With that time of year once again where every bird seen, however common, is brand spanking new for the year I started out from Shuart to see what this years New Year's Day bird count may hold. It is always with a sense of anticipation as to what will be the first bird of the year and once again first place went to Blackbird. I hoped for a Little Owl along the approach road but had to content myself with a Robin and 22 Red-legged Partridge. I stopped at the watch point in the hopes of a Barn Owl but didn't have any luck there either. Light levels were picking up slowly on a very overcast, bitterly cold, but still morning and I could see a flock of 55 Lapwing up in the distance against the lightening sky. Herring Gulls and Carrion Crows passed overhead and Rooks were up over the far wood.
I carried on down and a Green Woodpecker called as I reached the start of the track. Wood Pigeons crashed nosily out of the hedgerow and a few Chaffinch were busily searching for food. Jackdaws were calling and a Wren popped up before disappearing just as quickly. Both Blue and Great Tits were a welcome splash of colour in decidedly poor light. From the first gap in the hedgerow I managed to add 2 Mute Swan and a couple of Stock Dove. I could hear Long-tailed Tits coming and they moved rapidly through as they searched for food with a couple of Goldcrest keeping company with them. A Grey Heron was motionless near one of the dykes and further along the hedgerow a hovering Kestrel disturbed a small charm of Goldfinches.
Continuing along the track I could hear some Fieldfare on the other side of the hedgerow. 2 Magpie flew over and a Great Spotted Woodpecker alighted briefly before moving on. A Jay alarm called as it spotted me and a Dunnocks bright eye peeped at me as I headed past. A Moorhen called followed a short while later by a Water Rail calling.
I paused in the next gap and had a scan round. A handsome male Merlin was perched distantly on one of the harvested sweetcorn stalks. I tried for a photo but between the abysmal light, distance, and inability to hold the camera steady I couldn't manage much but it does make a nice memory shot for me.
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| male Merlin |
A single Golden Plover called from one of the fields and as I headed down the track it was good to see a couple of Greenfinch in the hedgerow briefly before they moved along. The rest of the walk towards the embankment remained fairly quiet apart from a Pied Wagtail flying over and a handsome male Pheasant to the side of a field edge. I had hoped for a Firecrest but had not had any luck so far so thought I would try a wander along the embankment for a little way. I did not manage the hoped for Firecrest but the bushes were alive with flighty Fieldfare and Redwing. A Song Thrush and a single Mistle Thrush added to day. With the Fieldfare and Redwing constantly on the move it nice when a Redwing paused long enough, as it perched at the top of a bush, to try for a photo.
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| Redwing |
I walked as far as the River Wansum where a Little Egret was at the side of the bank and a Little Grebe was busy diving while keeping a wary eye on a Coot who appeared to be non too happy at its presence. I decided to turn round and try my luck at the stables before going on to the sea wall. As I made my way back I glanced sideways to see a male Marsh Harrier flying parallel to me. I only managed a very poor photo but it was a lovely sight.
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| male Marsh Harrier |
I could see a Common Buzzard up at the back as I approached the stables and a couple of Feral Pigeons were making the most of some fallen seed. House Sparrows were chirping away and a flock of Starling moved from paddock to paddock. On reaching the sea wall Sanderling, Redshank and Turnstone were along the shore and out to sea 5 Curlew flew east. Black-headed Gulls were noisy as they passed over and Oystercatchers stood out even in the poor light. A few Lapwing were resting up on a grassy area.
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| Lapwings |
The wind had started to pick up more and it was bitterly cold walking back towards Reculver. It seemed very quiet out to sea and though I paused frequently to watch I did not manage to catch up with a diver at all. Cormorants were atop the marker poles and a single Great Crested Grebe was out to sea. I was well chuffed when a Purple Sandpiper flew past, briefly alighting on the rocks before moving on further along. 41 Mallard were offshore as I approached Plumpudding and a couple of Dunlin and some Ringed Plover were nice to catch up with. A large number of Brent Geese were in the fields with c500 and I enjoyed watching some that were closer to the sea wall than the others.
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| Brent Geese |
Meadow Pipits flitted between the sea wall and the lower track as I made my way towards Coldharbour and a male and two female Reed Buntings were perched in one of the bushes. A flock of 36 Corn Bunting flew up ahead before moving off towards the oyster farm. The sun broke through briefly throwing a passing Great Black-backed Gull into sharp relief.
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| Great Black-backed Gull |
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| Great Black-backed Gull |
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| Great Black-backed Gull |
Coldharbour was quiet with a single Little Egret, a few Black-headed Gulls and Redshank. A Mute Swan was on its favourite little island and 8 Linnet were on the shingle bank at the back.
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| Mute Swan |
A female Sparrowhawk shot through the oyster farm as I neared, sending a Snipe up in panic. I had a sit on the sea wall for a short while but overall it remained quiet. I did see a small flock of 6 Wigeon which were a welcome addition to the days totals and obligingly flew round before briefly alighting on the sea prior to moving off west. Today had proved to be very different to last year when I managed to see a good selection of duck on New Years day.
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| Wigeon |
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| Wigeon |
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| Wigeon |
I had initially hoped to carry on but having got thoroughly frozen and walking proving to be more than a little problematic I decided to call it a day once I reached Reculver. I was pleased as I neared Reculver to catch up with a Stonechat and on the shore a couple of Common Gulls were at the waters edge until disturbed by a dog walker. I finished with a Little Owl calling, my 68th bird for the day, as I headed for the pick up point. The total was a fair bit down on last year but all things considered I felt lucky to have seen what I did. And it was fitting finishing with a Little Owl as, for me, any day with an owl in it has to be a good one.
Birds seen this visit included: 35 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 22 Red-legged Partridge, 70 Lapwing, Carrion Crows, Rooks, Herring Gulls, 2 Green Woodpecker, Wood Pigeons, 20 Chaffinch, Jackdaws, 2 Wren, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 7 Mute Swan, 2 Stock Dove, Long-tailed Tits, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Kestrel, 5 Goldfinch, 87 Fieldfare, 2 Magpie, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Jay, 2 Dunnock, 2 Moorhen, 1 Water Rail, 1 Merlin, 1 Golden Plover, 2 Greenfinch, 3 Pied Wagtail, 1 Pheasant, 48 Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Little Egret, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Coot, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, Feral Pigeon, House Sparrows, Starlings, 75 Sanderling, 25 Redshank, 25 Turnstone, 5 Curlew, Black-headed Gulls, 32 Oystercatcher, Cormorants, 1 Great-crested Grebe, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 41 Mallard, 2 Dunlin, 15 Ringed Plover, c500 Brent Geese, 5 Meadow Pipit, 3 Reed Bunting, 36 Corn Bunting, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 8 Linnet, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Snipe, 6 Wigeon, 1 Stonechat, 2 Common Gull, 1 Little Owl,
