Black-headed gulls
These gulls start arriving on Hambrook when winter is on its way, and leave in spring to breed on the coast – few, if any, are present in summer. The numbers here depend on the weather: there will be more black-headed gulls in wet winters when the fields are waterlogged or flooded. In winter they also lose the dark hood that gives them their name.
Blackbird
Blackbirds are most likely to be found around the old railway embankment. A few are generally present through summer, but they are more numerous in winter.
Blackcap
A summer visitor, which breeds in the scrubby areas around the edges of the site, and feeds around the old railway embankment. Blackcaps fly south to spend winter in countries around the Mediterranean or north Africa. However, now that UK winters are milder, some European blackcaps now opt for the shorter journey to southern England for winter instead.
Blue tits
A few birds are resident, normally found around the old railway embankment.
Brambling
A close relative of the chaffinch. Bramblings breed in northern Europe, and migrate to milder climates in winter. They are seen less and less in Britain, however.
Bullfinch
Despite its flamboyant colouring, the bullfinch is rarely seen. You’re most likely to spot this secretive bird with its distinctive rose-magenta breast in the scrub around the old railway embankment.
Buzzard
Buzzards are rarely seen over Hambrook, but the best time to look for them is on a warm day in early spring. They take advantage of thermals to spiral high up into the sky – partly a display to attract a mate, and partly to mark out territory and discourage any wanderers thinking of setting up home locally.
Canada goose
Canada geese are most likely to be seen flying along the valley.
Cetti’s warbler
A noisy little bird that you are more likely to hear than see; its brown plumage keeps it camouflaged but its loud bursts of warbling are a giveaway. Cetti’s warbler (pronounced Chetty’s) originates from southern Europe and was first recorded in the UK in 1961; there are now an estimated 2000 in Kent alone. Despite this impressive population surge, as an insect-eater its food supply is vulnerable, and a harsh winter can be potentially devastating.
Chaffinch
A handful frequent the area around the railway embankment and can be seen all year round.
Chiffchaff
Coal tit
A moderately common bird in woodland, especially where there are conifers, but only recently recorded at Hambrook, around the railway embankment. The coal tit is slightly smaller than a blue tit, and although much less colourful it’s still an attractive little bird.
Collared dove
One or two occasionally fly over from the south eastern side of the river, and sometimes feed in the fields.
Common gull
The common gull is strictly a winter bird on Hambrook, and not actually very common. It’s easy to confuse with a herring gull, but is much smaller, has greenish legs, a more slender beak, and an altogether softer appearance than the herring gull’s rather evil demeanour.
Common sandpiper
Common sandpipers spend winter in Africa, returning north to breed in Europe and Russia. Although they don’t nest in southern England, they still have to fly through our region in order to reach their preferred upland streams and lakes in Wales and the north, and their passage brings a few up the Stour each spring.
Coot
The most cantankerous of all birds, the coot will regularly rocket along the water to attack another bird, usually a fellow coot, but moorhens and other blameless species also frequently experience the coot’s fearful temper. Curiously, though, coots tend to congregate in large flocks in winter, at which time they seem to exercise some anger management and tolerate the close proximity of their kind.
Cormorant
Cormorants are usually seen flying along the valley over Hambrook in small groups of up to 4, occasionally up to 10. Sometimes they can be spotted on the river.
Crossbill
Crossbills roam the countryside in search of pine- and fir-woods where the cones are ripe enough for their seeds to be extracted with the birds’ uniquely crossed mandibles. With no conifers on Hambrook, they are will only be seen flying over the marshes searching for food.
Crow
These scavengers can often be seen in pairs and small groups.
Cuckoo
The cuckoo has suffered a dramatic 65% decline in southern England since the 1980s and their song is sadly no longer commonplace. In flight they are remarkably kestrel-like, with their long, pointed wings and long tail. They are prone to being mobbed by small birds who perhaps mistake the cuckoo for a bird of prey, or are possibly attacking a bird that they know is a very real threat to their eggs and chicks.
Dunnock
A resident around the disused railway embankment, but not seen often.
