Another Wind Swept Visit - Reculver 15/03/19

Once again, my afternoon off coincided with a very strong westerly wind which made for a somewhat challenging walk at Reculver. But I thought I would give it a try and see what I could see. Overall it was a very quiet walk with pretty much everything appearing to keep its head down. There were at least a few gulls heading west so I sat and watched them for a while.

A Black-headed Gull gave some nice views and appeared to have moulted into its full breeding plummage. They are handsome birds.

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

A passing adult breeding plummage Cormorant showed clear signs of moult in its flight feathers while a juvenile was facing into the wind and trying to keep its balance on top of one of the poles.

adult Cormorant

juvenile Cormorant

There appeared to be a small movement of Common Gulls and I saw 9 during my visit and I had fun trying to photograph them as they came through. The wind was certainly not making it easy to hold the camera still. All were going west.

Common Gull

Common Gulls

Common Gulls

1st winter Common Gull

1st winter Common Gull

A Lesser Black-backed Gull flew west and the size difference, in comparison to a Great Black-backed, could be clearly seen when nearby to a Herring Gull.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

A 2nd-3rd year Herring Gull gave some good views. I still struggle to age gulls accurately.

2nd-3rd Herring Gull

2nd-3rd year Herring Gull

2nd-3rd year Herring Gull

I could see rain clouds sweeping through, over towards the wind farm, but luckily they gave me a miss.

Rain clouds

A Great Black-backed Gull flew west and I saw 6 of them during my visit.

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

On the walk back I saw a couple of Stonechat briefly and a couple of Oystercatchers were on the shore. When a dog walker came along the beach they flew but then circled back and settled back on the beach once they had gone.

Oystercatchers

Oystercatchers

A 1st year Black-headed Gull flew west.

1st year Black-headed Gull

Despite the wind a small flock of Linnet were on the sea wall together with a Meadow Pipit that had just landed following its parachute display. The Linnet were dropping down to the base of the wall and foraging there, before coming back up onto the wall again.

Linnet

Meadow Pipit

At the back of the oyster farm I could see a Carrion Crow dive bombing a bird and caught sight of a Sparrowhawk as it flew away over the back field sending up a flock of 25 Golden Plover as it went.

I finished off my visit with a pair of Herring Gulls at the foot of the towers.

Herring Gulls

Herring Gull

I may not have seen a large variety of birds today but I enjoyed watching what I saw and despite the wind I was pleased that I had gone. It will be nice, though, when the wind drops a bit.

Birds seen this visit include: 1 Blackbird, 5 House Sparrow, 21 Wood Pigeon, 5 Redshank, 6 Mute Swan, 2 Stonechat, 9 Common Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 1 Sparrowhawk, 25 Golden Plover, 10 Linnet, 5 Meadow Pipit, 3 Ringed Plover, 3 Turnstone, Carrion Crows, Cormorants

Watching Gulls at Reculver - 17/01/19

After work today I thought I would try a brief seawatch from the towers to see if I could catch up with anything. There was a bitingly cold North Westerly wind but it was certainly welcome to see the sunshine. I was able to find a spot that sheltered me from the worst of wind and, although still cold, at least I wasn’t struggling to stand against the wind.

As it turned out there was nothing much going on out to sea at all. The only birds that were coming past were gulls, mainly Herring, working their way west along the coast, so I thought I would try for some photos of them and see if I could get better at ageing them.

The first bird past was an adult winter Herring Gull. They are certainly handsome birds. The streaking on its head has been a bit burnt out in the photo.

Adult Herring Gull

Adult Herring Gull

A passing Great Black-backed Gull allowed some photos. They are huge birds. I think that this is a third winter, from looking at the books.

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Another adult winter Herring Gull gave some very nice views as it came past. I really like being able to see the eye so clearly as they come past. Many of the gulls come very close as they pass the towers. The head streaking was obvious on this bird.

Adult winter Herring Gull

Adult winter Herring Gull

I did not see many waders go past but this group of 4 Sanderling going west came almost close enough for a photo. I also at various points saw another 5 Sanderling, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Turnstone and 1 Oystercatcher, all going west. Otherwise they seemed to be keeping their heads down. 

Sanderling

A smart, what I think is a second winter Herring Gull gave a good view as it flew past.

Second winter Herring Gull

I had another Great Black-backed Gull west and what I think is a 3rd winter Herring Gull. I am just a little puzzled as it appears to have a darker eye and less yellow in the bill than the 2nd winter above. But from the amount of grey in the wings and the lessening tail band it would certainly suggest 3rd winter. I must admit I find ageing gulls pretty difficult.

Great Black-backed Gull

? 3rd winter Herring Gull

A smart adult winter Common Gull showed its large mirrors well as it flew past while a 2nd winter Herring Gull gave a nice view of its upperwings.

Adult winter Common Gull

2nd winter Herring Gull

I had another, presumably 3rd winter Herring Gull go west but again with a dark eye and non yellow bill. It also had noticeably dark greater coverts. It is fascinating to see the different plummages but boy it is pretty muddling for ageing. Some things seem to fit with one age while others fit with another age.

? 3rd winter Herring Gull

? 3rd winter Herring Gull

A second winter and first winter Herring Gulls passed close by and were soon followed by a loudly calling Herring Gull that was seeming to object to a nearby youngster. 

Second and first winter Herring Gulls

Loudly calling

I had a couple more 1st winter Herring Gull. It is surprising just how much colour and even size change in the various light.

1st winter Herring Gull

1st winter Herring Gull

These were followed by another 2nd winter, again showing a fair amount of variation.

2nd winter Herring Gull

2nd winter Herring Gull FZ330, f/4, 1/1300, ISO 500, A, ExS

A very smart adult Herring Gull came very close as it went by. I decided o take a shot looking east from the towers. The sea doesn’t appear that rough in the photo but I certainly would not liked to have been out on it.

Adult winter Herring Gull

Looking east to Minnis Bay

A couple of very attractive 1st winter Black-headed Gulls gave some good views as they flew west. They are lovely little birds.

1st winter Black-headed Gull

1st winter Black-headed Gull

I finished off with what I think are both 3rd winter Herring Gulls.

3rd winter Herring Gull

3rd winter Herring Gull

It had been an enjoyable hour just watching the various gulls passing. I am certainly very rusty on gull identification and ageing but hopefully, with practise, I will get better. I  had really hoped to catch up with a Kittiwake today but did not manage to see one or any passing divers or grebes. I did not manage any duck or geese either. I guess they were all keeping their  heads down in the wind. As I reached the car park I could see a gull bobbing about on the waves and it turned out to be a Black-headed. I must admit I had really hoped for Little. It looked so small and vulnerable against some pretty sizeable waves.

Black-headed Gull

Birds seen this visit include:  Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, 1 Turnstone, 8 Sanderling, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Oystercatcher, 4 Redshank, 1 Blackbird, 25 Starling, 5 House Sparrow.