Young Swallows - Marshside 21/06/19

I had a short window for some bird watching so headed to Marshside to see what I could see from the road. A singing Reed Warbler and a Whitethroat greeted me on arrival. A young Swallow was sitting on the wires waiting to be fed and I left him in peace so as to not disturb the parents when they came back.

young Swallow

Overall it appeared to be very quiet for birds. I could hear a Blue Tit family moving through the hedgerow and a couple of Reed Warblers were busy collecting food. A Ring-necked Parakeet called and Song Thrush, Blackcap and Wren were all singing away. A few Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies were dotted around. I saw 3 Meadow Brown Butterflies but they were decidedly camera shy and I never did manage to get a good shot of one.

Meadow Brown Butterfly

Both Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Green Woodpecker called and a Chiffchaff was chiff chaffing away. A couple of Red Admiral Butterflies and a Speckled Wood were on the wing. A little further on I caught sight of a Banded Demoiselle but unfortunately it kept going without stopping. I love watching them, they are beautiful damselflies. A female Cranefly Tipula lunata was resting up allowing some good views.

female Cranefly Tipula lunata

A Cuckoo was calling frequently but I did not hear a female answer today. A Common Buzzard was spiralling above and Swifts were hawking for insects high above me. I disturbed a small moth that flew a short distance before settling down again. I think that it was a Chrysoteuchia culmella. A Holly Blue butterfly settled briefly allowing a photo.

Chrysoteuchia culmella

Holly Blue Butterfly

A little further on a Reed Warbler peeped out at me as it worked its way through the vegetation. An Ichneumon wasp Amblyteles armatorius paused briefly before moving off, they are striking insects. I kept my eyes open for dragonflies but did not have any success today in seeing any. A few Red-eyed Damselflies were resting on the duck weed in the dyke.

Reed Warbler

Amblyteles armatorius

I caught sight of yellow again and thought I had another Ichneumon wasp but then realised it was a Longhorn Beetle. Luckily for me it flew and landed closer to me and I was able to get a couple of photos before it moved on. It was a Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata and was fascinating to watch.

Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata

Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata

A small family group of Great Tits were calling away and Goldfinch song and calls filled the air as a small group flew over. I had a look in some vegetation that was in the shade and got good views of a Ptychoptera contaminata and also a Pericoma species Moth Fly.

Ptychoptera contaminata

Pericoma species Moth Fly

I caught sight of a small spider with a bright green abdomen and tried for some photos. I did not manage to get much in the photo line but I think that it is either Araniella cucurbitina or opisthographa as apparently they are indistinguishable in the field in general appearance and size.

Araniella cucurbitina or opisthographa

Araniella cucurbitina or opisthographa

A Great Pied Hoverfly Volucella pellucens was busy feeding amongst a flower head and I saw a nymph that I think must be a Speckled Bush-cricket nymph.

Great Pied Hoverfly Volucella pellucens

Speckled Bush-cricket nymph

A female Marsh Harrier was hunting along a field edge and I could see a couple of Common Buzzard one of which was thermalling while the other was hovering before dropping down presumably onto something it had seen. 3 young Swallows were on the wires and Mum/Dad were kept busy feeding them.

Swallow feeding young

I finished off the visit with a Common Green Caspid Bug. I saw some Fringed Water-Lilies out in flower. Alarm calls above from the Swallows alerted me to a Sparrowhawk passing over. It was carrying food presumably back to feed young so hopefully they will do well. I had not been able to spend long but it had been good to be out and had been an enjoyable visit even if a fairly quiet one for birds.

Common Green Caspid Bug

Fringed Water-lily

Sparrowhawk

On the way home I saw a male Marsh Harrier hunting over one of the fields.

Male Marsh Harrier

Birds seen this visit include: 14 Reed Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 4 Magpie, 9 Blackbird, 8 Chaffinch, 18 Swallow including at least 8 young, 3 Blackcap, 1 Wren, 2 Dunnock, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Song Thrush, Wood Pigeons, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Green Woodpecker, 3 Chiffchaff, 7 Swift, 19 Goldfinches, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Greenfinch, 3 Common Buzzard, Crows, Rooks, Jackdaws, 5 Great Tit, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Yellowhammer, House Sparrows, Starlings, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Mistle Thrush,

New Arrivals and a Firecrest - Reculver to Chambers Wall 17/04/19

Due to work and other commitments I have not been able to bird watch since the 5th April so it was good to have the opportunity for a walk from Reculver to Chambers Wall today. There was a sea mist when I arrived at Reculver and it remained throughout the visit but luckily it never progressed to becoming foggy, so that was a bonus. The tide was almost fully in but on the turn and there was a light north easterly wind.

