Friday 4 May 2018

Sandwich Bay, Pegwell Bay and Oare Marshes

I teamed up with Christian C and Magnus A at first light for a day birding in Kent. We started at Sandwich Bay, where highlights included my first Lesser Whitethroat, Cuckoo, Reed Warblers (two) and Yellow Wagtails (five) of the year, as well as three Corn Buntings, a Yellowhammer, two Rose-ringed Parakeets, 11 House Martins, six Wheatears and a Rock Pipit. Lapwings and Greylags had young and offshore were two Fulmars, a Gannet, 12 Great Crested Grebes and 12 Common Scoters. Four Avocets were on the Restharrow Scrape, along with six frisky Shovelers.

After lunch, we visited Pegwell Bay, finding a Spoonbill on the sandspit and seeing two Dark-bellied Brent Geese, four Whimbrel, a Yellow Wagtail and 85 Shelducks of note, as well as hearing a Cuckoo and a handful of Sedge and Reed Warblers.

Spoonbill at Pegwell Bay

We headed home via Oare Marshes, which had disappointingly high water levels. However, we logged a Hobby, a male Ruff, 200 Black-tailed Godwits, two Knots, a Peregrine, a Water Rail, six Whimbrel, five Avocets and a Bearded Reedling.