South Swale
Encyclopedia
South Swale Local Nature Reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
and Ramsar Site between Faversham
and Whitstable
in southeast England
. It consists of 428 hectares (1,058 acre) of the North Kent Marshes
on the south bank of The Swale
and along Faversham Creek. It is important for its plants and as a wintering site for wildfowl and waders.
.
public footpath follows the top of the sea wall for the whole length of the reserve, around the village of Graveney
, for about 3 miles in total.
, reed warbler and breeding redshank
. Amongst the reeds you might also hear the 'ching' of a Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus) or catch a distant view of a marsh harrier
.
In winter, the mudflats and tidal waters of the Swale estuary teem with shellfish, worms and certain specialised plants. These attract huge numbers of birds to feed, especially as the tide goes out. Grey Plover
, dunlin
, oystercatcher
, godwit
s and curlew
all probe the mud for food. Wigeon and up to 2,000 Brent geese
rely heavily on eelgrass (Zostera
), which grows below the high tide mark.
Buntings and finches often search for seeds on the beach. Over the sea wall, look for flocks of golden plover
and the occasional short-eared owl
or hen harrier
hunting for small mammals or unsuspecting birds. The merlin
, which eats mainly birds, is also a frequent winter visitor.
). Saltmarsh plants grow best in Faversham Creek: golden samphire
(Inula crithmoides) , sea-lavender
and sea-purslane (Halimione portulacoides
) together make a colourful show.
On the landward side of the sea wall you can find many more wild flowers, including the tall, white, umbrella-like wild carrot (Daucus carota) and the short, pink, spiny restharrow (Ononis spinosa
).
. Recently they have been using Konik
horses, closely related to the original European wild horse, to graze coarse vegetation.
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
and Ramsar Site between Faversham
Faversham
Faversham is a market town and civil parish in the Swale borough of Kent, England. The parish of Faversham grew up around an ancient sea port on Faversham Creek and was the birthplace of the explosives industry in England.-History:...
and Whitstable
Whitstable
Whitstable is a seaside town in Northeast Kent, Southeast England. It is approximately north of the city of Canterbury and approximately west of the seaside town of Herne Bay. It is part of the City of Canterbury district and has a population of about 30,000.Whitstable is famous for its oysters,...
in southeast England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It consists of 428 hectares (1,058 acre) of the North Kent Marshes
North Kent Marshes
The North Kent Marshes, located in the north of the county of Kent on the Thames Estuary in south-east England, is one of 22 Environmentally Sensitive Areas recognised by the UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs...
on the south bank of The Swale
The Swale
The name The Swale refers to the strip of sea separating North Kent from the Isle of Sheppey.- History :The name "Swale" is Old English in origin, and is believed to mean "swirling, rushing river", or "rushing water"....
and along Faversham Creek. It is important for its plants and as a wintering site for wildfowl and waders.
Designations
The site is a SSSI, Ramsar Site, Local Nature Reserve, Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) and part of the North Kent Marshes ESAEnvironmentally Sensitive Area
An Environmentally Sensitive Area is a type of designation for an agricultural area which needs special protection because of its landscape, wildlife or historical value. The scheme was introduced in 1987...
.
Access
The Saxon Shore WaySaxon Shore Way
The Saxon Shore Way is a long-distance footpath in England, starting at Gravesend, Kent and traces the coast as it was in Roman times as far as Hastings, East Sussex, in total.-History:...
public footpath follows the top of the sea wall for the whole length of the reserve, around the village of Graveney
Graveney
Graveney is a relatively small but widely dispersed village located between Faversham and Whitstable in Kent, England. The main part of the village is located along the intersection of Seasalter Road, Sandbanks Road and Head Hill Road , which is surrounded by farmland...
, for about 3 miles in total.
Fauna
Visit on a calm sunny day in summer and the site buzzes with the sound of grasshoppers, beetles, skylarkSkylark
The Skylark is a small passerine bird species. This lark breeds across most of Europe and Asia and in the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range,...
, reed warbler and breeding redshank
Common Redshank
The Common Redshank or simply Redshank is an Eurasian wader in the large family Scolopacidae.- Description and systematics :...
. Amongst the reeds you might also hear the 'ching' of a Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus) or catch a distant view of a marsh harrier
Marsh harrier
The marsh harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. They are medium-sized raptors and the largest and broadest-winged harriers. Most of them are associated with marshland and dense reedbeds...
.
In winter, the mudflats and tidal waters of the Swale estuary teem with shellfish, worms and certain specialised plants. These attract huge numbers of birds to feed, especially as the tide goes out. Grey Plover
Grey Plover
The Grey Plover , known as the Black-bellied Plover in North America, is a medium-sized plover breeding in arctic regions. It is a long-distance migrant, with a nearly worldwide coastal distribution when not breeding....
