On a still and fine morning I paid an early visit to Shuart. Both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker's were calling as I started down the track and many of the usual suspects were either calling or singing. A Ring-necked Parakeet called noisily as it flew over. A little further on a Green Woodpecker shot through a gap in the hedge with a Sparrowhawk in hot pursuit and rapidly gaining. As they continued on through a gap on the other side the Sparrowhawk appeared to just miss as the Green Woodpecker veered sharply left but must have made some contact as a couple of greenish feathers drifted downwards. Further along the track I could hear Red-legged Partridge and peeping through a gap in the foliage I could see 10 of them in two groups of five in one of the fields.
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| Red-legged Partridge |
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| Red-legged Partridge |
An increased number of Chiffchaff, compared to my last visit, were working their way through the hedgerow and I am sure that there were more than I managed to see and count. A singing Willow Warbler was a lovely sound and one I will miss. 2 Cetti's Warblers made their presence known and a Sedge Warbler peeped out at me as I neared the end of the track.
There was another singing Willow Warbler as I made my way past the stables and as I came up onto the sea wall two flocks of Oystercatchers totalling 52 birds flew east. A couple of Little Egret also flew east.
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| Little Egrets |
I caught sight of a bird heading east, out to sea, and grabbed a few photos and had a really nice surprise when I saw it was a Black Tern, now that I had not expected. The photos, without a doubt, are appallingly bad, between the distance, heat haze, and being very heavily cropped but they give me a couple of memory shots of a very welcome and unexpected bonus and I am really pleased I tried for them.
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| Black Tern |
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| Black Tern |
Well chuffed with the Black Tern I carried on along the sea wall and had another treat when I saw a Merlin coming in off the sea. Within seconds of crossing the sea wall it was in pursuit of a small flock of Linnet before it continued south west. Plumpudding Island, when I reached it, was quiet and as I carried on towards Coldharbour a stream-lined Kestrel flew past at almost eye level.
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| Kestrel |
Nearing Coldharbour there was a Whinchat was on the sea wall briefly and luckily, even though it was disturbed by a cyclist, it did not move too far and found a handy perch on the other side of the lower path. They are lovely birds.
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| Whinchat |
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| Whinchat |
Coldharbour was quiet and on the walk up to Chambers Wall I came across another singing Willow Warbler and at least another 6 Chiffchaff. A couple of Blackcap and a couple of Whitethroat were in the same Blackberry bush and a Cetti's Warbler was vocal at both the start and end of the path. A few Migrant Hawker and Ruddy Darters were on the wing and above a Hobby appeared to be very adept at catching dragonflies. 2 Common Buzzard spiralled lazily high above and made a nice end to the visit.
Birds seen this visit included: 5 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wood Pigeons, 4 Blackbird, 11 Robin, 4 Wren, 26 Chiffchaff, Jackdaws, 4 Chaffinch, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 1 Mallard, 1 Moorhen, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 7 Magpie, 3 Common Buzzard, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Red-legged Partridge, 4 Blackcap, 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Willow Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 4 Kestrel, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Goldfinch, 17 Swallow, 32 House Sparrow, 125 Starling, 81 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Egret, 2 Stonechat, 1 Black Tern, 1 Merlin, 40 Linnet, 7 Sanderling, 15 Ringed Plover, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Sandwich Tern, 1 Hobby,
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