A Mugged Grey Heron, Wheatear and a Wall Butterfly - Shuart to Reculver 02/05/21

I started out at Shuart on a beautifully sunny morning. Bird song was in full swing while in the horse paddock a handsome Pheasant was showing off the iridescent colours of his plumage well.

male Pheasant

A wander down the track did not turn up anything unexpected but the sunshine seemed  to have resulted in some of the birds singing even more enthusiastically today. A Wren was positively vibrating with song with tail feathers spread and a rapid fluttering of its wings.

Wren

Sedge and Reed Warblers were in good voice as I neared the railway and two Tufted Duck flew past with another 3 Tufted Duck joining them in the air moments later.

Tufted Duck

A Sparrowhawk was gradually circling higher above me while in one of the dykes a Mute Swan was throwing a perfect reflection in the still water.

Mute Swan

Mute Swan

A Cuckoo had been calling for much of the time I had been walking down the track but had remained firmly out of sight. I came across a predated egg at the side of the path. It was quite large but didn't appear to be big enough for a Mute Swan egg and I wondered if it could be a Greylag Goose egg.

I could see two Oystercatchers in one of the fields as I came up onto the embankment and overhead a couple of Yellow Wagtail called as they flew over. A Mediterranean Gull called from the direction of the sea wall while at the stables, apart from three Pied Wagtails, all was quiet in the horse paddocks. A Cetti's Warbler exploded into song nearby but stayed under cover. A Whitethroat was more obliging and kept a wary eye on me as I came past.

Whitethroat

On reaching the sea wall the tide was on its way out and a Grey Heron, landing in the shallow water, drew the unwanted attention of a couple of Herring Gulls who mobbed it repeatedly.

Grey Heron and Herring Gull

Grey Heron and Herring Gull

Sedge and Reed Warblers were singing as I made my way towards Plumpudding and the odd Oystercatcher was along the shore. A Cetti's Warbler was singing on the opposite side of the sea wall while a Rock Pipit was working its way along one of the island edges on Plumpudding Island itself. A couple of Mallard appeared to be the only other occupants apart from a couple of Pied Wagtail but a little further on I caught sight of a single Dunlin on one of the islands with its black belly patch showing well.

Dunlin

A little further along both Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat were in full song and I paused to be able to enjoy listening to both.

Whitethroat

Sedge Warbler

I keep hoping to hear a Grasshopper Warbler but have not had any luck so far despite listening in all likely spots. I am just hoping that it is not like Goldcrest and Redwing where I suddenly realised that I couldn't hear them any more. Still, I can only keep trying each time I come out and hopefully at some point I might be lucky enough to either see or hear one. A little group of flowers offered a welcome splash of colour on the concrete slope of the sea wall and appeared to be a Marigold. 

The odd House Martin was moving west with small numbers of Swallow. Several Skylarks were towering higher in their song flights. Coldharbour was quiet but on the other side of the sea wall a smart male Wheatear showed well.

male Wheatear

I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and 7 Common Scoter were off shore. The tide was well out and a couple of Grey Plover were on the exposed Mussel bed. A Whimbrel called as it flew west a good ways out to sea and a small flock of 15 Sand Martin also headed west. I carried on towards Reculver and an Oystercatcher took exception to a passing Carrion Crow and gave chase. It got slightly more than it bargained for when the Carrion Crow turned the tables and nearly took a tail feather from the Oystercatcher. A male Marsh Harrier was hunting over the far field edge on the other side of the sea wall.

Oystercatcher and Carrion Crow

Oystercatcher and Carrion Crow

A Little Egret was up over the oyster farm and a Common Buzzard was up at the back. A couple more Stonechat were fly catching as I neared Reculver. Cloud was continuing to build to the south but I still had clear blue sky above and out to sea the wind farm and sea forts shimmered in the heat haze.

With the sun still shining when I reached Reculver I had a check along the path beside the Roman wall to see if there was any sign of a Wall Butterfly. I had almost reached the end when I could see one flying towards me. It alighted very briefly before moving off to patrol again. It continued to be very active and tending, when it did settle, to be tucked down on the dried mud at the base of the wall and mostly obscured by vegetation. I only saw the one but it was a welcome sight, and my first for the year, they are lovely butterflies. It was time to make a move but luckily for me it chose just then to settle briefly in view, choosing a handy shell as a perch, closing its wings on landing and only resting for a moment before it was off again. 

Wall Butterfly

Wall Butterfly

Wall Butterfly

Several patches of Common Fumitory were dotted around, the colour catching my eye as I made my back and brought a walk through on a beautiful spring day to a close.