As I walked up to the towers I could see the immature male Eider off shore and a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls were resting on the sea but otherwise the sea was very quiet. I checked some of the vegetation just past the towers and had what I think is a Tawney Mining Bee and a Common Carder Bumble Bee. I had not realised how long a bee's tongue is, at least it is on the Common Carder Bumble Bee here and appears to hinge.

Tawney Mining Bee

Common Carder Bumble Bee

Common Carder Bumble Bee

I had a walk up to the pumping station and back and had a confiding Linnet that was singing a quiet sub song. I also came across what I think is an Ichneumon Wasp but haven't been able to narrow it down any more than that. A Little Egret gave a fly past and the air was full of Oystercatcher song and calls as several pairs displayed.

Linnet

Ichneumon Wasp

Many of the Alexander leaves are covered in yellow spots on the top surface with yellow raised areas on the undersurface. I wondered what had caused them and on looking it up it appears to be galls of the rust fungus Puccinia smyrnii.

Galls of Rust Fungus Puccinia smyrnii

I could hear Sandwich Terns (121) calling and had 3 east out to sea. It is lovely to hear their calls again and I saw 5 in total today. I also had 1 Fulmar and 3 Gannet east while a single Curlew flew west. A Yellow Wagtail (122) came in off the sea and headed inland. I was pleased to catch up with my first Swallow of spring and had a total of 7 Swallow (123) east. Sedge Warbler numbers had increased a lot since my last visit and I saw at least 16 today. Butterflies abounded with good numbers of Peacock, a couple of Tortoiseshell, 2 Large White and a Holly Blue.

A pair of Stonechat were active along the parallel track. I also saw another male further along having a disagreement with a Reed Bunting.

Stonechat

As I approached Coldharbour I could see 11 Turnstone roosting on one of the groynes and one of them was moulting into summer plummage. Coldharbour itself was very quiet with just 5 Redshank and 6 Black-headed Gulls. I had an eye to eye view of a Reed Bunting as it peered at me through a gap in a bush.

Reed Bunting

On the walk up to Chambers Wall a Peacock Butterfly gave very nice views of its upperwings and underwings. From the underwing you would never think that it was as colourful as it is once it opens its wings.

Peacock Butterfly

Peacock Butterfly

A Sedge Warbler was singing away and, although a little distant and against the light, I tried for a photo where upon it promptly stopped singing. But I was still pleased to get it.

Sedge Warbler

Digger Wasps were active and this one was checking out a hole in the ground. More than one appeared to be checking the hole out. I also came across an Alderfly resting on a stem. Apparently they only live for two or three days. I had not realised that the adult life span was so short.

Digger Wasp

Alderfly

A Cetti's Warbler was singing away and a couple of Corn Bunting peeped at me from the back of a bush. A pair of Tufted Duck were in the dyke and Marsh Frogs were calling frequently.

male Tufted Duck

female Tufted Duck

I saw a Firecrest working its way through the back of a bush. Unfortunately it remained mainly obscured but I did manage a couple of shots as its head appeared briefly in small gaps. They are beautiful birds and it was great to see it. Nearby two male Blackcap were competing in song and a female Blackcap appeared to be checking them out.

Firecrest

Firecrest

I finished off the visit with another Alderfly and a 2-spot Ladybird.

Alderfly

2-spot Ladybird

Birds seen this visit: 1 immature male Eider, 8 House Sparrows, 5 Sandwich Tern east, Cormorants, 21 Linnets, 4 Magpie, 3 Starling, 3 Little Egret, 12 Oystercatcher, 3 Pied Wagtail, 1 Fulmar east, 7 Swallow east, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 12  Meadow Pipit, 3 Stonechat, 10 Reed Bunting, 3 Gannets east, 4 Pheasant, 6 Mallard, 15 Corn Bunting, 16 Sedge Warbler, 3 Dunnock, male Marsh Harrier, 4 Goldfinch, Skylark, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 1 Curlew west,  1 Yellow Wagtail in off the sea, 3 Ringed Plover,  11 Turnstone with 1 moulting into summer plumage, 4 Redshank, 2 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Carrion Crows, Mute Swans, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Blackcap, Chaffinches, 1 Firecrest, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Shelduck