Birds to See in Kent in October
172 species matching this filter.
Kent is one of the premier birdwatching counties in England, with its diverse habitats ranging from the coastal marshes of the Thames Estuary and Romney Marsh to ancient woodlands and chalk downlands. In October, around 172 species can be observed as autumn migration reaches its peak, bringing passage waders like Greenshank and Common Sandpiper alongside resident favourites such as Barn Owl, Great Tit and Magpie. The county's estuaries and wetlands become especially rewarding at this time of year, with wintering wildfowl like Common Shelduck arriving and summer visitors such as Common Reed-warbler making their final departures.
New in October16
Leaving after last month19
Resident
(131)
Arctic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticusLC
An uncommon seabird seen offshore during spring and autumn passage, often harrying terns and gulls along the Kent coast.
Apr–Nov
Arctic Loon
Gavia arcticaLC
A rare winter visitor to Kent's coastal waters and estuaries, present from October to May. Best looked for off Dungeness or in the Thames Estuary.
Oct–May
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
An elegant wader found year-round on coastal lagoons and marshes, notably at Elmley and Oare Marshes on the Swale.
Year-round
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
An uncommon year-round presence on Kent's estuarine mudflats, with numbers peaking in winter. Favours the Thames, Medway and Swale estuaries.
Year-round
Barn Owl
Tyto albaLC
A rare year-round resident, ghosting silently over farmland and rough grassland at dusk. Nest boxes have aided its presence across Kent.
Year-round
Bearded Tit
Panurus biarmicusLC
An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's extensive reedbeds, particularly at Stodmarsh and the Dungeness RSPB reserve. Often detected by its distinctive pinging call.
Year-round
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosLC
A rare year-round resident, favouring coastal cliffs, industrial sites, and urban buildings across Kent. Dover's white cliffs are a well-known stronghold.
Year-round
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Present year-round on Kent's coastal marshes and estuaries, with the Swale and Medway hosting important flocks. Numbers peak in winter.
Year-round
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
A common and familiar year-round resident of gardens, hedgerows and woodland throughout Kent. Continental migrants bolster numbers during autumn and winter.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
Common in Kent's woodlands and gardens year-round, boosted in winter by continental migrants. A rich, fluty song heard from dense cover.
Year-round
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
One of Kent's most familiar garden birds, this common resident visits feeders year-round and nests readily in garden nest boxes.
Year-round
Brent Goose
Branta berniclaLC
Winters on Kent's estuaries and coastal marshes, with flocks favouring the Swale and Thames estuary mudflats. Absent during summer months.
Sep–May
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of hedgerows, orchards and woodland edges. Shy and easily overlooked despite its rosy plumage.
Year-round
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
A common resident soaring over Kent's farmland, woodland edges and downs, having recovered strongly across the county in recent decades.
Year-round
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
A common year-round resident found on lakes, rivers, and gravel pits across Kent. Established feral populations breed readily throughout the county.
Year-round
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
An abundant and adaptable resident found across all Kent habitats, from farmland and coast to town centres.
Year-round
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibisLC
An uncommon but increasingly established resident, often seen with livestock on Kent's marshes and farmland. A relatively recent coloniser of the county.
Year-round
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
A common resident of Kent's wetlands and dense scrub, having expanded rapidly since colonising in the 1970s. More often heard than seen with its explosive song.
Year-round
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
A common resident of woodlands, hedgerows and gardens throughout Kent. One of the county's most familiar finches, with a bold, cheerful song in spring.
Year-round
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
A common year-round resident found in woodlands, parks and gardens throughout Kent. Numbers are boosted in winter by continental migrants.
Year-round
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
An uncommon resident favouring coniferous and mixed woodland, less frequent in Kent than in more heavily forested regions of Britain.
Year-round
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Present year-round on farmland, playing fields, and coasts. Numbers swell in winter with Continental arrivals.
Year-round
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
Found year-round along Kent's rivers, streams and gravel pits, this dazzling resident is uncommon but regularly seen at sites like Stodmarsh.
Year-round
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Abundant year-round across farmland, woodland edges, and rural gardens, sustained by widespread game releases.
Year-round
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
Once absent from Kent, this impressive corvid has recolonised the county in recent years and is now an uncommon but increasing resident.
