Isle of Sheppey, Kent, 28/1/2012

Weather, cold bright start to the day, by 10.00 hours, grey cloud came over, turning into a very dull, cloudy day.

M.S., Kevin and I arrived on the Isle of Sheppey about 08.00 hours.

First stop was to look at the sailing lake in Sheerness,

Mediterranean Gull, 1 adult
Common Gull, 1
Little Grebe, 4

little else of interest, we moved to the Harty Ferry Road, from the viewing mound we saw

Red-legged Partridge, 15+,

Marsh Harrier, several
Kestrel, 2
Green Sandpiper, 1 flew over calling.

a Bearded Tit was heard 'pinging' from the reed bed, (not seen)

Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Chaffinch in the hedgerows.
Green Woodpecker, 1

Red-legged Partridge

At the Harty Ferry, we walked down to the causeway,

Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, a few Bar-tailed Godwits in with Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank and Curlew.
A lot of Shellduck on the mud,
A Marsh Harrier crossed the Swale towards Oare.

Next stop was at Leysdown , the light was now very poor, tried to take a few photos of the Gulls !

Common Gull,
Black-headed Gull,
Herring Gull,

Common Gull

Common Gull

 Black-headed Gull

Herring Gull

We then continued towards Shellness, stopping at Muswell Manor, a walk out on the 'bund' to look for Lapland Bunting, Kevin was first to hear them, M.S. and Kevin saw them, this was another distance sighting of a very small bird that in the short grass, it was imposable for me to see !
I did see

Skylark, 10 +
Kestrel, 1
Golden Plover, 500 +

Golden Plover

Then on the return walk to Muswell Manor, the 'bird of the day'

Ring-tailed Hen Harrier,

A good view was had as it flew by, setting down in a grass field for 5 mins, then flew off to land again close but out of our sight.

The day finished with a walk out to Shellness, nearly high tide, and rapidly failing light

Oystercatcher, 100's
Grey Plover, c100
Dunlin, Turnstone, Redshank, a raft of Mallard, many Shellduck, Brent Geese in small nos

 Curlew

Brent Geese


Poor light and threatening rain brought an early finish to the day.