A week on the creek

[Richard D]

A week on the creek

Like many of us finding time to go out specifically with the aim of bird watching isn’t always easy for me. Consequently I try to make the most of what opportunities I have in day to day life. I’m quite fortunate in that whilst most of the mornings walk to the station is through the town about a ¼ of a mile is along Faversham Creek which whilst largely developed holds a reasonable mix of habitat. I start pretty much where the town ends and the open fields start, right on the edge of town. The opposite bank has houses right up to the boatyard but the side I walk along initially consists of a steep grass bank dotted with mature willows and smaller rowan, cherry and other trees, leading down to a fair sized sedge filled area that’s fed by a culvert from the creek filling with water at high tide. Separating this area from the creek is a raised path and a small number of hawthorn, wild roses and brambles. Continuing towards the town a few houses separate a couple of areas of mown grass and small trees before I reach the bridge. The creek is tidal but is also fed with freshwater from nearby ponds. Heavy silting creates large mud banks at mid-low tide.

What my mornings walks to work have brought this week (in approximate order of number of birds):

Black Headed Gull
Starling
Feral Pigeon
House Sparrow
Mallard/Mallard domestic hybrids
Blackbird
Greenfinch
Blue tit
Long-Tailed Tit
Dunnock
Jackdaw
Robin
Herring Gull
Moorhen
Rook
Magpie
Redshank
Wren
Chaffinch
Pied Wagtail
Mute Swan
Kingfisher
Cormorant
Greylag/Feral goose
Great Tit

Nothing greatly exciting but it makes the walk to the station almost enjoyable. As it turns colder more waders are a possibility (if the mornings are light enough to see them by, and if my identification skills are good enough…) The bit of the creek is only about a mile as the crow (spoonbill?) flies from Oare Marshes so you never know what might turn up!

Richard

[Richard D]

No spoonbill so far, but Sunday morning brought a Little Egret (it was one of those day's when you're tripping over them - I must have counted five when I walked out to The Shipwright's at lunchtime).

Photo of my bit of the creek:

[florall]

You're so lucky Richard to have such an interesting area to walk by on a routine walk. Do you take binoculars with you, or are all these seen with the naked eye? I went to Oare earlier in the summer, and we had lunch at the Shipwrights. The whole area is really lovely.

[Richard D]

You're so lucky Richard to have such an interesting area to walk by on a routine walk. Do you take binoculars with you, or are all these seen with the naked eye? I went to Oare earlier in the summer, and we had lunch at the Shipwrights. The whole area is really lovely.

Hi Florall - most are naked eye but I always carry a pair of compact bins with me (although by the time I've got them out of the bag...). The Shipwrights is twenty minutes walk across the fields from me, and the walk always brings something of interest (but then I'm an easily pleased bird watcher |=)| ).

I added Meadow Pipits and a grey wagtail to the 'walk to work' list this morning. My knowledge of geese wasn't good enough to work out which species flew overhead though!

Regards Richard

[Richard D]

Hi Florall - most are naked eye but I always carry a pair of compact bins with me (although by the time I've got them out of the bag...). The Shipwrights is twenty minutes walk across the fields from me, and the walk always brings something of interest (but then I'm an easily pleased bird watcher |=)| ).

I added Meadow Pipits and a grey wagtail to the 'walk to work' list this morning. My knowledge of geese wasn't good enough to work out which species flew overhead though!

Regards Richard

Lovely views of a Kingfisher this morning - the first time I've seen one that wasn't in flight. Redshank being very noisy on the mud, a mixed feeding party of Chaffinches and Greenfinches, and a Kestrel gliding overhead.

Richard