Wheatears, Common Sandpipers and a Quiet Wander - Reculver to Chambers Wall 03/05/21

I visited Reculver this morning with a fairly cool south westerly breeze keeping temperatures down. A couple of Common Sandpiper flew west calling away and made a nice start to the visit. As I made my way towards the towers a very smart male Pied Wagtail was on the rocks and was collecting nesting material and spiders webs. 

Pied Wagtail

Five Sand Martin flew west as I rounded the towers and a Grey Heron flew over to the oyster farm. Coming down onto the sea wall I was greeted by a Wheatear on a fence post but I was only able to grab a very quick shot as I could hear dog walkers coming up behind me. Next minute the Wheatear flew to the concrete apron and another flew up from the rocks and followed it. They paused briefly on the concrete apron before flying on past the towers.

Wheatear

Wheatears

The tail less Kestrel appears to be starting to regrow its tail but it is still very stunted. It doesn't seem to affect its ability to hunt and it flew past carrying prey.

Kestrel and prey

There was another Wheatear on the cut grass towards the water pumping station, a smart male this time. It also was flushed by a dog walker, moving briefly to the fence before landing in the old caravan site. Hopefully it was going to get a little more peace there.

male Wheatear

male Wheatear

A Little Egret was in the channel below the pumping station with a plume of feathers catching in the wind on one side. It did not appear to be particularly successful at catching any prey items.

Little Egret

It was very quiet out to sea as I made my along the sea wall. An immature Mute Swan flew past and I always enjoy seeing the mix of juvenile and white feathering.

immature Mute Swan

Another Kestrel was hunting over the lower track and this bird also appeared to re-growing its tail feathers but was not the same bird as I had seen earlier. This bird's tail re-growth was a fair bit further on than the other bird I saw earlier. He made a couple of unsuccessful drops onto prey before successfully making a catch.

Kestrel

Kestrel

A Whimbrel flew west out to sea while on the other side of the sea wall a Marsh Harrier was hunting over one of the dykes before being mobbed by a Carrion Crow.

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

A Black-headed Gull took an exception to a passing Herring Gull and flew up to mob it. It was persistent in its pursuit but remained at approximately the same distance from the Herring Gull as it chased it. Otherwise it remained very quiet out to sea.

Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull

Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull

Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull

A Rock Pipit was singing when I arrived at Coldharbour and defending its territory vigorously. It would 'parachute' down, singing away, continuing its song briefly from whatever perch it had selected, before stopping to check round. Both a passing Meadow Pipit and a Reed Bunting were challenged and chased from its territory.

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

A couple of Mute Swan and a pair of Shelduck were on Coldharbour and it was aptly named today as the wind was making it feel decidedly chilly. I had a wander up to Chambers Wall and had another 4 singing Cetti's Warblers on the way through. Despite the coolness of the wind some hoverflies were making the most of any shelter and taking advantage of the reflected heat from some leaves while resting up.

Helophilus pendulus

It had proved to be a pretty quiet wander through but a bonus to have a Bank Holiday off and to be able to do some bird watching on it.

Birds seen this visit included: 2 Common Sandpiper west, 15 Sand Martin west, 10 Blackbird, 2 Pied Wagtail, House Sparrows, Wood Pigeons, 5 Magpie, 1 Grey Heron, 12 Whitethroat, 3 Wheatear, 29 Swallow west, 2 Kestrel, 7 Linnet west, 3 Little Egret, 2 Mute Swan, 7 Reed Bunting, 6 Oystercatcher, 14 Sedge Warbler, 5 Shelduck, 7 Turnstone, 1 Whimbrel west, 2 Mallard, 6 Meadow Pipit, 3 Ringed Plover, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Tufted Duck, Skylarks, 1 Lapwing, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Green Woodpecker, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 2 Blackcap, 5 Goldfinch, 

Streams of Cormorants, Gannets and a Sandwich Tern - Reculver to Coldharbour 11/11/20

There were patches of mist at Reculver when I arrived this morning with the base of the towers disappearing into and out of the mist while the top remained much clearer. The mist did not look like it was going to hang around for long and it promised to be a fine morning.

Over on the point I could see 75 Brent Geese. The tide was almost in and the sea incredibly calm and still. Apart from one Great Crested Grebe off shore it appeared very quiet out to sea. Over the next ten minutes though I was treated to the sight of huge numbers of Cormorant moving out to sea. They looked as if they were taking a line high above the cliffs at Bishopstone with all taking a similar route, the weaving lines grouping and lengthening and tracing across the sky. It stopped as suddenly as it started but by then I had seen c1800 Cormorant in various large size groups streaming past and carrying on out and heading past the wind farm. What an amazing sight.

Cormorants moving out to sea

Cormorants moving out to sea

Cormorants moving out to sea

Twelve Meadow Pipits were on the rocks by the towers much to the disgust of the local Robin who had its hands full trying to chase them off. As I came down onto the sea wall 2 Merlin were heading out to sea and a little further on a male Kestrel was keeping a lookout for prey from a telegraph pole. Making my way towards the oyster farm another 7 Meadow Pipits were on the grass track and a couple of Redshank called from the oyster farm as two Mute Swan took off noisily from one of the dykes. One of a pair of Stonechat came and perched close to the sea wall and allowed some great views in the early morning light.

