Kent Ornithological Society 
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This page shows records submitted for birds seen between 3 May 2024 and 11 May 2024. Sightings from the most recent 7 days are not available to non-members. Please consider joining the KOS to see more recent records, or if you are a member, login here. Rare and scarce species species are shown in orange and unusual species in blue.
Saturday 11 May 2024
Seaton Gravel Pits (15:00 to 16:30) [Richard Collins] Map
1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Hobby, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 Great Tit, 2 Swallow, 2 Blackcap, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Yellow Wagtail
Motney Hill (11:00 to 12:35) [George Kalli] Map
1 Cuckoo, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Swallow, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Greenfinch
New Hythe Lakes (09:00 to 11:00) Bright,light E [alan woodcock] Map
1 Osprey (flew through NW following the Medway 11:35)
New Hythe Lakes (09:00 to 13:30) Bright,light E [alan woodcock] Map
1 Osprey (flew through NW following the Medway 11:35)
Reculver (08:45 to 09:45) walk from Reculver to Coldharbour [Chris Hindle] Map
20 Mallard, 9 Oystercatcher, 3 Avocet, 1 Whimbrel, 17 Turnstone, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 9 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Sedge Warbler, 8 Reed Warbler, 14 Whitethroat, 5 Stonechat (2 pairs bred between Towers and Coldharbour), 2 Yellow Wagtail
Bekesbourne (08:00 to 09:00) [R J Douthwaite] Map
1 Spotted Flycatcher
Worth Marshes (Sandwich Bay) (07:15 to 11:00) sunny but hint of cool breeze [Chris Gillard] Map
4 Swift, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Turtle Dove, 20+ Avocet, 4 Grey Plover, 19 Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Turnstone, 3 Ruff (one male with black feathers appearing), 2 Dunlin (A Wall Brown butterfly on track), 3 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 1 Purple Heron, 3 Common Buzzard, 5 Swallow, 2 Lesser Whitethroat (plus 7 other warblers around)
Stodmarsh (06:00 to 12:00) Dense Mist,Clearing to become sunny ,Warm and calm [Alan Wells] Map
4 Cuckoo, 1 Purple Heron ((7.35 from reed bed hide)), 1 Sparrowhawk, 9 Marsh Harrier ((all raptors from Lampen Wall except R.F.Falcon)), 6 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 5 Hobby, 1 Red-footed Falcon (( female at 11.15 from path near Newborns Farm)), 20 Sand Martin, 25 Swallow
Tonbridge Swanmead to Hartlake [John Guiver] Map
1 Mute Swan, 1 Cuckoo (calling), 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Reed Warbler (singing), 1 Garden Warbler (singing), 3 Lesser Whitethroat (singing), 18 Whitethroat (singing), 7 Song Thrush, 1 Nightingale (singing), 1 Greenfinch, 2 Linnet, 6 Goldfinch, 1 Yellowhammer (singing), 1 Reed Bunting
Friday 10 May 2024
Faversham Creek (13:45 to 15:11) [Alan Fossey] Map
5 Swift, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat
Seaton Gravel Pits (09:00 to 10:30) [R J Douthwaite] Map
1 Swift (only, over Preston Marshes), 1 Cuckoo (calling), 2 Nightingale (singing)
Oare Marshes (05:00 to 09:30) Warm, sunny and calm - just a very gentle E. Temp. up to 18C. LT circa 09:00. [Murray Wright] Map
1 Pochard (drake), 6 Tufted Duck (pair on W-side dyke and three drakes and a duck on EF), 3 Cuckoo (pair and second singing male again), 1 Turtle Dove ('purring' and seen perched on the weathervane), 4 Whimbrel, 5 Black-tailed Godwit (on EF), 2 Common Tern ('territorial' pair on EF still), 2 Barn Owl (pair hunting Sheppey-side and watched returning to barn with prey), 2 Nightingale (singing still - bird opp. cottages showing well again), 1 Stonechat (male near SW hide), 4 Yellow Wagtail (incl. pair on EF), 1 Corn Bunting (singing from bushes on E side of FC)
