Cuckoos, Greylag Geese and a Thirsty Chaffinch - Shuart to Reculver 12/05/21

Two Blackcap were in full song when I arrived at Shuart this morning with wall to wall sunshine but with an increasingly breezy wind. More Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff song filled the air as I had a wander along the track. A Red Admiral butterfly was making the most of some shelter from the wind and early morning sunshine.

Red Admiral Butterfly

Two Goldfinches flew over and Blue and Great Tits were busy gathering bill fulls of food for youngsters back at the nest. A Wren was its usual power house of song and a Whitethroat kept a wary eye on me as I made my way along.

Whitethroat

The Marsh frogs were calling loudly from the dyke and a Common Buzzard drifted over above. More Blackcap were singing and I saw a couple of females in the hedgerow. The odd Herring Gull was flying over high above with the light shining through their flight feathers.

Herring Gull

A couple of Cetti's were singing at various points as I made my way along and I paused to enjoy the song of a Lesser Whitethroat. A Yellow Wagtail flew over and once again was a vivid splash of yellow against the blue sky. There was a repeated begging call from a Sedge Warbler tucked down in the reeds and a couple of Reed Warbler were singing away. I could hear a Cuckoo calling in the distance and at the same time had a second Cuckoo fly past. I only managed a couple of memory shots but was pleased to be able to get them.

Cuckoo

Cuckoo

Small numbers of Swift were flying west every now and then and as I came up onto the embankment 2 Greylag Geese flew past.

Greylag Geese

A male Marsh Harrier was hunting over towards the sea wall and 2 passing Swifts mated briefly in the air before continuing on west. A Painted Lady butterfly settled for a few moments before continuing on along the embankment.

Painted Lady Butterfly

A couple of Swallow flew west and another 15 were hawking for insects over the horse paddocks at the stables. 2 Pied Wagtails flew west and another couple were in the paddocks. A smart male Chaffinch dropped down for a drink from one of the puddles as I came up to the sea wall.

male Chaffinch

male Chaffinch

It was a quiet and decidedly breezy walk to Plumpudding with a steadily strengthening cool south south westerly wind. A single Redshank was on the shore and at various bushes along the way Whitethroat were working their way through various bushes looking for insects. A Cetti's Warbler was singing explosively as I came up to Plumpudding and a Meadow Pipit and a couple of Reed Bunting were flitting back and fore between the island vegetation and other side of the sea wall. A single Oystercatcher was throwing a ruffled reflection as it kept an eye on passers by on the sea wall.

Oystercatcher

Three Pied Wagtail, a couple of Meadow Pipit and 2 Yellow Wagtail were making the most of the insects on the sea wall and though repeatedly disturbed by people coming past they returned to the same patch of wall each time.

Yellow Wagtail

A pair of Tufted Duck were down their usual dyke and the male Marsh Harrier was up at the back. A Painted Lady Butterfly was making the most of the little bit of shelter from the wind afforded by a patch of flowers near the sea wall and busy drinking nectar.

Painted Lady Butterfly

Painted Lady Butterfly

It kept clouding over as I carried on to Coldharbour but with the strong wind they moved through quite quickly still giving some good sunny intervals in between. A Wheatear popped up at the back of a  shingle ridge as I neared Coldharbour and Sedge and Whitethroat song followed me along.

Wheatear

Coldharbour had its usual inhabitants of a couple of Shelduck and 2 Mallard. I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and a single Gannet flew east. A Lesser Black-backed Gull also flew east and a couple of Great Crested Grebe were off shore and busy fishing. One of them raised a spiky crest after each dive.

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

I carried on towards Reculver with the weather alternating between sunshine and the threat of showers but apart from a couple of drops the rain came to nothing. Out to sea a distant Fulmar flew east and 3 Common Tern were off shore. A Common Seal popped its head up briefly while overhead a couple of Common Tern flew inland.

Common Tern

Common Tern

I saw the usual mix of waders on the way to Reculver and a Wren and a Blackcap together with a Whitethroat were singing as I came up to the towers. I paused to enjoy their song and could also hear a Cuckoo calling from the oyster farm while overhead a Kestrel was carrying prey, bringing the visit to a close.