Feral pigeon
A small colony of feral pigeons can be found on the railway bridge that crosses over the Ashford line.
Fieldfare
Fieldfares are winter visitors from Scandinavia, often roaming the countryside in gangs, earthworms. They can be found around the railway embankment devouring hawthorn berries.
Gadwall
The gadwall looks a lot like a female mallard, but its colouring is greyer and it’s smaller. They are also much less common than mallards.
Garden warbler
This amazing little bird flies all the way to Africa in autumn, then navigates its return journey the following spring to end up within yards of where it was the previous year. Garden warblers can be found around the railway embankment.
Goldcrest
Although resident in England, goldcrests are strictly winter visitors to Hambrook. These tiny birds would be easy to miss if it were it not for their high-pitched calls.
Goldfinch
These beautiful birds can be seen around the railway embankment. Goldfinch flock sizes tend to increase as food becomes more abundant. In late summer and autumn when there are plenty of thistle and other seeds to go round, they feed in larger groups – it’s thought to be so that the flock gains extra protection from all those additional pairs of vigilant eyes.
Goshawk
The goshawk was on the verge of extinction in the last century but a wild population has built up since, and the current estimate is that there could be 435 pairs in the UK, headquartered in the conifer forests of Wales. Nearer to home there are a few pairs in the New Forest and East Anglia, but it’s thought none are resident in Kent yet. These large birds of prey eat grey squirrels and sparrowhawks.
Great crested grebe
These elegant, exotic-looking diving birds live mainly on fish, so look out for them along the river.
Great spotted woodpecker
Great tit
With its distinctive green and yellow plumage, black cap and white cheeks, this is quite an easy bird to spot around the old railway embankment.
Green sandpiper
A wading bird that appears in England on passage between breeding grounds
in Scandinavia and Russia and wintering areas in Africa, India and south east Asia, though a few do overwinter in southern England. Occasional green sandpipers call in at Hambrook each autumn.
Green woodpecker
The green woodpecker is largely a bird of open countryside, feeding primarily on ants that it digs up in the fields, so they can find plenty to eat on the marshes. They are normally a late summer and winter visitor, but are now present periodically throughout the year.
Greenfinch
The greenfinch is quite a common garden bird now, but only an occasional visitor to Hambrook.
Grey wagtail
It may have a grey back, but the grey wagtail’s most eye-catching feature is a bright yellow breast. It’s an elegant waterside bird, present along the river right into the centre of Canterbury, but easy to miss if not making its “tissick” call. Nationally, this bird is in serious population decline, but along the Stour Valley its numbers are increasing.
Greylag geese
The largest of the UK’s native wild geese, greylags can be seen flying along the valley.
Hawfinch
The hawfinch is a chunky finch with a parrot-like bill that can crack open cherry stones to extract the edible kernel. An inhabitant of woods containing its favourite tree seeds, the hawfinch has declined markedly in recent years and is now rare in Kent, but birds from northern or eastern Europe pass through.
Heron
Herons hunt in any area of shallow water, so they can be seen in ditches in the fields as well as on the river. Despite their size, herons can be easily overlooked, as they can patiently stand absolutely still for long periods waiting for prey. They have large feeding territories so aren’t always on the marshes.
Herring gull
A few herring gulls will usually be seen flying over, sometimes landing on the marshes particularly in winter.
Hobby
The hobby is a relative of the kestrel, and overwinters in Africa. Hobbies are especially partial to dragonflies, so are often to be found in wetland areas like Hambrook Marshes where these insects are more plentiful.
House martin
The house martin is similar to the swallow but stubbier, with a white rump and no tail streamers. They regularly hunt over fields containing livestock, feasting on flies that gather around cow pats, so look for them where cattle are grazing. House martins are summer visitors, migrating south in early autumn.
House sparrow
A few birds are often present in the nettles and tall vegetation along the river, particularly in early summer when they are feeding young.
Jack snipe
Jack snipe are smaller than the common snipe, and far scarcer. They frequent soggy ground, and tend to sit tight if threatened, taking to the air only if they are about to be trodden on, and then silently flying low a little way off to safety.
