- 15/11/2018
- Nature Notes
A high tide survey of Elmley and Spitend marshes, foreshore and half way across the Swale by two pairs of volunteer counters on 12th November.
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Some strong easterly winds over the previous weekend and normal moderate south westerlies since have brought in more birds with good numbers of Lapwing, Shelduck, Teal , Wigeon and Grey Plover. Short Eared Owls are also now back in good numbers.
| Elmley | Spitend | TOTAL | |
| Mute Swan | 39 | 4 | 43 |
| Whooper Swan | 0 | ||
| Brent Goose | 25 | 25 | |
| Canada Goose | 69 | 10 | 79 |
| Greylag Goose | 746 | 73 | 819 |
| White-fronted Goose | 0 | ||
| Shelduck | 76 | 132 | 208 |
| Shoveler | 6 | 6 | |
| Gadwall | 10 | 10 | |
| Wigeon | 4038 | 311 | 4349 |
| Mallard | 1431 | 606 | 2037 |
| Pintail | 0 | ||
| Teal | 880 | 1158 | 2038 |
| Pochard | 0 | 0 | |
| Tufted Duck | 0 | ||
| Little Grebe | 9 | 11 | 20 |
| Great crested Grebe | 6 | 12 | 18 |
| Grey Heron | 11 | 8 | 19 |
| Little Egret | 6 | 6 | |
| Cattle Egret | 1 | 1 | |
| Spoonbill | 1 | 1 | |
| Cormorant | 2 | 30 | 32 |
| Moorhen | 19 | 19 | |
| Coot | 95 | 95 | |
| Water Rail | 0 | ||
| 0 | |||
| Oystercatcher | 218 | 218 | |
| Avocet | 60 | 65 | 125 |
| Lapwing | 1840 | 575 | 2415 |
| Golden Plover | 0 | ||
| Grey Plover | 5 | 75 | 80 |
| Ringed Plover | 1 | 1 | |
| Whimbrel | 0 | ||
| Curlew | 377 | 315 | 692 |
| Bar-tailed Godwit | 0 | ||
| Black-tailed Godwit | 151 | 151 | |
| Turnstone | 0 | ||
| Knot | 135 | 135 | |
| Ruff | 2 | 2 | |
| Dunlin | 86 | 472 | 558 |
| Snipe | 1 | 1 | |
| Redshank | 12 | 23 | 35 |
| Green Sandpiper | 1 | 1 | |
| Common Sandpiper | 1 | 1 | |
| Spotted Redshank | 0 | ||
| Greenshank | 2 | 2 | |
| 0 | |||
| Great Black-backed Gull | 0 | ||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | 0 | ||
| Herring Gull | 0 | ||
| Common Gull | 0 | ||
| Black-headed Gull | 0 | ||
| Mediterranean Gull | 0 | ||
| Sandwich Tern | 0 | ||
| Common Tern | 0 | ||
| 0 | |||
| Marsh Harrier | 14 | 8 | 22 |
| Hen Harrier | 0 | ||
| Buzzard | 9 | 5 | 14 |
| Merlin | 0 | ||
| Kestrel | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| Peregrine | 1 | 1 | |
| Hobby | 0 | ||
| Sparrowhawk | 1 | 1 | |
| TOTALS | 10371 | 3919 | 14290 |
