Window to Wildlife

 We made our annual pilgrimage to Oare Marshes today, accompanied by Sue, Steve and Bernie. Our primary target was the Bonaparte’s Gull, returning for at least its fourteenth year. We started at it’s preferred location, east of the slipway on the Swale, and with the help of a fellow birder soon located the bird, although a strong, gusty wind and bright, early morning sun glinting on the silvery mud made viewing difficult. Progressing along the track, and seeking shelter behind a bush, Bernie relocated the bird, and this time we had much better views, with its full hood, black beak, short stature, darker grey back and pink-red legs clearly visible. An accompanying cast of regular waders included Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank and a single Avocet. Bonaparte’s Gull We continued on to the hide on the edge of the estuary, where a family of Shelduck were feeding on the exposed mud and a single Little Tern hunted along the shoreline, yellow, daggered bill pointing sharply downwards as it...