Year-round
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
An uncommon resident, mainly seen in Kent's birch and alder woodland. Numbers fluctuate with periodic influxes of continental birds in autumn and winter.
Sep–May
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC
A rare visitor, mainly seen on passage in spring and autumn at coastal sites. Breeding in Kent is very scarce.
Apr–Oct
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
An uncommon passage and wintering wader along rivers and reservoir margins. Most frequent in spring and autumn.
Apr–Feb
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigraLC
Present year-round off Kent's coast, with rafts visible from headlands and sea-watching points. Numbers peak during autumn passage.
Year-round
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
Common on Kent's estuaries and coastal grazing marshes year-round. Large numbers breed on the North Kent Marshes and Pegwell Bay.
Year-round
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
An uncommon resident of wet grasslands and marshes across Kent. Winter numbers increase with continental arrivals to sites like Stodmarsh.
Year-round
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
A common resident throughout Kent. Winter roosts can be spectacular, with thousands gathering over towns and reedbeds at dusk.
Year-round
Coot
Fulica atraLC
A common resident on Kent's lakes, reservoirs and marshes year-round. Winter flocks can number in the hundreds at favoured wetland sites.
Year-round
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandraLC
An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's arable farmland, particularly on the chalk downs. A declining species nationally but still holding on locally.
Year-round
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Present year-round on estuaries, marshes, and farmland. Winter numbers bolstered by birds from northern breeding grounds.
Year-round
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Present year-round on coastal mudflats and saltmarshes, with numbers boosted in winter by Continental migrants.
Year-round
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
A common and widespread resident, found in Kent's gardens, hedgerows, and woodland undergrowth year-round. Its shuffling song is heard from dense cover.
Year-round
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiacaLC
An uncommon but spreading resident, found year-round on lakes and parkland. Part of the expanding feral population established across southeast England.
Year-round
Eider
Somateria mollissimaNT
A rare resident along Kent's coastline, most often seen off Thanet and the north Kent shore. Largely absent during midsummer months.
Sep–May
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellarisLC
A rare, secretive resident of extensive reedbeds. Best detected by its booming call in spring at sites like Stodmarsh.
Year-round
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
A common resident throughout Kent's towns, villages and farmsteads. Its monotonous three-note call is a familiar suburban sound all year.
Year-round
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
A common resident of woodlands, hedgerows and gardens throughout Kent, often conspicuous in autumn when caching acorns for winter.
Year-round
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of Kent's mature deciduous woodlands. Its loud, ringing call carries far through the Wealden woods.
Year-round
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
A common resident along Kent's coastline, frequenting estuaries and shingle beaches. Noisy and conspicuous, especially around the Thames and Medway.
Year-round
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
An uncommon resident favouring alder and birch woodland. Numbers increase in winter with continental arrivals; scarcer in midsummer.
Sep–Jun
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
A common resident singing high over Kent's farmland and downland year-round. Numbers swell in winter with continental arrivals.
Year-round
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodiaLC
A rare but increasingly regular visitor to Kent's coastal marshes, often seen sweeping its distinctive bill through shallow water at sites like Oare and Stodmarsh.
Year-round
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
A rare and declining resident in Kent, now very localised around farmland with old hedgerows and stubble fields.
Year-round
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Mainly a winter visitor to Kent's coastal marshes and estuaries, with large flocks on the Swale and Medway. Small numbers may linger year-round.
Year-round
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
One of Kent's most abundant residents, found in virtually every habitat with low cover. Its remarkably powerful song belies its tiny size.
Year-round
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
A colourful year-round resident, commonly seen in gardens, orchards and weedy fields across Kent, often in lively flocks.
Year-round
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridisLC
A common resident of parkland, orchards and woodland edges, its loud laughing call is a familiar sound across the Kent countryside.
Year-round
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
A common and familiar gull found year-round along the coast, in towns, and at landfill sites across Kent.
Year-round
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
An abundant year-round resident of Kent's gardens, woodlands, and hedgerows. One of the most familiar and confiding birds in the county.
Year-round
European Shag
Phalacrocorax aristotelisLC
A rare coastal visitor, occasionally seen on rocky structures and harbour walls, more typical of western and northern UK coasts.
Jul–Apr
Firecrest
Regulus ignicapillaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of mature woodland and conifer plantations. Kent is a stronghold for this tiny, jewel-crowned bird.
