A Hungry Eider and a Miss - Reculver 08/04/21

It was good to get the chance of paying a short visit to Reculver this morning and it started well with a very handsome adult male Eider off shore. 

male Eider

It was busily fishing for crabs and proved to be very adept at it. Having caught the crab it would hold it by the crab's pincers, and/or legs, and thrash it back and fore through the water until the leg came away. It would then quickly retrieve the crab and go through the process again until most of the appendages were broken off and it could swallow the crab whole. It did appear that at least a couple of the crabs got away as on a couple of occasions the Eider failed to be able to retrieve it after breaking a leg off. I felt very lucky to be able to watch the Eider and it was an absolute pleasure to see although I couldn't help feeling sorry for the crab.

male Eider

male Eider

He had been fishing in peace for a while when it drew the unwelcome attention of a couple of passing Herring Gulls who promptly started to hassle it. The Eider responded by immediately diving and surfacing a little way away. Moments later it was running full pelt on the water before the lift of its wing beats was enough to enable it to lift off from the surface of the sea. Once airborne it carried on west.

A small flock of Linnet were amongst the vegetation on the shingle as I started along the sea wall. Out to sea appeared to be very quiet with just a few passing Herring and Black-headed Gulls and a single Great Black-backed Gull east. It was a beautiful morning with very little wind and every few steps there appeared to be a singing and/or displaying Meadow Pipit. I received a text from Matt Hindle to say that they had had a sub adult male Pallid Harrier but unfortunately I had missed it. I kept a lookout, as I carried on, just in case I was lucky enough for it to come back through. What a great find by Matt, Chris and Anne.  

Small numbers of waders were dotted here and there and out to sea a flock of 24 Common Scoter flew first west then east before settling back down onto the sea.

Common Scoter

Common Scoter

Common Scoter

A couple of smart breeding plumage Cormorants flew west with the back bird looking particularly striking.

Cormorants

I decided to head for Coldharbour and could see a distant Greylag Goose in one of the fields. As I scanned the next field I could see a bird shaped bump which appeared to be a single Golden Plover.

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

I needed to get back as I had an appointment and finished with a Mute Swan that had taken exception to a male Mallard and was pursuing it up the river.

Mute Swan and Mallard

Though I did not manage to catch up with the Pallid Harrier the great thing with bird watching is you never know, I might yet be lucky that it comes back through when I am out. I can but hope anyway.

Birds seen this visit included: 1 male Eider, 10 Linnet, 1 Kestrel, 2 Blackbird, House Sparrows, Wood Pigeons, Cormorants, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 18 Meadow Pipit, 11 Oystercatcher, 3 Swallow, 11 Mallard, 2 Sedge Warbler, 11 Redshank, 1 Grey Plover, 3 Ringed Plover, 7 Turnstone, 38 Corn Bunting, 5 Reed Bunting, 24 Common Scoter, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Little Egret, 1 Greylag Goose, 1 Golden Plover, 4 Stonechat, 1 Marsh Harrier

Eider, Snow Buntings and Short-eared Owls - Reculver 02/12/20

With bird watching time in short supply for the next few weeks I was pleased to be able to pay a quick visit to Reculver this afternoon. The usual Robin was on the rocks by the car park and quickly pursued both a Wren and a Meadow Pipit they dared to appear on the rocks.

Robin

As I came past the towers I had a scan out to sea but apart from a Great Crested Grebe all appeared quiet. It came as a nice surprise, therefore, to have an Eider fly west a couple of minutes later.

Eider

It was fairly quiet generally as I made my way along the sea wall. Out to sea I could see a Merlin and a Kestrel was hunting over the oyster farm. I was chuffed when I caught sight of Snow Buntings on the shore and had the chance of some good views of four as they searched for seeds amongst the shingle and scrub. Any day that I can watch Snow Buntings has to be a good one.

Snow Bunting

Snow Buntings

Snow Bunting

Snow Buntings

Snow Bunting

It was hard to tear myself away but it was time to move on. Waders were moving to roost with 64 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin and 5 Turnstone in a mixed flock coming into land. 

Over the back fields an immature male Marsh Harrier was following the line of the field edge. Further along I came across another Snow Bunting on the shore which was on its own. I don't know if it was one of the four I saw earlier or a different bird. Whichever it was, it was a little beauty.

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

It was time to be heading back. Colour was building in the lower part of the sky and contrasting well with the grey clouds. 

I caught a glimpse of a pale shape over the oyster farm and saw a Short-eared Owl making for one of the posts. What better way could there be to end the visit than by watching an owl! 

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

It only rested on the post for a few minutes before starting to hunt. No sooner had it started than another Short-eared flew up and pursued it. For a few minutes neither would give way and the chase rose higher and higher before finally the challenger won and the first owl moved to the other side of the oyster farm. There really wasn't enough light for photos but I gave it a go anyway and though they have not come out well they do give me some good memory shots of the privilege of being able to watch these two birds interacting.

Short-eared Owls

Short-eared Owls

Short-eared Owls

Short-eared Owls

As I carried on a Dunnock popped up onto the sea wall right in front of me giving some great views. As it turned, though, I could see what appeared to be a tick semi covering one eye. It didn't appear to affect it eyesight as it moved to the shore and picked for food, perhaps because the pupil was mainly clear.

Dunnock

Dunnock

Dunnock

Dunnock

On nearing Reculver I could hear a Carrion Crow alarm calling and it started to mob something on the other side of the bank at the back of oyster farm. Its calls attracted back up and another two joined it in mobbing whatever it was they could see. The mystery was solved when I caught sight of a Common Buzzard flying so low on the other side of the bank, that it was barely visible, with a single Crow in hot pursuit until it became clear the Buzzard was going to keep going and the Crow broke off. The colour in the sky was deepening and made an atmospheric end to the visit as I reached Reculver.

