Jewelled Spiders Webs and a Leucistic Goldfinch - Reculver to Chambers Wall 23/10/20

It was a still and fine morning with some mist when I arrived at Reculver and the sea was almost mirror calm. Three Pied Wagtail were at the base of the promenade and another couple around the towers. It appeared to be very quiet out to sea with just a few Herring and Black-headed Gulls going past. A flock of 25 Starling flew west followed shortly after by 4 Meadow Pipit. The dew on the spiders webs on the railings looked amazing with each droplet reflecting the light, perfect spheres hung from gleaming threads.

Dew on Spiders Web

As I headed towards the oyster farm the mist appeared to be thickening but the wind was also starting to pick up and it seemed likely that it would clear soon.

Out to sea an immature Mute Swan showed the striking contrast between its white and brown feathering as it flapped its wings a few times before settling down again, its underwing was whitish compared to its upperwing.

immature Mute Swan

Flocks of Chaffinch were coming through and heading west and 6 Crossbill also flew west calling loudly and were a welcome sound. The tide was starting to go out slowly and a few Oystercatcher flew east and 5 Turnstone flew down from the rocks. A Kingfisher flashed blue as it dived into one of the lagoons on the oyster farm and appeared to be successful, returning to the bank with its catch. Flocks of Cormorants were starting to come over heading out to sea as the tide continued to fall.

Cormorants

Everywhere I looked there were spiders webs shining with dew droplets. In some bushes there were so many and so close together that it is a wonder that any insect can negotiate the bush without getting caught in one. Presumably, although the webs are close together, the spiders must each get enough food to enable them to survive despite the competition.

Spiders Web

Spiders Webs

Spiders Web

Spiders Webs

A female Sparrowhawk flew at ground level through the oyster farm and caused panic and disarray amongst the House Sparrows and Reed Buntings as it suddenly lifted up, banked sharply and then shot through the top of the bushes they were in scattering birds in all directions. It missed and returned to ground level before launching another surprise attack up on the green bank. Once again it appeared to miss and without a pause carried on through. A juvenile Redshank, clearly unsettled, flew over from the oyster farm alarm calling and landed on the shore briefly looking round nervously, its orange legs glowing in the sunshine. As the alarm calls subsided on the oyster farm it flew back over 

Redshank

As I made my way along a flock of 12 Goldfinch flew in and started feeding on the Teasels beside the sea wall. They are beautiful birds and I enjoyed watching the one closest to me delicately extracting the seeds, its bill design perfect for the job

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

A little further on a flash of white caught my eye and a striking leucistic Goldfinch perched briefly. It was a beautiful bird with much of the normal brown feathering replaced with white.

leucistic Goldfinch

It flew further along and walking on I came across it again feeding on some Teasels. It really was a little beauty. It was ringed but I couldn't make anything out on the ring.

leucistic Goldfinch

leucistic Goldfinch

leucistic Goldfinch

A Water Rail was calling from the dyke by the green bank and at one point it sounded as if two might have been calling. I couldn't be sure though so I have only recorded one. A Snipe called as it flew up briefly over the oyster farm. A flock of 57 Golden Plover had flown up from the back and flew around for a while before feeling secure enough to land again. I could not see what raptor had put them up.

Golden Plover

I had a sit on the sea wall for a while just before Coldharbour and a Curlew and a Grey Plover were on the mussel bed that was being gradually exposed as the tide fell. 102 Mallard flew over and landed on the sea. A Rock Pipit was on one of the groynes and fiercely defended his domain successfully chasing Meadow Pipit off but 3 Pied Wagtail proved to be too much for it and it had to give way when they chased it this way and that. Once they had moved on it was back to defending its territory.

