North Kent - Isle of Sheppey - Part 2 - The Business End of The Day!

Capel Fleet on the Isle of Sheppey oozes birds and the migrant hunters were not to be disappointed with a fall of birds as the weather front closed in. I am not sure what was in the can of pop Pete bought in Leysdown but he went into overdrive as we filtered through the wildfowl and shorebirds of the flood by the sharpe bend in the road which leads to Harty Ferry!

He also secured a plumage tick locking on to a juvenile Little Gull that had sought refuge on the flood!

As we moved through the gate which housed EL TORRO several Whinchat were noted along the fence line near the pens. He did not look that pleased to see us so we did not venture too far away from the gate!

A couple of Water rail including a juvenile which was likened to a “Weka” with its overall brown plumage was noted in the shallower margins of the flood. I can’t remember having seen too many juvenile birds before!

A Great White Egret was initially distant on the flood but later moved to within camera range adding to the day’s photo collection.

Shorebirds were represented by Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Snipe, Lapwing, and the arrival of a Greenshank and Little Ringed Plover completed the days set.

This area is also good for Corn Bunting, birds were heard before a handful were spied on top of a low bush!

Yellow Wagtail was moving overhead with a Marsh Harrier intermittently stirring up the masses on the ground!

This seemed like a frantic couple of hours but the species logged here bolstered the days total of 89 species after a full day in the field. Some regular species were missing from the list which had us both wondering if we could have topped the one hundred mark.

An excellent day was rounded off with well earned fish and chips in Leysdown. The chippy situated on the corner of the amusement arcades never fails to produce top quality food!