Year-round
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialisLC
An uncommon resident, nesting on chalk cliffs along the Kent coast. Stiff-winged flight over the Channel is distinctive year-round.
Year-round
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
Present year-round on freshwater lakes and marshes, with good numbers at Stodmarsh and the Dungeness area. A quiet, easily overlooked dabbling duck.
Year-round
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's coniferous and mixed woodlands. Britain's smallest bird, often located by its thin, high-pitched call.
Year-round
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
Winters in large flocks on arable fields and marshes. Scarce in summer but returns from July onwards.
Jul–Apr
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
A bulky resident gull found along the coast and at reservoirs year-round. Often dominates other gulls at feeding sites.
Year-round
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Common and widespread year-round along rivers, reservoirs, and the coast. Often seen drying wings on posts and jetties.
Year-round
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
A common year-round resident on lakes, reservoirs and gravel pits. Its elaborate courtship dance is a highlight on Kent's inland waters in spring.
Year-round
Great Skua
Catharacta skuaLC
Scarce but seen year-round off the Kent coast, most often during autumn seawatches at Dungeness and Foreness Point.
Aug–May
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
A common year-round resident in woodlands, parks and mature gardens. Its loud drumming is a familiar spring sound across Kent.
Year-round
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
A common and bold year-round garden visitor across Kent. Its loud "teacher-teacher" call is one of the first heard in spring.
Year-round
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
An increasingly established resident, now seen year-round at marshes and wetlands. Stodmarsh and the Dungeness RSPB reserve are reliable sites.
Year-round
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
An uncommon but widespread resident of Kent's watercress beds, ditches and marshy pools. Often bobs conspicuously before flying off with a sharp call.
Jun–Apr
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
An uncommon resident found in gardens and farmland year-round. Numbers have declined significantly due to trichomonosis disease.
Year-round
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
An uncommon but regular wader, found on estuarine mudflats and coastal pools throughout the year, with a distinctive ringing call.
Year-round
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A common year-round resident, standing patiently at the water's edge on rivers, lakes and marshes. Heronries are well established across Kent.
Year-round
Grey Partridge
Perdix perdixLC
A rare and declining resident of Kent's arable farmland, favouring open fields with hedgerow margins. Numbers have fallen sharply across the county.
Year-round
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarolaLC
Found year-round on Kent's estuarine mudflats, especially the Thames, Medway and Swale. Numbers peak in winter with Continental arrivals.
Year-round
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
An uncommon year-round resident along Kent's streams and rivers. Often seen bobbing its long tail on rocks near fast-flowing water.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
Common resident breeding on lakes, marshes, and gravel pits across Kent. Feral populations are well established, often mixing with Canada Geese.
Year-round
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A common year-round resident closely associated with human habitation across Kent's towns and villages. Numbers have declined nationally but remain steady locally.
Year-round
Jackdaw
Corvus monedulaLC
A common and sociable resident, nesting in church towers, old trees and buildings across Kent's towns and villages.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
A common resident, hovering over roadside verges and farmland throughout the year. One of Kent's most visible birds of prey.
Year-round
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
An uncommon year-round presence offshore, sometimes seen from coastal headlands. UK breeding populations are in steep decline.
Year-round
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
A common resident found at landfill sites, reservoirs and along the coast. Numbers peak in summer but present throughout the year.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
A common resident of open farmland, heathland and coastal scrub. Often forms large winter flocks on Kent's stubble fields.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Now a common resident across Kent's marshes, estuaries and coastal lagoons, having colonised rapidly since the 1990s.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
An uncommon but resident grebe found on ponds, lakes, and slow rivers year-round, often betrayed by its whinnying trill.
Year-round
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutusLC
A rare but year-round presence, most often seen offshore or at coastal marshes. Dainty and buoyant, picking food from the water's surface.
Year-round
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
A rare but sedentary resident found in farmland with old orchards and hedgerow trees. Often bobs comically when perched on fence posts.
Year-round
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
A charming year-round resident of hedgerows and woodland edges, often seen in busy family parties moving through Kent's gardens.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A common and conspicuous resident of gardens, hedgerows and farmland throughout Kent, easily recognised by its bold pied plumage.
