Sheppey - December 10th (Owl fest!)

Who would have thought a few months ago when we arranged a trip to Sheppey that the day was going to be so nice, after strong winds in the week as well, the weather was a real bonus. We set off at 7am from Sissinghurst, us being Wendy, John, Rachel, Pete and myself, we then met Dave at Elmley just before 8am. A drive along the entrance track produced just one MARSH HARRIER and an obliging KESTREL. We did a short walk through the farm yard and almost immediately picked up our first SHORT EARED OWL of the day just below Kingshill Farm. We stayed for around half an hour, the Owl was very active almost all that time, we added a few ducks, finches and thrushes from here before we headed off to Shellness point. The BRENT GEESE were next to the track down to the hamlet, with a few LAPWINGS and GOLDEN PLOVER for company. We walked to the point to check out the wader roost, before we got too far our second SHORT EARED OWL of the day lifted from the salt marsh and eventually disappeared over the seawall.

We checked the mouth of the Swale and found about 15 COMMON SCOTER, with a few hundred MALLARD and several TEAL. The waders in the roost were the usual mix of KNOT, BAR TAILED GODWIT, with one very light grey individual, OYSTERCATCHER, DUNLIN and a few scattered TURNSTONE, GREY PLOVER and SANDERLING. On the salt marsh were around 30-40 CURLEW, many REDSHANK and the odd LITTLE EGRET.

We made our way back to the car park for a walk along the seawall, a distant HEN HARRIER was our first of the day and a calling LAPLAND BUNTING was new for a couple of our party as it flew west. On the way back to the car a MERLIN shot out from a bush in front of us and more owls started to appear near the car park and over the fields south of Muswell Manor, at least 4 were seen giving good views and occasionally coming together hissing loudly at each other as they tangled claws, fantastic! We got 2 more owls at Muswell Manor, hunting behind the houses, taking the total for the day to a possible 7!! On Capel Corner we picked up SNIPE and a distant BARN OWL.

Red Legged Partridge and Mute Swans - Capel Corner.

The Raptor viewpoint was our final stop, as we approached 2 more SEO's appeared one right next the car, following the ditch, probably the best views of the day, in all we saw at least another 4 birds making the total for the day a conservative 11!!! At times they seemed to be the only birds around, one appearing as another dropped out of sight, a truly memorable day! The viewpoint also gave us our only PEREGRINE of the day 2 SPARROWHAWKS and 30 or so CORN BUNTINGS, along with several sightings of probably just one female HEN HARRIER. Finally we headed home after 4pm as the temperature dropped. Got a bit carried away with the photos!!