I headed to Chambers Wall on a beautifully fine autumn late morning with a south easterly wind. As I walked down the road a couple of Goldcrest were in the hedgerow and a flock of 15 Meadow Pipit were busy field hopping. A few Skylark called above before dropping down onto a field and promptly disappearing from view, hidden by the furrows. I had a peep down the river, on reaching the car park, and a Cormorant was fishing with a couple of Mute Swan nearby. After eyeing me somewhat warily they went back to what they were doing. Apart from a couple of Robin and several Blackbirds the bushes were very quiet.
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| Cormorant and Mute Swans |
As I started to make my way down the track I came across some tiny bright orange fungi. I think, from looking them up, that they must be some kind of Orange Peel fungus but I am not sure exactly which kind. A Brambling flew over calling and a little further on I could see more activity ahead and a few Chaffinch were on path together with a Fieldfare and a couple of Redwing. A Mistle Thrush kept a wary eye out while presumably its mate had a quick wash and brush up in a puddle.
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| ? Orange Peel Fungus sp |
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| ? Orange Peel Fungus sp |
As I carried on towards the railway crossing a small flock of 5 Long-tailed Tits worked their way through the bushes in the company of some Blue Tit. A Cetti's Warbler made its presence known and a Green Woodpecker did an abrupt U-turn as it came into land and spotted me at the last minute. A small flock of 6 Corn Bunting landed with a flurry of contact calls passing between them.
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| Corn Bunting |
The walk down to Coldharbour saw a flock of 48 Corn Bunting over and heading in the direction of the oyster farm. 16 Lapwing were wheeling round before settling back down onto one of the fields and a flock of 10 Mute Swan flew east.
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| Mute Swans |
On reaching Coldharbour I had a look out to sea while I sat on the sea wall for a while. The tide was out and 4 Shelduck were off shore and also 5 Mallard. A Pied Wagtail called as it flew over and the usual mix of waders were on the exposed mussel beds. I headed round Coldharbour and had a couple of confiding Stonechat near to the sea wall. 3 Mute Swan were roosting near the water, 2 adults and an immature and a Bearded Tit called briefly from the reed bed behind me.
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| male Stonechat |
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| female Stonechat |
After another break on the sea wall I made my way back round to head towards Reculver and the family of Mute Swans had woken up and gave some lovely views as they swam past near to the sea wall. The immature was a lovely mix of juvenile and adult feathers.
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| immature Mute Swan |
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| Mute Swan family |
During the visit I saw a total of 102 Brent Geese and stopped to watch a small group as they investigated the shore line.
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| dark-bellied Brent Geese |
On the walk back to Reculver I enjoyed watching a Curlew that was feeding on the nearest part of the exposed shore and therefore gave some very good views as it did so. It was very successful as it probed for prey items and I saw it catch a good number in the time I was watching it. Once it caught something it would wash it first before swallowing it. It caught a variety of food items including worm like creatures and tiny crabs and several small creatures I did not recognise.
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| Curlew |
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| Curlew |
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| Curlew |
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| Curlew |
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| Curlew |
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| Curlew |
As I reached the junction with the green bank a flock of Cormorant came over and I liked the patterns formed by their wings and tails so tried for a shot. It is pretty badly focused but makes a good memory shot.
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| Cormorants |
I decided to head along the green bank so that I could take the path running behind the oyster farm and on to Reculver that way. A Snipe flew up from the oyster farm and gained height before diving back down and landing again.
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| Snipe |
As I carried on round a Common Buzzard was hanging in the wind before commencing to hover. For such a large bird its skill at utilising the wind to enable it to have such precise control with the minimum of effort is always an amazing sight and a joy to watch. However, with time getting on and needing to get back for an appointment I continued towards Reculver. Scanning the edges of one of the lagoons revealed a couple of Snipe tucked into the bank and when a Redshank wandered past they kept an eye on it as it passed by.
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| Snipe |
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| Snipe and Redshank |
As I neared Reculver I had a couple of Mute Swan pulling up pond weed and vegetation before dipping their heads back down under water. I loved their broken reflections against the blue of the water. And so I finished as I started with a pair of Mute Swan having had an enjoyable wander in between.
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| Mute Swans |
Birds seen this visit included: 13 Magpie, 21 Blackbird, 5 Robin, 11 Skylark, Carrion Crows, 2 Goldcrest, 4 Wren , 30 Meadow Pipit, Cormorants, 22 Mute Swan, 4 Moorhen, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Song Thrush, 10 Reed Bunting, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 1 Brambling, 3 Coot, 13 Chaffinch, 2 Mistle Thrush, 4 Fieldfare, 4 Goldfinch, 54 Corn Bunting, 3 Redwing, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 16 Lapwing, 4 Stonechat, 2 Kestrel, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 6 Mallard, 5 Shelduck, 102 Brent Geese, 22 Oystercatcher, 26 Redshank, 9 Turnstone, 49 Ringed Plover, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Little Egret, 1 Bearded Tit, 5 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Curlew, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Snipe,
