KENT & EAST SUSSEX in AUTUMN

SAT 2 SEPTEMBER – SAT 9 SEPTEMBER 2023

SAT 7 SEPTEMBER – SAT 14 SEPTEMBER 2024

PRICES: from £1795pp

Single supplement: £275 Deposit: £200pp

Max group size 7. Leader from our experienced team

With a coastline projecting out into the North Sea, Kent is perfectly positioned to attract large numbers of passage birds as they funnel through the UK each autumn. With a range of habitats and several great reserves, the county is a magnet for migrating birds on the move and an attractive place to watch them. We should enjoy varied and busy bird-watching days, exploring Kent in detail with a little time dedicated to nearby East Sussex hotspots too. Waders will feature highly at coastal and freshwater sites, typically moving through the North Sea in abundance at this time of year from various origins including Northern Europe, Scandinavia and Russia. Passerines will not be neglected, the habitat around the coast often attracting ‘falls’ of warblers, chats, wagtails, pipits and flycatchers as well as rarities.

The first part of the week will be spent exploring the North Kent Marshes, and The Oare Marshes, RSPB Cliffe Pools, The Isle of Sheppey, Capel Fleet and Swale NNR are all within a short journey of our base. Our daily itinerary will be flexible, and with most of the top birding sites close by we have every chance of connecting with any reported rare bird to boost our trip list.

Later in the week we travel south over the Kent peninsula via Walland Marsh and stay just over the border in East Sussex near Rye. We have excellent access to both the Dungeness Peninsula and its nature reserves, as well as Rye Harbour LNR. The largest shingle promontory in Europe and with on average only 25 inches of rainfall a year, Dungeness is the only official desert in the UK! This bleak, gaunt wilderness is, however, of huge attraction to birdlife and the area lays claim to one of the oldest established Bird Observatories as well as one of the earliest RSPB reserves in England. Rye Harbour Nature Reserve is another excellent birding site with good nature trails and hides. Terns, gulls and passage waders congregate on the old gravel pit workings, while the surrounding bushes can be busy with migrants as they fatten up before continuing the next part of their journey to southern wintering grounds. A variety of species will be seen during our week and we will certainly build a substantial list of waders likely to include Ruff, Avocet, Golden, Grey and Little Ringed Plover, Knot, Whimbrel, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Green, Wood and Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint. In recent autumns rarer, Nearctic species have included Lesser Yellowlegs, American Golden Plover and Long-billed Dowitcher. At this time of year Yellow Wagtail flocks are on the move, while local reserves are great place to find parties of Bearded Tit with juveniles often seen at close quarters. Strong winds from the north in September bring a good chance of skuas and other migrating sea birds being pushed into the Swale estuary, and if these conditions prevail then we can sea watch from various vantage points. This really is a great opportunity to explore South-East England at a busy time of year for birds. Number of centres: 2.