Red-breasted Mergansers, Eider and Snow Buntings - Shuart to Reculver 30/10/19

I paid a visit to Shuart on a sunny morning with a brisk and cool easterly wind. As I had a wander down the track all the usual suspects were present apart from Goldcrests which I didn't manage to catch up with today. A Marsh Harrier and a Common Buzzard had an altercation following which the Common Buzzard saw the Harrier off before resuming spiralling upwards. 15 Redwing were in the hedge and although very flighty it was nice to be able to catch brief glimpses through the gaps of these beautifully marked birds. As I neared the railway crossing a Mute Swan flew across with the familiar throbbing hum of its wing beats.

Mute Swan

I didn't see any Brambling at the stables today but paused to enjoy the sound of a Cetti's Warbler as it exploded into song nearby. 18 Fieldfare and 3 Redwing flew into a bush from one of the fields before moving on. As I came up onto the sea wall a couple of Brent Geese were off shore and 8 Redshank and a Turnstone were along the shore. The tide was well on its way to being in.

Brent Geese

Apart from 3 very distant Gannet east the sea remained quiet on the walk along to Plumpudding Island. 10 Redshank were roosting there, tucked in on the far bank, while another couple were busy swimming from island to island. Redshank appear to be very good swimmers and these two covered quite a distance in fairly choppy water. 3 Mallards were tucked in out of the wind and a very smart male Stonechat fly caught from the fence.

Redshank

Redshank

While I was watching the Redshank 68 Oystercatchers flew in landed behind the shingle bank followed a short while later by 13 Grey Plover. 5 Curlew and 60 Sanderling. 42 Brent Geese were off shore and it was lovely to hear the sound of them chattering away to each other once again and nice to see numbers beginning to build.

Grey Plover

Brent Geese

I got a very nice surprise as I carried on along the sea wall when 2 Snow Buntings flew up from the shingle in front of an approaching truck from the sea defence work. They appeared to come down on Plumpudding Island but by the time I had managed to walk back there I could not pick them up. Still they had been a very welcome sight and hopefully at some point I will be able to catch up with them again. As I headed back towards Coldharbour I caught sight of 5 Red-breasted Merganser flying east. I could not manage much in the photo line but I was well chuffed to be able to get a memory shot. It is the most Mergansers  I have seen together.

Red-breasted Mergansers

A short while later a juvenile Gannet flew east and although not very close it gave some nice views as it went past. I was surprised to see that as it reached the flock of Brent Geese its presence spooked them badly with birds flying up in all directions as the Gannet came through. Presumably the Gannet is no threat to them so I was surprised at their reaction.

Gannet

Gannet

A Black-headed Gull with its wing beats slowed by flying into the wind gave the opportunity to try for some photos as did what might have been a racing pigeon. A mixed flock of 67 Ringed Plover and a few Turnstone flew towards the wader roost behind Plumpudding.

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Ringed Plover and Turnstone

 As I neared Coldharbour I had 2 Eider, a male and a female, heading east a long way out to sea. I tried for some photos and though heavily cropped and pretty poor I am pleased I was able to get them as the photo makes a good memory shot. Male Eider are certainly very handsome birds. Hopefully at some point one will fly a bit closer.

male and female Eider

As I neared Coldharbour 16 Curlew and 52 Oystercatchers were disturbed by a photographer walking along the shingle bank and 2 Little Egret flew up from Coldharbour itself. 23 Mallard were bobbing about on the sea as I started towards Reculver and a Kestrel gave a low flypast with its eye catching the light beautifully. 4 Coot were on the dyke with a couple of Mute Swan.

Mallard

Kestrel

I pressed on towards the Green Bank and could see a single Great Crested Grebe out to sea. 12 Corn Bunting were on the oyster farm together with c100 House Sparrows. A Little Egret did a near vertical take off from the edge of the dyke. As I headed towards Reculver I once again had a very obliging Stonechat. They are such gorgeous birds to watch and full of character.

Little Egret

Stonechat

On nearing Reculver a stunning female Sparrowhawk flew past out to sea before turning and coming in and heading over the oyster farm sending Meadow Pipits and and a flock of 58 Linnets flying up in alarm. I tried for some photos as it came past me but it was so fast that I did not do very well with them but what a beautiful bird and a joy to watch.

Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk

I had a single Common Gull fly east and 7 Great Black-backed Gulls throughout the visit. I tried for photos of a couple of the Great Black-backed Gulls and though the photos did not come out very well they do show that both were in the process of moulting some of their flight feathers.

Common Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

As I reached Reculver a single Swallow flew west. It had been good to be out today and I had enjoyed seeing what went past out to sea as I walked along.


Birds seen this visit included: 12 Robin, 7 Wren, 21 Blackbirds, Wood Pigeons, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 26 Mallard, 3 Dunnock, 13 Mute Swan, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Moorhen, 6 Magpie, 4 Chaffinch, 14 Skylark, 2 Kestrel, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 18 Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush, 20 Meadow Pipit, 3 Goldfinch, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Pied Wagtail, 18 Fieldfare, 18 Redshank, 27 Turnstone, 52 Brent Geese, 74 Sanderling, 4 Gannet east, 132 Oystercatcher, 8 Stonechat, 6 Reed Bunting, 65 Linnet, 12 Redshank, 22 Curlew, 7 Great Black-backed Gull, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers east, 67 Ringed Plover, 3 Little Egret, 2 Eider, 4 Coot, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 12 Corn Bunting, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Gull, 1 Swallow