I headed down to Reculver after work. It was a beautiful afternoon with wall to wall sunshine and next to no wind. The tide was almost in. As the sea wall was very busy with people, and the sea appeared to be very quiet, I had a wander along the path at the back of the oyster farm. A Green Woodpecker called from the old caravan site as I started out on the path but otherwise all appeared to be very quiet. I came across a group of 12 Reed Buntings feeding amongst some umbellifer seed heads with one moving from there to a small bush and giving me a very nice view. A few Linnets were amongst them as was a single Sedge Warbler while another Sedge Warbler was calling from behind me.
 |
| Reed Bunting |
 |
| Sedge Warbler |
A Greenshank called from the oyster farm and groups of Meadow Pipits were active. As I neared the green bank 3 waders flew past heading west then turning south south west and I was chuffed when I realised that they were Ruff (150). Now that was a nice surprise.
 |
| Ruff |
 |
| Ruff |
When I reached green bank I decided to head back towards the sea wall. The air was full of the sound of calling Linnets with at least 140 in the bushes and there was also 12 Goldfinch amongst them and 7 Corn Bunting. A flock of Herring Gulls were resting in the field and a Kestrel was also in the field and preening before taking to the air again. As I reached the sea wall I had another 5 Corn Bunting in a bush by the sea wall together with a couple of Reed Bunting.
 |
| Corn Bunting |
I sat and watched out to sea for a while. A few Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls were bobbing around on the sea with others flying past. A flock of 17 Common Tern flew west, diving to feed as they did so. 8 Ringed Plover were on the shore together with a Turnstone.
 |
| Ringed Plover |
More Ringed Plover were along the shore as I made my way up towards Coldharbour. 3 Dunlin were with some Ringed Plover. A couple of Common Tern's flew east and I enjoyed watching a couple of Wheatear as they looked out for insects. A Chiffchaff was repeatedly calling as it made its way through the bushes.
 |
| Wheatear |
I did not quite manage to reach Coldharbour but stopped just short and had a sit and a watch out to sea again. A small number of Sandwich Tern were going both east and west. A large group of c65 Sanderling flew west and appeared to come down further along. I was very pleased when I had a single Knot (151) fly west. I did not manage much in the way of photos but they at least make good memory shots.
 |
| Knot |
 |
| Knot |
The moon was already at the waxing gibbous stage, it doesn't seem that long since I took the photo of the crescent moon. I came across the flock of Sanderling again, on the way back to Reculver, and there were 68 together in a small area along the shore. In the failing light a Hobby headed towards Chambers Wall.
 |
| Waxing Gibbous Moon |
 |
| part of the Sanderling flock |
 |
| Hobby |
Out to sea a large flock of c160 Oystercatcher flew west low over the sea and a single Bar-tailed Godwit also flew west. Over on the oyster farm I had a second Greenshank and as dusk fell Common Sandpipers were calling away.
 |
| part of the Oystercatcher flock |
It was a beautiful sunset as I made my way back. I reached Reculver in the dark to the sound of a Green Sandpiper calling from the oyster farm and another Common Sandpiper calling from below the rocks. I tried for another photo of the moon and then headed for home. I was pleased that I had been able to come, even if walking had been a bit problematic, and it had been an enjoyable and productive visit.
 |
| Sunset |
 |
| Waxing Gibbous Moon |
Birds seen this visit include: 1 Green Woodpecker, Wood Pigeons, Starlings, House Sparrows, 1 Reed Warbler, 4 Magpie, 4 Little Egret, 2 Kestrel, 17 Reed Bunting, 1 Wren, 197 Linnet, 29 Meadow Pipit, 4 Redshank, 7 Cormorant, 4 Sedge Warbler, 3 Ruff, 1 Pied Wagtail, 12 Goldfinch, 1 Mute Swan, 2 Greenshank. 1 Pheasant, 12 Corn Bunting, 2 Coot, 17 west, 2 east Common Tern, 23 Ringed Plover, 6 Turnstone, 9 Dunlin, 4 Wheatear, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Knot, 160 Oystercatcher, 38 Mallard, 10 Sandwich Tern, Carrion Crows, 68 Sanderling, 1 Hobby, 6 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper
No comments:
Post a Comment