I came down to Reculver after work and had a wander along to Coldharbour and back. It was a beautifully fine late afternoon with some cloud but lots of warm sunshine. The tide was on the turn and starting to go out. It appeared to be very quiet out to sea with only a few Herring and Black-headed Gulls. As I headed along the sea wall I could hear a Greenshank calling from the oyster farm and Meadow Pipit and Yellow Wagtail were moving from the sea wall to the shore and back again. A couple of Wheatear were busy looking for insects on the shore side of the sea wall. A Whinchat was flycatching from a small bush until it was ambushed by a Reed Bunting whereupon it flew further along and I did not pick it up again.
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| Wheatear |
A couple of Stonechat were a little further on and I stopped to watch them for a while. They were a little too far away for photos today but I enjoyed just sitting and watching as they moved frequently from perch to perch while fly catching. I ended up doing well for Wheatears on my walk up to Coldharbour with 6 being seen with one particularly obliging individual posing nicely for me on the sea wall.
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| Wheatear |
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| Wheatear |
A Little Egret flew in and landed on the rocks and as it turned the sun catching in its eye caused it to glow and it was just beautiful. They are lovely birds and I did well for them today seeing 10 during the visit. Small groups of Swallows appeared to be moving west with them passing overhead, and out to sea, as well as inland parallel to the sea wall. There were fairly long spaces, when there was no obvious movement, before the next wave came through in small groups ranging from 3 to 24. I saw 180 west during my visit. A few waders were coming in as the tide fell with a couple of Dunlin associating with a group of Ringed Plover.
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| Little Egret |
Coldharbour itself was very quiet just a few Black-headed Gulls and also a Common Sandpiper tucked into one of the edges. 3 Little Egret flew in and started to feed. I sat on the sea wall for a while and watched out to sea. A group of 14 Mallard flew in with a Tufted Duck bringing up the rear. They were followed by 2 larger groups of Mallard bringing the total to 64. Another 3 Mallard with a couple of Shoveler flew west before turning and flying inland. I also saw 3 Great Black-backed Gulls.
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| Mallards and Tufted Duck |
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| Mallards |
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| Mallards and Shoveler |
I headed back to Reculver and as the sun set I was treated to the spectacular sight of the clouds gradually becoming aflame with colour. A waxing crescent moon was also a beautiful sight.
As I reached Reculver a Grey Heron was a silhouette as it stood on the rocks and for once it was left in peace by the Black-headed Gulls who, apart from squawking at it as they flew past, kept on their way as they headed past.
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| Grey Heron |
Birds seen this visit include: 180 Swallow, 8 Sand Martin, Starlings, House Sparrows, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 6 Wheatear, 1 Greenshank, 2 Pied Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipit, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Whinchat, Linnets, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Stonechat, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Pheasant, Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons, Cormorants, 67 Mallard, 4 Turnstone, 1 Curlew, 10 Little Egret, 8 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 10 Oystercatcher, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Mute Swan, 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveller, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 3 Great Black-backed Gull,
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