Chetney

By the time I reached my destination, the viewpoint up on Raspberry Hill, the cold had set in (for about the first time this winter), and I was torn between risking the cold seat or standing and stamping. I opted for the latter as, even through the dawn mist it was clear the birds were not settled and I had to watch all directions.

Birding the Chetney Peninsula can be daunting to those who do not know it. It has just the one main footpath, which as it crosses the land bisects it rather neatly; according to the OS maps to the south (closest to the viewpoint) is Chetney. To the north of the path are Chetney Marshes (the farm buildings in the picture are just north of this border). A good telescope is a must if you want to pick out the flocks on Chetney Marshes, but Chetney is much easier from the viewpoint, while the footpath can make a pleasant birding walk. For ease of recording I always note birds as being either on Chetney or on Chetney Marsh.

This morning five or six long lines of Lapwing were up at any one time over the marsh, with smaller clusters of Golden Plover mixed among them, tending to settle distantly on the Marsh.
Every now and then, from either Stangate or Millfordhope Creeks, a higher-flying flock of Knot would arrive, forming more tightly, often in a ball. They were clearly unsettled this morning. One group, two hundred or so strong, made their way down Funton Reach to Funton Creek where they gathered height to circle, almost as if they were looking for missing congeners. After ten minutes or so, they gave up on this circling and moved back to the Reach. Another species disrupted by the fireworks last night perhaps, looking to regather in numbers?

Many of the Pintail that are usually found on the Funton mud were out on Chetney. The pools closest to the seawall afford good drinking and bathing, and receive many visitors at the start of the day, but birds visiting here are always cautious. The seawall is part of the Saxon Shoreway footpath, one of the more popular footpaths locally, meaning walkers and joggers could be expected to appear shortly. To add to the birds' state, the land here is a commercial shoot. It specialises in game, but does have some wildfowling and the birds know to be wary.

To give them time this morning I decided not to disturb them by taking the circular walk myself. If I approached the pools most will be put back onto Funton Reach before time so I left them be to go back at their own pace instead.

The Pintail were intermixed with Shelduck, Teal and a handful of Coot. I carry out my usual pointless scan for diving duck. Pochard and Tufted Duck ignore these pools in winter, preferring deeper, more open waterbodies, and both can be hard to find along the south Medway just now. A few Gadwall and Shoveler will sometimes be found, but not this morning. Mallard are about, mainly on pools closer to the cottages at the foot of the hill. Many of them were released there and have not seen fit to wander far,remaining quite tame.

A Green Sandpiper rose up, calling incessantly. This is one of the more regular sites for these birds in the winter months.  In general terms, Sandpipers always find freshwater more attractive than other waders (a reason why wintering Common Sandpiper are rare here on the estuary compared to, say, further up the tidal Medway past Rochester Bridge, where the salinity is much lower).

A fair number of Wigeon were assembled on the short grass alongside the pools. The are happiest grazing close by water, for safety from smaller predators but, at the sight of a large threat, will also take flight for the mudflats. The sward is a mixed length, being mainly grazed by horses and cattle. There is shorter turf on the marshes, favoured by the Golden Plover and Lapwing and further still fields for the Geese.

One historic factoid concerning the the grass of the North Kent Marshes- when large areas were managed commercially, the quality was so good the cut turf was used by many professional sporting arenas in the south and east, including many of London's old Greyhound tracks and football pitches. The most famous client was the home of English football, Wembley. The pitch for the old stadium was usually cut from fields on Sheppey. Our North Kent Marshes are hallowed turf indeed.