During our lockdown Facebook live streams, there was quite a lot of interest in the wild birds around the park and wild birds in general. So in my blog this week I’m going to point you in the direction of my top five places to go birding right here in east Kent.
1. Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory
My patch. I bird here most of my free time and it has been my happy place during lockdown. Run by Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust, there are a number of reserves that you can walk to from the Field Centre. There is a £1 charge at the Estate Toll to park at the Obs, but if you become a member it’s free!
I can recommend a walk to the beach to see wading birds, seals are an added bonus if you’re lucky, and during the summer the very rare Lizard Orchids are a speciality of the area and a must see. There is also a bird hide at Restharrow Scrape where you can see lots of water birds. Throughout the year they offer guided walks, the place I first picked up my bird identification skills! And non bird related, their Moth Nights are great fun and a great activity for kids too.
2. Stodmarsh
One of my favourite reserves in Kent. Get there either early in the morning to watch the Cormorants head to the sea for their fishing trips, or late afternoon to watch the stunning sun sets behind the reeds.
Listen out for the calls of the Reed Warbler (Spring to Autumn) and Cetti’s Warbler which can be heard singing a treat round there. If you’re lucky you might spot a Water Rail or a Kingfisher… watch out for a flash of blue. And there’s a fabulous pub in Grove Ferry that does great food or treats for the way back.
3. Oare Marshes
The best place to see Waders this side of the Swale. There is a charge for parking, but get there for high tide and look through the roosting wetland birds like Godwits, Oystercatchers, Redshank and Dunlin. Avocets are my favourite to see here if they’re about! This is my go-to site in the winter when there are more birds escaping the harsher conditions further north in their Arctic.
And I’m sneaking in a sixth place here as the other side of the Swale on Sheppey is very good for birding as well. If you get to the raptor watch point half hour before dusk you can watch Marsh Harriers come into roost, Owls if you’re lucky and the Hares are always great to see… especially when they’re boxing in the spring! And there’s also a great pub around the corner too.
4. Pegwell Bay
Again better to visit at high tide to watch the Wader roosts as they take refuge on the sand spit opposite the bird hide. During the spring and summer the surrounding trees and bushes can be great for song birds like Whitethroat and Garden Warbler and occasionally you can hear Cuckoos too! Look out for Short-eared owls here in the winter too.
5. St Margaret’s Bay
Fantastic walks either direction from the monument towards Kingsdown or to Dover with a fab pub at the bottom of the cliffs. For serious birders, autumn is a great time to visit as many migrating birds head back south for the winter through the South East corner of Kent.
I often see Peregrine Falcons here, the fastest animal in the world! Watching them dive after prey really is incredible, but it can be a bit tricky to spot them when they’re just chilling on the cliffs. Make sure to scan from the footpath with binoculars or a telescope, you definitely don’t want to wander off the paths here.
There have been some fantastic bird records at St. Margaret’s, Bee-eaters and Hoopors must be one of my must see birds that I’ve yet to see in the UK and I’ll certainly be looking out for them here.
These are just some of my favourite areas to go birding, but the beauty of this hobby is that wherever you go there’s likely to be birds and wildlife to find. We’d love to hear about your favourite birding spots in Kent. Drop us a message on our Facebook page. I’m sure they’ll be a bit different to mine which usually involve being close to a good pub or restaurant.
Happy birding!