Common Fumitory

Birds seen this visit included: 5 Pheasant, 10 Blackbird, 2 Collared Dove, 8 Chaffinch, 2 Dunnock, 3 Chiffchaff, Jackdaws, 6 Wren, 3 Robin, 9 Blackcap, Wood Pigeon, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Little Owl, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 1 Stock Dove, 3 Magpie, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Willow Warbler, 14 Whitethroat, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Moorhen, Sedge Warblers, Reed Warbler, 1 Mistle Thrush, 4 Mute Swan, 6 Shelduck, 9 Lapwing, Goldfinches, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 11 Swallow, Reed Warblers, 6 Tufted Duck, 8 Oystercatcher, 6 Reed Bunting, 3 Pied Wagtail, 10 Linnet, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 17 Turnstone, 2 Meadow Pipit, Herring Gulls, 1 Grey Heron, Black-headed Gulls, 2 Rock Pipit, 8 Mallard, 3 House Martin west, 1 Wheatear, 2 Ringed Plover, 3 Stonechat, Skylarks, 1 Marsh Harrier, 7 Common Scoter, 2 Grey Plover, 15 Sand Martin, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 1 Little Egret

Sedge Warblers and a Snow Bunting Encounter - Shuart to Reculver 30/03/21

It was great to be able to head to Shuart today. It has been a long time since I have been able to visit the Reculver area and with a few days holiday from work it was nice to have the whole morning ahead of me. A couple of Red-legged Partridge flew from the field edge as I made my way down the road and near the beginning of the track a handsome male Pheasant looked stunning as he made his way along.

male Pheasant

male Pheasant

male Pheasant

A male Blackcap was singing and was a welcome sound, my first for the spring. The air was alive with the song and calls of Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Dunnock and Chaffinch. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into the top of one of the trees calling away before moving off. As I started down the track I could hear a Green Woodpecker calling and a Peacock butterfly flew past. A little further on a Chiffchaff was calling and from the first gap I could see a Common Buzzard hunting over the far fields. A few Blackbirds and a Redwing were moving between the track and the hedgerow and Blue and Great Tits were making their way through the bushes. A Cetti's Warbler exploded into song nearby and as I neared the end of the hedgerow a second bird also burst into song.

It was surprisingly quiet as I made my way past the stables apart from another very vocal Cetti's Warbler. On reaching the sea wall it was nice to catch up with Oystercatchers, Turnstone, Ringed Plover and Redshank as I headed towards Plumpudding. I also saw a couple of distant Curlew.

As I made my way towards Coldharbour it was lovely to hear the sound of my first Sedge Warbler of the Spring singing away. It is incredible to think of the journey that it has made to get here and that amazing burst of song was beautiful to hear.

Sedge Warbler

A Little Egret at Coldharbour was throwing an almost perfect reflection into the barely ruffled surface of the water that was reflecting the blue of the sky beautifully. A noisy group of cyclists passing caused it to fly and, again, it threw a near perfect reflection as it did so.

Little Egret

Little Egret

I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and watched out to sea. Herring, Black-headed and 3 Great Black-backed Gulls were passing by and a single Great Crested Grebe was offshore. A Shelduck flew west and a small flock of 10 Common Scoter on the sea were gently moving eastwards.

Common Scoter

Carrying on towards Reculver I was very pleased to see a Snow Bunting on the shore. It was a fair way away to begin with but gradually moved closer and closer and ended up giving some simply stunning views. To say it lifted my spirits would be putting it mildly.

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

It then moved up onto the sea wall and, again, I really couldn't have asked for nicer views. What an absolute beauty.

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Well chuffed I carried on towards Reculver. I could hear another singing Sedge Warbler but this one stayed more in cover. A flock of 44 Corn Bunting were atop the bushes before flying up and heading towards the oyster farm. At the back a male Marsh Harrier was hunting along the field edge.

Corn Buntings

Corn Buntings

A male Reed Bunting was hassling a pair of Stonechats as I neared the green wall. A couple of Pied Wagtail were active along the shingle and Meadow Pipits flitted from the sea wall to the lower track. A Dunnock was singing away and I couldn't tell if it was blind in one eye or whether perhaps the eye was just in deep shadow. A Wren was also belting out its song a little further along.

Dunnock

Over on the oyster farm a Kestrel was hovering and sent up a small flock of 10 Linnet. While on the shore side a pair of Oystercatchers eyes glowed in the light and their bills and legs shone against the blue reflecting sea. As I neared the towers a single Swallow flew west. It brought a very enjoyable mornings birdwatching to a close.

Oystercatchers

In the afternoon, on the way back from an appointment, we had a short drive through Marshside and finished the day being treated to some nice views of a pair of Little Owls. 