Gillingham Bright and very warm [Michael Norman] Map
11 Swift, 55 House Sparrow (On feeders in Garden.)
Penshurst Place (Park Farm area) [John Guiver] Map
5 Mandarin Duck, 1 Cuckoo (calling), 1 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Great White Egret (W), 1 Tawny Owl (calling), 1 Kestrel (M), 4 House Martin, 1 Reed Warbler, 4 Garden Warbler (singing), 4 Whitethroat (singing), 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Stonechat (pair)
Thursday 9 May 2024
Oare Marshes (13:55 to 15:30) Sunny & warm with light E'ly sea breeze HT 13.40 [Damon Smith] Map
11 Greylag Goose (EF only), 1 Mute Swan, 4 Shelduck, 2 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 3 Mallard, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Moorhen, 2 Coot, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Oystercatcher, 13 Avocet, 1 Lapwing, 158 Black-tailed Godwit, 16 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Common Tern, 2 Cormorant, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 5 Yellow Wagtail (2 EF 3 S Bends), 1 Pied Wagtail
North Foreland (09:30 to 10:00) [John Carnell] Map
4 Swift, 16 Swallow (In/off passing through), 1 House Martin, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (Singing on golf course)
Botany Bay (near Foreness Point) (09:20 to 09:30) [John Carnell] Map
1 Eider (Imm. Male that’s been hanging around Foreness and North Foreland.), 1 Short-eared Owl (In/off and flying around pump station.)
Conyer (09:00 to 14:00) [John Shilling] Map
1 Turtle Dove
Whetsted Gravel Pits (Paddock Wood) (08:30 to 11:30) Sunny,Warm,Calm (+ adj.Medway) [Alan Wells] Map
6 Egyptian Goose, 5 Tufted Duck, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Turtle Dove (( near far East pit)), 6 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk ((fem)), 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Tawny Owl, 2 Kingfisher, 4 Swallow, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 16 Blackcap ((C.Whitetroat,Reed W.,Chiffchaff numerous)), 4+ Garden Warbler, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Nightingale, 5 Grey Wagtail, 3 Bullfinch, 1 Greenfinch, 5 Yellowhammer, 2 Reed Bunting
Stodmarsh (05:50 to 09:30) [Brendan Ryan] Map
3 Egyptian Goose, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Mediterranean Gull
Stodmarsh (05:50 to 09:00) [Brendan Ryan] Map
2 Mediterranean Gull, 14 Common Tern
Stodmarsh (05:50 to 09:30) [Brendan Ryan] Map
2 Purple Heron
Stodmarsh (05:50 to 09:00) [Brendan Ryan] Map
2 Purple Heron, 2 Garden Warbler
North Foreland (05:45 to 07:45) Daily, standardised two hour seawatch. Two observers. Highlights only. SW F2, sea mist at distance, visibility 5500m [Dr Peter Carr] Map
2 Large alcid sp (South), 13 Shelduck, 29 Common Scoter (21N, 8S), 4 Great Crested Grebe (3N, 1 on sea), 5 Mediterranean Gull (1N, 4S.), 8 Sandwich Tern (6N, 2S), 1 Guillemot (South), 30 Gannet (8N, 22S), 1 Hobby, 1 Yellow Wagtail (South)
Ightham Mote sunny [John Guiver] Map
1 Cuckoo (calling), 4 Moorhen (adult and three chicks), 10 Coot (3 adults, one with two chicks. Pair with five chicks, two newly hatched), 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Blackcap (singing), 1 Whitethroat (singing)
Yantlet Creek High Tide [Stephen Gatley] Map
