Botolph's Bridge, Hythe Redoubt, Hythe Ranges West And

Folkestone and Hythe Birds Tetrad Guide: TR13 G (Botolph’s Bridge, Hythe Redoubt, Hythe Ranges West, and Nickolls Quarry) The tetrad TR13 G contains a number of major local hotspots, with Nickolls Quarry, the Botolph’s Bridge area and part of Hythe Ranges located within its boundaries. As a consequence the tetrad has the richest diversity of breeding birds in the local area, with 71 species having a status of at least possible in the latest BTO Atlas survey. It also had the highest total of species (125) in the winter Atlas survey. Sadly a major housing development is now in progress at the Nickolls Quarry site and much of the best habitat is now being disturbed or lost. Nickolls Quarry has been watched since the late 1940s, though early coverage was patchy, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. As a working quarry the site has undergone significant changes during this time, expanding from two small pits to a much larger area of open water, some of which has since been backfilled. During 2001 to 2004 a series of shallow pools were created which proved particularly attractive to waders. Nickolls Quarry in 1952 Nickolls Quarry in 1998 Looking roughly northwards across the 'old pit' Looking south-west across the site towards the Hythe Roughs towards Dungeness Although a major housing development is underway on the site it still contains some interesting habitats. The lake is easily the largest area of open water in the local area and so remains one of the best areas for wildfowl, particularly during cold weather, for example in December 2010 when there were peak counts of 170 Wigeon, 107 Coot, 104 Pochard, 100 Teal, 53 Tufted Duck, 34 Gadwall, 18 Mute Swan, 12 Pintail, 10 Bewick’s Swan, 8 Shoveler, singles of Goldeneye and Goosander, and 300 White-fronted Geese flew over. Other occurrences have included Whooper Swan, Bean, Pink-footed, Snow, Barnacle and Egyptian Geese, Garganey, Scaup, Smew and Ruddy Duck. An accumulation of wildfowl at Nickolls Quarry during hard weather, looking east from near the sailing club A single pair of Canada Geese continue to breed and Greylag Geese were confirmed breeding for the first time in 2014, whilst Tufted Ducks and Great Crested Grebes have bred in recent years, with Red-necked, Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes having been recorded on passage or during cold weather, and three species of diver have occurred. Wigeon at Nickolls Quarry Red-throated Diver at Nickolls Quarry Little Egrets are now seen regularly and Great White Egret, Night Heron, Squacco Heron and Purple Heron have recently been added to the list, with Bitterns recorded in two years and five records of Spoonbill. Black-necked Grebe at Nickolls Quarry Greylag Geese at Nickolls Quarry Purple Heron at Nickolls Quarry Spoonbill at Nickolls Quarry Night Heron at Nickolls Quarry The 'shingle shallows' at Nickolls Quarry An attractive area for waders in 2001 to 2004 before it was backfilled A pair of Oystercatchers usually breed on the small island in the lake but the margins are too steep typically to hold more than a few Common Sandpipers on passage. The marshy areas near the sewage works appeal to good numbers of Snipe in winter, usually joined by a few Jack Snipe and sometimes Woodcock. Seasonal flooding can also attract Green Sandpiper and Whimbrel. Little Ringed Plovers bred between at least 1994, perhaps earlier, and 2006 (and also in 2018 and 2019 when construction works created some temporary suitable habitat), and when shallower areas were present Avocet, Little Stint, Temminck’s Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper and even Black- winged Stilt (twice) were recorded alongside the more regular species. The lake often holds a pre-roost of gulls, particularly during cold weather, and Iceland, Glaucous, Caspian and Yellow-legged have been noted. A pair of Common Terns formerly bred, with Arctic, Black and Little having been recorded on passage. Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard have been noted with increasing regularity, with Hobby in summer and Peregrine in winter. Marsh Harriers are also being seen more frequently (with roosting noted for the first time in early 2018), but Hen Harrier and Merlin remain scarce visitors, whilst Honey Buzzard, Red Kite, Montagu’s Harrier, Osprey and even Red-footed Falcon have occurred on passage. Little Ringed Plover at Nickolls Quarry Long-eared Owl at Nickolls Quarry A Rough-legged Buzzard regularly hunted over the site in November to December 2011 and Barn Owl, Short- eared Owl and Long-eared Owl have also been recorded. The lake is surrounded by reeds and scrub which support breeding Cetti’s, Reed and Sedge Warblers, and Reed Bunting, with Water Rail on passage and in winter, and Bearded Tit with increasing regularity. The reed- beds have been