CALM ALONG STROOD

Conditions along the Strood Channel pictured above, on Saturday 20th were sunny and calm. There was still a hint of a chill in the air and the water in the borrowdykes stayed frozen all day. A walk along the seawall in the afternoon provided good viewing conditions but unfortunately the high tide meant there weren't many birds to look at along the Channel.

The brent geese were scattered around the Ray Island saltings in various small flocks totalling about 500 birds. Occasionally wildfowl and waders would rise up from the saltings providing glimpses of small flocks of wigeon, teal, curlew and redshank as well as a few shelduck. Dotted around the edge of the various saltmarshes were small roosting wader flocks of redshank, dunlin and grey plover.

Two small flocks of mute swans were seen in the distance with 18 feeding on a wheat field on the Peldon side while 12 grazed a field on Langenhoe farm. In the distance over Old Hall marshes a marsh harrier was seen gliding along the seawall. The only birds seen on the flat calm Strood Channel were 10 little grebes.

In the Strood fields 100 lapwing fed in a grass field with a curlew, snipe and 30 starlings. By the caravan site 2 green woodpeckers called to each other, 4 reed buntings were noted and also 10 fieldfares.