Fallow Stag, Knowle Park.

Fallow Stag, Knowle Park.

Tuesday 21 July 2015

** Oare Marsh KWT. Yesterday 20/07/2015.**

Knowing that there was quite a few waders at Oare Marsh and being a nice day I (and my lovely taxi driver, Pamela) decided to have a look for myself. I was expecting to have a job to park in the pull in half way down the road but it was empty, what I did see was round about  8-10 birders/photographers gathered by the fence. I asked them what they was looking at it wasn't long before I was looking at the same birds, they was 2 TEMMINCK'S STINTS , well that was a great start for the day, not to mention for the year list.
The water level is just right for waders that feed at different depths .The highest number of waders was Black Tailed Godwits, I am not really into counting birds when there are so many, all I will say is that they was in the 100's, many of them still in their wonderful breeding plumage.There was plenty of Avocet around, always a nice bird to watch feeding.
There was 4  other really good waders species on the scrape, those that are stopping off to feed before making that long flight back to Africa, 1 LITTLE STINT...2 CURLEW SANDPIPER,..4 RUFF, 3 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER. TheCurlew Sand and Ruff are still showing signs of their breeding plumage.
The other waders scattered around was: Redshank..Dunlin...Lapwing... Oystercatcher.
Over in the small bay in the far right corner 9 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons was roosting.  Wildfowl seen was:Mallard..Shoveller..Shelduck...Gadwall.. Tufted Duck, and Greyag Geese.
On the gull front the BONAPARTE'S GULL is still showing, and a nice looking gull it is with it's lovely black hood. I believe it is  migrant from North America, and there is occasional sightings of them over here most years. The other gulls seen was: Black Headed Gull...Herring Gull..Common Gull, and a Great Black-backed Gull which flew over the scrape putting all the birds up. They also went up again but I couldn't see what caused it, but it was a lovely spectacle,especially the Godwits with the sun on them showing off their orange/rufous colours.
The other bird species I saw was: 2 Cormorants..one female Marsh Harrier in the distance... Mute Swan..Coot..Moorhen..Swallow.. Starling..Pied Wagtail..Skylark..Reed.. Bunting..Carrion Crow..Jackdaw..Magpie..Wood Pigeon, and Collared Dove.
My visit had to end  before I wanted to due to me falling off of my seat, now before anyone says, no I was totally sober😀. I didn't just fall off as you do, I think it was caused by something that happened  just before that, so I am resting up on the sofa writing this on my tablet.
My days bird list was: Greylag Goose..Cormorant.. Mute Swan..Grey Heron..Little Egret..Mash Harrier..Mallard..Tufted duck..Shelduck..Shoveller..Gadwall..Coot..Moorhen..Bonaparte's Gull..G/B/B/Gull..Herring Gull..Common Gull..B/H/Gull..Redshank..Lapwing..Avocet..Dunlin..Ruff..L/R/Plover..CurlewSandpiper..Temminck's Stint..Little Stint..B/T/Godwit..C/Crow..Jackdaw..Magpie..W/Pigeon..C/Dove..Starling..Skylark..Reed Bunting..Pied Wagtail..Swallow..

Now for my "Bird of the day" . I decided before I started writing this what it will be, and that is the ** TEMMINCK'S STINT **




8 comments:

  1. Ken ,
    Shame your visit had to end early , you were obviously enjoying it .
    Great selection of waders seen .
    Take things easy and hope you are feeling much better soon .

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  2. Greenie.
    Thanks for that. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day.Apart from passerines Oare Marsh seem to one of the top places fo birds at the moment.

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  3. Some super birds there Ken.
    Bad enough falling off your seat but at least you didn't fall off your perch!!
    Hope you're feeling better now.

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  4. Phil.
    Like it nice one. You should have been a comedian, and yes feeling a lot better now thank you.

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  5. Ken, Glad to hear that you are feeling better after you fall. Reminds me of Humpty dumpty!! I paid a visit on Tuesday and saw most of your list. Later there were 2 summer plumage Knot. But sadly no sign of the Bonapartes

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  6. Glad you had a good trip to Oare. Nice bonus seeing the Knot, shame about the Bonaparte's.

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  7. Hi Ken,pleased you got to see the Stints.I went the following day and missed them,just my luck.

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  8. Hi Ken,pleased you got to see the Stints.I went the following day and missed them,just my luck.

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