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

I headed for Chambers Wall and as I came up to the railway line a Cetti's Warbler was calling and flocks of Starling and Chaffinch continued to move west. A couple of Redpoll flew west calling away and above the air was alive with Skylark calls. As I crossed the railway line a female/immature Marsh Harrier briefly appeared above the embankment behind me as it was mugged by a Carrion Crow before disappearing from sight. Making my way up the track I had another 12 Redpoll fly west overhead. The odd Migrant Hawker was on the wing and Common Darter. 2 Mute Swan were on the river.

Mute Swan

I came across a tiny mushroom that was only about 3-4mm across at its widest point. It really was tiny but perfectly formed. There was only one and I don't know what it is at the moment but hopefully will be able to work out it out in time.

Mushroom

A very light shower of rain briefly fell resulting in a weak rainbow against a very blue sky.

Rainbow

As I walked down the road to the pick up point I finished the visit with views of 2 Common Buzzard and a Merlin, raptors at the opposite ends of the size spectrum, which made a nice end to the visit.

Birds seen this visit included: 17 Pied Wagtail, 10 Blackbird, 2 Kestrel, 30 Meadow Pipit, 723 Starling west, 3 Mute Swan, Cormorants, 259 Chaffinch, 8 Redshank, Skylarks, 6 Crossbill, 7 Oystercatcher, 12 Turnstone, 10 Magpie, 2 Grey Heron, 9 Wren, Carrion Crows, House Sparrows, 14 Reed Bunting, 6 Corn Bunting, 6 Crossbill, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Sparrowhawk, 17 Goldfinch including 1 leucistic, 1 Water Rail, 1 Snipe, 2 Stonechat, 4 Blue Tit, 5 Robin, 57 Golden Plover, 1 Little Egret, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Curlew, 1 Rock Pipit, 102 Mallard, 8 Mute Swan, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 2 Great Tit, 2 Redwing,  14 Redpoll west, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Merlin 

 

Gannets, Teal Encounter and a Shortie - Reculver 11/10/20

I came down to Reculver after work and thought I would try for a short wander along the sea wall. There was a cold north westerly breeze with sunny intervals and the tide was on the way out. As I came to the pumping station I could see a Kingfisher tucked in out of the wind and out to sea Black-headed and Herring Gulls were moving to and fro while a good way out a couple of Curlew flew west. A Stonechat popped up next to the sea wall and its eye glinted in the light.

Stonechat

I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and had 4 Gannet east and and another 4 west. From the ages of the first bird I saw they appeared to be different birds rather than the same ones coming back but as I saw more it became difficult to know so I have just recorded as east or west. 

Gannets

Five Common Gulls flew east in a couple of groups and 6 Great Black-backed Gulls. A single Brent Goose flew west coming reasonably close in.

Brent Goose

I could see a small duck coming, close in to shore, that was being pursued by a juvenile Herring Gull. The gull broke off but the duck kept coming and gave some nice views of its wing pattern before coming down on the sea close by. It was a gorgeous Teal and a lot closer than I normally see them at sea.

Teal

Teal

It settled down for a preen and seemed at home amongst the waves.

Teal

It looked so small as the waves came towards it but appeared to take them in its stride using two approaches. It either turned sideways and rode the wave in or faced it head on and took briefly to the air to glide over it.

Teal tackling waves

Teal tackling waves

Teal eying up the next wave

Teal tackling wave with a different approach

After a while more preening it moved off, its speculum changing colour depending on the angle of the light. I had thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

Teal

Teal

Teal

It was time to head for home. 55 Mallard flew out to sea and settled on the water near Coldharbour.

Mallards

The largest flock of Gannet I had seen during the visit headed east with nine birds in the flock.

Gannets

On the way back a single Short-eared Owl was up over the oyster farm which was a welcome sight. Though it remained distant it gave some lovely views as the light shone through its wings.

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

As I neared Reculver a partial Rainbow glowed faintly in the dark clouds above and another Gannet flew east reasonably close in.

Rainbow

Gannet

Up by the towers another couple of Common Gull were in amongst the Black-headed Gulls with one being almost unconcerned by passers by and remaining fairly close.

