North Kent This Saturday - Elmley or Cliffe or Rainham or Where?

[bitterntwisted]

Hi,

Hoping some locals cab give some tips. I've promised a non-birder Londoner a day out with nature on Saturday. Meeting at Dartford early morning. I've been to Oare and Capel Fleet once but don't know the rest of the area at all. I wondered how the reserves closer to London compared for:


range and visibility of birds (close views always good for non-birders - ducks, geese, waders and raptors, esp. owls good - easy to watch and impressive in number - 3 hours finding a distant rough-leg is my idea of fun, but perhaps not my friend's)
feeling of being well out of the city and in nature
letting us in at 8AM (RSPB sites only open at 9?)


Sadly there's no daylight high tide, which might be a factor?

Very grateful for all tips and suggestions.

Many Thanks,
Graham

[paulwfromtheden]

Hi,

Hoping some locals cab give some tips. I've promised a non-birder Londoner a day out with nature on Saturday. Meeting at Dartford early morning. I've been to Oare and Capel Fleet once but don't know the rest of the area at all. I wondered how the reserves closer to London compared for:


range and visibility of birds (close views always good for non-birders - ducks, geese, waders and raptors, esp. owls good - easy to watch and impressive in number - 3 hours finding a distant rough-leg is my idea of fun, but perhaps not my friend's)
feeling of being well out of the city and in nature
letting us in at 8AM (RSPB sites only open at 9?)


Sadly there's no daylight high tide, which might be a factor?

Very grateful for all tips and suggestions.

Many Thanks,
Graham

I went to Elmley a couple of weeks ago and they were suffering from an algae in the water that was driving away much of the wildfowl, as it was a tad poisonous to birds.
Elmley and Cliffe are open all the time as they are unmanned.
Rainham does not open until 0930, it certainly is not the best place for birds but has superb facilities.
Cliffe will be better if the tide is in as it is used for roosting.
The best of the lot birdwise is probably Oare Marshes, but it is considerably smaller than Cliffe or Elmley, but the view of the waders is unsurpassed.
Personally I would go to Oare Marshes or Cliffe, if I had to chose I would go for Oare...

[dogfish]

Depends how important the raptors are; the Sheppey sites are much better than Cliffe or Oare for birds of prey. There were fair numbers of wintering ducks at Elmley on Saturday too (lots from Southfleet hide), including 11 pintail. BoP highlights: three peregrine, hen harrier, lots of marsh harriers. Also (unusually for recently) a high tide roost of the commoner waders on Wellmarsh scrape. And a grey phalarope which I dipped on. Now there are two rough-legs at Capel Fleet, seeing at least one of them is not usually too time-consuming. Saw both today.
I've gone off Cliffe in the past year or so, the RSPB's management regime there has not been a great success so far.
Sean

[robinm]

For a non-birder Oare is certainly a good bet because of the close views you get from the road.

But a late afternoon visit to the raptor viewpoint on Sheppey would be good as well, maybe combined with a morning at Elmley.

[bitterntwisted]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone - will definitely head out further then. It's quite a drive round from Oare to Capel Fleet (considering the distance as the crow flies), but we'll probably start at Oare and play it by ear from there. Or go straight to Elmley if we're running late. No-one else wants to throw in a word for Nor Marsh or Shell Ness etc.?

Thanks again,
Graham

[robinm]

Good luck whatever you do. I'll probably be at Oare myself tomorrow afternoon.

[gareth_blockley]

Personally ive never been to rainham, only to oare once and Sheppey a few times. Oare can provide fantastic views of waders, sw my first little stints there this year and they were only 10m away! I love going to sheppey as theres good birding all over the island. Elmley could throw anything up. Rough legs from Capel fleet/Harty marshes at the moment, Snow buntings and purple sands etc around shell ness and little auks and poms being seem from shell ness and oure on the swale.
I think where ever you go you'll fing something good!