increasing in size in recent years. In the 1990s a reed-bed in the works area was used as a roosting site for Pied and Yellow Wagtails, with peak counts of 281 of the former and 100 of the latter. Cuckoos are present in summer and the lake can attract large numbers of Swifts and hirundines on passage. Bearded Tit at Nickolls Quarry The surrounding bushes, particularly those bordering Botolph’s Bridge Road, are worth checking for migrant warblers, crests and flycatchers, and Yellow-browed Warbler has occurred. Wheatear, Whinchat and Redstart can also appear on migration and Stonechats over-winter. Rough-legged Buzzard at Nickolls Quarry Reed-bed at Nickolls Quarry Cuckoo at Nickolls Quarry Sedge Warbler at Nickolls Quarry The lake at Nickolls Quarry, looking west from the footpath which runs along the eastern side More unusual occurrences have included Quail, Little Auk, Bee-eater, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Hooded Crow, Wood Lark, Marsh Warbler, Waxwing, Bluethroat, Twite and Hawfinch. A list of all 215 category A and C species recorded at the site is provided at the end of this guide. There are also two category D species on the site list – Falcated Duck and Great White Pelican (refer to the species guides on the website for further details). Sand Martin and Swallows at Nickolls Quarry Falcated Duck at Nickolls Quarry Further history and description of the site, plus a full systematic list, tables and analysis is provided in Roger Norman’s excellent account, available on the website: www.folkestonebirds.com/Sites/NQRKN.pdf The tetrad includes a section of the canal cutting, from just north of Botolph’s Bridge pub almost as far as the sluice. The cutting remains largely ice-free during cold weather and can hold a good concentration of wildfowl. Regular species include Mallard, Gadwall and Teal, with Wigeon, Pochard, Goosander and even Smew during cold weather. Little Grebes are also frequently seen and Little Egrets are now regular, whilst Bittern, Great White Egret and Night Heron have also been recorded. When the water levels are low muddy fringes are exposed which can attract Redshank, Dunlin, Common and Green Sandpipers in season and Wood Sandpiper in May 2008. There are sections of scrub and Phragmites along the cutting which support breeding Reed Warbler and Cetti’s Warbler, and Kingfishers have bred in the banks. The adjacent fields regularly hold a wintering flock of Mute Swans and have attracted Bean, Pink-footed and Pale- bellied Brent Geese and may be hunted over by Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl and even received a brief visit from a White-tailed Eagle in February 2012. Sky Larks can be present in good numbers and these are joined in summer by Yellow Wagtails, but Turtle Dove, Tree Sparrow and Corn Bunting – all once regular – are fast disappearing. In winter Redwing and Fieldfare may be found, whilst Wheatear and sometimes Whinchat occur on passage. The field at the southern end, between Botolph’s Bridge Road and the canal cutting, is prone to flooding when it attracts Snipe and occasionally Jack Snipe or Woodcock in winter and passage waders such as Whimbrel in spring, whilst in June 2012 a Marsh Warbler held territory here. Green Sandpiper at Botolph’s Bridge Fieldfare at Botolph’s Bridge Canal cutting, looking north towards the rail and road bridges Dunlin at Botolph’s Bridge Kingfisher at Botolph’s Bridge Shoveler at Botolph’s Bridge Turtle Dove at Botolph’s Bridge Barn Owl at Botolph’s Bridge The tetrad also includes Hythe Redoubt and a significant part of Hythe Ranges. There was a Little Tern colony known at the ranges from 1909 and apparently moved progressively westward as range activity increased during the twentieth century. It was the terns which attracted Roger Norman’s attention in the late 1940s and he watched the site regularly during the 1950s and 1960s, and again from 1990. In the early days Redshank and Lapwing bred, whilst the Little Terns survived until 1968. Ringed Plover and Wheatear also bred and still do so in some years. Up to ten Nightingales were holding territories in 1958 and still as many as six were present in the 1990s but they are only infrequently recorded today. The Redoubt is a convenient place from which to view the Ranges foreshore (when the Ranges cannot be accessed) and sea. Sanderling, Turnstone, Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover are regularly recorded, with Purple Sandpiper on occasion, and sometimes passage waders. Terns may roost here at low tide in season – primarily Common and Sandwich, but Black has occurred. Gulls and Cormorants also frequently gather on the shore. Offshore Eider, scoters and, mainly in hard weather, dabbling ducks may shelter in the bay, with a count of th 1,550 Wigeon off of the Ranges on the on 25 December 2010.

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