Jackdaw
Small flocks of jackdaws fly over Hambrook Marshes all year round, but in winter much larger groups feed in Tonford Field.
Jay
A distinctive member of the crow family with a screaming call, one or two jays can turn up occasionally at any time of year, but are more frequently seen in autumn.
Kestrel
Single kestrels can be seen hunting over the fields occasionally.
Kingfisher
Despite its dazzling plumage, this small, shy bird is surprisingly easy to miss. Kingfishers are resident on the marshes and fish along the river, but can also be spotted by ditches or small pools – any water with a depth of at least a few inches is a potential hunting ground. Look for them on overhanging branches.
Lapwing
The UK lapwing population is in severe decline so these waders aren’t often seen, but flocks of up to 25 have been observed on the marshes.
Lesser black-backed gull
This gull resembles the much more numerous herring gull, but has yellow legs and darker wings. They are seen less than the other types of gull that frequent Hambrook as they generally migrate, flying down to southern Europe and West Africa each autumn, returning the following spring.
Lesser redpoll
These tiny finches are seen very occasionally flying over the marshes in winter.
Lesser whitethroat
Single lesser whitethroats have been seen occasionally.
Linnet
A small slender finch with a melodious song, seen on Hambrook on its spring or autumn passage, but very rarely due to serious population decline.
Little egret
Until about twenty years ago the little egret was an occasional visitor to the UK; now it’s found throughout much of the country. They’re usually seen from November to March, but as they range along the Stour valley, they aren’t always present on Hambrook. They hunt by rapidly patting their feet on the river bed to flush out fish and other prey, and also hunt in the ditches in the fields.
Little grebe
Little grebes can be seen in winter on the river close to the East Station railway bridge. This shy bird feeds underwater and spends much of its time diving for food, and can also be seen lurking in the vegetation at the river’s edge. In winter their plumage is a dull brown, but come spring they sport chestnut necks and cheeks with them, and disappear to breeding areas elsewhere in England.
Little owl
Little owls have been heard at dusk on the marshes but so far not seen.
Long-tailed tit
Flocks of these endearing little birds are often seen around the railway embankment.
Their nests are a work of art – soft moss bound together with cobwebs, lined with as many as two thousand tiny feathers, and the outer surface decorated with a layer of lichen fragments.
Magpie
Magpies are present all year around, usually in the fields.
Mallard
The only species of duck regularly found at Hambrook is the mallard. Several pairs breed here and can be seen throughout the year on the river. In winter they also feed in ditches and shallow-flooded areas of the fields; if you’re near enough, you can hear the slapping sound of their beaks opening and closing rapidly in the water to filter out floating seeds.
Mandarin
This exotic duck is occasionally seen along the Stour. As the name suggests, it’s a species originally from the Far East that has established in this country after escaping from wildfowl collections. Numbers are increasing, particularly in the south of England, with an estimated 2300 pairs now resident.
Marsh harrier
At the verge of extinction in the early 1970s, there are now around 350 pairs of marsh harriers in the UK, now present nationally, about 100 of which nest in Kent. Marsh harriers seen over Hambrook are probably from Stodmarsh, the closest stronghold of these raptors.
Meadow pipit
Meadow pipits descend from the bleak northern moorlands to spend winter in the more benign conditions of lowland England. These songbirds will usually be spotted in small flocks moving around in areas of coarser grassland, and on Hambrook they feed in the longer grass in the fields between the A2 and the old railway embankment.
Mediterranean gull
A relatively recent arrival in the UK, but colonies are now established on the North Kent Marshes. In winter, birds may wander far inland to feed. Its hood is jet black, nicely setting off its bright red bill and matching red legs. It also has a distinctive call that sounds a bit like a cat miaowing.
Mistle thrush
The mistle thrush is mainly a winter visitor. It’s much scarcer than the song thrush, with rather greyish plumage in contrast to the song thrush’s warm brown colouring, and is larger with a more aggressive demeanour.