Year-round
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
Kent's most widespread duck, common year-round on virtually any body of water from town park ponds to coastal marshes and estuaries.
Year-round
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
A rare but established resident, favouring wooded lakes and rivers. Small numbers breed in Kent, often nesting in tree holes near quiet waterways.
Year-round
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
A common year-round resident of Kent's open grasslands, marshes and coastal areas. Numbers increase in winter with an influx of continental birds.
Year-round
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
An uncommon resident of parkland, orchards and open woodland across Kent. Often seen defending berry-laden trees in winter with its rattling call.
Year-round
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
A common resident on ponds, lakes and ditches throughout Kent. Easily spotted by its red frontal shield and jerky swimming style.
Year-round
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
A familiar sight on Kent's rivers, lakes, and coastal waters year-round. Breeds widely and is often seen on the Medway and Stour.
Year-round
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanusLC
Uncommon but regularly seen offshore year-round, often plunge-diving for fish. Best observed from seawatching points like Dungeness.
Year-round
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
A familiar resident of farmland and marshes year-round. Winter flocks gather on the North Kent Marshes in good numbers.
Year-round
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
An uncommon visitor, most numerous in winter on coastal marshes and estuaries. Elegant flocks favour the Swale and North Kent Marshes.
Aug–Jun
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
Found year-round on freshwater marshes and lakes, with numbers boosted in winter. Favours shallow wetlands at Stodmarsh, Cliffe, and Dungeness.
Year-round
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
An uncommon year-round resident, increasingly seen around coastal cliffs, quarries and urban structures including Canterbury Cathedral.
Year-round
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
An uncommon year-round resident, found on deeper lakes and gravel pits. Numbers have declined nationally, making Kent sightings increasingly valued.
Year-round
Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
A rare auk seen offshore, mainly in winter and during passage. Occasionally noted from seawatching points like Dungeness.
Sep–Jun
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
A rare and irruptive resident of conifer plantations. Sightings peak in late summer and autumn during invasion years.
Jun–Feb
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
A rare but increasing year-round resident, now occasionally seen soaring over Kent's countryside. Part of the species' ongoing UK recovery.
Year-round
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
A rare visitor to Kent's mudflats, most likely seen in winter or on autumn passage. Absent in June, with numbers nationally declining.
Jul–May
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufaNT
An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's arable farmland and field margins. An introduced species, numbers are bolstered by releases.
Year-round
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
An uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant, regularly seen offshore from seawatching points between autumn and spring.
Sep–May
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
A common year-round wader on Kent's estuaries and coastal marshes, easily recognised by its loud piping calls and bright orange-red legs.
Year-round
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
A common year-round resident of Kent's reedbeds, marshes, and farmland hedgerows. Males are distinctive with bold black head and white collar.
Year-round
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
An uncommon resident breeding on shingle beaches and coastal margins. Numbers bolstered in passage periods at sites like Dungeness.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Ubiquitous in towns and cities year-round as feral pigeons. Truly wild birds are essentially absent from Kent.
Year-round
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
An uncommon resident of Kent's rocky coastline, particularly around the chalk cliffs. Forages along the tideline and on seaweed-covered rocks.
Year-round
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
A common and sociable resident, nesting in noisy rookeries in tall trees across Kent's farmland. Large flocks gather on ploughed fields.
Year-round
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Alexandrinus krameriLC
An established but uncommon resident, part of the expanding south-east England population, often seen in noisy flocks around suburban parks and gardens.
Year-round
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's rocky shores and harbour walls. Flocks forage along the tideline, flipping stones for invertebrates.
Year-round
Ruff
Philomachus pugnaxLC
An uncommon visitor to Kent's coastal marshes, present most months but absent in June. Favours muddy scrapes at reserves like Elmley.
Jul–May
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
Found year-round on Kent's sandy beaches, running along the surf line. Numbers are highest during autumn and spring passage periods.
Year-round
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensisLC
Present along the coast from March to December, plunge-diving for fish. Breeds at key colonies and is a familiar sight off Pegwell Bay.
Mar–Dec
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeusLC
A rare resident, favouring coastal marshes and rough grassland. Numbers increase in winter on the North Kent Marshes and around Sheppey.
Sep–May
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
A common resident of gardens, woodlands and hedgerows, heard singing from early spring. Numbers bolstered by continental birds in winter.
