Trip to RSPB Elmley Marshes
Saturday 21st January 2006

This was our most successful shared car trip to date with 24 members traveling to the RSPB reserve at Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey.

The day started with a slight frost, but soon warmed up to give us a bright sunny day. Once again we stopped en route for breakfast.

Having arrived at the entrance to Elmley, a slow drive to the parking area, with many stops on the way, rewarded us with views of Grey Partridge, Marsh Harriers, Golden Plovers, Stonechat, Skylarks & large flocks of Lapwing.

At the parking area, we prepared for the long walk to the hides.

We all set off together seeing Kestrel, Little Egret & thousands of Wigeon.

The walk seemed to take a long time as we kept stopping to check on the birds that we saw.

From the hides, where once again the light was perfect, we saw Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Shelduck, plus hundreds of Pintail.

At the second hide we had views of a Peregrine Falcon.

From here some of the party drifted off to the various hides on the reserve,

Unfortunately, by the time we reached the hide overlooking the River Swale, the tide was in so there were very few waders to be seen. We did manage to see three Ringed Plovers, a single Grey Plover, three Turnstones and a Redshank.

We reassembled at the South Fleet hide to spend the last hour of daylight enjoying the thousands of birds on the marsh.

A Peregrine Falcon was sitting on a fence post, not too far from the hide and up to three Marsh Harriers were flying to and fro at the other side of the marsh. More waders appeared just before we left, including a large flock of Golden Plover & a single Knot.

On the walk back to the cars, just one lucky member of our party enjoyed views of a Short Eared Owl quartering the marsh.

Once again Elmley and the weather came up trumps. Over fifty species were seen.

Due to the excellent birds and the popularity, this trip will be repeated in January 2007.

Dave Jones (photographs by Phil Farrer)