The Stour Valley list for 2025 stands at 113 species so far

StourValleySightings2025

Please send your sightings to martynwilson@talktalk.net

  

March 20th 

The Black Swan flew across the marsh hide this morning with a flock of about 15 Mute swans, its white flight feathers clearly visible as was the deep red bill, a nice contrast against the white Mute's. Do not hold your breath on the "launch" of the new Tern raft, I have been told due to funding issues it will not be sited till this winter, as Sue said to me this morning perhaps, we should have whip round to get it done before the Terns arrive. 

(Bryan East)

March 17th 

David Feast had a Redshank on the reserve during the past week. The first Garganey of the year was discovered by Sue Morton and me on Saturday, a Curlew flew over the carpark calling early on Friday morning and a Goshawk was over the Alder Wood last week. Good numbers of Cetti’s Warblers (27) and Chiffchaffs (12) singing on the reserve and still high numbers of Cattle Egrets about with 18 joining the Belted Galloway’s at the Oxbow. The Heronry has at least 5 off its 8-nests occupied now. 

March 6th 

I did the circuit this morning in perfect weather and met up with Dave Feast we had 6 Wigeon and 2 Snipe at marsh hide and a Brimstone near dads' bench. There was only 4 Cattle Egret with the Galloways with 11 seen earlier in the week Richard Hills had 2 Mediterranean Gulls in breeding plumage at the oxbow. The Heronry is getting well established considering there was only one nest 3 years ago, with 8 visible nests, possibly more further back in the trees. There were 7 birds around the nests this morning p. 

February 23rd

This morning David Feast had two Sand Martins over the lake at Stodmarsh. This is by far our earliest ever and may even be the earliest Kent record. 

February 19th 

A flock of Brent Geese over Grove @ 01:32 this morning

(Marc Heath) 

Brent Geese - Marc Heath

February 12th

There were 6 Barnacle geese in the fields outside the village this morning among a large flock of Greylags. Not much else to report but i did find an old Hornet nest a few weeks ago near the tower hide. 

(Bryan East) 

 January 30th 

The species list to the end of January currently stands at 95. Mostly common birds seen regularly but the drake Scaup still resides on Collard’s Lake, the Cattle Egrets topped 34 making a new Stour Valley record and, 6 Hen Harriers have been leaving roost at Grove Ferry although, only up to 4 are seen coming in in an evening! Best bird so far was on the 24th when a juvenile/second calendar Glaucous Gull that flew down river, just before the road bridge, past 3 of us before turning back and gaining height before heading over the houses towards Upstreet. The Cormorant numbers remain high with up to 5000 birds streaming out towards the coast each morning. Three Long-eared Owls have regularly been seen in a roost not on public view and, there seems to be less Water Pipits around this year with up to 7 being seen. Usually get between 12 and 25? Three Russian White-fronted Geese and 5 Barnacle Geese have been with the Greylag Geese near Undertrees Farm Hopefully his year will be better than last year and some good species turn up. 

Barnacle Geese - Bryan East

Hornet Nest - Bryan East

The Stour Valley list for 2024 stands at 166 species so far

StourValleySightings2024

Please send your sightings to martynwilson@talktalk.net 

December 30th  

It would seem that 2024 has come to an end with a couple of late additions to the Valley year list. These were, Black-necked Grebe seen by Brendan at Collard’s Lake, 6 Barnacle Geese with Greylags at Stodmarsh seen by David Feast and 3 Bewick’s Swans flyover on the 29th by a couple of visiting birders, bringing the list up to 166 for the year, one of our lowest year counts considering we used to be in the mid 170’s to the mid/late 180’s! The lack of visiting and breeding waders and, also, the much milder winters bringing less winter wildfowl and Swans doesn’t help. 

In terms of the coming year, I will still put up a list of birds seen during the year, as to whether I put any day lists on depends on if anyone sends any visit news or if the species diversity changes rather than the same 30 – 60 species seen on a daily basis. 