Year-round
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
An uncommon but widespread resident, hunting small birds in woodlands, hedgerows and gardens. Often dashes low through Kent's suburban areas.
Year-round
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropusLC
A rare but regular visitor to Kent's estuarine marshes, present in small numbers most of the year. The Swale and Medway are key sites.
Jan–Nov
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
A common resident found in parkland, woodland edges and farmland across Kent. Often nests in tree holes and old buildings.
Year-round
Stonechat
Saxicola torquatusLC
An uncommon resident of Kent's coastal gorse, heathland, and rough grassland. Numbers are bolstered in winter by birds from the continent.
Year-round
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
A scarce resident of mature woodland and parkland across Kent, more often heard than seen with its familiar hooting call on calm nights.
Year-round
Tree Pipit
Anthus trivialisLC
A rare visitor, mainly noted on passage in spring and autumn. Has largely ceased breeding in Kent due to habitat loss.
Apr–Oct
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
An uncommon resident of mature woodland throughout Kent, spiralling up tree trunks in search of insects. Easily overlooked due to its cryptic plumage.
Year-round
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
A common year-round resident on Kent's lakes, reservoirs and gravel pits. Males are striking black and white with a distinctive drooping head tuft.
Year-round
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of Kent's reedbeds and marshes. More often heard than seen, with a pig-like squeal call.
Year-round
Western Marsh-harrier
Circus aeruginosusLC
A common resident of Kent's extensive reedbeds and marshes, particularly numerous at sites like Stodmarsh and the North Kent Marshes.
Year-round
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
An abundant resident seen across Kent in woodlands, parks, and gardens. Huge autumn flocks gather on farmland, swelled by continental migrants.
Year-round
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellisLC
A rare year-round resident, most frequently noted in late summer. Best looked for among Herring Gull flocks along the coast.
Year-round
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of farmland hedgerows and scrubby field margins. Declining but still heard singing across rural Kent.
Year-round
Breeding
(15)
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaeaLC
A rare breeder in Kent, mainly seen on coastal passage from April to November. Best spotted from seawatching points like Dungeness.
Apr–Nov
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
A common summer visitor breeding in barns and outbuildings across rural Kent. Arrives from March and lingers into November before its long migration south.
Mar–Nov
Common Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC
A common breeding visitor from April, inhabiting Kent's extensive reedbeds at sites like Stodmarsh and Elmley. Its repetitive churring song carries across the marshes.
Apr–Oct
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
A common summer breeder at coastal and gravel-pit sites from April to October. Breeds at Dungeness and along the Medway.
Apr–Oct
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
A rare summer visitor breeding on Kent's freshwater marshes, arriving in spring. Stodmarsh and Dungeness are traditional sites for this scarce duck.
Mar–Oct
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
An elegant summer breeder arriving in April, hunting dragonflies and small birds over Kent's heathland, farmland and wetland margins.
Apr–Oct
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
An uncommon breeding visitor nesting under the eaves of Kent's houses and buildings. Numbers have declined in recent decades, making it a conservation concern.
Apr–Nov
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
An uncommon summer breeder in Kent's dense hedgerows and scrubby thickets, arriving in April. Its rattling song is often the best clue to its presence.
Apr–Oct
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
An uncommon breeding visitor from March, nesting in sandy banks along Kent's rivers and gravel pits. Often seen hawking insects over water.
Mar–Oct
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
A rare and declining summer breeder, arriving in May. Favours woodland clearings and mature gardens, sallying from exposed perches.
May–Oct
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
An uncommon breeder on Kent's chalk downland and coastal grasslands, present from March to October. Often bobs on fence posts and rabbit mounds.
Mar–Oct
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopusLC
An uncommon passage visitor, mainly seen on Kent's coastal marshes during spring and autumn migration. Its distinctive whistling call aids detection.
Apr–Oct
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
A common summer breeder arriving in April, favouring scrubby hedgerows and farmland edges. Its scratchy song is a Kent summer staple.
Apr–Oct
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilusLC
An uncommon breeding visitor to Kent's woodlands and scrubby habitats from March. Has declined significantly in southeast England in recent decades.
Mar–Oct
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
An uncommon summer breeder favouring Kent's low-lying grazing marshes and arable fields. Has declined significantly in southeast England in recent years.
