th and although distant at first it eventually came closer near the pull-in and showed really well through the scope.

Temminck's Stint.

The water levels are really good at Oare Marshes and it is attracting lot's of various wader species and this time of year anything can turn up !!!

The Bonaparte's Gull was still present on the East flood and whilst watching this i could hear Turtle Doves 'Purring' from the paddocks.

Bonaparte's Gull on East Flood.

19th July :  Pegwell Bay

Pectoral Sandpiper.

News of a Pectoral Sandpiper in the pool near the garage at Pegwell Bay on the 18th had me heading there the very next morning , i initially saw it out in the middle of the pool  near a Redshank and whilst saying hello to Andy Lipczynski the Pectoral Sandpiper  had flown closer to where we were standing and gave some incredible views.

Lovely markings.

Face on.

Pectoral Sandpiper flying closer.

Even though the light wasn't that great for photography (that is my default excuse for all my photos !!!) the bird gave fantastic views through the scope, i did some digi scope photography and these are the results.

Yawning.

Having a stretch.

Pectoral Sandpiper.

21st July 2018  :  Oare Marshes

Adult White rumped Sandpiper

I received a phone call early Saturday morning informing me of an adult White rumped Sandpiper on the East flood at Oare marshes , so once again i headed straight there.

I walked around to the Faversham creek side and joined regular Oare birders MW, RR & Co and was put onto the White rumped Sandpiper , although it was distant and amongst lot's of waders every so often it did show well and great views through the scope were had.

White Rumped Sandpiper in with all these waders.

I never got any decent photos of the WRS but with patience looking through the scope i saw it really well , what a smart bird it is to, great find by Steve Clinch.

The Black winged Stilt family had departed Oare marshes but there was still a great selection of wader species , i personally saw 15 different species of wader, highlights including 2 ad Curlew Sandpipers, 2 ad Knot , Little Ringed Plover , Whimbrel and the ad Temminck's Stint was also still present.

Black Winged Stilt Family make it to Oare Marshes

                                              5th July 2018  : Oare Marshes


                                                                       

Black Winged Stilt.

On Thursday the 5th July news of a family party of Black winged Stilts had appeared at Oare marshes , so without haste i headed straight there and although they were not in view at first they flew up from the south west lagoon and  landed in the South east corner , i made my way around towards the sluice and met up with MW and had decent scope views of this superb family of Black winged Stilts comprising of 2 Ad & 2 Juvs.

♂ Black winged Stilt.

I was informed that they had successfully bred in a private location on Sheppey (i had heard rumors of this a few weeks before) , so i am absolutely delighted to see the family party here.

♂ & ♀ Black winged Stilt.

2 Juvenile Black winged Stilts.

The light wasn't great for photography but i really did enjoy just watching these stunning looking birds , hopefully they will stick around for awhile so others can see them to.

Black winged Stilt.

2nd July 2018  : Kilnsea Wetlands & Beacon Ponds

Avocet.

On Monday the 2nd July i was invited to Kilnsea Wetlands & Beacon ponds in the hope of seeing the Squacco Heron , although i have seen 2 before in the UK (Kent & Somerset) and plenty abroad i fancied a days birding and seeing yet another Squacco Heron would be great to.

Avocet coming into land.

A long story short we didn't see the Squacco Heron but had a great days birding with 100+ Little Gulls with most of them being adult birds , truly an amazing sight.

Huge numbers of Little Gull.

Adult Little Gull.

Little Gulls in flight.

There was plenty of waders around including some close views of Avocet, i also added my first Curlew Sandpiper of the year , plenty of Redshank, Dunlin and a single Knot were all seen.

Whilst scanning through the Black headed Gulls, Sandwich Terns & Little Gulls something seemed to spook them and they all took to the sky and i got onto a superb Roseate Tern which flew right towards us and flew over our heads calling .

Adult Roseate Tern.

A really enjoyable days birding at one of the UK's premier sites.

The Return of the Bonapartes ..... at Oare Marshes

                            7th June 2018 : Oare Marshes


                                                                           

Adult Bonaparte's Gull.

Yesterday the 7th June news reached me that the Bonaparte's Gull was back at Oare Marshes for incredibly it's 6th summer running , first being seen in 2013 in 1st summer plumage ,  i couldn't get there straight away but eventually i got there at 10am and quickly joined MW & KP along the sea wall.

Doing a little jump.

I was soon looking at the adult summer Bonaparte's Gull in pristine plumage (probably the best condition i have seen it), deep red legs , dark black velvet head , white eye crescents & black bill , we also noticed a reddish coloured orbital eye ring / iris.

It was feeding ever so well and washed every worm before eating it compared to the Black headed Gulls which just scoffed down the worms straight away.

Eating a juicy worm.

Great wing pattern.

The Bonaparte's Gull flew to the East Flood every now and again for a brief time to presumably bathe before returning to the mud on the Swale for more worms.

In flight.

Adult Bonaparte's Gull.

There was also an adult Mediterranean Gull nearby which are also cracking birds to see.

Adult Mediterranean Gull.

I had a quick look over the East flood which was quiet other than a close Grey Heron and good numbers of Gadwall.

Flyover Gadwall.

Grey Heron.

1st June 2018 :  Oare Marshes

Great White Egret.

Hearing news of a Great white Egret on the East flood i headed straight there as i have never seen one at Oare Marshes before.

As i parked up in the pull-in i instantly saw the GWE walking around the East flood quite close to the road , it was quite surreal as i was the only one watching it , it would have created quite alot of excitement amongst the birding community only a few years back , but like Little Egret they are much more common place these days.

Great white Egret.

I watched the GWE for sometime before it wandered out to the middle of the flood and eventually it flew towards the Swale where it dropped down near the waters edge.

Whilst watching the GWE i also saw several Little Egrets including one which flew quite close to me.

Little Egret.

I also saw 100+ Black tailed Godwits and a single Avocet having a drink before being disturbed by a Cormorant which promptly landed where the Avocet was drinking.

Cormorant having a wing stretch.

It was a day of large birds at Oare marshes especially when this Grey Heron flew over my head and landed behind me.

Grey Heron.