16 Brent Goose, 20 Greylag Goose (Including a leucistictype bird), 4 Mute Swan, 12 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, 4 Pochard (2 pairs), 1 Cuckoo (Calling), 1 Little Grebe, c180 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Plover, 5 Ringed Plover, 15 Whimbrel, 4 Curlew, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 35+ Turnstone, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Greenshank, 2 Mediterranean Gull (Flew over area), 2 Sandwich Tern (Flew down Thames and then S), 3 Cetti's Warbler (Singing males), 2 Sedge Warbler (Singing males), 3 Linnet, 1 Reed Bunting (Male)
Wednesday 8 May 2024
Faversham Creek (11:29 to 13:05) [Alan Fossey] Map
29 Swift, 4 Stock Dove, 1 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Common Buzzard, 3 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 2 Swallow, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 5 Reed Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Whitethroat, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Yellowhammer
Dartford Marshes (06:45 to 06:55) [Phillip Royston ] Map
1 Nightingale
North Foreland (05:50 to 07:50) Daily, standardised two hour seawatch. Three observers. Highlights only. NNE F3, visibility 8000m [Dr Peter Carr] Map
7 Large alcid sp (South), 10 Shelduck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Kittiwake (1N, 2S), 28 Sandwich Tern (8N, 20S), 25 Gannet (11N, 14S), 6 Swallow (North)
Tuesday 7 May 2024
Nemo Down (14:50 to 14:55) Warm and sunny [Simon Kennett] Map
1 Nightingale
Oare Marshes (11:40 to 14:30) Sunny & warm with a v light NE'ly breeze HT 12.15 [Damon Smith] Map
1 Cuckoo, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Greenshank, 2 Common Tern, 1 Spoonbill, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 3 Hobby, 6 Yellow Wagtail (1 EF, 2 in W field with cattle, 3 S bends)
Chilham Village (near Canterbury) (11:00 to 11:30) sunny mild, calm [Stuart Dove] Map
6 Chiffchaff (ditto), 4 Blackcap (ditto), 2 Garden Warbler (Broadham Down KWTNR)
North Foreland (08:05 to 08:06) [John Carnell] Map
1 Merlin (Late bird across cliff top fields, flew strongly north, out across sea.)
North Foreland (05:50 to 07:50) Daily, standardised two hour seawatch. Four observers. Highlights only. NNW F3. Sea mist reduced visibility to 5500m [Dr Peter Carr] Map
12 Large alcid sp (South), 3 Common Scoter, 1 Cuckoo (Calling bird), 1 Great Crested Grebe (On sea), 2 Whimbrel (South), 3 Kittiwake, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 15 Sandwich Tern (1N, 14S), 1 Red-throated Diver (North), 21 Gannet (South), 3 Wheatear, 1 Yellow Wagtail (North)
Oare Marshes (05:15 to 10:45) Cloud clearing then sunny with a gentle NE breeze. Temp. up to 17C. LT circa 07:00. With GJAB. [Murray Wright] Map
4 Tufted Duck (two pairs on EF), 2 Cuckoo (males), 1 Turtle Dove (in flight over scrub W of cottages), 8 Avocet (on EF), 1 Ringed Plover (on mud from SW hide), 17 Whimbrel, 47 Black-tailed Godwit (on EF), 1 Knot (summer plumage ad. with Blackwits on EF), 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Barn Owl (hunting near sluice circa 08:00 before heading E over FC), 2 Hobby, 2 Nightingale (singing), 1 Stonechat (male W of road), 1 Wheatear (by SW hide), 2 Yellow Wagtail