Apr–Oct
Non-breeding
(18)
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
Scarce non-breeding visitor to reservoirs and coastal lagoons, most reliably seen in autumn and winter months.
Aug–Apr
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
A rare winter visitor from Scandinavia, occasionally joining chaffinch flocks in beech woodland and farmland from autumn to spring.
Sep–Apr
Dartford Warbler
Curruca undataNT
A rare non-breeding visitor to Kent's heathland and coastal scrub in autumn and winter. The county sits at the edge of this species' range.
Oct–Feb
Fieldfare
Turdus pilarisLC
An uncommon winter visitor from Scandinavia, arriving from October. Roaming flocks feed on berries in hedgerows and open farmland.
Oct–Apr
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
An uncommon winter visitor to Kent's reservoirs, gravel pits and sheltered estuaries from October to April.
Oct–Apr
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustesLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to Kent, occasionally seen in mature woodland from October to March. Continental irruptions can boost sightings some winters.
Oct–Mar
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneusLC
An uncommon winter visitor, quartering low over marshes and farmland from October to April. The North Kent Marshes are a key wintering area.
Oct–Apr
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
A rare winter visitor to Kent's marshes and wet meadows from October to March. Secretive and easily overlooked among damp vegetation.
Oct–Mar
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalisVU
A rare winter visitor to Kent's coastal waters and reservoirs. Most records come from the sea off Dungeness or Thanet between autumn and spring.
Oct–Apr
Merlin
Falco columbariusLC
A rare winter visitor from September to April, hunting small birds over marshes and open coast. Most often seen on the North Kent Marshes.
Sep–Apr
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchusLC
A rare winter visitor, occasionally recorded on coastal marshes and arable fields. Kent lies south of this species' main wintering range in Britain.
Oct–Feb
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritimaLC
A rare winter visitor from October to March, found on rocky groynes and harbour walls along the Kent coast.
Oct–Mar
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
An uncommon winter visitor found along Kent's estuaries and sheltered coastal waters, arriving from October and departing by April.
Oct–Apr
Red-necked Grebe
Podiceps grisegenaLC
A rare winter visitor to sheltered coastal waters and estuaries, arriving from October and departing by February.
Oct–Feb
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
A common winter visitor from Scandinavia, arriving from September and feeding in Kent's hedgerows and orchards. Often seen in mixed flocks with Fieldfares.
Sep–Apr
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalisLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to Kent's shingle beaches and coastal fields in winter. Most likely along the north Kent coast or Dungeness.
Oct–Feb
Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fuscaVU
A rare non-breeding visitor to Kent's offshore waters, mainly in late autumn and winter. Often associates with Common Scoter flocks.
Oct–Apr
Water Pipit
Anthus spinolettaLC
A rare winter visitor to Kent's watercress beds, marshes and coastal wetlands from October to April.
Oct–Apr
Passage
(8)
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferrugineaNT
An uncommon autumn passage migrant from July to October, favouring coastal pools and estuarine mudflats across north and east Kent.
Jul–Oct
Little Stint
Calidris minutaLC
An uncommon autumn passage migrant, typically seen on coastal scrapes and muddy pool edges from July to October.
Jul–Oct
Pomarine Jaeger
Stercorarius pomarinusLC
A rare passage migrant seen from seawatching points in spring and autumn. Dungeness and St Margaret's Bay are favoured watch sites.
May–Nov
Ring Ouzel
Turdus torquatusLC
A rare passage migrant through Kent, mainly seen on coastal headlands in April and again in autumn. Favours short-turf areas and scrub.
Sep–Apr
Sooty Shearwater
Ardenna griseaNT
A rare autumn passage migrant, seen offshore from September to November. Seawatching at Dungeness in strong winds offers the best chance.
Sep–Nov
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetraLC
An uncommon passage migrant through Kent in spring and autumn, favouring rough grassland and coastal scrub at sites like Dungeness.
May–Oct
Woodlark
Lullula arboreaLC
A rare passage migrant through Kent in March and October, occasionally noted on heathland edges and open downland.
Oct–Mar
Yellow-browed Warbler
Phylloscopus inornatusLC
A rare but increasingly regular autumn vagrant from Siberia, turning up in September and October at coastal sites like Dungeness and Sandwich Bay.
Sep–Oct