** Oare Marsh. 5th April 2018 **

 This post is about my visit to Oare Marsh on last Thursday 5th April. I arrived late morning. It was a really warm day and nice to be able to sit in the lay by in just a fleece. There wasn't a great number of difference species about. I had heard that where was a wader seen this morning that has been around for a while, but hardly seen. the bird in question is a LONG BILLED DOWITCHER. Some birders passed me now and again, and they had not seen it, so I now decided to go to the east flood hide. From here I was seeing the same species, but after finding out that the Dowitcher was last seen in the far right corner with the Black tailed Godwits,I switched my concentration to that area. I spent ages looking, and to my surprise I saw it. having seen it before I knew what I was looking for. Just before I found it 2 birders came in to ask about it, but because it wasn't showing, one said " Let's go, I haven't got the strength to hang around". I bet they wish they had now because it was only about 10 minutes later when found it. I then asked Andy to post it OK Face book Kent Birding because I was having trouble with it. I watched it for about 20 minutes, and although it is quite a bit smaller than the godwits, it wasn't taking any stick. There was also 1 Bar Tailed Godwit with them.
All the species seen was: Black tailed Godwit, Bar tailed Godwit(1), B/H/gull, Herring Gull, G/B/B/Gull, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Teal, Pochard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Shoveller, Shelduck,  Dabchick, G/C/Grebe, Avocet, Lapwing, Redshank, Common Buzzard(7), Greylag Geese, Little Egret, Long Billed Dowitcher, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Starling, Wood Pigeon, My "Bird of the Day" is the ** LONG BILLED DOWITCHER. **