Stonechat

Stonechat

Small numbers of Gannet were flying east out to sea now and then as I made my way along and a single Curlew also flew east. It was nice to be able to catch up with Chris and Anne Hindle as they passed me on their way to Coldharbour. Far out to sea lines of Cormorants started to stream east in vast long lines. I am assuming that many of them were the same ones I had seen earlier moving out to sea. Each time I thought they had stopped moving through another wave would appear. Once again it did not last for very long but it was a truely spectacular sight while it lasted. I gave up trying to count them and just settled to enjoy watching them but there appeared to be more than I saw this morning. Over behind me, on the land side, some striking cloud formations were starting to form.

Cloud formations

Another Great Crested Grebe was off shore and several Great Black-backed Gulls flew east at various times as I made my way to the green bank. A Cetti's Warbler was very vocal as I reached it and 38 Corn Bunting wheeled round before settling back down into the bushes on the oyster farm. A Green Woodpecker was calling loudly from the oyster farm and perched on top of one of the bushes. The Corn Buntings seemed surprisingly wary of it.

Green Woodpecker

Two male Marsh Harriers flew east with one much nearer to me and the other coming through at the back of the oyster farm. Unfortunately I missed the close one as I was looking out to sea and only saw it disappearing off as I turned round. They are beautiful birds. Carrying on towards Coldharbour I paused to watch a ringed a Goldfinch on some Teasels. Its eye was catching the light beautifully as it expertly balanced to extract the seeds.

Goldfinch

On the shore a Black-headed Gull was well on in its moult into its breeding plumage hood and was the only Black-headed Gull I saw today that was that far on with its moult.

Black-headed Gull

As I made my way along, and at each pause for a seat on the sea wall, I was continuing to see small numbers of distant Gannets mostly flying east. Nearing Coldharbour a Snipe flew briefly from a field edge and settled on the bank of the river remaining mainly hidden and just occasionally raising its head allowing a little better view. In profile the size of its bill was really emphasized.

Snipe

With walking definitely not a strong point today I only looked at the first part of Coldharbour as I wanted to get back to the sea wall for a seat. A Rock Pipit flew from the shingle bank and settled on the fence briefly before dropping to the waters edge.

Rock Pipit

Five Redshank were dotted around and a Little Egret was roosting near the back. I enjoyed watching 2 Little Grebe who were repeatedly diving before moving over to the bank near me and tucking themselves in, giving some nice views as they did so. 

Little Grebes

Little Grebe

Little Grebe

I made my way back to the sea wall and had a seat and scanned what I could see of the wader roost behind Coldharbour. There were at least 80 Oystercatcher and I could see some Grey Plover bunched on the beach nearby. A couple of Great Crested Grebe were off shore and a single Common Scoter flew east before coming down on the sea. I was really pleased to see a Sandwich Tern fishing just off shore and it must have come up with a fish as two Black-headed Gulls started to mob it and as they chased after it turned and started to fly towards me. I think it must have dropped its catch as they broke off and went down but luckily for me the Sandwich Tern kept coming, and flying past me gave some super views as it did so, before turning and appearing to land on the beach on the other side of the breakwater groyne. 

1st winter Sandwich Tern

1st winter Sandwich Tern

I moved along to a seat on the sea wall on the other side of the breakwater and was chuffed to see that the tern was still on the beach where it was busily preening. 

1st winter Sandwich Tern

1st winter Sandwich Tern

After each preening session it would fluff out and shake its feathers before settling down to more preening. It looked spectacular as it did so showing its markings off beautifully.

1st winter Sandwich Tern

1st winter Sandwich Tern

1st winter Sandwich Tern

1st winter Sandwich Tern

It really was a little beauty and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. I also felt very lucky to be able to have such nice views of what may be my last Sandwich Tern of the year. 

1st winter Sandwich Tern

1st winter Sandwich Tern

While watching the Sandwich Tern a Rock Pipit was determined not to be left out and popped up onto the breakwater groyne and posed nicely.

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

I continued to see small numbers of Gannet as I made my way back to Reculver. The largest group size was 5 otherwise it was mainly 2's and 3's but throughout the visit I had seen a fair number of them. The weather had turned much cooler with a large amount of cloud and a strengthening southerly wind. While I was having a break on the sea wall I could see a Red Admiral butterfly flying along the shore and after heading past me it settled very briefly nearby allowing a quick shot before flying up over the sea wall and heading inland. I was surprised to see it on the wing as the day had become so much cooler, without any sunshine for quite a while, that I would have expected it to be too cold for it. 

Red Admiral Butterfly

A first winter Black-headed Gull was on the rocks as I carried on towards Reculver.

1st winter Black-headed Gull

As I came past the oyster farm I could see a blob of orange at the edge of one of the lagoons and a Kingfisher was taking advantage of the folds in the rubber liner as a perch while sheltered from the wind at the same time.

Kingfisher

I finished the visit with a juvenile Herring Gull giving a fly by as I came past the towers. It was good to reach the pick up point but I had enjoyed my visit. 

Herring Gull

Birds seen this visit included: 194 Brent Geese, 1800+ Cormorant, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 33 Meadow Pipit, 2 Kestrel, 8 Pied Wagtail, 3 Robin, 2 Merlin, 13 Great Black-backed Gull, 14 Mute Swan, 16 Redshank, 4 Little Egret, 8 Stonechat, 39 Gannet east, 8 Goldfinch, 1 Curlew, 12 Reed Bunting, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Green Woodpecker, 38 Corn Bunting, 29 Turnstone, 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Sanderling, 15 Ringed Plover, 2 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 28 Golden Plover, 1 Snipe, 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Little Grebe, 125 Oystercatcher, 10 Grey Plover, 1 Common Scoter, 1 Sandwich Tern, 3 Common Gull, 1 Kingfisher