The seven members who met for the Oare Marshes walk were destined to enjoy an outstanding day’s birding. The weather was sunny and warm with the wind speed much more moderate than of late. The fun began on the approach road where a Yellow Wagtail was perched on a wire. A Northern Wheatear was spotted close to the car park while a Marsh Harrier patrolled the flood. The boom of a distant Bittern was unmistakeable. Scanning from the causeway revealed little activity; a pair of Common Terns were moving along the Swale; four distant Pied Avocets were feeding on the mud and a dozen Common Seals were hauled out on the spit. As the clockwise circuit began It became quickly obvious that the reeds were packed with birds. Sedge Warblers and Cetti’s Warblers, both well into double numbers, were doing their best to imitate berserkers; the former were busy establishing territories with constant song flights while the latter rattled out their strident discordances while remaining elusive. Linnets were buzzing around while Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers were contrastingly sedate and difficult to pick out. Overhead were the mewing of Mediterranean Gulls, a hovering Kestrel and a few swooping Swallows. The mud then delivered a surprise in the form of a pair of Whimbrels. From the first hide Shelducks, a couple of Curlews and Redshanks and a Great Crested Grebe were added to the tally. Further along a scratchy song indicated the presence of a new warbler, Whitethroats while several birds rapidly skimming the top of the reeds were identified as Bearded Reedlings. By now the East Flood was in better view. A handful of Mallards, Gadwall and Shovelers were seen. By far the most numerous species was in a closely packed, chestnut-burnished flock of some hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits. The best sighting though came from two loafing Spoonbills.

After a quiet period a stop on the road by the gate to the West Flood proved extremely productive. The song of a Nightingale could be picked out in the middle distance. A calling Cuckoo was even more of a challenge to hear. Then a swirling song identified a Lesser Whitethroat in a nearby bush, a bird that proved cooperative enough to reveal itself. The accompaniment on the return was the croaking a several Marsh Frogs celebrating the improved weather. A few more sighting close to the car park were a Little Egret, a Tufted Duck and on the Swale a Brent Goose that seemed not to realise that it should have left for distant climes. The final total of bird species identified was a stunning 68 that included several high quality sightings.