Category: Birdwatching

Today we got up early and went down to Rainham Marshes for kid’s bird watching and afterwards we went to Oare Marshes to see the Wilsons Phalarope and Long Billed Dowitcher.

We went to Rainham earlier today to find something different, when we got there we started looking round.  A Ruff was wading feeding in Purfleet Pools and a Bullfinch flew over our heads.  We continued to walk down the river wall and found a Marsh Harrier flying above the reeds hunting.  It was windy and the tide was in therefore there was not much about in the bay, apart from a few gulls and a Curlew feeding.

Ruff

When we went on the walk with Howard along the sea wall there was lots of Chaffinch and Goldfinch going up river.  There was also some Rock Pipits, Linnits and even two Siskins flying amongst them.

As we entered through the gate there were some Stonechat and we heard some Bearded Tits ping, but did not see them.  Near the Butts Hide there was a Buzzard circling and was being mobbed by some Crows.  It was a quiet day with not much about, most of the small birds were keeping out of the wind.

Stonechat

We left Rainham to go to Kent to see the Long Billed Dowitcher and Wilson’s Phalarope.  When we arrived there was lots of Golden Plover, Back Tailed Godwits and Redshank in the pools.  There were a few other people there and someone kindly pointed out the Phalarope.  It was following behind a Shovler eating all the creatures that the Shovler had disturbed.  We were watching it going backwards and forwards following the Shovler.

Distance Wilson’s Phalarope following a Shovler

Then we turned to the little lagoon to the right and there were three Little Stints wondering round near the water edge on the mud.  There were also some Avocet, Greenshank and a Ruff wading looking for food.  We continued looking for the Dowitcher, but could not find it.  We got in the car and was just leaving when someone spotted it.  I jumped out of the car and was super lucky to see it.

Long Billed Dowitcher

It was a tremendous and lucky end to the day.

Today (23/09/17) I hoped to see a Spotted Crake that had been there for the past week. I tried Thursday and had no luck so hoped to find it today.

As we started to walk down a path a flock of Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits was jumping around in the tress with a Gold Crest amongst them. When we got there it was see two minutes ago and a few minutes later my dad found it behind a willow tree. It started coming close but disappeared again.

I started looking for some other birds in the pool. The ducks are starting to come back because there was more teal. At the back near the mud there was some green sandpipers and 20 Snipe. I’d never seen that many Snipe before in one go! There was a lot of mute swans as well as Canada, Greylag Geese flying in. In the distant trees two Ring Necked Parakeets was squawking mad.

We then watch the Spotted Crake feeding in the reads. Very happy to see the Crake, makes up for Thursday and nice seeing very close as well.

In the centre a Kingfisher was hovering over a lagoon and a Grey Wagtail landed on a bench. As we started the walk we were on the sea wall and Howard pointed out some Yellow Legged Gulls, Little Egrets and Greenshank. Nearing the bay I found a Beetle with red legs, also at that time two Kestrels were hovering in the distance. As we was looking at the Kestrel Howard noticed a Buzzard getting mobbed by some Rooks. We continued to the bay and saw a group of Black Tailed Godwits and carried on as there was not much else to see. We walked down through the gate and started looking on the fence posts for a Whinchat, because it was what we aimed to see today. Whilst walking towards the dragonfly pools we kept a look out. We heard a faint Bearded Tit call in the far reeds. On the fence there was an Ant Mimic Jumping Spider that without looking properly, it really looked like an ant. Then a Common Darter landed next to it. On the wall near the hide there was a Weasel hunting and everyone on the walk was really excited that they had seen it. As we were approaching the butt’s hide a Marsh Marrier was flying. We made our way to Averly pool, found some Reed Dagger Caterpillars and a Slender Groundhopper. I haven’t seen a Groundhopper for two years and neither had Howard. When we got to Averly pool there was a group of Hobbies and Kestrel sparring and that was amazing. At the end of the board walk a Common Lizard was there and I got a nice picture. In the kids play area there was a Wasp Spider and a very small bee and I took a photo of it when it was on Howard’s finger. We then had lunch in the centre before we went out to the Serin Mound as we had not seen our Whintchat. At the Serin Mound I wanted to find a Whinchat and after a few minutes there was four sitting in a tree. A happy end to a fantastic day.