Elmley Marshes are situated on the Isle of Sheppey. The Isle of Sheppey is one of the bleakest places I know (even bleaker than Dungeness). It is home to two prisons where, no doubt, prisoners prefer incarceration to wandering the bleak marshes. February is a bleak month. But ………………on February 5th, 2025, no hint of bleakness. The weather was beautiful and the wind a gentle breath.
The Henfield gang of 7 arrived shortly after 9 o’clock and joined an unexpected queue of cars at the reserve entrance. Apparently Vicki & George, the Hurstpierpoint branch of Henfield Birdwatch, didn’t realise it was a queue and zoomed successfully to the front! Not the only rule we inadvertently broke on the day. Once having negotiated the formalities of paying we set off along the 1½ mile, potholey track from which we espied close-up Lapwings, Curlews, formidably large groups of Coots and the first of many overflying Marsh Harriers. On arriving at the car park we were surprised to encounter about 60 cars which had disgorged a healthy number of early birders. Many of these had not progressed beyond the car park’s boundary fence. For a very good reason.
Not 1 but 5 Short-Eared Owls were hunting or chilling out on strategically placed posts in a patch of rough, and no doubt rodent rich, grassland. We saw these owls across the entire reserve and reckoned there must have been at least 10. And that’s not all folks! Mike Russell had a new birding experience which quite made up for him having to wait nearly an hour for a coffee stop. It was the first time he had heard a vocalisation from a Marsh Harrier. They were calling to each other as they performed a soaring, gliding and tumbling display flight. At one point 6 were in the air at the same time which Mike pointed out would have constituted almost the entire British population of Marsh Harriers 40 years ago. Having been “wowed” by this we followed the pinging calls of Bearded Tits and came across this.
We glimpsed a few whizzing amongst the reeds and rushes and instantly disappearing so the individual in the picture was really unusual and stonkingly special. He sat up on his breakfast bullrush without a care in the world. Just showing off I reckon.
A Reed Bunting, fed up with all the attention the Beardies were getting, made a cameo appearance and did look rather smart. In the trackside trees a group of Long Tailed Tits attracted a fan club of Blue & Great Tits and a rather splendid Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Before we return to the car park for lunch I would like to sing the praises of the humble Mallard because I had my personal “wow” moment when the sun caught the green heads of a group of drakes which became blazing emerald jewels.
So lunch! I have nothing but praise for the staff at Elmley. The car park supervisor was so kind to allow all 9 of us to sit at the tables situated in the residents only garden. Equally pleasant was the young lady who came over and assured us we were welcome to sit there and finish our food but that really we had broken the rules (second time today for George & Vicki!).
The post lunch walk was out into the marshes on a track running more or less parallel to the sea embankment. Many of the usual wildfowl suspects were present with Mallard putting on a large showing with a supporting cast of Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler & …….Coots. A Sparrowhawk along with Kestrels and Marsh Harriers intermittently spooked Lapwings, Golden Plovers and Starlings causing exhilarating clouds of birds to wheel skywards. One of these wader explosions was caused by 3 small falcons flying over at great height and speed. 2 of the birds were in an intricate courtship flight which probably rendered them harmless to Lapwings but exciting for humans. Indeed, seeing 3 Merlin at once and display behaviour was Mike’s second lifetime “first”.
A hide overlooking the mudflats gave views of far distant Dunlin, Redshank and unidentifiable pin pricks. Skeins of Brent Geese peppered the horizons as they came down to join Canada and Grey Lag Geese in the fields. In the reeds close by the hide a Water Rail piggy-squeaked, a Cetti’s warbler rattled a Little Egret flapped by in its usual leisurely fashion trailing its custard feet. A couple of Stonechats sat up demanding attention and a few spotted a tiny Wren whirring around.
Before turning for the return leg we were overflown by a small group of pipping Meadow Pipits and from a hide we found singles of Common Gull and Oystercatcher.
While driving out of the reserve we halted to watch a Short-Eared Owl with impeccable table manners swallow a black hued corpse (or parts of one) which rounded the trip off perfectly for me as I had seen my first Owl of the day politely regurgitating a large black pellet. Excellent!
From Elmley we made the slightest less short than expected detour to the raptor watchpoint at Capel Fleet. At last an intimation of bleakness as the sun started to go down as we watched Marsh Harriers coming in to roost in the adjacent reed beds. We had two other targets, One did not materialise, Hen Harrier. One did, Barn Owl.
A terrific end to a wonderful day out for Nigel & Debbie, Roger, Will, Claire, Vicki & George, Nige P and Mike.
All bird photos thanks to George.