Restharrow, Sandwich Bay

With the reserve at Stodmarsh/Grove Ferry being in the poorest condition that I can remember for a long time, Algae covering the pool in front of the Reed bed hide and a large part of the main lake at Stodmarsh, unacceptably high water levels across the whole of the reserve and a distinct dishevelled look about the place with viewing from most hides severely restricted due to overgrown vegetation, my visits have been few and far between of late. If there is anything of note on the reserve it will be difficult to see and with the water levels being so high, passage waders will not think twice about passing overhead towards the beckoning mud of Worth, Pegwell or Oare. Hence a couple of hours was spent (25th August) in the hides at Restharrow on the Sandwich Bay estate. A Wood Sandpiper and a Greenshank was about the best of the Avian fare on show but both remaining distant and out of range of my camera. A Common Sandpiper was more obliging, feeding on the muddy fringe in front of the top (new) hide.

There were plenty of Common Snipe dotted around the scrape and a few ventured in front of the hide, enabling me to get a few images as they flew in.

Several Little Grebe youngsters were seen on the scrape, mostly chasing each other about and giving a comical look as they ran across the water escaping the unwanted attention of adult birds that were not prepared to tolerate their presence too close to them.

Finally for the camera, a pair of juvenile Yellow Wagtails dropped in to feed on the abundance of flies in the vegetation around the pools edge. Scruffy looking individuals at the moment but not too long until they are looking dapper in their bright yellow overcoats. A pleasant couple of hours giving a bit of relief from the monotony of Grove/Stodmarsh.