REDSHANK REWARD

A flock of brent geese had swopped feeding grounds from the mud of the Strood Channel for the mud in a nearby field on Monday 7th. Amongst the 300 dark-bellied brent was a single pale-bellied brent goose and feeding close-by were ten turnstone enjoying the mud too.

Reward for scanning all the 200+ redshank along the mud of the Strood Channel was finding a wintering spotted redshank close to their favoured spot, next to the sluice outfall half-way along the seawall. No sooner had it been seen, it then took off conveniently revealing the different wing pattern to common redshank. The bird dropped back onto the mud fifty metres further down channel where it seemed to stay for at least half an hour..

Other waders seen along the channel were 200 dunlin, 50 grey plover, 50 curlew, 10 bar-tailed godwit while near the Strood causeway were 500 lapwing. Overhead there seemed to be a regular flocks each of 50-100 golden plover passing down-channel. Rising in the air a short while later over Feldy Marshes was a big flock of 2000 golden plover. Four little egrets, grey heron, 50 wigeon, 50 teal and 24 little grebes were also seen.

Over the fields were 20 goldfinches, 6 pied wagtails, 5 skylark, 2 reed bunting, 2 linnet and also 2 rock pipits beside the shoreline.