50 ways to enjoy Kent's coast this summer - part
Above: Kingfisher (Kent Life Magazine)
Above: Oare Marshes Nature Reserve (Kent Life Magazine)
Above: The Swale Estuary Mudflats (Kent Life Magazine)
Above: Catching starfish (Kent Life Magazine)
Kent's diverse habitats make it an amazing place to catch wildlife in the sea, sky and on the ground, so grab your binoculars and head to one of the county's many beautiful nature reserves
WHAT: Reculver Country Park
WHERE: Reculver
WHY: Migrating birds and fossil hunting
Each year thousands of birds stop off on long migration routes to and from the Arctic at the twin towers of St Mary's Church, set in the grounds of a Roman fort. Look out for sand martins and mining bees nesting in the cliffs and the butterflies and skylarks in the wildflower meadow on the cliff top. You may be even get a glimpse of a stoat or weasel and the constant cliff erosion and landslips here reveal the fascinating geology of the area, so it’s a great place for beachcombing for fossils. The clean, safe, sandy beach with rocky areas at low tide is a must for youngsters looking for shells and crabs.
CONTACT: Kent Wildlife Trust, tel: 01622 662012
WHAT: Romney Marsh Visitor Centre
WHERE: Romney Marsh
WHY: A site of Special Scientific Interest
The Nature Reserve is set in 11 hectares of unspoiled dune grassland, willow scrub and wildlife-rich ponds. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is nationally important for great crested newts. Species of interest include great diving beetles, small red-eyed damselfly and all manner of birds including the now scarce tree sparrow. Rabbits also populate the network of warrens here, and you may see the resident fox.
Kent Wildlife Trust’s Visitor Centre is also an award-winning eco-friendly straw-bale constructed building with dramatic displays about the Marsh and its heritage.
CONTACT: Kent Wildlife Trust, tel: 01622 662012
WHAT: Pegwell Bay Coastal Park
WHERE: Thanet
WHY: Rare lizards, huge variety of habitats
This unique landscape is made up of a complex and varied mosaic of habitats: inter-tidal mudflats, saltmarsh, shingle, sand dunes, ancient dune pasture, chalk cliffs, wave cut platform and coastal scrubland.
When the tide is out, look out for wading birds such as redshank, shelduck and oystercatcher feeding on shellfish, shrimps and worms. These all breed here, and are joined on the shingle by ringed plovers and the rare little tern. Listen out for nightingales and turtledoves in the hawthorn and scrub.
The extremely rare sand lizard - introduced here in 2004 - may be observed in the dunes, and the saltmarsh supports some rare plant life.
Unusually named rare moths such as silver barred and dotted fanfoot and exquisite butterflies such as painted lady and red admiral provide splashes of colour in the summer heat. A new 28-person bird watching hide has also recently been installed.
CONTACT: Kent Wildlife Trust, tel: 01622 662012
WHAT: Dungeness RSPB
WHERE: Dungeness
WHY: Surreal landscape
Nothing quite prepares you for the landscape of Dungeness. Miles of shingle, jutting out into the English channel make this an excellent place to catch migratory birds on their way back from wintering in the warm. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch Hobbies hunting insects with breathtaking aerobatics, and a wide range of butterflies flit between the plant life.
CONTACT: Dungeness RSPB, tel: 01797 320588
WHAT: Oare Marshes Nature Reserve
WHERE: North Kent
WHY: Air, sea and sky wildlife to observe
This popular north Kent coast reserve consists of more than 81 hectares of traditional grazing marsh with freshwater dykes, open water scrapes, seawall and saltmarsh. The reserve is of international importance, and supports a spectacular and diverse range of wetland bird life.
Among the breeding species found here are avocet, redshank, snipe, lapwing, water rail, bearded reedling, common tern and garganey. Skylark, swallow and marsh harrier are also present.
The tidal mud is an important breeding ground for many kinds of fish, including flounder and sole. Wild flower specialities include yellow-horned poppy, biting stonecrop and sea kale. Butterflies are particularly abundant in the grassland along the sea wall and listen out for the unmistakeable, noisy croaking of marsh frogs. Binoculars are a must should you want to observe the antics of the common seals on Horse Sands.
CONTACT: Kent Wildlife Trust, tel: 01622 662012
WHAT: Lydden Temple Ewell Nature Reserve
WHERE: Dover
WHY: Unique chalk landscape
The reserve lies on a south-facing slope and has an immensely rich diversity of chalk flowers and insects such as common, Adonis and chalkhill blues, silver-spotted skipper and marbled white butterflies, and a variety of grasshoppers and bush-crickets including the largest British species, the great green bush-cricket.
The very rare wart-biter bush-cricket was re-introduced to the site in 1993 and there is now a small but well-established colony. Birds of prey and skylarks provide the aerial interest.
CONTACT: Kent Wildlife Trust, tel: 01622 662012
WHAT: South Swale Nature Reserve
WHERE: Isle of Sheppey
WHY: Huge diversity of wildlife
This is Kent Wildlife Trust’s second largest reserve covering 428 hectares, hugging the south bank of the Swale estuary, north of Graveney Marshes and alongside Faversham Creek.
It is notable for its diversity of wildlife, which is best appreciated on a calm sunny day when it becomes a symphony of sound from beetles, grasshoppers, skylark, reed warbler and bearded reedling, to name but a few.
CONTACT: Kent Wildlife Trust, tel: 01622 662012
WHAT: Kent Downs
WHERE: From the sea to Surrey
WHY: Outstanding Natural Beauty
The Kent Downs have been an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for 40 years, and make up the eastern half of the North Downs, stretching from the White Cliffs at Dover right up to Surrey and London.
With a variety of landscapes taking in dramatic chalk escarpments, dry valleys, historic hedgerows, ancient woodlands, orchards and unique wildlife, there really is something for everyone.
CONTACT: The Kent Downs, tel: 01303 815170
WHAT: Saltmarsh
WHERE: Medway and Swale
WHY: Waders and waterfowl
The saltmarshes of Kent are an internationally important resource for wintering and passage waders and waterfowl, including shelduck and dunlin, and also breeding waders like redshank.
They also support a diverse range of invertebrates, including money spiders and rare ground bugs, and make an important contribution to flood management by reducing wave action on the shore. The wide range of conditions has also resulted in zones of plant communities which have adapted to different levels of immersion