It was a still and fine morning with some mist when I arrived at Reculver and the sea was almost mirror calm. Three Pied Wagtail were at the base of the promenade and another couple around the towers. It appeared to be very quiet out to sea with just a few Herring and Black-headed Gulls going past. A flock of 25 Starling flew west followed shortly after by 4 Meadow Pipit. The dew on the spiders webs on the railings looked amazing with each droplet reflecting the light, perfect spheres hung from gleaming threads.
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| Dew on Spiders Web |
As I headed towards the oyster farm the mist appeared to be thickening but the wind was also starting to pick up and it seemed likely that it would clear soon.
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Out to sea an immature Mute Swan showed the striking contrast between its white and brown feathering as it flapped its wings a few times before settling down again, its underwing was whitish compared to its upperwing.
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| immature Mute Swan |
Flocks of Chaffinch were coming through and heading west and 6 Crossbill also flew west calling loudly and were a welcome sound. The tide was starting to go out slowly and a few Oystercatcher flew east and 5 Turnstone flew down from the rocks. A Kingfisher flashed blue as it dived into one of the lagoons on the oyster farm and appeared to be successful, returning to the bank with its catch. Flocks of Cormorants were starting to come over heading out to sea as the tide continued to fall.
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| Cormorants |
Everywhere I looked there were spiders webs shining with dew droplets. In some bushes there were so many and so close together that it is a wonder that any insect can negotiate the bush without getting caught in one. Presumably, although the webs are close together, the spiders must each get enough food to enable them to survive despite the competition.
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| Spiders Web |
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| Spiders Webs |
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| Spiders Web |
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| Spiders Webs |
A female Sparrowhawk flew at ground level through the oyster farm and caused panic and disarray amongst the House Sparrows and Reed Buntings as it suddenly lifted up, banked sharply and then shot through the top of the bushes they were in scattering birds in all directions. It missed and returned to ground level before launching another surprise attack up on the green bank. Once again it appeared to miss and without a pause carried on through. A juvenile Redshank, clearly unsettled, flew over from the oyster farm alarm calling and landed on the shore briefly looking round nervously, its orange legs glowing in the sunshine. As the alarm calls subsided on the oyster farm it flew back over
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| Redshank |
As I made my way along a flock of 12 Goldfinch flew in and started feeding on the Teasels beside the sea wall. They are beautiful birds and I enjoyed watching the one closest to me delicately extracting the seeds, its bill design perfect for the job
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| Goldfinch |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Goldfinch |
A little further on a flash of white caught my eye and a striking leucistic Goldfinch perched briefly. It was a beautiful bird with much of the normal brown feathering replaced with white.
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| leucistic Goldfinch |
It flew further along and walking on I came across it again feeding on some Teasels. It really was a little beauty. It was ringed but I couldn't make anything out on the ring.
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| leucistic Goldfinch |
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| leucistic Goldfinch |
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| leucistic Goldfinch |
A Water Rail was calling from the dyke by the green bank and at one point it sounded as if two might have been calling. I couldn't be sure though so I have only recorded one. A Snipe called as it flew up briefly over the oyster farm. A flock of 57 Golden Plover had flown up from the back and flew around for a while before feeling secure enough to land again. I could not see what raptor had put them up.
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| Golden Plover |
I had a sit on the sea wall for a while just before Coldharbour and a Curlew and a Grey Plover were on the mussel bed that was being gradually exposed as the tide fell. 102 Mallard flew over and landed on the sea. A Rock Pipit was on one of the groynes and fiercely defended his domain successfully chasing Meadow Pipit off but 3 Pied Wagtail proved to be too much for it and it had to give way when they chased it this way and that. Once they had moved on it was back to defending its territory.
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Rock Pipit |
I headed for Chambers Wall and as I came up to the railway line a Cetti's Warbler was calling and flocks of Starling and Chaffinch continued to move west. A couple of Redpoll flew west calling away and above the air was alive with Skylark calls. As I crossed the railway line a female/immature Marsh Harrier briefly appeared above the embankment behind me as it was mugged by a Carrion Crow before disappearing from sight. Making my way up the track I had another 12 Redpoll fly west overhead. The odd Migrant Hawker was on the wing and Common Darter. 2 Mute Swan were on the river.
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Mute Swan
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I came across a tiny mushroom that was only about 3-4mm across at its widest point. It really was tiny but perfectly formed. There was only one and I don't know what it is at the moment but hopefully will be able to work out it out in time.
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| Mushroom |
A very light shower of rain briefly fell resulting in a weak rainbow against a very blue sky.
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| Rainbow |
As I walked down the road to the pick up point I finished the visit with views of 2 Common Buzzard and a Merlin, raptors at the opposite ends of the size spectrum, which made a nice end to the visit.
Birds seen this visit included: 17 Pied Wagtail, 10 Blackbird, 2 Kestrel, 30 Meadow Pipit, 723 Starling west, 3 Mute Swan, Cormorants, 259 Chaffinch, 8 Redshank, Skylarks, 6 Crossbill, 7 Oystercatcher, 12 Turnstone, 10 Magpie, 2 Grey Heron, 9 Wren, Carrion Crows, House Sparrows, 14 Reed Bunting, 6 Corn Bunting, 6 Crossbill, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Sparrowhawk, 17 Goldfinch including 1 leucistic, 1 Water Rail, 1 Snipe, 2 Stonechat, 4 Blue Tit, 5 Robin, 57 Golden Plover, 1 Little Egret, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Curlew, 1 Rock Pipit, 102 Mallard, 8 Mute Swan, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 2 Great Tit, 2 Redwing, 14 Redpoll west, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Merlin
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