Kent Advice! (1 Viewer)

[mickster1978]

Hi all,

I am planning on a days birding on Saturday and was thinking about heading over to Rainham Marshes, and potentially Cliffe Pools before that.

I wondered if either of these are you patch and if you know if there is much about.

I havent been to either sight before so any tips on best areas or the reserves, times etc would be greatly recieved.

I also heard that Barn Owls are sometimes at Cliffe (I am dragging along the girlfriend who is still desperate to see a Barn Owl - Despite taking her to see about 20 short eared's at a roost up in the Midlands recently!!) so hoped I might be able to get in the good books and find her one!

Do let me know if any of you know the areas well.

Thanks

 

[BirdBoyBen]

Hi Mick. I'm a thirteen year old volunteer at Rainham, and think its great your visiting the site!
Sadly there isn't as much their as their often is-in the last week Golden plover numbers have fallen from 180 to 15. Pintail can be seen around the place, and there are a couple of Caspian gulls that are usually around the shooting butts hide.

As for Cliffe, their are hundreds of Avocets and godwits all round the reserve, though the birds still tend to be very distant as their are no hides. You may also find Goldeneye in the flocks of Wigeon, and their are some Snow Bunting along the seawall at Cliffe creek.

Wildfowl numbers are very low all over the Thames Marshes area at the moment, though flocks are starting to come in. Your best bet for Barn Owl is Elmley on Sheppey, which is a bit further though much easier and quicker to get to. You can see Barn owl from the car park over the West fields almost daily. The wader numbers are also spectacular.

 

[BirdBoyBen]

Sorry, important thing to add: the South-West reedbed currently holds a flock of Bearded tits. You can get extremely close (1 meter) to them quite easily, though they are generally hidden in windy conditions. If you record and play their call on either of the platforms you will have a fair chance of seeing them.