Kent Birding Sites

[Neil Rigby]

Andy's asked me where to go birding as he is new to it.

He's based in Ashford Kent, so pretty much the whole county is accessible.

My starter would be RSPB Dungeness.

Here's the introduction...

"If you haven't been to Dungeness, nothing can quite prepare you for the landscape – mile after mile of shingle, which is wild and a little weird! On a cold winter's day, it is a delight to sit snug in the visitor centre and look out through a huge picture window at all the waterbirds on the large gravel pit just outside. Often a rare grebe or diver is among them, and it is perhaps the best place in the UK for watching the delightful smew.

The nature trails lead around a series of hides where there is an excellent chance of seeing bitterns and bearded tits in winter. There is plenty to be seen at other times too. Dungeness's position, jutting into the English Channel, makes it ideally placed to watch for migrant birds arriving or departing, with wheatears, swallows, martins and warblers regularly seen.

In summer, redshanks, lapwings and reedbed birds breed, including, in 2007, two pairs of marsh harriers for the first time."

Dungeness is an interesting place to visit with Camber Sands nearby as well as Dungeness itself.

[malcolmT]

Well id recommend Elmley Marshes RSPB reserve Isle of Sheppey. Ive posted about t elsewhere. After much deliberation and comparison of female kestrels and merlins i have come to the conclusion that I did see a female merlin yesterday there. I had a great day: spotted 15 species in all, mainly Teal, Widgeon, Shelduck, Avocet, Redshank in some numbers. Saw my first Stonechats, a pair and I followed them for ages, got really close and wished id had my camera. If I had to pick the bird of the day though it would be the barn owl that suddenly appeared in my binoculars when sitting in a hide and flew straight towards me, such a lovely sight, he was hunting for ages. (This was at midday)