Birds seen this visit included: 9 Blackcap, Jackdaws, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 7 Blackbird, Wood Pigeons, 1 Robin, 4 Wren, 3 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 1 Jay, 13 Chaffinch, 3 Pheasant, 11 Goldfinches, 25 Whitethroat, 1 Common Buzzard, Herring Gulls, 1 Moorhen, 22 Sedge Warbler, 3 Cetti's, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 9 Mallard, 1 Corn Bunting, 3 Cuckoo, 11 Reed Warbler, 20 Swift west, 1 Magpie, 5 Reed Bunting, 2 Greylag Geese, 1 Marsh Harrier, 19 Swallow,  11 Pied Wagtail, House Sparrows, 12 Linnet, 1 Redshank, 13 Meadow Pipit, 3 Kestrel, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Shelduck, 1 Wheatear, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Turnstone, 15 Sanderling, 1 Gannet east, 3 Ringed Plover, 5 Common Tern, 1 Fulmar east, 

My First Turtle Dove of Spring - Marshside 25/05/20

I paid another visit to Chitty Lane this afternoon and had a wander up to the embankment and back. A Chaffinch peeped out at me as I started up the track. Once again it was lovely to hear the sound of singing Reed and Sedge Warblers.

Chaffinch

A Large Skipper Butterfly was sunning itself and looked gorgeous in the light.

Large Skipper

A little further along I came across loads of Small Tortoiseshell Caterpillars outside their cocoon. I am not sure what the paler brown ones amongst them are. At first I thought they must just be at a different stage of development but they do not seem to be as spiky as the black Small Tortoiseshell ones. It will be interesting to try and find out.

Small Tortoiseshell Caterpillars

A male Goldfinch was perched high in the hedgerow and repeatedly singing away enthusiastically. It would pause between each burst of song and look round before breaking into song again. Though I think it was aware of my presence it did not seem to put if off its stride at all and after a fair while waiting, as I did not want to disturb it, I carried on down the track and left it still singing away.

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

It was much quieter for Damselflies today and I did not see any sign of a Red-eyed or a Banded Demoiselle as I made may way up to the embankment. Several Azure Damselflies were tucked here and there and as I walked along the embankment I could see a Cuckoo on the edge of a bush way ahead. A little further along, from the hedgerow, I could hear my first Turtle Dove (117) of the year which was a very welcome sound.

Cuckoo

Reed and Sedge Warbler were singing as I made my way along and over in one of the fields good numbers of Corvid had been attracted to the area where the farmer was irrigating his crops.

Corvids making the most of the wet ground

It remained fairly quiet on the walk back but it was just good to be out.

Food and a Feather Prize - Broomfield Track 05/04/20

The sun had come out this afternoon when I headed out for my exercise walk. It was good to be out and I enjoyed listening to and seeing the usual suspects as I made my way along. A Great Tit was demonstrating a wide range of calls between alternating with song and a little further along alarm calls from Blue and Great Tits, Wren, Robin and Dunnock alerted me to a Kestrel perched in the Oak Tree. It flew down into the paddock and as I came round it was perched on one of the fence posts looking stunning in the afternoon light. I could not manage much of a photo but it made a nice memory shot.

Kestrel

A pair of Rooks were busy feeding in one of the fields as I made my way up to the top path and the nearest bird's gular pouch was noticeably swollen with food. The clear afternoon light highlighted its feathers beautifully, particularly when it flew.

Rook

Rook

It remained generally quiet throughout my walk but I enjoyed watching a female Chaffinch with a feather that she was presumably taking back to a nest. Despite a couple of dog walkers passing she stayed tucked in, with it firmly clasped it in her bill while watching them warily, before moving off with it once the coast was clear.

female Chaffinch and feather

I could hear a Ring-necked Parakeet calling again from the wood as I came past and a Long-tailed Tit was busily looking for insects as it moved from tree to tree. They are lovely little birds.

Long-tailed Tit

The rest of the walk remained quiet but I was grateful for the time out and finished with the sweet song of a Robin perched high above as I made my way home.

Ring-necked Parakeet and Water Rail - Broomfield Track 03/04/20

There did not appear to be any new common migrants in on my daily exercise walk but I had an enjoyable walk round in some very pleasant sunshine. The Chiffchaff was in its usual spot and singing away. As I made my way up to the top path I came across a Chaffinch busily feeding on the buds of one of the trees. It literally stopped mid bill full to peep out at me before carrying on looking for the choicest buds.

female Chaffinch

A small flock of 6 Linnet were chattering away in the tops of the hedgerow trees as I made my way down to the lower track and looked beautiful against the brilliant blue of the sky.

