An Unexpected Goosander and a Handsome Mandarin - Memorial Park, Herne Bay 22/02/20

As I came through the park today I got a very welcome surprise. I was idly looking towards the lake to have a quick scan through the duck when I caught sight of a bird asleep on the water that appeared to be a sawbill and I was really chuffed, as it raised its head to check out a gull that had come too close, to see that it was a female Goosander. What a beauty. She promptly tucked her bill in and went back to sleep.

female Goosander

female Goosander

I sat on one of the benches, in the hopes she might wake up, and a little while later the gulls on the water suddenly flew up in alarm as a dog jumped into the water on the other side of the lake causing her to be instantly alert. I couldn't believe my luck when she started to swim my way and settled near the island and I was treated to the best views of Goosander I have ever had.

female Goosander

female Goosander

Peace was broken when a male Mallard came too close and instantly her head crest came up and with bill gaping laying her body flat against the water she saw him off.

She tucked herself in by some rocks and started to preen but if another bird came too close she immediately became alert and her crest started to raise. As they moved off her crest would start to lower.

I wondered how long she had been on the lake for and while chatting to another couple of bird watchers, who were passing by, they said that she was on the lake at first light and there had not been any sign of her yesterday. After another commotion amongst the gulls her posture became more alert before she moved out from amongst the rocks.

Luckily for me she did not seem too fazed by the large number of people passing by and though, initially, she moved further out onto the lake it wasn't long before she moved back in again and once again gave some super views.

The male Mallard came back and decided to try his luck again and coming in close started to drive her back towards the bank. Once again she reacted and the crest came up and with bill gaping she charged at him and causing him to beat a very hasty retreat.

With the arrival of a large family party coming to feed the ducks the Goosander moved round to the other side of the island and started to dive frequently to look for prey. I moved round to another handy bench and though she was a little further away now I was still lucky enough to have some great views as she hunted. Her head feathers became slicked right down after several dives resulting in a vigorous head swing to shake the water off.

When diving she would rear forward, sometimes with a leap, sometimes not. I tried to capture it on the camera but often she was too fast for me. She would travel a little way under water before coming up again.

After a while she moved back round to the main part of the lake and a sudden gust of wind gave her a decidedly bad hair day before all settled back into place again.

I had thought that I had seen signs of a dark line in the white on her closed wing and when she obligingly flapped her wings it was clear that there was indeed a dark band. I would have expected that on a Merganser but not on a Goosander. Having looked it up it seems that there can be an indistinct line on on some or all of the outer greater coverts. Here it appears to be all of them. It is something that I will have to find out more about.

While watching the Goosander I was also treated to some great views of the long-staying male Mandarin Duck. He really is an extremely handsome bird and it was great to get some of the best views I have had of it.

It had been an unexpected and greatly enjoyable experience and hopefully, after resting up after the high winds, the Goosander will be able to carry on her way.

More Drive By Birding - Local Areas 12th, 19th and 21st February 2020

On the 12th we paid a short visit to Marshside. It was very quiet for birds overall but I enjoyed watching a Mute Swan drifting slowly down the dyke that runs alongside the road and watching the reflection change as it was broken up by the ripples in the water.

Mute Swan

A pair of Song Thrush were busy feeding in a partially flooded grassy area and both were proving to be very adept at catching small worms and packed away a surprising number of them while I was watching.

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

We finished with a smart male Marsh Harrier flying parallel to the road. They are beautiful birds and always a joy to watch.

male Marsh Harrier

On the 19th at Chambers Wall I enjoyed watching a Chaffinch and a couple of Dunnocks that were feeding by a small puddle. Though at one point one of the Dunnocks appeared to size the Chaffinch up it did not chase it, as I have seen them do in the past, but instead went back to feeding. Again, it was nice to be able to just spend some time enjoying good views of some very obliging birds. One of the Dunnocks was ringed.

Chaffinch and Dunnock

Chaffinch and Dunnock

Dunnock

Dunnocks

We paid another short visit to Marshside on the 21st and at the first pull in point a Rat was feeding amongst the grass by the dyke. It appeared to be pretty unconcerned by the traffic passing by. A couple of Moorhen were feeding at the field edge and as a Common Buzzard passed overhead all dived for cover.

Brown Rat

125 Fieldfare were in the bushes bordering the apple orchard but I could not see any Redwing amongst them. A couple of Greenfinch were a little further along and a Green Woodpecker was calling away noisily. 7 Moorhen were in one area of the dyke with another 5 further along. At one point a disagreement broke out and in a flurry of wings the chase was on.

Moorhens

The visits were all pretty quiet for birds but each had allowed time to just enjoy whatever I could see.

