A Day at Oare Marshes

14th July 2022

Time for our first visit of the year to Oare Marshes. I was pleased to hear that the problems with the sluice had now been resolved and the water levels had started to drop. However, it was still early days and the tall vegetation in front of the viewpoint prevented any close-ups of birds feeding on the small amount of mud and islands that were showing. 

There were hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits, many in summer plumage, but all very distant.

More and more flew in as the incoming tide covered the mud on the Swale.

Moored out in the Swale was the barge Ironsides. Ironsides was built of Dutch iron at West Thurrock in 1900 and was originally used to transport stone from Portland to London under sail alone. She survived a collision at Limehouse in 1909, a gale off Dungeness in 1928 and was converted to a motor barge in 1938. She is now available for charter and is based in Faversham.

Also on the sea wall was one of my favourite coastal plants Golden Samphire, a rather splendid male Linnet and a lone piping Whimbrel.

Today most of the action was at Dan's Dock and the first bird to show was an adult Sedge Warbler that was feeding young nearby.

I don't recall seeing Corn Buntings at Oare Marshes before, but at the dock this male was singing his heart out.

The wind was a bit gusty and a couple of times he had to hold on to the branch to avoid being blown away, but eventually gave in and flew off.

Another surprise visitor on an adjacent Wild Rose was a juvenile yellow Wagtail which was unconcerned by our presence and allowed a number of close-ups to be taken.

In the snake pit a couple of rather large Marsh Frogs were in residence as well as a single Grass Snake.

I have always wanted to photograph a Grass Snake with its forked tongue out smelling the air and today it performed very well. Mission Accomplished!!!