It has been a long time since I have been able to visit the Reculver area properly but with the start of a weeks holiday it gave the opportunity to have a slow wander today. I started out from Shuart and heading down the track it was nice to catch up with most of the usual jobs even if overall it did appear to be quite quiet. A large bee, what I think is a Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris, was busy amongst the flowers. I find, at the moment many bees hard to identify. Still the only good thing with that is that hopefully in time I can only get better.
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| Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris |
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| Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris |
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| Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris |
3 Yellow Wagtails were in the horse paddocks and a pair of Pied Wagtail were calling away noisily. Goldfinches were busy amongst the seed heads and small flocks of House Sparrow, Starlings and Linnet were all chattering away as I made my way along. On reaching the sea wall a Stonechat was calling away constantly.
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| Stonechat |
The tide was mostly in as I made my way along but still on the rise. It appeared quiet out to sea with just a few passing Black-headed and Herring Gulls. A Sandwich Tern (130) called as it passed. On nearing Plumpudding Island I could see 4 Whimbrel (131) on the shore and another flew in, calling as it did so. I carried on to Coldharbour which apart from a few Black-headed Gulls was very quiet. A moth, which I have not been able to identify yet, was moving rapidly from flower head to flower head.
I sat on the sea wall for a while and enjoyed watching a small group of mixed waders busily feeding on a small patch of exposed shore that was rapidly disappearing as the tide came in. A juvenile Knot (132) was amongst them and was a pleasure to watch as it fed busily.
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Knot, Turnstone and Sanderling
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| Knot and Turnstone |
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| Knot |
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| Knot |
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| Knot |
With the last bit of shore being covered by the in-coming tide and the waders departing I carried on along the sea wall got a nice, if brief view of a Wheatear before it was disturbed by a passing dog walker. A couple of Common Sandpiper (133) flew past calling as they headed east. As I neared the green bank I caught up with another Wheatear.
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| Wheatear |
12 Little Egret were in their usual tree and the air was full of the sound of Starlings as they moved from the oyster farm to the bramble bushes alongside the sea wall.
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| Little Egrets |
A passing rain shower reduced the number of people on the sea wall temporarily but as Reculver was very busy I took the track to Brook instead. A family of Reed Warblers were noisily feeding in the hedgerow. A Corn Bunting peeped at me as I passed by but otherwise seemed unconcerned by my presence. It was fairly bedraggled from the rain shower but drying rapidly as the sun came out again.
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| Corn Bunting |
A friend met me at the top of Brook and gave me a lift round to Marshside where I spent a while looking for Dragonflies and Damselflies. Good numbers of Willow Emeralds Damselflies were present and I was treated to some very nice views.
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly |
I also saw several pairs in tandem.
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| Willow Emerald Damselflies |
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| Willow Emerald Damselflies |
A couple of Emperor Dragonflies were patrolling various sections of the dyke but I did not manage to catch up with one at rest. A Ruddy Darter was more obliging.
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| Ruddy Darter |
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| Ruddy Darter |
A Common Buzzard gave some good views as it flew over while a couple of Ring-necked Parakeet called as they flew past behind me.
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| Common Buzzard |
Without a doubt though the highlight was fnding a male Southern Migrant Hawker, which came as a very nice surprise as I have not seen one at this site before. The males are very handsome and he was an absolute pleasure to watch. I haven't seen one since the male I found at Shuart last year so I felt incredibly lucky to see this one.
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| Southern Migrant Hawker |
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| Southern Migrant Hawker |
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| Southern Migrant Hawker |
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| Southern Migrant Hawker |
It made a great end to the day and as I made my way back to the car I finished the visit with a young Moorhen peeping out at me.
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| juvenile Moorhen |
Birds seen this visit included: 8 Robin, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 5 Long-tailed Tits, 5 Blackcap, 6 Wren, 12 Whitethroat, 5 Common Buzzard, 5 Kestrel, 15 Goldfinch, 3 Sedge Warbler, 8 Reed Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warbler, Rooks, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, 4 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 15 Linnet, 7 Stonechat, 6 Pied Wagtail, 5 Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipits, 4 Collared Dove, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, 2 Sparrowhawk, Cormorants, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 7 Sandwich Tern, 56 Oystercatcher, 5 Whimbrel, 15 Ringed Plover, 4 Sanderling, 12 Turnstone, 1 juvenile Knot, 3 Corn Bunting, 2 Common Sandpiper, 5 Reed Bunting, House Sparrows, Starlings, 2 Wheatear, 2 Redshank, 12 Moorhen, 3 Coot, 2 Grey Heron, 12 Little Egret, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet,
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