Tree Sparrows and a Short-eared Owl Treat - Chambers Wall to Reculver 05/02/20

It was a beautifully fine morning and with an unexpectantly free day ahead of me I headed to Chambers Wall. With a walk, stop, walk, stop, approach and trying out some new walking aids I aimed to reach Reculver and it was great to be out and to hear the Skylarks belting out their song as I approached the car park. A pair of Stonechats were insect catching at the fields edge and Blue and Great Tits were calling as they made their way through the hedgerow. I could see 45 Mute Swan that were spread along in one of the fields and they seemed unperturbed by the gas gun, barely lifting their heads when it went off.

Mute Swans

Overall it seemed quite quiet as I made my way down the track. Groups of Cormorants were making their way to Stodmarsh, above me, with smaller numbers going in the opposite direction and heading out to sea. Breeding patches were obvious on many of the birds. I love the shapes they make as lines of them weave their way across the sky.

Cormorants

Cormorants

A Common Buzzard was resting at the top of one of the distant bushes much to the ire of a couple of Carrion Crows who attempted to harass it a few times but the Buzzard just ignored them and a few minutes later it was joined by a second. A flurry of alarm calls from a couple of Magpie alerted me to a Sparrowhawk flying low alongside the hedge. A Goldfinch, part of a small group, peeped out at me, the light just glinting in its eye. After a brief song it gave a large yawn and then moved quickly to cover as two Kestrels, calling to each other, passed over above.

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

A small party of Long-tailed Tits were feeding busily alongside Blue and Great Tits as I moved down from the crossing onto the path to Coldharbour. A Cetti's Warbler exploded into song from the reedbed but apart from seeing some of the stems moving the bird itself remained firmly out of sight. A flock of 48 Corn Bunting flew over calling away and headed towards the oyster farm. As I came up to Coldharbour I could see 16 Mallard wheeling up having been disturbed by a dog walker, together with a Little Egret. The water was quite calm allowing for some nice reflections of both a Redshank on the bank and a Black-headed Gull coming into land.

Redshank

Black-headed Gull

I sat and watched out to sea for a while. 2 Great Crested Grebe were off shore and a Red-throated Diver flew east. I could see 3 Curlew and 4 Shelduck roosting on the beach together with 48 Oystercatcher. A Great Black-backed Gull flew west and another couple bobbed around offshore. A handsome male Reed Bunting gave some great views as he sat looking round.

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

c350 Brent Geese were strung out along the shoreline with some resting up, some having a preen and wash and brush up and others feeding away.

Brent Geese

Brent Geese

As I headed towards the junction with the green bank 5 Mute Swan gave a flypast out to sea and as the Brent Geese started to fly in and settle on one of the fields they formed an almost perfect ellipse.

Mute Swan

Brent Geese

I sat at the junction with the green bank for a while and enjoyed watching 3 Tree Sparrows and a couple of Yellowhammer. The weather had started to deteriorate but apart from a few spots the threatening rain held off. The low light levels did not make for great photos but I was pleased to be able to get any and they make good memory shots.

Tree Sparrow

Tree Sparrow

Yellowhammer and House Sparrow

As I continued on my way to Reculver a Short-eared Owl lifted up briefly from the oyster farm but instantly dropped back down again. While scanning for it a Stonechat popped up onto the bramble bush next to me and gave some lovely views as it looked round.

Stonechat

I hadn't gone on very far when the owl came back up again and settled briefly on a post before heading off to hunt. It gave some nice views as it flew along the back of the oyster farm.

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Seeing the owl made the perfect end to the visit. As I neared Reculver a male Marsh Harrier flew along at the back of the oyster farm and sent 14 Lapwing into the air. A couple of Sanderling were along the shoreline and a Common Gull appeared to be very successful as it probed the wet sand, catching several small prey items in quick succession.

Common Gull

Common Gull

I was pleased to reach Reculver but had thoroughly enjoyed my visit.

Birds seen this visit included: Skylarks, 5 Stonechat, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 70 Mute Swan, 7 Magpie, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Goldfinch, 4 Robin, 7 Blackbird, 2 Common Buzzard, Cormorants, 2 Kestrel, 7 Meadow Pipit, 3 Chaffinch, Wood Pigeon's, 9 Goldfinch, Carrion Crows, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 48 Corn Bunting, 16 Mallard, 7 Redshank, 2 Little Egret, 1 Robin, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Red-throated Diver, 32 Reed Bunting, 4 Curlew, 4 Shelduck, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 13 Turnstone, 3 Ringed Plover, 1 Dunnock, House Sparrows, 3 Tree Sparrow, 2 Yellowhammer, c350 Brent Geese, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Marsh Harrier, 14 Lapwing, 4 Wren, 2 Sanderling