- 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.
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 |