Gareth

[Perry Grin]

Hi,

Hoping some locals cab give some tips. I've promised a non-birder Londoner a day out with nature on Saturday. Meeting at Dartford early morning. I've been to Oare and Capel Fleet once but don't know the rest of the area at all. I wondered how the reserves closer to London compared for:


range and visibility of birds (close views always good for non-birders - ducks, geese, waders and raptors, esp. owls good - easy to watch and impressive in number - 3 hours finding a distant rough-leg is my idea of fun, but perhaps not my friend's)
feeling of being well out of the city and in nature
letting us in at 8AM (RSPB sites only open at 9?)


Sadly there's no daylight high tide, which might be a factor?

Very grateful for all tips and suggestions.

Many Thanks,
Graham

Have a qiuck look at the Kentos website (http://www.kentos.org.uk/recentsigntings/recentsightings.htm) before your go. Most of the info is updated regularly, and you can get a good idea of what is showing where. The North West Kent link will give you info on Leysdown and Shellness and the rest of Sheppey.

Good luck and let us know how you get on - family commitments are keeping me away tomorrow and the weather might do the same on Sunday!

[Corvus Corax]

Hi all - off to the same area next week to visit the in-laws so going to be based at Halling.

Any news on recent sightings at Cliffe (nothing on Kentbirds site) or recommendations for local hotspots as I need to work on my year list.

Thanks

[gareth_blockley]

Hi all - off to the same area next week to visit the in-laws so going to be based at Halling.

Any news on recent sightings at Cliffe (nothing on Kentbirds site) or recommendations for local hotspots as I need to work on my year list.

Thanks

Haven't been to cliffe since the autumn so cant help there. I have seen some good numbers of waders in the creeks and on the mud flats around grain though as well as marsh harrier, peregrines and wildfowl etc.

If you have the time go to sheppey ;)

HTH

Gareth

[Corvus Corax]

Sheppey is definitely on the list as is New Hythe (water rails ? ? ?) and we pass Grain on the way to the hotel-de-inlaws.

Marsh Harrier is a biggy for me - Hen Harrier is no problem up on our wild moors but is much trickier.

Thanks for the tips.

[Woody]

If you go to Elmley and don't see marsh harriers then you're having a very bad day! I'm there virtually every weekend and I can't remember a day when marshies haven't been around, hen harrier on the other hand still causes a lot of excitement.

Mike

[Dryocopus]

Karl


Marsh Harriers will be seen as you park on Harty Ferry Inn Road at the sharp bend (even if you havent seen them before!) Capel Fleet, thats where you can see Rough-legged Buzzard from as well - well I always do! I do know people who have dipped but, there are at least 2 on the Island. There were at least 3 Ringtails about a couple of weeks ago and its a really good place to see them.

Best time to watch the Marsh Harriers (as you are such a fan) go to the Raptor Viewpoint further down the HFIRoad - cant miss it.For the roosting time....and there are always lots to see sometimes 30/40 or even more!

Talons crossed for your Raptor watching!

[Perry Grin]

Sheppey is definitely on the list as is New Hythe (water rails ? ? ?) and we pass Grain on the way to the hotel-de-inlaws.

Marsh Harrier is a biggy for me - Hen Harrier is no problem up on our wild moors but is much trickier.

Thanks for the tips.

Bittern at New Hythe too..........

[Corvus Corax]

Thanks guys - this looks like it shaping up to be a cracking week, cannot wait, just need a bit of tidy weather.


Bittern at New Hythe too..........

Now don't take the mickey - this is my bogey bird and I cannot tell you how often I keep dipping out ultra reliable sites - having me around is a guaranteed bittern no-show.



Any other juicy bits I may find ? ? ? ?

[Perry Grin]

Thanks guys - this looks like it shaping up to be a cracking week, cannot wait, just need a bit of tidy weather.




Now don't take the mickey - this is my bogey bird and I cannot tell you how often I keep dipping out ultra reliable sites - having me around is a guaranteed bittern no-show.



Any other juicy bits I may find ? ? ? ?

Here's a link (http://www.kentos.org.uk/North%20West%20Kent/Feb08NWKent.htm) to part of the Kentos website that covers Sheppey, Grain and New Hythe.

If you navigate around the site you'll find maps etc... and recent reports for other local sites such as Oare.

Have fun

[Corvus Corax]

Aha - Kentos site is well impressive and judging by recent bird activity it looks like my year list is going to get a very healthy top up indeed.