October 23rd  

A lack of reports on this blog are mainly due to laziness on my part and a lack of quality birds to report about plus, also, Bryan being out of the picture for a few months. Of note since August 15th was a Scarlet Ibis that first appeared on 21st August is still present today 23rd October and is feeding well and looking healthy. It has not lost any of its red colouring which would suggest the feathers are naturally red and not coloured by their food source, as with Flamingos and Rosy Pastors. Other than that, decent new birds in the for of a Yellow-browed Warbler for several days and a Dartford Warbler first seen Sunday and still present today. 

August 13th

I did the circuit this morning and there were 30 Pochard on the lake .At the Marsh hide were 2 G W Egret and a Turtle Dove which was great to see. Just one raptor seen, a juvenile Marsh Harrier. quite a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs flitting in and out of the bushes on the path to Reedbed hide where there was a Little Egret but not much else. 

(Bryan East) 

July 5th 

Not a lot to add to the species list of late but there was a Savi’s Warbler for a couple of days in June and a good movement of Black-tailed Godwits over the weekend at the start of July. Hobby numbers in the early mornings have dropped from a maximum of 32 to now 5 or 6. 

June 26th  

Nice and sunny at the reserve this morning and there were 5 Green Sandpipers, 5 Little Egret, 2 Cattle Egret and a Little Grebe with 1 chick at Marsh hide. There have been 2 or 3 young Bitterns seen flying around. 

(Bryan East) 

May 29th  

On the evening of May 29th around 21.30 Murray Orchard heard and recorded a Black-crowned Night Heron in the trees near tower hide. While on the side of the trees away from the lake he heard it calling as it flew across the lake. 

May 28th  

New additions to the list now include Little Gull, Baillon’s Crake (heard on two mornings by David Feast, Golden Oriole, Little Owl and 2 Common Cranes. 

May 13th  

New birds to add to the year list include Osprey, Purple Heron with 2 adults present, Red-footed Falcon, a Fulmar and 2 Whiskered Terns (the last one in the valley was in 2008).  

April 29th  

New additions to the year list include Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper (3), Garden Warbler, Spotted Redshank, Grasshopper Warbler, Common Sandpiper and Turtle Dove. Also, a Spotted Flycatcher was reported to Bryan, but it seems a little early for Spot Fly? 

April 25th  

I did the circuit this morning and there was a small flock of Sand Martins skimming the lake, also in the area were 4 Swift, 1 House Martin and 2 Swallow's. At the new Heronry 3 of the 4 nests are clearly visible at the moment with adults on the nests. There was a Spoonbill near the oxbow with 2 Little Egret's and there were 2 Cattle Egret with the Galloway's. Quite a few Blackcaps, Sedge Warblers and Lesser Whitethroat calling plus a Bittern booming near the slag heap. A Weasel ran across the track in the Alder wood and a Spotted Flycatcher was also seen. 

(Bryan East) 

April 22nd 

New birds to add to the growing year list include a Stone Curlew seen by a lucky few, Common Redstart, Spoonbill, a stunning male Pied Flycatcher, Arctic Tern and Common Swift and we still have May to come, and more migrants being held up by these awful North winds. 

April 9th  

Despite the cloudy skies and gale force winds, I was dropped over at Grove Ferry where I completed the circuit down to Stodmarsh and back. Birds noted included 35 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 2 Garganey from the Marsh hide, 49 Shoveler, 32 Gadwall, 96 Teal, 14 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Great crested Grebe, 3 Lapwing, 1 Bittern heard booming a few times, 3 Little Egret and 10 Cattle Egret. As I was sat in the Reedbed hide scanning the horizon line, I picked out a White Stork which initially flew towards Hersden before banking south and flew over the main lake and carried on south out of view. There were 4 Marsh Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 2 Skylark, 2 Bearded Tit, 6 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Warbler, 11 Sand Martin west, 4 Swallow west, 11 Chiffchaff, 24 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Blackcap, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 4 Reed Bunting. 

(Marc Heath)

April 8th 

Latest additions to the Valley year list are Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Goshawk (David Feast), Common Tern and Nightingale. Still plenty more to come. 

