I was able to pay Reculver a visit this afternoon with the intention of just a short wander along the sea wall. I could see a Merlin out to sea and a Great Crested Grebe was off shore, as were 3 Shelduck. A couple of Meadow Pipits were busy along the shore and as I came up to the oyster farm a Black Redstart was having a wash and brush up in a puddle. It had no sooner started when a Robin spotted it and chased it further along the sea wall. Each time the Black Redstart tried to return it was chased off again by the Robin. Eventually it moved further along the sea wall and I was lucky enough to catch up with it again as I made my way along. They are beautiful birds but clearly not so much to the local Robins.
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| Black Redstart |
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| Black Redstart |
I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and though it remained quite quiet out to sea a flock of 17 Grey Plover and a couple of Dunlin flew west and a single Gannet flew east. Carrying on I stopped to admire a Redshank on the lower track with the light shining from behind causing its legs to positively glow and highlighting its feathers as it did a wing stretch.
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| Redshank |
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| Redshank |
With walking not a strong point today I had another sit on the sea wall and enjoyed watching a Grey Plover as it made its way along the shore. They are beautifully marked birds with such a distinctive way of walking.
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| Grey Plover |
Initially I had planned to carry on along the sea wall for a bit further but caught sight of some geese go up briefly at the back of the oyster farm and decided to see if I could catch up with them. They turned out to be quite a flighty flock of 75 Russian White-fronted Geese which would settle in some of the far fields for a little while before taking to the air again and moving to another field. It did however give the chance for some nice flight views as they moved from field to field.
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| Russian White-fronted Geese |
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| Russian White-fronted Geese |
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| Russian White-fronted Geese |
I headed back to the sea wall and on the way came across a flock of 135 Corn Bunting moving from the oyster farm to the fields. On reaching the sea wall the Redshank was still making the most of the puddles and wet ground along the lower track and proving very adept at catching small food items.
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| Redshank |
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| Redshank |
As I made my way back to Reculver I was pleased to see a Short-eared Owl, even if only very briefly, at the back of the oyster farm and out to sea a group of 11 Great Crested Grebes resting a good ways off shore together made a striking sight. I finished the visit with an obliging Stonechat perching on a back lit Teasel.
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| Stonechat |
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