Monday, October 26, 2009
Some Kentish birding
I've spent a lovely weekend with my sister in Guston, near Dover.
Saturday started wet and misty, but we set off to see the sights. My brother-in-law took us first to Samphire Hoe - of which more later.
We followed winding country lanes, stopping at a pub for a very acceptable lunch. Then we drove on, and I had just glimpsed a signpost to Harty Ferry and begun to wonder why that sounded familiar, when suddenly there were wetlands and waders right next to the road - we were at Oare Marshes!
It wasn't a day to invite a walk and we just strolled along to the water's edge to look across at the Isle of Sheppey; while a little stint was a nice surprise among the dunlins and ringed plovers.
The following day we went to Pegwell Bay - another famous birding place seen at last. The tide was out so the waders were a bit distant; however, we had good views of several redshanks and there was a sizeable flock of golden plover high up the beach. We also consumed another enjoyable pub lunch. Why don't we have pubs this good at home?
On our walk across Samphire Hoe the day before, we'd seen a wheatear; so when I left to drive home on Monday morning I dropped in again.
A concrete sea-wall encloses a landscaped area sown with wild flowers and grasses and dotted with sea buckthorn, brambles, and three pools.
The wheatear was still present round the pool pictured above. It was getting aggro from several meadow pipits. At least one rock pipit was on the beach.
Otherwise, it was fairly quiet - but I bet good birds are seen here. On the far side of the site, I could see two birders intent on the little wood clinging to the cliff - you can just make them out at the bottom of the picture, looking across the railway - but I didn't have time to explore that path today.
Most definitely a place to return to!
Samphire Hoe is a place which didn't exist until the Channel Tunnel was built. Then, almost five million cubic metres of excavated chalk marl were used to create this new site between the cliffs and the sea.
A concrete sea-wall encloses a landscaped area sown with wild flowers and grasses and dotted with sea buckthorn, brambles, and three pools.
The wheatear was still present round the pool pictured above. It was getting aggro from several meadow pipits. At least one rock pipit was on the beach.
Otherwise, it was fairly quiet - but I bet good birds are seen here. On the far side of the site, I could see two birders intent on the little wood clinging to the cliff - you can just make them out at the bottom of the picture, looking across the railway - but I didn't have time to explore that path today.
I haven't found out what the blue wooden tower is, but it made a nice picture against the cliffs.
Most definitely a place to return to!
And to my shame, I have no pictures of my family! I did take one of my sister trying to get her neighbour's chickens into the hen-house (they're fairly rural down there!) but it was a bit blurred.
// posted by Christine @ 10:17 AM 
