Rock Pipits and Kingfisher - Reculver 30/09/18

I paid a visit to Reculver after work this afternoon. It was clouding over  with a light north westerly wind. The visit started well as I heard two pipits calling, sounding different to Meadow Pipit. They landed on the rocks, as I came down from the towers, so I headed down the steps to see if I could manage to see them. They were 2 lovely Rock Pipits which gave me good, if a little distant views. I felt really lucky to have seen them.

Rock Pipits

Rock Pipits

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

I carried on along the sea wall and, as usual on a Sunday, it was very very busy with people. There were 10 Collared Dove perched on a frame near the oyster farm buildings, the most I have seen here at once. 

Collared Doves

Out to sea there was a very distant bird which appeared to be a Red-throated Diver. 3 Sandwich Tern flew past calling away. It was pretty quiet otherwise. I had really hoped to see the Snow Bunting or a Short-eared Owl but unfortunately I was out of luck with both. I would very much like to see the Snow Bunting but I still have not managed to catch up with it. Out to sea Mallard were bobbing around. Altogether I saw 74 out to sea.

Mallards

There was a Kingfisher on the groyne near Coldharbour with some Turnstone but it got scared off by some people who came past. I did not expect to see it again but was lucky enough to see it fishing from some rocks as I made my way back to Reculver. It caught 3 fish in the space of 5 minutes. I had not realised that they fished in the sea.

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

I did not manage to catch up with the Snow Bunting but a Linnet gave me some lovely views. Normally they are so flighty but this one was obviously very hungry.

Linnet

Linnet

I carried on back and altogether had 6 Little Egret with 2 of them flying past. A Great Black-backed Gull was on one of the Cormorant poles. Light was fading fast but there was still no sign of any owls. I did however get a very nice surprise. I was checking out to sea and could see what appeared to be a diver much closer. It was a Red-throated Diver and presumably the same one that I had seen much further out. It caught a large fish which attracted the attention of both a Black-headed Gull and a Cormorant. I took some photos and hoped for the best as the light level was dropping all the time. I really was so lucky to see it. It was in full summer plumage. As expected, the photos are very noisy but I am pleased that I have them.

Red-throated Diver

Red-throated Diver

As I neared the end of the sea wall I saw a Devil’s Coach Horse beetle. They are impressive beetles.

Devil's Coach Horse Beetle

The wind by this time had picked up a lot and was very strong and very cold so I was pleased to be heading home but I had a very good visit.

Birds I saw included: 2 Rock Pipits, 6 Little Egret, 3 Mute Swan, 4 Meadow Pipit, 10 Collared Dove, 3 Redshank, 1 Wren, 3 Sandwich Tern, 1 summer plummage Red-throated Diver, 147 Linnet, 1 Kingfisher, 51 Turnstone, 15 Ringed Plover, 14 Oystercatcher, 74 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Goldfinch

Hawkers and Teal - Shuart to Reculver 29/09/18

It was a beautiful day today, warm, sunny and with a very light wind. I have not been to Shuart for ages so I thought that I would give it a go today. I was greeted by a Common Buzzard in the air and lots of the usual little jobs around. A large number of Herring and Black-headed Gulls were following a tractor. Shuart itself seemed surprisingly quiet for birds. There were several Chiffchaff calling and I saw 10 on the way to the sea wall. A Comma posed nicely for me and there were 2 Speckled Wood butterfly on the wing and 1 Holly Blue.

Comma

Speckled Wood

There were lots of Common Darters, and I saw both males and females.

Common Darter

Common Darter

A flock of 9 birds flew low over one of the fields and settled at the edge of the field. As they worked their way along I could see that they were Red-legged Partridge. 

Red-legged Partridge

Another Common Darter was determined not to be left out and perched right in front of me while I was watching the Red-legged Partridge.

Common Darter

Migrant Hawkers were repeatedly hovering over one of the dykes so I tried for some photos and I am quite pleased with how they have come out. It is something that hopefully, in time, I will be able to improve upon. It was also nice to hear a Cetti’s warbler calling. One of these days I will be able to actually see one.

Migrant Hawker

Migrant Hawker

Migrant Hawker

Just before the railway line a Kestrel gave a very nice view as it flew over the top of me. I grabbed a shot and it hasn’t come out too badly. Certainly the camera is coping better with flying birds than my previous one. There were also 5 Common Buzzard on the wing at the same time and a Marsh Harrier flew over.

Kestrel

I walked along the embankment towards the stables. There were 8 Pied Wagtails at the back of the stables and they appeared to be White Wagtails but I could not be sure as they were very distant. There were also 3 Stonechat and 2 Chiffchaff while Blue Tit, House Sparrow and Starlings were all feeding on the blackberries and gave some very nice photo opportunities. They were clearly enjoying the blackberries.

Blue Tit

House Sparrow

House Sparrow

Starling

After a rest I headed towards Reculver along the seawall. It was very busy with people, cyclists and dog walkers. There were 3 Teal on the sea. I am so rusty with duck that it took me a while to work out what they were. Some Mallards were also flying around and I saw 8 altogether. 57 Golden Plover came up at the far back.

Teal

A large number of Oystercatcher were roosting with 178 present. I also saw 50 Ringed Plover, 3 Curlew and 1 Dunlin. A whole line of Turnstone were roosting on one of the breakwaters while a Grey Plover was on one further down, presumably the same one I have seen before. When it flew it struggled a bit as it is moulting a lot of its wing feathers.

Turnstone

Grey Plover

I really hoped to see a Short-eared Owl but there was not any sign. It was, however, a stunning sunset and made the perfect end to the day. The sky went through a whole range of colours as the sunset changed over the course of the evening.

