I came down to Reculver after work. It was very overcast and though there was no sunshine it was very warm with a north north easterly breeze. I could hear young Starlings calling and a family were working their way over the rocks with the youngsters begging and badgering a parent constantly. When the rest of the family moved off this one stayed to root amongst the seaweed before moving to join them. A little further on a male Pied Wagtail was carrying a bill full of food.
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| Starling |
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| Pied Wagtail |
A Magpie rooting around in the grass had a patch of white behind its eye. It was very quiet out to sea with just a few passing Herring and Black-headed Gulls. 6 Little Egret were roosting in the tree on the oysterfarm while 4 Redshank were feeding along the shore. Good numbers of House Sparrows were bouncing around.
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| Magpie |
It was very quiet for birds walking along the sea wall. A Reed Bunting was working its way through the grasses and a couple of Sedge Warbler were singing. I caught sight of a Clouded Yellow Butterfly patrolling on the path below the sea wall. It paused briefly on some Red Clover and though distant I tried for a photo before it moved off. A second Clouded Yellow flew in and they chased each other before they resumed patrolling in opposite directions.
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| Clouded Yellow Butterfly |
A pair of Oystercatchers were calling noisily and 3 Meadow Pipits were feeding amongst the vegetation on the concrete by the sea wall.
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| Meadow Pipit |
A male Stonechat appeared particularly dark with large white wing flashes and a neat orange bib. I know that there had been a male continental race rubicola earlier in the year and wondered if this was it or our race hibernans in a state of moult. Whichever is the case he was a handsome bird and a joy to watch. Unfortunately it remained distant and moved off as a dog walker came through.
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
The tide had started to go out and 3 Little Egret flew in with one giving nice reflections in the
shallow water.
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| Little Egret |
I was pleased to see a couple of Little Ringed Plover in the same place on the oyster farm that I had seen one earlier in the year. They really were too distant for anything in the photo line, particularly as the light was not great, but I was pleased to be able to get some memory shots and certainly enjoyed watching them.
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| Little Ringed Plovers |
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| Little Ringed Plover |
A Marbled White Butterfly was flying along the bottom path and then obligingly came and sat on a Teasel nearer the sea wall.
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| Marbled White Butterfly |
As I carried on I saw another 3 Stonechat, one of which was a female carrying food.
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| Stonechat |
The tide was well out by now but apart from Oystercatchers, Redshank and Ringed Plover I could not see any other waders. The exposed mussel beds were popular with the Herring Gulls. The family of Shelduck were feeding along the waters edge. A very smart male Linnet was singing away before moving on.
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| male Linnet |
Coldharbour was very quiet with just a few Black-headed Gulls and a single Redshank. I could see an adult Coot and 4 youngsters on the river and a Common Tern flew down. 4 Mute Swan flew past, 2 adults and 2 youngsters. I headed for home via Chambers Wall and on the way had a head on encounter with a Roesel's Bush Cricket. It appeared to have lost one of its antenna. They are very striking insects.
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| Roesel's Bush Cricket |
I had come further than I had initially planned this evening and with walking becoming increasingly difficult I concentrated on that rather than looking round much and didn't keep much of a count for the last part back. I did however see a Cuckoo at Chambers Wall and in the river Amphibious Bistort was in flower. I finished off with a male Marsh Harrier giving a flypast and he looked gorgeous in the evening light.
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| Amphibious Bistort Persicaria amphibia |
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| male Marsh Harrier |
Birds seen this visit include: Starlings, House Sparrows, 5 Blackbird, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 4 Magpie, 4 Collared Dove, 6 Little Egret, 3 Goldfinch, Wood Pigeons, 5 Sand Martin, 7 Swallow, 5 Redshank, 12 Meadow Pipit, 10 Oystercatcher, 4 Stonechat, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel, 4 Whitethroat, 5 Linnet, 2 Pheasant, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Ringed Plover, 12 Shelduck, 4 Mute Swan, 5 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 5 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Tern, 2 Wren, 1 Cuckoo
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