Me, Dave and Pete, walked from Sittingbourne Station out to the Milton Creek, as we'd done before and then further along the Kemsley Marshes. The Swale was to our right and we saw a couple of ships on the reaches. Turning left we took the Coldharbour wall past the Ridham Marshes. First we had to pass two flocks of sheep one of which was in a pen right across the footpath. We crossed an old railway line which on the map branched off the Sheerness branch and went to Ridham Dock and to a former paper mill. The branch has been abandoned for quite a while. But it was standard gauge and not related to the narrow-gauge Milton Creek railway. After some palaver we managed to cross the various roads and get under the Kingsferry Bridge to find ourselves on the seawall and looking down on the Ferry Marshes. Sometimes it was easier to walk beside the marshes which were squishy and very green than walk along the muddy seawall. There was a profusion of wild rabbits in the area. Haven't seen so many for ages. Eventually we reached Chetney Marshes where signs warned "Any disturbance to birds will result in prosecution". This private land is owned by the Plumtre Family and used for duck shoots which of course doesn't disturb them! It's possible they sold or loan the land to Kent Wildfowlers. Eventually we turned left along the Old Counter Wall until we reached Stangate Creek which is part of the Medway Estuary. We turned back towards Iwade village along the edge of The Shade until we reached Raspberry Hill Road. We decided to walk the road here to Lower Halstow - which was perhaps a mistake as the lane was surprisingly busy. The footpath did run parallel to the lane but it looked boggy and besides the lane ran beside the creek. At this point it is rather charmingly called "Bedlams Bottom". At the village we eschewed finding the pub but instead followed the lane into Newington, passing the Riverview Natural Burial Ground, which looked alright. In Newington we eventually found the Railway Station and were just in time to get the train home. Me and Pete got off at Shepherdswell and walked to The Carpenters for a few pints before jumping a taxi home. Birds from yesterday that I remember: Wildfowl/Waders: Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Brent Geese, Shelduck, Pochard, Wigeon, Shoveler, Mallard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe (Dabchick) Curlew, Whimbrel, Bar Tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Snipe, Lapwing, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Knot, Turnstone, Heron, Little Egret. Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Fieldfare, Redwing, Meadow Pippit, Rock Pippit as well as the other more common species. All in all a superb winters day out on the marsh & as you say Steve, it was great to see the roving herds of rabbits on Chetney, haven't seen such a profusion in years.