Little Owl

Little Owls

Greenshank, Meds and Terns - Reculver 07/07/19

I headed down to Reculver after work. It was a sunny afternoon with some cloud and a cool east north easterly wind. The tide was in but was on the turn. A few Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls were out to sea while House Sparrows and Starlings were amongst the rocks by the car park and a female Pied Wagtail on the concrete apron below the towers. A Coromorant was fishing off shore and as it dived it fanned its tail wide as it disappeared under water.

Cormorant

Cormorant Diving

The sea wall was closed off as the Army Bomb Disposal team were there. While I was having a wander along the path at the back of the oyster farm they undertook a controlled explosion on the beach which resulted in 6 Little Egrets and 4 Grey Heron flying up from the oyster farm together with 5 Oystercatcher. What I think is a Common Field Grasshopper was playing hide and seek behind a grass stem. As I moved it swivelled round the stem to face me so I never got a view from the back. They are incredible looking insects when seen close up.

Common Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus

Common Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus

Skylarks were singing away and several Reed Warblers were in good voice. A couple of faded Painted Lady butterflies were along the path together with good numbers of Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper butterflies. The Meadow Brown had a tiny secondary white pupil.

Meadow Brown

Gatekeeper

Good numbers of Skipper butterflies were present all along the path, both Small and Essex and it was good to catch up with my first Essex Skippers of the year. While watching one a Common Red Soldier Beetle appeared from the other side of a leaf on which one was resting. I saw 3 Emperor Dragonflies, 1 on the oyster farm and the other two hawking for insects over one of the dykes but otherwise it was very quiet for dragonflies. There were small numbers of Blue-tailed Damselflies here and there.

Essex Skipper

Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva

Black-headed Gulls were resting up on some posts and having a preen. The Grey Herons that had flown up from the oyster farm had settled in one of the fields and 3 of them were perfectly evenly spaced out.

Black-headed Gulls

Grey Herons

One of the Grey Herons from the field flew and headed for the oyster farm. As it approached 3 Little Egret flew up and seemed to take exception to it and shadowed it closely until it dropped down and landed, calling loudly as it did so.

Little Egrets and Grey Heron

I came down off the embankment and headed towards the sea wall. It was very quiet for birds. A Yellow Wagtail called from the field and a Sedge Warbler scolded as I passed. A female Marsh Harrier appeared over the top of the embankment and did an abrupt about turn as it saw me. I could hear Pheasant calling and there was a flurry of wings and 2 male Pheasant flew up from the field before heading in different directions. I couldn't manage much of a photo but was pleased to get it.

male Pheasants

When I reached the sea wall I sat and watched the sea for a while but overall it was very quiet with just a few Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls east and a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls out to sea. A Ringed Plover gave a good view of its underwings as it came into land.

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

I started to make my way back to Reculver and had 2 Little Egret fly past heading east while a couple of Linnet gave some very nice views.

Little Egret

male Linnet

Linnet

I had a scan over the oyster farm but as I turned back I could see 2 Mediterranean Gulls heading east. I only managed to get photos of them from the back as they had already passed me but I was pleased to be able to get anything at all.

Mediterranean Gulls

I dropped down onto the bottom path briefly and had a peep for insects but it was very quiet indeed and I only managed to see a couple of Small Skipper butterflies. I heard the distinctive call of Greenshank and had a couple high over the top of me and flying towards the oyster farm where they came down out of sight. I missed them as they came over as I lost my balance while trying for a photo of them but managed a couple of distant shots as they started to drop down towards the oyster farm. I love the sound of their call.

Greenshank

Greenshank

I came back up onto the sea wall and a little further along had 3 Stonechat, 2 youngsters and a male. Small numbers of Common Tern were heading east and one of the passing tern's bill glowed bright red as the light shown through it.

Common Tern

Common Tern

I also saw several Sandwich Tern flying east with a distant couple pausing to fish on the way.

Sandwich Tern

I had a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls and a few more tern east as I carried on to Reculver but otherwise the rest of the walk back remained very quiet. Time for bird watching has been few and far between recently so I felt lucky to have been able to have had some time out and hopefully it will not be too long before I can again. I finished the visit with a juvenile Black-headed Gull on the oyster farm buildings. After a little while it had a quick fly round to stretch its wings before settling back down again. I found it hard to keep in the frame as it flew but enjoyed trying.

juvenile Black-headed Gull

juvenile Black-headed Gull

juvenile Black-headed Gull

Birds seen this visit include: House Sparrows, Starlings, Wood Pigeons, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 1 Pied Wagtail, Skylarks, 3 Meadow Pipit, 9 Reed Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Bunting, Carrion Crows, 8 Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron, 7 Oystercatcher, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Mute Swan, 15 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 2 Magpie, 4 Pheasant, 5 Linnet, 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 7 Sandwich Tern, 6 Common Tern, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Greenshank, 3 Stonechat, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Redshank,