Weather looks scorchio up to Wednesday so far too - yippee

[Perry Grin]

Had a trip to Elmley yesterday morning myself. Could't find any SE owls or the RL buzzard, but did pick up Peregrine, Little Owl, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier and a possible common buzzard on the raptor front.

The place was absolutely teaming with birds with large numbers of all the usual waders and wildfowl including a good number of pintail.

[The Devil Bird]

Personally, I have never had much luck with either Capel Fleet or Swale/Shellness. I have been to capel around 3 times now and the best I've seen is a very brief ringtail Hen Harrier, other than that, nothing else. I find Swale shellness a horrible site. A boring long walk and you end up dipping everything! My first visit there did get me great views of Snow Bunting but basically cancelled my trip to Elmley later on because it took up so much time, the same a few weeks ago, I dipped the Barnacle Geese and the Hooded Crow and by the time I got to Elmley it was dark.
Looking through my birdtrack records, I have found that Oare has beaten Minsmere in the amount of birds I've seen there (in fact its beaten everywhere else). So highly recommended to anyone planning a trip in north kent.

[gossypots]

Hi to all you Kent birders.I am stopping in Hever for a week from this sunday and would like some advice on any good birding hotspots around there at the moment.Have looked at the KOS site but any info from birders on here would be most appreciated.Thanks.

[MrFlibble]

Just spotted your post, I am quiet close to Hever, but unfortunately new to birding.

Nearest place to visit to Hever (around 2 miles) is Bough Beech, think viewing is along the road (wide path) but there is a visitors center. Its run buy Kent Wildlife Trust.

Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve is also quiet close (8miles as the crow flies), also run by KWT. I visited last weekend and really liked it. SPecies wise quiet a bit of wildfowl, kingfishers, , etc. lenty of hides and a visitors center (check opening days), also a place to grab a cuppa.

The area also has a good footpact network, the one between Tonbridge and Penshurst is worth a go, pubs both ends. There is also a long river walk in the area (Medway Valley Walk), heres a link to some LINK (http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/explore-kent/walking-cycling-and-riding/WalksListing.htm)

I havent ventured out to the coastal bits specifically for birding, but the seven sisters country park is nice area if you fance some coastal walking.

As your so well served for train links, and near to London the WWT site at Barnes is worth a look if you havent been there. Very easy to get to just grab any train that goes to Waterloo (East) cross over to the main station, then get a train that heads to Barnes, 6 stops out, think its the Windsor line. Barnes is an extremly interesting site with both native and introduced species, the way the site was developed is also unusual.

As you in the area some nice pubs are
Bottle House Penshurst. One of the best eating pubs in the country (has website check for deals), also very nice beer (local Larkins)

Rock and Chiddingstone Hoath. Very old fashioned pub, log fires, dogs welsom.

Halfway House Brenchley. Large country pub, near to Bewl Water (large lake with nature reserve).

Leicester Arms Penshurst. Good place to start or finish a walk.

As I said new to birding, but have lived and worked in the rea all my 32 years. Any info you want just ask.

[MrFlibble]

Elmley was recomended by a chap at Sevenoaks last week
http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/e/elmleymarshes/index.asp

[gossypots]

Thanks for the replies MrFlibble , visited Bough Beech were a Nightingale was showing very all week along with Common and Arctic Terns. Also went to Elmley were we saw Yellow wagtail , Marsh harrier , Avocets etc etc.Found the Rock pub by accident on saturday when trying to walk to Penshurst , what a nice old pub.

[Andy T]

Good walk at Cliffe, before reserve at bottom of Salt Lane turn left to Brett works, bend right (can park here) bend left, through gap (public right of way) at side of gates (railway ahead) footpath right before railway, up past works to yard watch for tractors etc. left to concrete wall, path runs beside. Go to end of wall (can drop down to walk parallel with pool on left, through stile. Right along dyke parallel with large pool (boats and fort seen far end) Terns and gulls on islands that end, good views over Thames. Follow dyke round to conveyor system, don't panic path fenced to go under conveyor. Go staight on to creek corner then right, follow wall beside creek and on to cliffe pools. Marsh Harriers can be seen (once put one to flight from sedge bed). Can be more productive than this end of reserve.