Stonechats and Scoters - Reculver 20/02/19

I paid a visit to Reculver in the afternoon. It was sunny with a cool southerly wind, that seemed to get colder the longer I was out in it. The sea appeared very quiet with just a few Herring and Black-headed Gulls. The tide was on its way out. Being half term, and fine, the sea wall was heaving with people so I headed for the path that runs at the back of the oyster farm, as that seemed deserted.

A Stonechat was feeding along the back edge. It liked the fence as a perching post, as did a Dunnock.

Stonechat and Dunnock

Stonechat

The Stonechat caught a fair sized caterpiller that appeared to be quite hairy. It spent a while beating it against the branches and also wiping it on the ground by which time it seemed to have got rid of most of the hairs before finally swallowing it.

Stonechat and caterpillar

Stonechat beating caterpillar

Stonechat with de-haired caterpillar

A Redshank was on one of the back lagoons and gave some nice views in the sunshine.

Redshank and reflection

I could see a couple of Mute Swan flying into the oyster farm and one of them gave me a nice flypast. I love the noise that their wings make.

Mute Swan flypast

Coldharbour was very quiet, and apart from a Little Egret and a Redshank sitting under cover, there was nothing else on there.

Redshank

I sat on the sea wall for a while and there was a flock of 31 Common Scoter and a couple of Shelduck on the sea, but otherwise it remained quiet. The Common Scoter's pale areas looked particularly striking in the sunshine

Common Scoters

I saw a Short-eared Owl briefly on the way back and I could hear a Grey Partridge calling.

As I approached Reculver the clouds were on fire as the sunset. We get beautiful sunsets here and it made a lovely way to end the visit.

Sunset at Reculver

Birds seen this visit include: Blackbird, House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Stonechat, 2 Dunnock, 4 Mute Swan, 1 Sparrowhawk male, 1 Redshank, 7 Meadow Pipit, 2 Carrion Crow, Skylark, 2 Linnet, Cormorant, 5 Reed Bunting, 6 Turnstone, 2 Pied Wagtail, 37 Oystercatcher, 2 Shelduck, 10 Mallard, 12 Corn Bunting, 250 Brent Geese, 1 Red-throated Diver, 31 Common Scoter, 2 Robin, 2 Pheasant, 1 Grey Partridge calling, 3 Wren, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Short-eared Owl