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Elmley Marshes (1 Viewer)

helenol

Well-known member
Took a drive out today to Elmley. (An hour and half, for those of you interested in my driving habits) First time I've visited, but I went along for the "Safari".

Booked for 11.30a.m. I was joined by two other guys and the guide. Climbed into the 4x4 and set off for a 2hr amble around the reserve in the hope of seeing marsh harrier, rough legged buzzard, merlin, peregrine etc.

Unfortunately, (sods law) there weren't many raptors around today, but there were excellent views of a couple of kestrels who seemed to turn up where-ever we went - on the ground, perching in the trees, on the barn roof - and also good views of marsh harriers.

The "safari" takes one to places not accessible to the public, so it was well worth the cost of having a "private guide", with coffee and tea and biscuits provided, especially on a cold day such as today. A good way to get an overall picture of the reserve, with lots of time for questions and answers, etc.

Amongst the birds seen today were:

Kestrel
Marsh harrier
Sparrows
Blackbird
Pheasant
Starlings
Pied wagtail
Lapwings
Skylark
Redshank
Greylag geese
Curlew
Little Egret
Teal
Pintail
Grey heron
Shoveler
Shelduck
Water pipit
Turnstone

I'm sure there were many more, but those listed above are the ones I definitely saw!

It's also helpful being with an experienced guide when trying to i.d. birds! Yes, it's pot luck whether you see a variety of raptors, but it was still worthwhile for me.

Oh yes, As I was making my way to the exit, I spotted a bird flying very very low off the ground, with a large wingspan and slow wingbeats, pale in colour. Another marsh harrier? I really don't know.

All in all, a great day out, and I would recommend the "safari". For me, a tenner well spent. Well done RSPB.

This is about the only pic I managed to get, along with a lapwing too. Very overcast and misty.
 

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Nice 1 Helen...
Looks like you had a good time there...I've never been,
shall stick it on my 'places to visit' list.
Didn't get up to much birding meself this weekend....
Only got Hen Harrier and SEO at Eldernell and some Goosander at Foremark Res.
Most proud of my 'non-twitching' effort, as I drove within 3 miles
of Attenborough GP's knowing about the Sora too... :)
Boy was that bloody hard....I could feel the car drifting towards
Notts....but the wife and kids said NO!!...
Still....nice to see BF up and running. :)

Dave.
 
Cheers Dave. I was really chuffed, I id'd turnstone. Yes, I know, don't laugh, but for me that was a major breakthrough! Me with waders and all that....

Actually, today was the first day I've really observed the birds instead of passing them a casual glance as I normally do when waders are around. I could get used to this...
 
Glad you had a good day, Helen.
I passed Elmley on my way to Shellness and Harty Ferry and I think some of your raptors were there...plenty of Marsh and Hen Harriers and a Rough-Legged Buzzard.
You've got Water Pipit on your list, but not Meadow Pipit?

ps It took me an hour and a half from London, so how you did it in that time from Bucks is the stuff of legends ;)
 
LOL @ Trevor. The roads were quiet...Sunday morning, and all that.

I have no idea why I do not have Meadow pipit on my list. Should I have? Maybe that was one of the birds I didn't notice...?

Ah yes, the RLB. Probably the main reason I went there, but to no avail. Someone just happened to mention to me, when I was leaving, "Oh I just saw the RLB near the bridge". You could cry couldn't you....
 
There are always Meadow Pipits everywhere at Elmley, so perhaps you had them as Water? If I'd had time, I'd have looked in at Elmley, one of my favourite sites.
Were there any short-eared owls about ?

ps Did they let you drive the 4x4?
 
The guide postively id'd it as water pipet. it was just below the sea wall, on the edge of the water scrounging around.

ha, ha, me in a 4x4? I like me comforts me.

Shot eared owls. Of course not, they heard I was coming.
 
helenol said:
The guide postively id'd it as water pipet. it was just below the sea wall, on the edge of the water scrounging around.

ha, ha, me in a 4x4? I like me comforts me.

Shot eared owls. Of course not, they heard I was coming.

Shot eared Owls????? ;) Come on Helen you are not that bad at id ing!!!
Watch it will have them twitchers about!!

I saw some Kestrels over the M20 today and something hawkish or raptor like which was bigger...in my car at speed so no real id, any guesses???

Eagle
 
Eagle, so did I, also on the M20, this morning, but have no idea what it was. It was huge though and "heavy looking". Anyway, I was concentrating on the road... ;)

Probably a "giant" crow, knowing my luck... I wonder.... I wonder... nahh...it couldn't have been the RLB..?
 
