I headed from the south to the sea wall today. It was sunny and very warm with a south south westerly wind. A couple of Blackcap were singing away and Blackbird and Wren were also in good voice when I arrived but otherwise it seemed quite quiet. Families of Blue and Great Tit were working their way through the bushes.
My morning instantly became much better when, as I passed a bush, I saw a Barn Owl sitting, set back, in the next one. It flew as soon as it saw me but incredibly flew back a moment later and sat in the same place. Any day that involves seeing an owl is brilliant for me and to say this encounter made my day would be a major understatement. It was a truly beautiful bird and I felt so lucky that it came back and then just sat watching me and looking round before, after a while, moving off. A once in a lifetime experience.
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| Barn Owl |
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| Barn Owl |
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| Barn Owl |
I carried on making my way towards the sea wall. A couple of Chiffchaff were working their way through some umbellifers, as was a Reed Warbler.
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| Reed Warbler |
A Cuckoo flew out from a bush but disappeared from sight as quick as I saw it. I heard a bird call and had a high Bar-tailed Godwit (145) over. I could see a female Marsh Harrier quartering over the fields and a Willow Warbler was working its way through one of the bushes.
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| Willow Warbler |
When I reached the sea wall the tide was mostly in but on the way out. A few Herring and Black-headed Gulls were bobbing about on the sea. A Great Black-backed Gull flew east. A Ringed Plover was tucked down on the beach calling away now and then.
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| Ringed Plover |
8 Whimbrel flew east and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull was on the beach and another one flew past.They are beautifully marked birds.
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| Whimbrel |
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| juvenile Mediterranean Gull |
Plumpudding Island was very quiet with just Linnet, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails enjoying the habitat. I headed on towards Coldharbour and I had 7 Common Tern off shore.
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| Common Tern |
Coldharbour itself was very quiet with just 3 Black-headed Gulls and a few Linnet and Meadow Pipit. A Curlew flew east high above me and at Coldharbour there were another 4 roosting on the beach. The immature male Eider was also on the beach. A flock of 12 Common Terns flew west. A little further on 8 Turnstone were on some rock together with 1 Sanderling and 3 Common Sandpipers. 4 Redshank were at the base of the rocks.
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| Common Sandpipier and Turnstone |
3 Little Egret flew west and I saw another 11 Mediterranean Gulls either on the shore or flying past.
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| Little Egret |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
I had a look, for a short way, along the bottom path. Good numbers of Common Blue butterfly were on the wing. The most I have seen so far this year. A Common Darter was tucked out of the wind as was a Common Blue Damselfly and a female Red-eyed Damselfly.
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| Common Darter |
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| Common Blue Damselfly |
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| female Red-eyed Damselfly |
I headed up to Chambers Wall and had a very confiding Sedge Warbler. They are lovely little birds. A Migrant Hawker was tucked down in the reeds.
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| Migrant Hawker |
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| Migrant Hawker |
Brown Hawkers and Emperor Dragonflies were hunting on the river and I also saw a single Norfolk Hawker. A mating pair of Common Darter came some very nice views.
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| mating Common Darter |
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| mating Common Darter |
Good numbers of Common Darter and some Ruddy Darter were on the wing.
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| Ruddy Darter |
I finished off an enjoyable visit with great views of a Grey Heron.
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| Grey Heron |
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| Grey Heron |
Birds seen this visit include: 9 Blackbird, 9 Wren, Wood Pigeons, 4 Green Woodpecker, 1 Moorhen, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chaffinch, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 83 Linnet, 64 west Swallow, 1 Barn Owl, 11 Whitethroat, 7 Goldfinch, 10 Reed Warbler, 5 Magpie, 5 Pheasant, 4 Chiffchaff, 7 Sedge Warbler, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Kestrel, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Willow Warbler, 7 Reed Bunting, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 14 Pied Wagtail, 140 Starling, 105 House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, 29 Meadow Pipit, 11 Oystercatcher, 1 Swift, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Ringed Plover, Skylarks, 13 Mediterranean Gull, 24 Common Tern, 5 Little Egret, 8 Whimbrel, 31 Turnstone, 5 Curlew, 2 Sandwich Tern, 7 Common Sandpiper, 4 Redshank, 2 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 1 Sanderling, immature male Eider, Carrion Crows, 1 Dunncock, 1 Sand Martin,
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