The small town of Faversham is best known for being the home of Shepherd Neame beer,
one of which (Spitfire Ale) inspired a great advertising campaign:
Other posters are shown
here. And
here. I shan't comment on whether the campaign is as tasteful as the beer!
Faversham is on the north Kent mudflats, which we visited on a dull Sunday but still enjoyed plenty of birds. The flock of
Black-Tailed Godwits numbered about 300, with about 200 Redshanks and a good collection of other species.
Unfortunately the small stars of earlier days, Little Stints and Curlew Sandpipers, didn't show, but a family of
Little Grebes obligingly paddled around near the road.
A couple of
Whimbrel were on the esturine mud, looking remarkably small when they passed close to an Oystercatcher which was about the same size.
Apart from the brick-red plumage of many of the Black-Tailed Godwits, perhaps the only colour in the place was provided by a patch of
Sea-Lavender. Otherwise it was all a bit Dickensian.
We later called in to the nearby Gunpowder Works country park (!) in the hope of a Spotted Flycatcher but although one was heard, the grey day didn't encourage birds or insects to show. It looks an interesting place and worth a visit when the weather improves.
Parts of it are ruined (after an explosion of course) and look rather like Roman ruins.
This
Figwort attracted me, as I'd never seen one before, but it was sad to see the
Horse Chestnuts suffering again this year- there are many on Whitfield Hill like this, although the large one in Kingsdown seems to be healthy so far.
one of which (Spitfire Ale) inspired a great advertising campaign:
Other posters are shown here. And here. I shan't comment on whether the campaign is as tasteful as the beer!
Faversham is on the north Kent mudflats, which we visited on a dull Sunday but still enjoyed plenty of birds. The flock of Black-Tailed Godwits numbered about 300, with about 200 Redshanks and a good collection of other species.
Unfortunately the small stars of earlier days, Little Stints and Curlew Sandpipers, didn't show, but a family of Little Grebes obligingly paddled around near the road.
A couple of Whimbrel were on the esturine mud, looking remarkably small when they passed close to an Oystercatcher which was about the same size.
Apart from the brick-red plumage of many of the Black-Tailed Godwits, perhaps the only colour in the place was provided by a patch of Sea-Lavender. Otherwise it was all a bit Dickensian.
We later called in to the nearby Gunpowder Works country park (!) in the hope of a Spotted Flycatcher but although one was heard, the grey day didn't encourage birds or insects to show. It looks an interesting place and worth a visit when the weather improves.
Parts of it are ruined (after an explosion of course) and look rather like Roman ruins.
This Figwort attracted me, as I'd never seen one before, but it was sad to see the Horse Chestnuts suffering again this year- there are many on Whitfield Hill like this, although the large one in Kingsdown seems to be healthy so far.
4 comments:
Love the little baby grebes...cute! The sea lavender is beautiful and the interesting fly(?) on it.
Interesting post again steve. Like the Little Grebes.
Some of those beer adverts made me feel a bit uncomfortable!
Best to leave the triumphalism to those who took part. No reflection on you of course :-)
Hi Steve,
I used to ramble around Faversham Creek and the mud flats 50 years ago. My friend and I used to keep a record of birds, dead sheep, flotsam and the state of the Torreodor. I wonder if the wreck is still there.
Thanks for the comments.
David, I assume you mean the wreck near the mouth of Faversham creek?
It's still there, shown on this pic:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevetantop/412792262/
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