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helenol said:
Eagle, so did I, also on the M20, this morning, but have no idea what it was. It was huge though and "heavy looking". Anyway, I was concentrating on the road... ;)

Probably a "giant" crow, knowing my luck... I wonder.... I wonder... nahh...it couldn't have been the RLB..?

Problem is even tho we saw the RLB in Norfolk it was far away...but I wonder?

Mine was the same heavy looking is a good description...
I'm going to look at any outlines now through google ...but if any of you clever people who are good on raptors could help...I'd recognise the shape if I saw it again

Eagle
 
helenol said:
Took a drive out today to Elmley.

Sounds like a good day out there Helen.
Never been to Elmley but my mate Kris (who is looking over my left shoulder as I type this) tells me he got his first Long-Billed Dowitcher there along with his first White-Rumped Sandpiper -2 Yank lifers on the same day-Aren't some people jammy? Well he is anyway!
So it sounds like a place well worth another £10 investment to try and crack the wader thing.
No idea on the low-flying raptor. General ideas include Harriers (inc. RLB) if the wings were long and narrow or Owls (SEO?--although mr.jammy himself assures me he has seen Long-Eared Owls roost there too) if the wings were shorter and broader.

To Deboo-3 miles was just too tantalising on the Sora. My advice is a very early rise tomorrow morning-3 hours before anyone else. The crowd will have you on it in no time at all. A quick phonecall to the boss citing mecahincal difficulties and then turn up at noon (feeling chuffed with the tick) with your car nicely repaired by the 'mechanic'.
I tried it recently for a Blyth's Pipit at Lands End and it worked a treat. ¬:)
If only Notts was closer to Devon I might try it again myself tomorrow. Do you think they would believe me??

Regards,

Padraig.
 
helenol said:
Cheers Dave. I was really chuffed, I id'd turnstone. Yes, I know, don't laugh, but for me that was a major breakthrough! Me with waders and all that....

Actually, today was the first day I've really observed the birds instead of passing them a casual glance as I normally do when waders are around. I could get used to this...

and so it starts.............. when does the pager arrive ;)

seriously, there is a real thrill when you start working out the various waders at first they all look the same but then.......

nice one H
 
Padraig said:
[So it sounds like a place well worth another £10 investment to try and crack the wader thing.
Padraig.
Hi Padraig, just want to point out, the £10 is for the "safari", which is being run during the winter months.
 
Nice day out Helen. I was at Elmley last weekend in the rain. The kestrels were everywhere and I managed to spot a female merlin and the marsh harrier but no sign of buzzards, rough legged or otherwise for me either |=(|

Woody
 
helenol said:
Hi Padraig, just want to point out, the £10 is for the "safari", which is being run during the winter months.

Yes Helen, I got that bit but one of the spin-offs you said was that you got Id-ing some waders. Though you said that you IDed a Turnstone singelehandedly so maybe the guide wasn't by your side then.

I think I meant that the 'wader thing' can seem a duanting one to crack at first and I feel very lucky here having the Exe Estuary on my doorstep.
But any opportunity to sit in a hide and pick any friendly birder's brains on whats about helps. What I like about them is that they sit still for long periods of time and you can soak them in at your leisure. Until the next Peregrine arrives and puts them up-or some such.

Nice sounding place Elmley. Must remember that name.

Regards,

P.
 
Originally posted as a thread of its own....but goes just as well here!

Christmas morning .....visit to Elmley and Chapel Fleet...

saw the Rough legged Buzzard ...and got dreadful pics!!
I'll dig them out later for a laugh


long way away sitting on a fence post!
A great Christmas present!!!

Eagle
 
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Eagle, good point re the thread!

Ah well, I guess I'd better post on here then, that I did eventually manage to see the RLB on the Harty Ferry Road.
 
The weekend before the last one I had absolutely fantastic views of RLB from the far corner of Elmley reserve - beyond spitend hide. Admittedly its a four mile hike both ways (walking below the seawall all the way round the reserve), and I had the distinct feeling that if I tripped up and broke a leg no one would find me for weeks, but watching the bird hunting rabbits and having a mid-air scrap with a couple of Marsh Harriers was worth the trouble many times over.
 
Hi John,

A warm welcome to BirdForum from all the Moderators and Admin. Certainly is a great bird :t:. I always reckon the exercise at Elmley does me good!
 
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