Sunset

Sunset

Birds I saw included: 5 Common Buzzard, 10 Chiffchaff, 9 Red-legged Partridge, 1 Cetti’s Warber, 3 Stonechat, 6 Sandwich Tern, 110 Linnet, 64 Turnstone, 178 Oystercatcher, 50 Ringed Plover, 3 Curlew, 57 Golden Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Dunlin, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Little Egret, 5 Grey Heron, 3 Teal, 8 Mallard, 6 Corn Bunting, 8 Meadow Pipit, 5 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Jay, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Greenfinch, 9 Skylark, 2 Wren, 4 Reed Bunting, 2 Kestrel, 9 Pied Wagtail, 6 House Sparrow, 5 Redshank, 5 Mute Swan.

Shearwater, Petrel and Eider - Reculver 28/09/18

I was able to have a bonus visit to Reculver this afternoon as work finished early. There was a strong northerly wind and though the tide was in it was on the turn. It was nice in the sunshine but cold and there was a lot of spray off the sea. I was hoping for some passing sea birds but it remained very quiet throughout my time there. I was very lucky though as I had a single Manx Shearwater east and a single Leach’s Petrel east. I was not able to get a photo of the Shearwater but I did manage a poor one of the Leach’s Petrel and I was really pleased to be able to get it.

Leach's Petrel

It was very quiet also for little birds and most things seemed to be keeping their heads down. I saw 5 Stonechat in all. They are lovely little birds.

Stonechat

I sat for a while once I reached Coldharbour but apart from loads of Black-headed and Herring Gulls it was very quiet. I managed to get a little out of the wind and it was nice sitting there. I had hoped to see the Snow Bunting but I did not manage to find it. I headed back and managed to add a Wheatear and a Winchat which was great. There were 110 Linnet bouncing around and I also saw 8 Meadow Pipit with one posing nicely at Coldharbour. 

Meadow Pipit

On the oyster farm I saw a Short-eared Owl sheltering behind a post. I kept my eyes open in case it flew at any point but it stayed put.

Short-eared Owl

I had an immature Mute Swan fly past and it gave very nice views, if distant views. They are beautifully marked.

immature Mute Swan

As I was nearing Reculver I saw some duck flying past going west and I tried for some photos. Between not being able to keep the camera steady in the wind and then losing my balance I only managed some very blurred photos and never got to look at them properly though binoculars. I have had a look through the books since I got home and I think that they must be Eider, 6 female and 2 immature male. I have sent the photo’s to Chris Hindle and asked him to have a look as I must admit I am not sure. I am trying the camera on its lowest setting to give me more magnification but distant birds are pretty unclear at the best of times and I may need to rethink what I am doing. It is such a long time since I have done any sea watching that I am very very rusty.

Eider

Eider

I had a lovely afternoon even if it was very cold and windy. The sunshine certainly helped to make it better and I felt so lucky to have seen the Shearwater and Petrel.

Birds I saw included: 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Leach’s Petrel, 8 Eider west, 5 Stonechat, 1 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear, 4 Mute Swan, 8 Meadow Pipit, 110 Linnet, 28 Ringed Plover, 8 Turnstone, 1 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, 5 Little Egret, 1 Short-eared Owl.

Marshside and on to Reculver - 27/09/18

I wanted a chance to try out macro with the camera so paid a quick visit to Marshside to see if I could find some things to give it a go on. On arrival I saw a Spider in its web and tried for a photo. I am really pleased with how it has come out. 

Garden Spider

I also came across a Cranefly so gave that a go as well. It did not come out so well but it is a start.

Cranefly

A Small Heath butterfly posed nicely for me and a little further on a Starling was singing away merrily and it is incredible how the throat feathers fluff out.

Small Heath

Starling

I had a walk down Reynolds Lane and a Blue Tit sat on a fence briefly to watch me. 

Blue Tit

There were  several Chiffchaff and I enjoyed watching them for a while. They are lovely little birds.

Chiffchaff

A Red Admiral Butterfly was sunbathing and a Robin posed nicely while Goldfinches were calling away. There was also a Greenfinch as well.

Red Admiral

Robin

A male Blackcap appeared briefly and allowed a photo. It was a fair way from me so I was pleased the photo came out even if not very well. 

Blackcap

I finished off the visit with a smart Hoverfly. The camera seemed to perform very well in macro which I am really pleased about. Hopefully as I get more used to it I will be able to use it better.

Hoverfly

Later on in the afternoon I paid a visit to Reculver. It was a lovely day with warm sunshine and not much wind. I had a walk along the sea wall. Ringed Plovers were roosting on the beach and there was also a smart Grey Plover.

Ringed Plover

Grey Plover and Turnstone

Further along some Turnstones posed nicely on some rock against a gorgeous blue sea. A Small Copper showed briefly.

Turnstones

Small Copper

I got a fairly distant shot of a Sandwich Tern but unfortunately missed one flying close down the dyke as I was looking the other way. It would have made a nice photo. 3 Corn Buntings flew in and one allowed me to take a photo before it flew off.

Sandwich Tern

Corn Bunting

A little further along a worn Common Blue butterfly was sunbathing while a Stonechat popped up and watched me warily but was kind enough to let me take some photos. They are lovely little birds.

Common Blue

Stonechat

A Short-eared Owl gave nice, if rather distant views and was into the sun for a lot of the time. It was mobbed by a Crow who gave it a really hard time. Owls are such beautiful birds. 

Short-eared Owl

I tried a shot of some Ringed Plover flying past. They were a fair way out but the camera did not do too badly.

Ringed Plovers

 As I headed back I saw a Clouded Yellow butterfly but unfortunately I could not see where it had come down. It was good to see though and made a nice end to the visit.