Common Gull

Common Gull

Starlings were using the tower ruins as a launch pad down to the grassy areas and the air was full of their constant whistles and chatter.

Starlings

Starlings

Starling

I finished the visit by watching the rain showers moving through out to sea and enjoying the ever changing scene of the clouds as they came over.

Rain showers out to sea

Birds seen this visit included: 1 Kingfisher, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 3 Curlew, 4 Stonechat, 8 Gannet, 32 east, 11 west, 1 Oystercatcher, 7 Common Gull, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Brent Goose, 2 Rock Pipit, 7 Redshank, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Kestrel, Starlings 

Wheatears, Rainbows and Fishing Terns - Reculver to Coldharbour 24/09/20

I headed for Reculver early afternoon and had a walk up to Coldharbour. Rain was threatening but I started out in some sunshine with a breezy south westerly wind. A Little Egret was flying over as I came past the towers and a pair of Pied Wagtail were on the rocks by the start of the sea wall.

Pied Wagtail

Out to sea appeared quiet with just a few Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls around. A single Sand Martin flew west with 3 House Martin and 5 Swallow. Meadow Pipits were calling here and there and 2 Kestrel were hovering over the oyster farm. A Common Blue Butterfly was being buffeted by the wind, as it tried to make its way along, and landed for a rest on the shingle before carrying on.

Common Blue Butterfly

The shore was quiet apart from a couple of Redshank and 4 Turnstone. A single Sandwich Tern made its way west while on the oyster farm a Sparrowhawk surveyed proceedings from one of the posts.

Sparrowhawk

A Pied Wagtail on the shore was making the most of any Cranefly that it could find tucked down amongst the shingle. No sooner had it dispatched one then it was off looking for its next prey item.

Pied Wagtail eating Cranefly

Pied Wagtail eating Cranefly

Pied Wagtail

Small groups of Meadow Pipits were actively feeding amongst the low vegetation on the shingle while always on the look out for danger.

Meadow Pipit

I did well for Wheatear today. Two were in their normal area but it was nice to see another 3 further along towards Coldharbour. One was particularly confiding and did not seemed at all phased by the people going past along the sea wall. 

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear

I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and a Rock Pipit gradually worked its way closer as it searched for food. A Meadow Pipit was equally confiding. 

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

Meadow Pipit

The Rock Pipit moved to the other side of a groyne before reappearing with a Cranefly. Overhead another small group of House Martin and Swallow moved west.

Rock Pipit

Out to sea rain clouds were on the move and as the sun broke through I was treated to a changing display of partial rainbows, never forming more than half of the bow but beautiful all the same. The double rainbow did not last long and instead of a pot of gold a ship was at the end of one of the rainbows.

Rainbow

Double Rainbow

Rainbow

It was time to head for home and on the way I saw a good mix of waders with 3 Knot and 2 Bar-tailed Godwit west and Dunlin, Turnstone, Redshank and Ringed Plover along the shore. 35 Oyystercatcher also flew west and 30 Mallard were out to sea.

Oystercatchers

I enjoyed watching the Stonechats that were busy at various points on the walk back and I was never walked far before seeing Pied Wagtail or Meadow Pipit on the shore. Small groups of Sandwich Tern were feeding offshore and I sat at various points along the sea wall to watch them. They made a nice end to the visit. As one shook the water off its head after fishing, with its head turned upwards it almost created the illusion of it flying upside down.

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

Birds seen this visit included: 5 Little Egret, 17 Pied Wagtail, 20 Meadow Pipit, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 1 Sand Martin, 11 House Martin, 12 Swallow, 3 Kestrel, 45 Oystercatcher, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Wren, 4 Redshank, 35 Turnstone, 5 Wheatear, 18 Sandwich Tern, 3 Corn Bunting, 11 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Coot, 30 Mallard, 25 Linnet, 5 Stonechat, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Knot,