Linnet

I was chuffed, as I made my way along the bottom path to first hear and then see, briefly, a Ring-necked Parakeet (103) as it flew up from the wood before disappearing into cover again.I have found it surprisingly difficult to catch up with one this year until now. A Blue Tit amongst the blossom gave some super views as it searched for insects before settling to preen.

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

I had a very unexpected surprise as I headed past the farm when a Water Rail flew up from the ditch and paused for a second to look at me before disappearing into cover at the bottom of the hedgerow. I have seen Moorhen very occasionally at this site in the past but I have never seen a Water Rail.

Well chuffed I carried on for home and enjoyed listening to a Robin who was in full song as I passed by.

Robin

First Blackcap of Spring - Broomfield Track 01/04/20

I haven't been able to have my usual daily exercise walk for a couple of days so it was nice to be able to head round on the now familiar circuit. A Chiffchaff was singing away from its usual spot and a Jay exploded out of the hedge above me. I could hear a bird making a fairly strange call and it turned out to be a second Jay. I have not heard one make that call before. All the usual were busily either feeding or singing. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was loudly drumming. I was very pleased to hear my first Blackcap (101) singing of the spring and showed that at least one bird had come in since my last visit. I couldn't manage to get a photo as I struggled to focus through the leaves but it was lovely to hear its song once again.

Bee-flies were once again very active as I carried on and some Peacock butterflies fluttered up from the path as I made my way down to the bottom path. Here I came across another Blackcap singing alongside the bottom path. I could not manage much of a photo but was pleased to have a memory shot.

male Blackcap

A little further on a male Chaffinch was singing away and then pausing to check the effect. As it moved out into the open the light just caught in its eye.

male Chaffinch

A Comma butterfly was sunning itself and further along a couple more were reacting to the presence of 2 Peacock butterflies.

Comma Butterfly

Another singing Blackcap peeped out at me as I passed. I really enjoed hearing their song today.

male Blackcap

I finished the walk with a lovely view of a Long-tailed Tit as it landed above me.

Long-tailed Tit

Birds seen this visit included: 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Robin, 5 Blackbird, 2 Jay, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 3 Dunnock, House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Wood Pigeons, 2 Common Buzzard, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Rooks, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Pheasant, 5 Goldfinch, 3 Blackcap, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Kestrel, Skylarks, 8 Linnet

More Drive By Birding - Local Areas 12th, 19th and 21st February 2020

On the 12th we paid a short visit to Marshside. It was very quiet for birds overall but I enjoyed watching a Mute Swan drifting slowly down the dyke that runs alongside the road and watching the reflection change as it was broken up by the ripples in the water.

Mute Swan

A pair of Song Thrush were busy feeding in a partially flooded grassy area and both were proving to be very adept at catching small worms and packed away a surprising number of them while I was watching.

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

We finished with a smart male Marsh Harrier flying parallel to the road. They are beautiful birds and always a joy to watch.

male Marsh Harrier

On the 19th at Chambers Wall I enjoyed watching a Chaffinch and a couple of Dunnocks that were feeding by a small puddle. Though at one point one of the Dunnocks appeared to size the Chaffinch up it did not chase it, as I have seen them do in the past, but instead went back to feeding. Again, it was nice to be able to just spend some time enjoying good views of some very obliging birds. One of the Dunnocks was ringed.

Chaffinch and Dunnock

Chaffinch and Dunnock

Dunnock

Dunnocks

We paid another short visit to Marshside on the 21st and at the first pull in point a Rat was feeding amongst the grass by the dyke. It appeared to be pretty unconcerned by the traffic passing by. A couple of Moorhen were feeding at the field edge and as a Common Buzzard passed overhead all dived for cover.

Brown Rat

125 Fieldfare were in the bushes bordering the apple orchard but I could not see any Redwing amongst them. A couple of Greenfinch were a little further along and a Green Woodpecker was calling away noisily. 7 Moorhen were in one area of the dyke with another 5 further along. At one point a disagreement broke out and in a flurry of wings the chase was on.

Moorhens

The visits were all pretty quiet for birds but each had allowed time to just enjoy whatever I could see.