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The north Kent marshes stretch from Gravesend to and plays home to thousands of birds throughout the year. The coastal Why do the birds habitats provide food and shelter to a huge need our help? variety of species with many more arriving in the winter from as far afield as Greenland, Cold, wet weather combined with shorter Scandinavia and the Arctic. daylight hours over winter can make life tough for these birds who are recovering from These are fragile habitats, protected by long migratory journeys. When they are international designations owing to their disturbed they can stop feeding, or may importance for wildlife. fly away, causing to them to waste valuable energy. They need to spend as much time as Visitors to the coast may unintentionally possible feeding and resting to ensure they cause disturbance to wildlife. This can make the long flight back to their leaflet shows some of the birds you breeding grounds in the spring. can see, and how you can enjoy the north Kent Several species of birds breed here in the marshes without spring and many of these nest on the ground, disturbing them. so they are also vulnerable to human disturbance. Essex 1 Higham & Marshes 2 Cliffe 2 RSPB Cliffe Pools Reserve North 3 RSPB Northward Hill 3 Reserve y Sea a r s t u s E 4 Grain Coastal Park T h a m e 4 5 Riverside Country Park Gravesend 1 6 Lower Halstow Brickfields 7 Elmley Reserve Here are some places to see 8 Milton Creek Country Park 9 KWT Nature Reserve birds. Remember to follow M e d w a y E s 10 KWT t u a r Nature Reserve our good behaviour guides y 11 Swale National Nature to avoid disturbing Reserve Rochester Gillingham 5 wildlife Chatham 7 Cuxton 6 11 Rainham 8 T h e Whitstable S w a l e

Uplees 9 Seasalter 10 Birds you might see in North Kent, how many can you spot? All year round Autumn and Winter Summer

Shelduck Mallard Great Crested Cormorant Little Egret Brent Goose Pintail Shoveler Wigeon Teal Common Tern Grebe

Grey Heron Marsh Harrier Kestrel Curlew Oystercatcher Avocet Ringed Plover Golden Plover Grey Plover Dunlin Little Tern

Lapwing Redshank Black Headed Herring Kingfisher Knot Turnstone Black Tailed Bar Tailed Greenshank Mediterranean Gull Gull Godwit Godwit Gull