Moorhen
Moorhens are on the river throughout the year, and in winter a few will also be in the wet parts of the fields. Their nests are often quite conspicuous rafts at the edge of the river; several pairs also nest around ditches and other damp areas. The moorhen has a red face shield and beak, whereas the coot has white.
Mute swan
The largest water bird in this country is a familiar sight, and can be seen at any time of the year, usually on the river. They are not truly ‘mute’ as they will hiss as a warning sound, but they fly silently unlike other swans.
Nightingale
Nightingales have been seen but not yet heard on Hambrook. They are summer visitors to the UK, and despite the name their song can be heard during the day as well as after dark.
Peregrine
After reaching the verge of extinction in the 1960s these large powerful falcons are now found across the UK, although they are more common in the uplands of northern England, Scotland and Wales than the southeast, and so are still a rare sight over Hambrook.
Pheasant
Although the pheasant is very much part of the rural English landscape, it’s not a native species. It’s thought they were originally brought to Britain in Roman times, or perhaps in the Norman conquest, with further breeds and varieties imported later as game birds. They can occasionally be spotted in the fields at Hambrook.
Pied flycatcher
The odd migrating pied flycatcher has been observed flying over Hambrook Marshes.
Pied wagtail
Seen flitting over the marshes quite often, although they are not thought to nest here. As insect-eaters they can often be found close to water.
Pochard
These diving ducks are easiest to spot in winter and spring when the male has a more striking plumage, with a reddish-brown head, black breast and pale grey body. For the rest of the year pochards of both sexes resemble female mallards, so are rather less conspicuous.
Raven
This large member of the crow family was systematically persecuted by farmers in the 19th and much of the 20th century. There are now some breeding pairs in Kent, and single birds and pairs are now occasionally observed around Canterbury.
Red kite
The occasional red kite has been observed over Hambrook Marshes. The distinctive reddish-brown colouring of its body makes it easy to distinguish from other raptors.
Redwing
These thrushes are winter visitors from Scandinavia and eastern Europe, which appear in quite variable numbers. They enjoy the orchards of east Kent for feasting on rotting apples, and at Hambrook they will normally be seen foraging in scrubby areas.
Reed bunting
Although resident in Kent, reed buntings only spend spring and summer at Hambrook, sometimes breeding in the wetter areas of scrub and willow. The male can be heard for long hours uttering his rather monotonous dink-dink call from the top of a reed stem or willow branch.
Reed warbler
The reed warbler is a rarely-seen summer visitor, which spends winter in Africa. Favouring reedy areas, as the name suggests, a pair breeds on Bingley Island, near Toddlers Cove, and an occasional pair may nest on Hambrook. Despite being highly vocal, they can be difficult to see, and are far more likely to be heard chirruping within a reed bed.
Ring ouzel
Very similar in appearance to the blackbird, apart from the white band around the breast, the ring ouzel is a summer visitor, arriving here from Africa in the spring and returning in September. Their numbers are being affected by both hotter UK summers, and the effects of drought and habitat loss in Africa, so they are not a common sight. And if you’re wondering what an ouzel is, it’s simply the Anglo-Saxon word for blackbird!
Robin
A few robins can be seen on Hambrook all year, mainly around the perimeter and by the disused railway embankment.
Rook
Rooks are highly gregarious birds and normally seen in a flock – or ‘parliament’ to use the correct collective noun. They regularly fly over Hambrook to a rookery in Thanington, and in winter flocks of up to 95 sometimes feed in Tonford Field.
Sand martin
Although they feed on insects over bodies of water and river, sand martins are rarely seen on Hambrook.
Sedge warbler
Sedge warblers frequent reedbeds and wetlands, but are not a common sight on Hambrook.
Siskin
A winter visitor, these little finches are usually seen flying over the marshes. Occasionally a group is spotted in the alders near the Whitehall Lane level crossing.
Skylark
The population of this once-common bird has recently plummeted. In winter, skylarks arrive in southern England from more northerly regions and from the continent, where flocks can be seen feeding in fields.