Gillingham Bright and sunny. 10:30 am [Michael Norman] Map
9 Swift, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Hobby (North over Garden.)
Monday 6 May 2024
Haysden (16:00 to 16:45) [Martin Garwood] Map
2 Common Tern (on Haysden Water), 6 Swallow, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Garden Warbler
Tonbridge (15:00 to 15:45) wet and overcast [Martin Garwood] Map
10 Swift (feeding over the Water Treatment Works)
Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve (12:00 to 13:30) [Martin Garwood] Map
1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 12 Sand Martin, 8 Swallow, 2 Reed Warbler
Oare Marshes (08:00 to 13:00) NW veering NE; cool air and persistant rain. Poor visability. Obs with DP [Mike Roser] Map
5 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Oystercatcher, 11 Avocet, 40 Whimbrel (circa, saltmarsh and rough grassland at Uplees), 30 Black-tailed Godwit, 21 Turnstone, 5 Knot, 1 Dunlin, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 5 Common Tern, 2 Hobby, 2 Swallow, 1 Corn Bunting (Uplees area)
North Foreland (05:45 to 07:45) Daily, standardised two hour seawatch. Four observers. Highlights only. ENE F1. Visibility reduced to 4500m due to sea mist [Dr Peter Carr] Map
9 Large alcid sp (South), 3 Common Scoter (South), 1 Great Crested Grebe (On sea), 9 Kittiwake (South), 16 Sandwich Tern, 27 Gannet (4N, 23S), 1 Wheatear (At seawatch site), 1 Siskin (North)
Sunday 5 May 2024
Stodmarsh (19:20 to 20:40) [Brendan Threlfall] Map
1 Spoonbill (Marsh Hide), 2 Greenshank
Elmley NNR (12:00 to 17:00) Sunny [Daniel Hale] Map
2 Garganey (Pair on entrance track), 50 Shoveler, 10 Pochard, 10 Oystercatcher (Entrance track), 20 Avocet (Welmarsh hide), 50 Lapwing (Entrance track), 50 Redshank (Entrance track), 5 Mediterranean Gull, 4 Sandwich Tern (Swale), 5 Common Tern (Welmarsh hide), 3 Cattle Egret (With cattle on entrance track), 10 Marsh Harrier, 5 Common Buzzard, 2 Short-eared Owl (Pair seen flying from car park), 3 Bearded Tit (Brickfields), 10 Skylark, 10 Sedge Warbler (In song), 30 Yellow Wagtail (Entrance track), 10 Linnet
Conyer (09:15 to 10:30) Bright but damp [Chris Gillard] Map
2 Turtle Dove, 1+ Black-headed Gull, 1+ Mediterranean Gull, 4 Common Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Song Thrush, 7 Nightingale, 2 Reed Bunting
Upchurch (South Medway) (07:15 to 08:00) Dewy sunny (with JB) [Chris Gillard] Map
1 Cuckoo, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Blackcap
Swanscombe Marsh (07:00 to 11:30) [Barry Wright] Map
1 Teal, 1 Pochard, 7 Swift, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Turnstone, 5 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Sparrowhawk, 11 House Martin, 31 Whitethroat, 1 Wheatear
North Foreland (06:00 to 08:00) Daily, standardised two hour seawatch. Two observers. Highlights only. WSW F2. Visibility improved second hour to 8000m as sea-mist cleared. [Dr Peter Carr] Map
3 Large alcid sp (South), 98 Common Scoter (North), 5 Whimbrel (4N, 1 on rocks), 1 Common Sandpiper (On rocks.), 21 Sandwich Tern, 6 Gannet (South), 2 Sparrowhawk (1 hunting around sea-watch site. Second bird, a female, watched heading out to sea until lost from view.), 1 Kestrel (Hunting over sea-watch site), 1 Hobby (Hunting around lighthouse), 1 Yellow Wagtail (North), 2 Siskin (North), 1 Corn Bunting (Present at sea-watch site for several days)
Oare Marshes (05:00 to 11:00) Sunny and calm with just a gentle E picking up later. Feeling warm - temp. up to 17C. HT circa 11:15. [Murray Wright] Map
1 Red-legged Partridge (in road on drive in again), 3 Cuckoo (pair and a second male), 1 Turtle Dove ('purring'), 40 Whimbrel (circa including 23 together in sheepfields W of DD), 1 Bar-tailed Godwit (female roosting with Blackwits on EF), 142 Black-tailed Godwit (on EF), 1 Purple Sandpiper (ad. flew in with 9 Dunlin and 15 Turnstones landing on rocks and weed just below sea wall circa 100yds W of SW Hide circa 09:10-09:35 then flushed and flew E appearing to land on Castle Coote. Only my third record here and the first in Spring!), 5 Greenshank (on EF), 1 Barn Owl (Sheppey-side hunting mid-morning), 2 Nightingale (singing), 1 Whinchat (in bushes at W end of WF - not a species I record here in Spring very often), 3 Yellow Wagtail (on wires at bends), 5 Corn Bunting