April 2nd 

New additions to the Valley year list comprise of Ruff (David Smith), Garganey (Steve Ashton), Willow Warbler (Tim Gutsell) and Curlew and Yellow Wagtail (Brendan Ryan). The coming weeks should add several more. 

March 20th-25th  

A few new additions to the valley year list over the past couple of days. A Red Kite was seen by Chris Gillard and a Sand Martin by Kieron McDonnell over the weekend and Norman McCanch had a Little-ringed Plover today. A male Wheatear was out in front of marsh hide on 23rd with 2 males at Collard’s on 24th and a Swallow was with Sand Martins at Collard’s also on the 24th. At least 6 Red Kites passed over Collard’s and Westbere on 23rd.  

 

March14th  

There was a Dunlin at Marsh hide this morning and it was nice to hear and watch a few Lapwings' displaying. There was a small flock of Siskin in the alder wood and 2 Canada geese in the field with some Greylags. Still very wet and muddy and tough going in places. 

(Bryan East) 

February 28th  

There were 29 Cattle Egrets in the field above Collard's this morning, another record for the valley (for now). 

(Bryan East)

 

February 19th  

A new Stour Valley record of 28 Cattle Egrets were seen in the fields above Collard’s this morning. The previous record being 27! 

 

February 18th  

An hour or so this afternoon driving around at Stodmarsh trying to keep dry produced c22 Cattle Egret in fields with cattle at Higham Farm. Also 1 Mistle Thrush singing there and on the water meadows, 1 Canada Goose, 3 Greylag Geese and 1 Little Egret. At Collie Corner were 7 Egyptian Geese in the fields and also 2 Treecreeper and 1 Raven flew through overhead calling. On Collards were 6 Wigeon, 12 Pochard and 15 Tufted Duck.  

(Marc Heath) 

February 15th  

Birding at Grove Ferry down to the Marsh hide and back between 06:45 - 09:45 produced 3 Hen Harrier including 1 adult male, 4 Marsh Harrier, 2 Woodcock. 2 Shelduck, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Cattle Egret, 1 Great White Egret, 2 Little Egret, 3 Water Pipit, 1 Redshank at the Marsh hide briefly before flying off calling towards Stodmarsh, 1 Egyptian Goose, 1 Raven, c120 Lapwing, 4 Stonechat and 5 Skylark. 2 Tawny Owl heard early morning at Stodmarsh.  

(Marc Heath) 

February 13th  

There were 5 Siskin in the Alder wood this morning and 125 Lapwing at marsh hide and just as i was about to leave a Merlin landed on one of the gate posts. 

(Bryan East)

 

February 11th 

Birding the valley at different locations produced the following highlights: 4 Hen Harrier including 1 adult male into roost at Grove Ferry, c50 Corn Bunting into roost in bushes near back pools at Grove Ferry, 1 Coal Tit, 3 Yellowhammer, 1 Bittern in flight at Stodmarsh, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Little Egret, 1 Firecrest and 7 Marsh Harrier. Recording during the night produced 1 Tawny Owl and a drumming Snipe in the early hours of the morning.   

(Marc Heath) 

January 21st  

An afternoon drive around a few sites at Stodmarsh produced 4 Marsh Harrier, 5 Pochard, c40 Tufted Duck, c35 Coot on Collards with 3 Cattle Egret in with the cattle there along with 14 Yellowhammer. At Collie corner there was 1 Firecrest and at Cow Corner, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Great White Egret on the water meadows.  

(Marc Heath) 

 

January 18th 

 

I did the circuit this morning and it was fairly quiet but i did get some great views of  2 Goldeneye at reed bed hide. 

(Bryan East) 

 

January 9th  

A good few days birding at the reserve with a lovely male Hen Harrier at marsh hide this morning, also 2 Water Pipit. On the lake were 6 Wigeon,4 Little Grebe and a Great Black- backed gull and the usual wildfowl. In the Alder wood were a small flock of Siskin and a Firecrest  January 8th- there were 4 White-fronted geese with the Greylags in the field near the carpark also 2 Egyptian geese. January 6th- there was a Nuthatch calling near the Rookery and a Peregrine circled above for a few minutes. 

(Bryan East)