Snipe
This highly distinctive bird features in our logo. With its population recently in decline, we’re always especially glad to see snipe arrive in autumn for their winter residence at Hambrook each year, and give them extra protection by closing public access to the field where they spend their time here.
Song thrush
The song thrush is the bird that people usually mean when they refer to a thrush. Quite a frequent visitor to gardens, where they endear themselves to gardeners by eating snails that they smash on a favourite “anvil”, thrushes aren’t seen very often on the marshes; the old railway embankment in winter is the most likely place to spot them.
Sparrowhawk
Single sparrowhawks can be seen hunting over the marshes at any time of the year.
Spotted flycatcher
A summer visitor to Hambrook, arriving in late spring and leaving in autumn. Spotted flycatchers have a distinctive hunting technique, first finding a suitable perch with a good vantage point, and from there they will repeatedly dart out to grab passing insects, return to the perch, and then dart, grab, perch, repeat.
Starling
A common field bird that feeds on the insects that flock around cowpats. Flocks of several dozen can be seen at Hambrook.
Stock dove
Stonechat
These robin-like field birds sometimes overwinter at Hambrook. They like to perch on tall, dead stems like thistle or teasel flowerheads, or on a fence post or low bush, from where they can pounce on ground insects.
Swallow
The swallow is a summer visitor, which can regularly be seen swooping around wherever the cattle are, feasting on the flies that accompany them. It tends to fly very low, often whizzing around the grazing animals’ legs. It has distinctive long streamers at its tail, and a colourful blue back and red face, which are difficult to see in its usual perpetual motion.
Swift
The swift is a summer visitor, which heads off back to Africa early in the year, normally by the end of July. Swifts are extreme high-flyers, often disappearing from sight altogether, and spend their lives almost entirely on the wing.
Teal
This small duck is mainly a winter visitor in southern England, migrating from Siberia and the Baltic, and is rarely seen on Hambrook.
Treecreeper
The treecreeper is a woodland bird, whose whole life is tied to tree trunks. Its feeding strategy is to fly to the base of a tree, and then gradually work its way up, probing the cracks in bark for insects with its long, narrow, beak. They can nest in a loose flap of bark, and on Hambrook also nest in the mature willows and poplars by the river.
Tufted duck
These diving birds appear in autumn. Some of the tufted ducks in the Stour valley might have bred here, but they are joined in winter by visitors from northern Europe – although with milder winters becoming the norm there, fewer birds now make the journey across the North Sea.
Turtle dove
Numbers of turtle doves have plummeted in recent years, and it is rapidly becoming a rarity throughout England; as it feeds largely on arable weed seeds, its food supply has been destroyed by herbicides on farmland. The beautiful scalloped pattern on the bird’s back is thought to resemble the shell of a turtle, hence its name. It sounds as lovely as it looks, its intricate and delicate colouring matched by a gentle purring coo.
Water rail
The water rail is generally extremely secretive and partially nocturnal, so is easily overlooked. Its alarming pig-like squeal will alert you to its presence, however. Water rails like ditches and flooded areas, and sizeable proportion of the UK’s not very large population is thought to be in Kent.
Whitethroat
A summer visitor whose cheerful but rather tuneless song can be heard around the scrub on the old railway embankment. The male is hard to miss, particularly when he performs his occasional song flight – launching himself upwards from atop a bush, bouncing around on rapidly beating wings singing away.
Willow warbler
Willow warblers are occasionally observed on their spring or autumn migration.
Wood pigeon
Wood pigeons are present all year round and can usually be seen feeding in the fields.
Wren
Wrens, the UK’s smallest native birds, are present on Hambrook all year round. They can be seen by the old railway embankment, and around the perimeter.
Yellowhammer
Yellowhammers are mainly associated with arable land, frequenting bushes and hedgerows. These vividly coloured birds are in serious decline and are not a common sight at Hambrook.
All photos by Dave Smith, except jack snipe by Glynn Crocker
Bird reports archive
An archive of monthly bird reports by Michael Walter, a Trustee of Hambrook Marshes. Bird reports are now included in LHM’s monthly newsletter.