I started out from Chambers Wall on an overcast morning with a breezy south westerly wind and wandering up the approach road I could hear a single Golden Plover calling in alarm as a Kestrel flew low over one of the fields. A very smart male Marsh Harrier was on the hunt over the far fields but unfortunately remained distant. The hedgerow and car park area were quiet and I could only see a single Robin working its way through one of the bushes and the odd Blackbird. As the Robin moved into the open a gust of wind caught its feathers turning it into an instant fluff ball.
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| Robin |
Two Siskin flew south overhead calling away as they did so. A few more Blackbird and a scolding Wren greeted me as I stopped to check out tiny patches of orange on the ground and found small groups of Orange Peel Fungus. They might be tiny but the colour really catches the eye.
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| Orange Peel Fungus |
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| Orange Peel Fungus |
Plenty of Blackbird were in the hedgerow as I made my way towards the embankment together with 7 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare and a couple of Song Thrush. Some Blue and Great Tits were busily looking for insects and as I came to the end of the hedgerow I could see a Peregrine on a small mound of earth in the field by the railway line. No sooner had I spotted it then so did a Carrion Crow and calling for reinforcements it, and then another joining it, mobbed the Peregrine causing it to move on. A couple of Linnet flew over as I started along the embankment towards Shuart end and a pair of Stonechat were swaying atop the reed edge. A single Mushroom was growing at the side of the track.
A few more Blackbird and a couple of Song Thrush were in the bushes as I made my way along and a small flock of Blue and Great Tits were working there way through. A pair of Stonechat were keeping out of the wind at the edge of one of the fields and perching very low to the ground.
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| Stonechats |
A pair of Little Grebe and a pair of Mallard were on the river as I came up to it together with a pair of Coot. Every now and then one of the Coot would seem to feel that a Little Grebe was just that bit too close and move to chase it whereupon the Little Grebe would instantly dive and surface a safe distance away before gradually working its way back towards the Coot and the whole thing would be repeated. Finally the Little Grebes moved a little further away and peace ruled.
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| Little Grebes |
Eighty-seven Lapwing were on the flooded portion of the field with all of them facing into the wind.
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| Lapwing |
I couldn't see any Snipe tucked in with the Lapwing today but moving along a little I could get a better view of the rest of the flooded area, through a gap in the hedgerow, and as I scanned along I saw more and more Snipe ending up seeing 14 in total. I had hoped I might be able to pick up a Jack Snipe but couldn't manage to find one but it will certainly be worth keeping an eye on.
A single Redshank was also working its way from flooded area to flooded area.
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| Redshank |
A single Siskin called as it flew west as I carried on and on the next flooded field the only occupant appeared to be a Black-headed Gull. A flock of c320 Brent Geese formed an almost perfect ellipse in one of the fields near the sea wall.
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| Brent Geese |
The 9 Red-legged Partridge were in the same area I saw them on the last visit and were tucked in keeping out of the wind with just one adventurous one off for a wander.
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| Red-legged Partridge |
There wasn't anything unexpected as I headed past the stables. The tide was coming in quite fast when I reached the sea wall but there wasn't a wader to be seen on the remaining exposed shore as it was crowded instead with people. A Common Gull was off-shore but otherwise the walk to Plumpudding remained quiet. Out to sea the windy conditions had attracted Kite Surfers and Sail Boarders.
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The pair of Mute Swan on Plumpudding Island were busily tucking into vegetation they were bringing up from just below the surface of the water.
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| Mute Swans |
As I carried on towards Coldharbour a Merlin came in off the sea and shot past giving a brief view as it did so. Out to sea 7 Common Scoter were bobbing around a good ways out.
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| Merlin |
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| Common Scoter |
I could see 31 Oystercatchers and 1 Curlew were on the beach at the back of Coldharbour as I headed round along the sea wall. There was a single Redshank and a Little Egret on Coldharbour and I could see 2 Mallard and a couple of Gadwall out to sea while sitting on the sea wall. A Grey Plover was on the shore and behind me the sun breaking through the clouds into beams looked spectacular.
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| Grey Plover |
I had a wander along for a little way and then had another sit on the sea wall for a while. Waders were moving to roost with Turnstone and Ringed Plover heading past. A single Dunlin was tucked in with both flocks. Off-shore a pair of Shelduck were gradually moving further out to sea.
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| Shelduck |
From the next sit on the sea wall waders were still on the move with some Oystercatchers giving a close fly past and a flock of c100 Sanderling with a single Dunlin amongst them heading for roost.
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Sanderling and Dunlin |
I could see a couple of distant Gannet heading east as I made my way towards Reculver and a male Marsh Harrier was quartering over the fields. I wonder if it is the same one that I saw earlier.
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| male Marsh Harrier |
The Mallard and Gadwall lifted off from the sea and after a quick circular flight headed off east towards Coldharbour.
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| Mallard and Gadwall |
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| Mallard and Gadwall |
Oystercatchers were on the move during my final sit on the sea wall before reaching Reculver and were an impressive sight, as always, and brought the visit to an end nicely.
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| Oystercatchers |
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| Oystercatchers |
Birds seen this visit included: 8 Robin, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Kestrel, 2 Meadow Pipit, Skylarks, 4 Mute Swan, 1 Pheasant, Wood Pigeons, 37 Blackbird, 3 Siskin 2 south 1 west, 3 Dunnock, 3 Wren, 6 Blue Tit, 5 Great Tit, 7 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 11 Magpie, 4 Song Thrush, 1 Peregrine, 6 Stonechat, 2 Linnet, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Coot, 4 Mallard, 87 Lapwing, 14 Snipe, 9 Red-legged Partridge, 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Common Gull, 239 Oystercatcher, 5 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Merlin, 7 Common Scoter, 1 Curlew, 1 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 2 Gadwall, 1 Grey Plover, 35 Turnstone, 88 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin, 2 Shelduck, 2 Gannet east,
