A few more Garganey

I was able to catch the Drake Garganey in flight recently and also the male and female swimming together in front of the Reed bed hide at Stodmarsh. Always a special Spring time moment for me.

Spring in the Stour Valley

 A fairly productive couple of weeks at Stodmarsh with the first arrival of migrants, accompanied with some half decent Spring weather. Four Garganey were seen on the pool in front of the Reed bed hide at the Stodmarsh end of the reserve with another pair seen at the Marsh hide and a single Drake on the Oxbow although the Marsh hide and the Oxbow birds could be part of the four at the Reed bed hide.

There is a lot of Bittern activity around the reserve at the moment with three booming males that I have heard and several sightings as they take to flight to get to another part of the reed bed.

Other bits caught with the camera include a drake Garganey flying into the Feast hide pool at Grove

Little Grebes, also on the pool in front of the Feast hide

A fairly low Common Buzzard by the metal bridge on the way down to the Marsh hide from the Grove end

and finally, Marsh Harriers, with a pair nest building in the reed bed both from the Reed bed hide and the Feast hide, giving superb photo opportunities.

Kentish Coastal Peregrine Falcons

 A few stops along the east Kent coast line recently, searching for Peregrine Falcons. I found a few but they were mostly static, perched up along the cliff face enjoying the early Spring sunshine.

There were plenty of singing Skylarks and Corn Buntings, also enjoying the morning sunshine, hopefully a sign of better conditions in the near future.

Skylark

Corn Bunting

Oare Marshes for a change

A visit to Oare Marshes and the first for a while (02/03/25) was cut short due to a thick sea mist rolling in from the Swale and limiting the view out over the East flood. A Barn Owl was seen quartering the Western side of the reserve on arrival and there was at least 20 Pintails on the East flood.

Drake Pintail on the Eastern flood before the mist rolled in

Female Pintail

A solitary Spoonbill, a juvenile, slept for mostly all of my visit but awoke and took flight, crossing the Swale and touching down on the Sheppey side by the Harty ferry pub.

A few recent photos from Stodmarsh

 A few photos from Stodmarsh and Grove ferry over the past few weeks whilst awaiting the influx of arriving migrants which will not be long now.

White-fronted Goose

Gadwall

Teal

Tufted Duck

Marsh Harrier

Bullfinch