, dunlin
Dunlin
The Dunlin, Calidris alpina, is a small wader, sometimes separated with the other "stints" in Erolia. It is a circumpolar breeder in Arctic or subarctic regions. Birds that breed in northern Europe and Asia are long-distance migrants, wintering south to Africa, southeast Asia and the Middle East...
, oystercatcher
Eurasian Oystercatcher
The Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, also known as the Common Pied Oystercatcher, or just Oystercatcher, is a wader in the oystercatcher bird family Haematopodidae. It is the most widespread of the oystercatchers, with three races breeding in western Europe, central Eurasia,...
, godwit
Godwit
The godwits are a group of large, long-billed, long-legged and strongly migratory wading birds of the genus Limosa. They form large flocks on coasts and estuaries in winter....
s and curlew
Eurasian Curlew
The Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia...
all probe the mud for food. Wigeon and up to 2,000 Brent geese
Brent Goose
The Brant or Brent Goose, Branta bernicla, is a species of goose of the genus Branta. The Black Brant is an American subspecies. The specific descriptor bernicla is from the same source as "barnacle" in Barnacle Goose, which looks similar but is not a close relation.-Appearance:The Brant Goose is...
rely heavily on eelgrass (Zostera
Zostera
Zostera is a small genus of widely distributed seagrass, commonly called marine eelgrass or simply eelgrass . The genus Zostera contains sixteen species.-Ecology:Zostera is found on sandy substrates or in estuaries submerged or partially floating...
), which grows below the high tide mark.
Buntings and finches often search for seeds on the beach. Over the sea wall, look for flocks of golden plover
Eurasian Golden Plover
The European Golden Plover is a largish plover. This species is similar to two other golden plovers. American Golden Plover, Pluvialis dominiica, and Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva, are both smaller, slimmer and relatively longer-legged than European Golden Plover, and both have grey...
and the occasional short-eared owl
Short-eared Owl
The Short-eared Owl is a species of typical owl . In Scotland this species of owl is often referred to as a cataface, grass owl or short-horned hootlet. Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may...
or hen harrier
Hen Harrier
The Hen Harrier or Northern Harrier is a bird of prey. It breeds throughout the northern parts of the northern hemisphere in Canada and the northernmost USA, and in northern Eurasia. This species is polytypic, with two subspecies. Marsh Hawk is a historical name for the American form.It migrates...
hunting for small mammals or unsuspecting birds. The merlin
Merlin (bird)
The Merlin is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere. A bird of prey once known colloquially as a pigeon hawk in North America, the Merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter.-European and North American...
, which eats mainly birds, is also a frequent winter visitor.
Flora
On the beach, look for the spectacular yellow horned-poppy (Glaucium flavumGlaucium flavum
Glaucium flavum is a summer flowering plant in the Papaveraceae family, which is native to Northern Africa, Macaronesia, temperate zones in Western Asia and the Caucasus, as well as Europe. Habitat: the plant grows on the seashore and is never found inland...
). Saltmarsh plants grow best in Faversham Creek: golden samphire
Golden samphire
The Golden samphire is a perennial coastal species, which may be found growing on salt marsh or sea cliffs across Eurasia....
(Inula crithmoides) , sea-lavender
Sea-lavender
Limonium is a genus of 120 flower species. Members are also known as Sea Lavender, Statice, or Marsh-rosemary. Limonium is in Plumbaginaceae, the plumbago or leadwort family. Despite their common names, species are not related to the lavenders or to rosemary.The genus has a subcosmopolitan...
and sea-purslane (Halimione portulacoides
Halimione portulacoides
Halimione portulacoides or sea purslane is a small greyish-green shrub widely distributed in temperate Eurasia and parts of Africa. A halophyte, it is found in salt marshes and coastal dunes, and is usually flooded at high tide....
) together make a colourful show.
On the landward side of the sea wall you can find many more wild flowers, including the tall, white, umbrella-like wild carrot (Daucus carota) and the short, pink, spiny restharrow (Ononis spinosa
Ononis spinosa
Ononis spinosa is a plant belonging to the family Fabaceae, that is commonly known as spiny restharrow or just restharrow. It is found throughout much of Europe but seldom as far north as Scotland.-External links:*...
).
Management
The site is managed by the Kent Wildlife TrustKent Wildlife Trust
Kent Wildlife Trust covers the county of Kent, England, and is one of the largest of the 47 Wildlife Trust organisations in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and Alderney...
. Recently they have been using Konik
Konik
The Konik or Polish primitive horse is a small horse, a kind of semi-feral horse, originating in Poland. The Polish word konik is the diminutive of koń, the Polish word for "horse" . However, the name "konik" or "Polish konik" is used to refer to certain specific breeds...
horses, closely related to the original European wild horse, to graze coarse vegetation.