Oare Marshes, Kent, UK

I unexpectedly found myself with no parental responsibilities this evening, so I quickly responded to the call of the outdoors. A Hobby flashed across the road in front of me as I reached the top of the Southern Downs.
It was late, but I hoped for a chance of a Barn Owl perhaps at Oare Marshes. For other trips to Oare Marshes, see;
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2009/12/glossy-ibis-at-oare-marshes.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2009/04/kicking-my-heels.html ). Oare Marshes Reserve is run by Kent Wildlife Trust and features in http://www.kentos.org/  Consult this address for details and recent sightings.

A good number of Black-tailed Godwits were roosting on the West Flood, while other waders included Common Redshank, Avocet and a couple of Ruff with some breeding mottles on their flanks.
Common Shelduck were being very attentive to their brood and the Little Egrets were feeding into the gloom.

I did not manage any photographs of note except for a Little Grebe which was pointed out to me by a young man named Toby. While one parent sat with the brood of 5 chicks, the other ran relays to keep them nourished. 

 As it turned out, I did not see a Barn Owl, but in a most unlikely stroke of luck, a Tawny Owl flew across the M2, right across the front of my car.

Bird Species; 29

Little Grebe 3, Cormorant 8, Little Egret 2, Mute Swan 4, Greylag Goose 4, Common Shelduck 4, Eurasian Teal 4, Mallard 30, Common Pochard 6, Eurasian Hobby 1 enroute, Common Moorhen 2, Common Coot 20, Eurasian Oystercatcher 1, Pied Avocet 8, Northern Lapwing 6, Black-tailed Godwit 80, Common Redshank 12, Ruff 2, Woodpigeon 6, Tawny Owl 1enroute, European Swallow 8, Common Blackbird 2, Eurasian Magpie 4, Rook 6, Carrion Crow 6, Common Starling 12, House Sparrow 2, European Goldfinch 4, Reed Bunting 1.