Stour Valley Sightings: Status Quo

Last weekend in the “Valley” was pretty dire so I couldn’t be bothered to write about it although, to be fair, 4 Ringed Plovers dropped in briefly on Saturday and 2 Spotted Redshanks flew out towards Reculver after the fog had lifted but otherwise it was very mundane. This weekend was enlivened slightly by a Tawny Owl calling as I walked to the Ramp and the sounds of 26 Wigeon calling from the pool. Joined by Sue Morton we wandered the circuit noting 7 Grey Herons, 6 Cetti’s Warblers, 5 Water Rails, 8 Marsh Harriers, 1 Ruff and 2 Dunlin. There were 8 Black-tailed Godwits from the Ramp but they left towards Stodmarsh while at Harrison’s Drove hide there were 2 Spotted Redshanks (1 adult & 1 juvenile), 1 Wood Sandpiper and a Garganey.

Drake Garganey at Harrison's Drove hide

A few Swallows were moving west, there were 3 Little Egrets, 9 Snipe and 1 Common Buzzard that landed in a bush in the Oxbow area while several parties of Bearded Tit were seen totalling about 60 birds. On Friday Steve Ashton had seen 3 Great-white Egrets from Reedbed hide so we hoped to catch up with them as we walked round. Leaving an empty Marsh hide we saw our first Great-white in flight over the reed bed heading towards the Alder Wood/Fishing Ponds and when we reached the Lampen Wall our second flew across the back of the lake and dropped in the reeds to the left of Reedbed hide. A large flock of House Martins were feeding over the lake but just 3 or 4 Sand Martins were with them and on the lake were, 24 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Pintail, 5 Tufted Ducks, 76 Pochards and 5 Great-crested Grebes while 9 Black-tailed Godwits and 1 Green Sandpiper fed around the edges plus a Great Black-backed Gull was on the Tern raft. The third Great-white Egret was seen as we walked the river as it flew overhead as if it had come from the Chislet direction.

Great-white Egret

Not much else to report other than a Hobby near Stodmarsh Court Farm as I drove out. Sunday was much the same except only 2 Wigeon, no Spotted Redshanks and just 1 Great-white but, along with Bernie Weight we added 2 Stonechats along Harrison’s Drove and the Black-tailed Godwits had increased to twelve. While in the Reedbed hide with Steve Ashton and Tim Gutsell a Kingfisher came in for a short while but not on the close perches.

Kingfisher from Reedbed hide at Stodmarsh

Instead off visiting Restharrow on the way home on Saturday I took the long walk to Backsand Scrape at Sandwich to see if the Pectoral Sandpiper was still present. I set myself up in the photo hide but there was no sign but was sure it was still present so started chomping on my lunch when I looked up and there it was in front of me, 500 photos later I was heading home well pleased.