To day I traveled up to the North Kent marshes with a good friend David Campbell. I had been up since 4am and was exited at the prospect of getting a few lifers today and when we arrived I was meet with a bonanza of birds, from Black-tailed godwit and Avocets to Sedge warblers and Linnets.
We met up with Rob Stokes( the nicest birder you will ever meet) and scanned the lagoon for a Bonaparte’s gull and soon enough my binoculars met with the bird. Quite an unassuming and you would only notice it if you were looking at it. Whilst watching the gull,our ears filled with the constant chattering of an especially showy Sedge warbler(my second ever). He posed for ages and allowed for some decent shots and allowed for great viewings(perching on a bramble patch).
We then headed over to the other side for a quick look and saw a couple of Hobbies. Back on the other side we saw many smaller birds such as a Common whitethroat and a Linnet which showed well and this gave me a brilliant chance to view it in it’s beautiful summer plumage, consisting of a rose red patch on the top of it’s head and burgundy back. In the hide we saw all manner of waders mainly Black-tailed godwits, avocets and a couple of Ruff(one with an amazing head plumage). As we traveled round towards the sea I saw more sedge warblers and a few reed buntings, we also met up with another birder and took a leisurely stroll back to the car. When we got back to the car we went off in search of honey buzzards but to no avail so we headed home, via McDonald’s 😉
