Friday, 27 July 2012

Lower Rainham Marshes and the Isle of Harty day 1 (20th July)

LOWER RAINHAM MARSHES

Eventually the holiday season had come and my family and I were of to the Isle of Harty, just off the main Isle of Sheppey.  After picking up some food from the local supermarket my mum dropped me of at the marshes at Lower Rainham before we continued to the cottage where we were to stay for the rest of the week.  In the 45mins I had at the marsh 2 Greenshanks, 100's of Black-tailed Godwits and dozens of the commoner waders including Redshanks, Oystercatchers and Lapwings were the only highlight.  Lots of Small White butterflies were also on the wing along with Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns.

Lower Rainham Marshes

roosting Black-tailed Godwits

ISLE OF HARTY

Within minutes of arriving at the Isle of Harty, I located 2 TURTLE DOVES purring from the trees only meters from where we were staying.  Not soon after another garden visitor appeared, this time a Marsh Harrier.  The fields near Harty Ferry Pier were also productive and had no fewer than 12+ HaresSmall Whites were even more abundant along with Meadow Browns, Small/Essex Skippers (unIDed) whilst the small pond infront of the cottage we were staying in had Blue-tailed Damselflies, Common Blue Damselflies.  An evening visit down to the pier didn't produce much except for a flypast unIDed Owl species.  However, on my return I was very surprised to come across a very tame Hedgehog wandering across the path.  It was so oblivious to my presence that I could approach it to within less than a metre before it wandered casually off into the hedgerow!

Hedgehog

Large Skipper

Small Skipper

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