Tour of the Medway

Funton Creek prime wader feeding

Sunday 3rd Aug, a good time of the year for waders, seabirds, and generally wandering the marshes looking for freshly arrived rare waders. Today was very much a scan, scan again, more scanning, even more scanning trying to find a rarity amongst the waders on the North Kent marshes. I drove my usual route starting off at the marshes adjacent to Kingferry bridge, Sheppey with 6 Little Egret, and a Common Sandpiper but little else. Next stop, Funton and with the tide just on the turn, waders were distant but identifiable. Totals were

Golden Plover 50 (no AGP or PGP though)

Grey Plover 15

Turnstone 31

Greenshank 14

Blackwit 97

Curlew 59

Dunlin 1 ( a poor effort)

Avocet 130

also a Sparowhawk and 2 Turtle Dove. This is such a good spot for waders that I'm surprised not more is found here, then again everyone goes to Oare as the waders are close and the views stunning

Next stop Lower Halstow where the bottle diggers were digging by the 'no digging sign' and a few waders were present

Whimbrel 4

Greenshank 2

Redshank 230+

also a crisp juv Med Gull, stunning birds.

Last stop a drive around the Medway to Allhallows, again!!! and in good company on the marshes a few hours of superb birding especially the waders. Totals were

Green Sandpiper 15+ noisily flying around in tight groups

Wood Sandpiper 1 a real corker, mega views

Greenshank 68 a fantastic sight to see as the flock whirled around calling

Blackwit a paltry 150 today

Snipe 16

Ruff 1

also a few other bits of note

Hobby 1

Sparrowhawk 1

Pintail 1fem

Teal a family party

Marsh Harrier 1

Lower Halstow a great site to bird, excellent for close views of waders as the tide rises, just waiting for that Red-necked Stint to arrive!!!
Greenshank, Redshank and a Ruff
Part of the mega Greenshank flock, all but one were adults
Lestes dryas (female)
Lestes dryas female appendages. At times to tricky to ID but I'm pretty certain this is dryas