Gillingham Overcast. [Michael Norman] Map
7 Swift ( First of the year over our garden.)
Oare Marshes Falling tide, light breeze, good visi [Dave Hale] Map
12 , 1 Cuckoo (Scrub by houses), 1 Great Crested Grebe (On the swale), 11 Whimbrel (Between Dand Dock and the copse), 5 Greenshank (East end. East flood), 2 Hobby (West flood), 5 Sedge Warbler
Saturday 4 May 2024
Chislet Marshes (19:15 to 19:45) Sunny, no wind, mild (fields North of Nethergong) [Marc Heath] Map
2 Grey Partridge, 2 Short-eared Owl (Hunting the fields)
Farm (17:00 to 17:10) Sunny [Stella Hemmings] Map
4 Skylark, 6 Swallow, 3 Linnet, 10 Goldfinch, 4 Yellowhammer
Nor Marsh and Motney Hill (12:00 to 12:05) Falling tide, good visibility [Dave Hale] Map
7 Brent Goose, 3 Whimbrel
Cliffe Pools RSPB Reserve (11:40 to 11:45) Sunny and dry [Christopher Hill] Map
2 Cuckoo (A pair together, including a hepatic female, from Hope Mound)
Faversham Creek (10:37 to 14:14) [Alan Fossey] Map
2 Oystercatcher, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Greenshank, 5 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Hobby, 5 Swallow, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Sedge Warbler, 8 Reed Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Whitethroat
Seaton Gravel Pits (09:25 to 11:50) Sunny SE2 [Richard Collins] Map
2 Egyptian Goose, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, 8 Chiffchaff, 10 Reed Warbler, 20 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat (No. Is site record), 12 Whitethroat, 5 Nightingale
North Foreland (08:00 to 09:30) Sunny. Light SE wind [John Carnell] Map
1 Black-throated Diver (Flew east, close in.), 1 Black Kite (In from sea, over lighthouse and then low inland, south.)
North Foreland (06:00 to 09:45) Daily, standardised two hour seawatch plus extra time. Three observers. Highlights only. SE F3, excellent visibility (9500m+) [Dr Peter Carr] Map
18 Large alcid sp (South), 25 Common Scoter (20N, 5S), 75 Sandwich Tern, 4 Red-throated Diver (North), 131 Gannet (7N, 124S), 3 Common Buzzard (North), 2 Hobby (1 in-off, 1 hunting around sea-watch site), 9 Swallow (North), 4 Yellow Wagtail (North)
Stodmarsh (05:45 to 14:30) Sunny, gentle breeze, partial mist in morning, some clouds [Stella Hemmings] Map
4 Greylag Goose, 4 Mute Swan, 5 Egyptian Goose, 2 Gadwall, 4 Mallard, 1 Cuckoo, 5+ Moorhen, 15 Coot, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Common Tern, 4 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 20+ Hobby, 5+ Jackdaw, 10+ Carrion Crow, 10+ Blue Tit, 1 Skylark, 20+ Cetti's Warbler, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 5+ Chiffchaff, 20+ Sedge Warbler, 20+ Reed Warbler, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 10+ Whitethroat, 10 Starling, 5 Blackbird, 5+ Robin, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Linnet, 20+ Goldfinch, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Yellowhammer, 4 Reed Bunting
Friday 3 May 2024
Stodmarsh (18:30 to 18:35) Evening, sunny, slight breeze, partly cloudy [Stella Hemmings] Map
2 Bearded Tit
Faversham Creek (14:15 to 15:45) [Alan Fossey] Map
10 Swift, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Buzzard, 19 Swallow, 32 House Martin, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Yellow Wagtail
North Foreland (05:55 to 07:55) Daily, standardised two hour seawatch. Four observers. Highlights only. WSW F4, visibility very good 9500m+ [Dr Peter Carr] Map
45 Brent Goose (North), 1 Eider (Continuing sub-adult male), 9 Common Scoter (6N, 3S), 3 Whimbrel (North), 1 Bar-tailed Godwit (North), 1 Mediterranean Gull (North), 87 Sandwich Tern (14N, 73S), 1 Black Tern (North), 1 Guillemot (North), 2 Red-throated Diver (1S, 1 on sea), 166 Gannet (151N, 15S), 6 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (Unusual record at sea-watch site), 1 Whinchat, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 12 Pied Wagtail
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