PASSPORT TO SHEPPEY

Here is my round up of the last week

 RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE @samphire hoe
The next sequence of pics are from Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey.

                               POCHARD

 REDSHANKS

 LITTLE EGRET

 WIGEON Heading for the Swale

 SHOVELLER Courtship flight

 BRENTS Heading north

 LAPWING, GREEN PLOVER, OR PEEWIT.

 Two long staying winter visitors revisited

 GREAT GREY SHRIKE @CHILHAM

 GLAUCOUS GULL @DOVER HARBOUR

 ROCK PIPIT@PRINCE OF WALES PIER-Has right foot missing.

TURNSTONE Moulting into summer plumage

 WATER PIPITS @MARSH HIDE STODMARSH showing the pinkish breast of summer plumage.

HIGH TIDES AND BLUE SKIES

Taking advantage of a sunny Monday morning I headed first for Stodmarsh and then to Oare for the high tide.There was no sign of yesterdays Garganey at the reed bed hide or the marsh hide,in fact prescious few ducks remain here at all.The highlight was a chat with a Cettis warbler,often heard but seldom seen,this one was more obliging than most.

                                           CETTIS WARBLER

                                  REED BUNTING

TREECREEPER in the Alder Wood

                                 STODMARSH REED BEDS

                                       GREY HERON
Moving on to Oare,

                                     PINTAILS ARE ALL PAIRED UP FOR THE SUMMER

                                 WIGEON HAVING A BATH

                                              KONIK PONIES Grazing at Oare

                                          VIEW ACROSS TO FAVERSHAM.

                                   RUFF -one of three

                                       AVOCETS IN FAVERSHAM CREEK

                                 BLACK TAILED GODWIT -Numbers are increasing.

                                REDSHANKS Fleeing the food tide

                                AVOCETS TOO -The last waders to leave the creek,they have longer legs.

                                  BRENT GEESE will soon be leaving our shores for their breeding grounds in the Arctic

 CURLEW- This leucistic bird has been coming to Oare for several winters now.

                                  REED BUNTING on the saltmarsh

                                and in the bush.

SPRING TIDE AT DANS DOCK.

DUCKS AND GEESE AND GREBES BETTER SCURRY..............

Friday morning at Rest Harrow Scrape,a bright golden haze on the water and lots of wildfowl:-

                                                                  TEAL

                                          SHOVELLER IN FLIGHT

                                         SHOVELLER SHOVELLING

                                         WARY WIGEON

  SPOT THE ODD GOOSE OUT -GREYLAGS AND THE PINK FOOT

                                 WHO SAID IT NEVER COMES CLOSE?

                                         PINK FOOTED GOOSE

                                         SHOVELLER

                                            TUFTED DUCK

                                        POCHARD

                                        POCHARD

                                             GADWALL

                                                LITTLE GREBE

                                  GREYLAG GOOSE-our speaker on Thursday evening thought the Greylag an ugly bird I beg to differ.
Signs of spring on the cliffs yesterday morning despite the nagging easterly breeze.

                                                         RAVEN

                                                  FIELD PANSY

                                                   BLACKTHORN BLOSSOM

                                  SMALL TORTOISHELL -OUT OF HIBERNATION.

                                                ALEXANDERS-named after Alexander the Great of Macedonia