Birds at Rye Harbour nature reserve on 28th February 2025

Our coach left London on a drizzly morning and stopped off at Castle Water so that we could walk along a muddy path to the viewing platform there.  

It was still overcast when a male Marsh Harrier flew above the water and in front of sheep in a field

We then drove to Rye Harbour, where a Stonechat was sitting in brambles near the Visitor Centre

A Redshank was standing on the edge of grass in front of four sheep

Oystercatcher searching for food in the wet mud at low tide

Redshank refused to turn round for a photograph

A Turnstone was searching for food on the ground near the edge of the river Rother

Group of Golden Plovers on a spit of land in the lagoon near the Visitor Centre

Group of Avocet standing together in another part of the lagoon

Flocks of birds were spooked by something as I sat in one of the bird hides in the centre of the lagoons

Lapwings took to the sky

Shelduck striking an usual pose

Lapwings were standing on a small island in a lagoon with the old Lifeguard building at the back

Just caught a couple of ducks before they flew out of sight!

Male Kestrel sitting at the top of a tree

Group of Wigeon and a few Redshank near the water with the Visitor Centre in the background

Walking Wigeon with a couple of Redshank at the edge of the water

At the end of my walk, I took a photo of the famous black tin shed with red roof at the edge of the river

 

Very wet visit to RSPB Titchwell Marsh, North Norfolk, on 22nd November 2025

I went on a coach trip from London to Titchwell Marsh towards the end of November.  

It was raining when we arrived and it stayed like that all day!

The first port of call was the nearest bird hide where I saw a group of Northern Shovelers swimming across the lagoon and a few Shelduck standing on a small island.  It was raining quite heavily!

After a very soggy walk to the Parrinder hide, I ate my lunch and took a few photographs

Eurasian Teal in the rain

Male Norther Shoveler in the rain

View across the lagoon from the Parrinder hide

Meadow Pipit in the rain

Almost bird-less view across the reserve - though there is a very distant Marsh Harrier on the left

and, finally, an Avocet in the rain

Unfortunately I was now very wet as my waterproof jacket had proved not to be waterproof any more, so I had to spend the rest of the afternoon in the cafe and shop while most of the others in the group went off for a wet walk on the beach and saw a lot more birds there than were actually on the reserve that day.  You win some, you lose some!  It was just one of those days!

Visit to Elmley nature reserve on 9th June 2024

After we checked out of our hotel in Sheerness on the last morning of our weekend on the Isle of Sheppey, we drove to Elmley nature reserve.  

We were too early so had to wait outside the gates where I saw a Goldfinch perching on a twig

Marsh Harrier some distance away

First time I have ever seen a Redshank perching on the top of a bush

Female Common Pochard with her ducklings

Two Shepherd's Huts available to rent

Buildings in front of a lagoon at Elmley

Yellow Wagtail viewed from the car along the long entrance/exit track

Closest I have ever been to a Lapwing, also seen from the car while exiting Elmley

Unfortunately, as we were going back home after the weekend away, we did not have enough time to explore Elmley nature reserve properly.  I will definitely have to go back there on my own at some time in the future if I can find a viable way to get there by public transport.

Photos from a walk around Harty Ferry on the Isle of Sheppey - 8th June 2024

We had a stroll down the lane towards the church in Harty Ferry before having lunch.

On the way I spotted a young Green Woodpecker in a tree

Front view of the church in Harty Ferry

Lovely stained glass window inside the church

More stained glass windows depicting the four seasons

Another stained glass window depicting sheep and the harvest

Rear view of the church

Roses at the back of the church

View across the river from the back of the church

Thames Clippers on the river

View of the new bridge from the mainland to the Isle of Sheppey

Common Whitethroat on Cow Parsley

Horses with a foal viewed from the Raptor Viewpoint in Harty Ferry

Another view of the bridge to the Isle of Sheppey

A Marsh Harrier landed on a distant bush

Sign showing all the raptors we did not see from the Raptor Viewpoint!