Sandwich Terns, Gannets and a Red-breasted Merganser - Shuart to Reculver 06/11/20

I headed back to Shuart on a beautifully sunny morning and from the approach road could see a large group of 27 Red-legged Partridge in one of fields. They glowed in the early morning light and the few nearer the road scuttled to the edge of the hedgerow as we came down and peeped out before moving back to the others and continuing feeding.

Red-legged Partridge

It seemed fairly quiet from the car park area with just the usual suspects present. A couple of Ring-necked Parakeet flew over calling and a pair of Magpies were scolding at something I couldn't see. Skylarks were above and a couple of Robin were in the midst of a territory disagreement. As I headed towards the track a single Stock Dove peeped down at me.

Stock Dove

Making my way down the track I saw a flock of 7 Redwing fly over and I enjoyed watching the odd Goldcrest that I came across. It continued to have a fairly quiet feel to it today but was a beautiful morning for a walk through. Another 10 Red-legged Partridge were at the back of one of the fields and a Water Rail was vocal. I could hear alarm calls and through a small gap between the bushes I caught sight of the Hen Harrier but by the time I reached a gap in the hedgerow there was no sign. It is certainly a beautiful bird. The moon was still very visible in the blue sky and looked stunning.

Moon

I had heard four Cetti's Warbler in total by the time I reached the railway line and 28 Stock Doves were over in one of the fields. The two Stonechat were once again in the area of the crossing. From the stables I could see 14 Redwing in one of the paddocks and another 2 Cetti's Warblers were vocal. 15 Corn Bunting were calling from the bushes. As I reached the sea wall a Great Black-backed Gull flew over with the light really catching its eye.

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

The tide was a good way out when I reached the sea wall and I could see 120 Oystercatchers stretched out along the shore. 10 Great Black-backed Gulls were loafing around and a single Dunlin was busily feeding. A Curlew flew east out to sea and 15 Sanderling were at the waters edge. Out to sea appeared quiet with just a single Great Crested Grebe offshore. I came across a group of Oystercatchers that had been attracted to the same small pool of water and they were almost exactly evenly spaced out.

Oystercatchers

As I headed towards Plumpudding I caught up with a small mix of waders and far out to sea I could see 2 Sandwich Tern fishing. I am going to miss watching those. The light caught a Mute Swan's eye as it came past and highlighted its feathers beautifully. 5 Common Gulls were on the shore and out to sea 3 Gannet headed east.

Mute Swan

A flock of 94 Mallard came in to land out to sea and I could see 3 Wigeon in amongst them. 240 Brent Geese also flew in and are always a very welcome sight. They tend to be a bit of a show stopper as well with quite a few people on the sea wall pausing to watch them come in. 

Brent Geese

Plumpudding Island proved to be very quiet and I could not see the Snipe today. A beautiful male Stonechat looked stunning in the light and I enjoyed watching it for a while.

Stonechat

On the way to Coldharbour I could see 12 Gannet flying west in small groups and 4 Brent Geese gave a flypast with the light beautifully highlighting their wings. 

Brent Geese

Coldharbour was deserted but the disturbance from walkers along the shingle bank was high. A Cetti's Warbler was calling from the other side of the sea wall but otherwise all was quiet. A Mushroom was growing amongst the vegetation on the shingle by the sea wall. I am not sure at the moment which it is.

Mushroom

I headed on towards the green bank and off shore I could see another couple of Great Crested Grebe and a Red-throated Diver but otherwise it stayed quite quiet. 29 Golden Plover flew up from one of the fields.

Golden Plover

Another Cetti's Warbler was calling as I carried on towards Reculver and I could hear the Water Rail calling from the dyke in front of the oyster farm. I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and out to sea 5 Gannet flew west.

Gannet

A Little Egret flew over the oyster farm but I could not see any Short-eared Owls today. A couple of Redshank alarm called. A single Shelduck was off shore and glowed in the sunlight.

Shelduck

I had a final sit on the sea wall just before I reached Reculver and watched out to sea for a while. It proved to very quiet with just another couple of Gannet west. Having watched for a while with nothing much happening I got my phone out to arrange a pick up from Reculver and a Red-breasted Merganser flew east. It is amazing how often a good bird waits until you have your hands full. By the time I had managed to put the phone down and get the camera on it the Merganser had flown well east. It has been a difficult and painful week and sometimes frustration gets the better of me and I lose my sense of humour briefly and this was definitely one of those moments. Luckily it only ever lasts for a couple of minutes but I can probably fit a years worth of swear words in, in that time, which is not good. Ah well. It was a lovely bird to end the visit with and though the photo does not do it credit it gives me a good memory shot and I was grateful to have seen it.

Red-breasted Merganser

Birds seen this visit included: 37 Red-legged Partridge, 4 Grey Heron, 5 Magpie, Skylarks, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 10 Robin, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, 21 Chaffinch, 29 Stock Dove, 27 Blackbird, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Wood Pigeons, 4 Wren, 5 Goldfinches, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 13 Redwing, 7 Goldcrest, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Kestrel, 2 Jay, 12 Fieldfare, 2 Water Rail, 1 Hen Harrier, 1 Mistle Thrush, 4 Song Thrush, 7 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Reed Bunting, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Mute Swan, 10 Stonechat, 1 Dunnock, 11 Pied Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipit, 15 Corn Bunting, 13 Great Black-backed Gull, 120 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew, 1 Dunlin, 15 Sanderling, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 25 Ringed Plover, 8 Turnstone, 2 Grey Plover, 6 Common Gull, 22 Gannet, 2 Sandwich Tern, 94 Mallard, 3 Wigeon, 1 Shelduck, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Little Egret, 2 Redshank, 1 Red-breasted Merganser

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

A Red-breasted Merganser - Reculver 06/01/19

I had a late afternoon walk along the sea wall today, after work. It was a dull, overcast day but it was nice not to have any strong wind. I was really hoping to catch up with a Short-eared Owl but despite trying really hard I did not have any luck.

The sea appeared to be very quiet and I could only see some Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls resting on the water and I had a single Shelduck flying west. There was still a Common Gull on the grass by the towers.

I had 2 Little Grebes in one of the dykes on the oyster farm and tried for some photos even though the light was so bad. They are lovely little birds and full of character. There were some Mute Swans in the far fields but I could not see the Black Swan today.

Little Grebe

I had a walk up as far as the green bank. There was not any sign of owls or birds of prey. A couple of Redshank alarm called and one flew over and landed on the shore. As the tide fell a tiny speck of land was exposed and a pair of Oystercatcher had quite a squabble over it. I saw a bird flying east and grabbed some shots and was chuffed to see that I had a female Red-breasted Merganser (72).

Red-breasted Merganser

I walked back as it was getting dark. The glow from Thanet Earth looks quite spooky, giving a deep orange glow. I did try for some photos but they do not really do it justice. Still, it does make a memory shot. I also saw a pair of Mute Swan again, in the same dyke that I had seen the Little Grebe.

Thanet Earth

Mute Swans

I was pleased to have had at least a little time out, even if I had not managed to see very much, it was good to have a walk.

Birds I saw this visit included: Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, Blackbird, Starling, House Sparrow, 3 Redshank, 8 Mute Swan, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Oystercatcher, 15 Linnet, 1 Shelduck, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, Robin, Kestrel