Top birding sites in North Kent

North Kent is blessed with a large number of excellent places to view birds and other wildlife. Its extensive coastline with food rich mudflats are a bonanza for waders and wildfowl. Inland there are large woods and chalkhill downs that attract harbour all sorts of wildlife, not only birds. What follows is a short list of what's to be found in this region, and what birdlife is to be found there.

Riverside Country Park - TQ807684

On the River Medway so there are large areas of mudflats and saltmarsh. Horrid Hill is the peninsula that juts out into the river and provides excellent views of Nor Marsh, a large island leased by the RSPB. On the west of the park lies  an area of hawthorn and bramble, while to the east is Motney Hill, which contains an extensive reedbed, and Berengrave Local Nature Reserve, a disused chalk pit now overgrown with scrub but rich in wildlife. Because of the varied habitat all sorts of birds can turn up, like rarer terns, Osprey, or Brambling.

Capel Fleet - TR010690

Capel Fleet lies to the west of Swale NNR, and almost cuts the Isle of Sheppey in two. It is broad and reed lined and attracts many raptors including Rough-legged Buzzard. Please view the area only from the road which crosses the fleet. For a map showing how to get there click on the Swale NNR link

Other birding sites in Kent

Bedgebury Pinetuum - TQ720330. An extension of Kew Gardens, this is a collection of conifers and as such, is home to Crossbills. Hawfinches are common too.

Bossenden Woods - TR082589. Woodland warblers.

Bough Beech Reservoir - TQ495489. A regular Osprey haunt. Also waders, wildfowl, warblers and hirundines.

St. Margaret's at Cliffe - TR358437. A lovely valley to draw the migrants in. Recent times have seen Ring Ouzels and Yellow-browed Warblers.

Snodland Lakes - TQ706616. Wildfowl, hirundines and warblers in the scrub area. Long-eared Owls roost here and Kingfishers are common.