Spotted Crake

With the local birding being easily described as "slack" and with Martin's encouragement, we decided to venture to pastures new. Today we visited the North Kent Coast taking in two venues that, on the day, were chalk and cheese.

First up was the RSPB reserve at Cliffe Pools, we had something of a challenge getting there as I don't think the RSPB have got round to putting up any of the familiar signs. It's always difficult on a first visit, as we made the mistake of parking a long way from our quarry, when with a bit of experience we could have been much closer. Anyway, target here was the Lesser Yellowlegs that had been reported on one of the Black Barn Pools. The Cliffe reserve covers a huge area, in fact 237 ha of saline lagoons and brackish pools created by old clay diggings and river dredgings. My first impressions were of vast amounts of water inhabited by few birds, I guess that will change with the onset of winter. On the fairly long walk to find the bird we saw very few other species. However, the place is alive with dragonflies and judging by the amount of Buddleia bushes on the trail, will be a brilliant butterfly haunt in the late summer months. Today, just a few Large Whites and a single Red Admiral.

On the trail we spied a familiar car and we knew that John Stanton and Mick Davis were about, all we had do was find them and we would be home and dry. A local birder gave us encouragement by telling us that the bird was present and pointed us in the right direction. As we arrived we were greeted by John and Mick and were treated to views of the LY using Mick's scope - cheers guys!

The bird had relocated to a far corner of an adjacent pool and was barely identifiable using binoculars. Given the light conditions were pretty grim, shooting into the sun and with a considerable glare from a slight mist, I didn't bother to take the camera from the case. At least it was a life tick. Having waited for some time in the hope the bird may come closer I became bored and went in search of camera fodder. Apart from a Kestrel on a post, that flew as soon as I mounted the camera, I saw little else. Then I made the second mistake of the day - I decided to return to the car park by completing the circular walk of the reserve, arriving at the car a full hour after Martin.

Somewhat delayed we pressed on to our second venue, Oare  Marshes. What a difference, as we approached we could see large quantities of birds, both on the water and in the air. Again we met John and Mick who were just leaving but took the time to give us a tip on the Spotted Crake. At first we spent some time just observing the birds from the roadside, the sheer numbers of Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets were stunning, all with a considerable supporting cast of Golden Plovers and Ruff.

 

Having expended sufficient pixels on birds sitting and in flight we made our way round to the East hide in search of the SC. We were left in no doubt as to where the bird could be found as there were several birders intently peering into a small reed covered pool just next to the path to the hide. Being polite, I asked several how long they had been waiting - the general response being about an hour. So we were lucky that after about ten minutes the bird made an appearance, scurrying around the mud like a small rat and in some minor altercation with a Water Rail. Getting a clear shot was virtually impossible but with such a great looking bird we stayed in the hope of capturing the ideal shot. Oddly, when every other birder had left, the bird came out on to the grassy bank and vanished into a bramble bush. Martin and I agreed that it had "probably gone to roost" when it left the bush, crossed the path to the hide and disappeared into the undergrowth. We were both so surprised that all we managed was a shot of the path itself!

A few more shots of the Golden Plovers from the roadside in a rapidly setting sun and it was time for home. Probably the longest birding day of the year for me and one of the most satisfying.

Ringed Birds

Of course, amongst so many birds there had to be some with rings:

 

 Postscript: I submitted a sighting report for this bird and received a reply from Peter Potts the following day informing me that RYO RNR was first ringed at Harty, The Swale, Kent on the 1st Sept 2012 and all subsequent sightings have been at Oare Marshes.

 

 



 

A sighting report of this Ruff has been made to a Dutch Ringing Group - awaiting developments.

 

 Postscript: No reply as yet but I suppose that it is early days, I reckon that 50% of the reports I make never get any info back.

Golden Plovers

A quick dash to Pagham Harbour to try to locate the Bearded Tits on the Long Pool. I parked the car at the visitor centre just as the sun was rising, a beautiful sight, but unfortunately I had brought only the big lens. As I made my way along the path past the hide the current influx of Fieldfares and Redwings was obvious, they were everywhere. From the viewpoint I counted 43 Shelduck on Ferrry Pool, all swimming in the small amount of free water in a frozen lake.

I started the vigil at the Long Pool, after an hour I became bored and walked down to the end of LP where the wooden seat overlooks the channel, as soon as I stepped off the path I flushed a Jack Snipe, how on earth do you photograph such a bird? Another hour of the vigil passed and I was joined by a birder who had seen the birds the previous day but wanted to obtain better photographs - not much chance in the prevailing light! Then Ivan came by and we passed several minutes on the pros and cons of cameras and digital photography - still no show. Then finally after about two and a half hours I located three of the tits very distant. They were calling but only a male showed fleetingly - never mind - a year tick and another wait for better weather.

 On the horizon dark clouds were gathering and the south easterly breeze was picking up and try as I might I couldn't relocate the Bearded Tits, so I made my way back to the car park, stopping at the viewpoint to find that the Shelducks had left the pool and were roosting on the bank. Just as I passed the hide I was treated to a high altitude flypast of a skein of geese, nineteen or twenty which I am sure were White Fronted Geese, their flight path taking them straight down the harbour but they showed no sign of descending.

By now the rain was coming steadily down and I decided that a visit to West WIttering was in order, just so that I could do some birding in the comfort of the car, well I did want to record some more ringed Brent Geese. When I arrived the grassy fields were occupied by a scattering of Brents, a handful of Lapwings and some obviously hungry Golden Plovers. These birds appear to be adept at finding earthworms but not so clever at keeping them. As a bird pulled a large worm from the ground other birds would swoop in to steal the prize, including Black-headed Gulls that would chase the Plovers relentlessly until they gave up their food.