It was great to be able to head to Shuart today. It has been a long time since I have been able to visit the Reculver area and with a few days holiday from work it was nice to have the whole morning ahead of me. A couple of Red-legged Partridge flew from the field edge as I made my way down the road and near the beginning of the track a handsome male Pheasant looked stunning as he made his way along.
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| male Pheasant |
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| male Pheasant |
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| male Pheasant |
A male Blackcap was singing and was a welcome sound, my first for the spring. The air was alive with the song and calls of Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Dunnock and Chaffinch. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into the top of one of the trees calling away before moving off. As I started down the track I could hear a Green Woodpecker calling and a Peacock butterfly flew past. A little further on a Chiffchaff was calling and from the first gap I could see a Common Buzzard hunting over the far fields. A few Blackbirds and a Redwing were moving between the track and the hedgerow and Blue and Great Tits were making their way through the bushes. A Cetti's Warbler exploded into song nearby and as I neared the end of the hedgerow a second bird also burst into song.
It was surprisingly quiet as I made my way past the stables apart from another very vocal Cetti's Warbler. On reaching the sea wall it was nice to catch up with Oystercatchers, Turnstone, Ringed Plover and Redshank as I headed towards Plumpudding. I also saw a couple of distant Curlew.
As I made my way towards Coldharbour it was lovely to hear the sound of my first Sedge Warbler of the Spring singing away. It is incredible to think of the journey that it has made to get here and that amazing burst of song was beautiful to hear.
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| Sedge Warbler |
A Little Egret at Coldharbour was throwing an almost perfect reflection into the barely ruffled surface of the water that was reflecting the blue of the sky beautifully. A noisy group of cyclists passing caused it to fly and, again, it threw a near perfect reflection as it did so.
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| Little Egret |
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| Little Egret |
I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and watched out to sea. Herring, Black-headed and 3 Great Black-backed Gulls were passing by and a single Great Crested Grebe was offshore. A Shelduck flew west and a small flock of 10 Common Scoter on the sea were gently moving eastwards.
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| Common Scoter |
Carrying on towards Reculver I was very pleased to see a Snow Bunting on the shore. It was a fair way away to begin with but gradually moved closer and closer and ended up giving some simply stunning views. To say it lifted my spirits would be putting it mildly.
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
It then moved up onto the sea wall and, again, I really couldn't have asked for nicer views. What an absolute beauty.
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
Well chuffed I carried on towards Reculver. I could hear another singing Sedge Warbler but this one stayed more in cover. A flock of 44 Corn Bunting were atop the bushes before flying up and heading towards the oyster farm. At the back a male Marsh Harrier was hunting along the field edge.
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| Corn Buntings |
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| Corn Buntings |
A male Reed Bunting was hassling a pair of Stonechats as I neared the green wall. A couple of Pied Wagtail were active along the shingle and Meadow Pipits flitted from the sea wall to the lower track. A Dunnock was singing away and I couldn't tell if it was blind in one eye or whether perhaps the eye was just in deep shadow. A Wren was also belting out its song a little further along.
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| Dunnock |
Over on the oyster farm a Kestrel was hovering and sent up a small flock of 10 Linnet. While on the shore side a pair of Oystercatchers eyes glowed in the light and their bills and legs shone against the blue reflecting sea. As I neared the towers a single Swallow flew west. It brought a very enjoyable mornings birdwatching to a close.
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| Oystercatchers |
In the afternoon, on the way back from an appointment, we had a short drive through Marshside and finished the day being treated to some nice views of a pair of Little Owls.
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| Little Owl |
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| Little Owls |
