Oare Marshes, Western Half

Acquisition of 110 acres on the Western half of Oare Marshes on the Swale Estuary, an area of traditional North Kent grazing marsh, dissected by freshwater and brackish dykes, with smaller areas of reedbed, fringing saltmarsh and open water habitat. The area has international importance for birds, particularly wildfowl and waders and the reserve supports breeding avocet, redshank, snipe, lapwing, teal and garganey. Large numbers of migratory and over wintering waders and wildfowl also use the reserve.