Russian White-fronted Geese, Barnacle Geese and a Hungry Merlin - Shuart to Reculver 10/12/20

It was very overcast as I headed to Shuart this morning but it was good to be out particularly as it was likely to be my last chance for coming bird watching until the end of December. Though it appeared to be fairly quiet over all I enjoyed hearing and seeing what I could as I made my way along the track and caught up with most of the usual jobs. I paused to watch a mixed flock of Tits, captivated as always by the antics of the Long-tailed Tits. A Water Rail called and coming to one of the gaps in the hedgerow I could see a flock of 152 Russian White-fronted Geese making the most of one of the harvested Sweetcorn fields.

Russian White-fronted Geese

I could see both a Marsh Harrier and a Common Buzzard up over the far fields and a Golden Plover that had been disturbed flew over calling. A couple of Brent Geese flew over before heading back towards the sea. Some of the White-fronts were surprisingly close to the path and allowed some very good views through the various gaps in the hedgerow. There was something very special about being able to see them so close and so many. 

Russian White-fronted Geese

Russian White-fronted Geese

The geese were moving to various areas of the fields, sometimes in smaller groups, sometimes a large number of them moving at once. As I came to the end of the hedgerow some of them were surprisingly close to the path and I was worried about disturbing them but as it turned out they seemed to be totally unconcerned by anyone passing by on the path. Several dog walkers headed past but the most the geese would do would be to raise their heads and have a look before resuming feeding again. As I carried on along the path I was treated to some of the best views of White-fronted Geese I have ever had. The day was proving to be quite an experience.

Russian White-fronted Geese

A single Brent Goose was also in the field with them but was keeping to itself at the side.

Brent Goose

It was nice to be able to catch up with the two Barnacle Geese again and they also seemed remarkably unconcerned by any activity on the path enabling some great views of them.

Barnacle Geese

Barnacle Geese

Barnacle Geese

It was time to make a move but hard to tear myself away. There is something magical about the sight and sounds of so many geese. Five Redshank flew past and settled down into the same field as the geese, near some standing water. 

Redshank

A Stonechat popped up as I came up to the railway line and I could see some Red-legged Partridge along the back edge of one of the fields. Heading past the stables it was surprisingly quiet apart from a couple of vocal Dunnocks and a few Starling and House Sparrows. A Pied Wagtail flew over as I came up onto the sea wall and a Little Egret was on the shore with a couple of Redshank and a Sanderling. It remained fairly quiet out to sea as I made my way towards Coldharbour with 2 Red-throated Divers east and 104 Mallard and 18 Common Scoter a good ways off shore. Cormorants had collected on the various rocks and were moving back to the water as the tide went out.

Cormorant

Cormorant

Three Great Crested Grebes were off shore and I came across a small mix of waders as I made my along.

Great Crested Grebes

Coldharbour was very quiet apart from a single Redshank who was throwing a clear reflection but who was looking pretty much as cold as I felt.

Redshank

On nearing the green wall a male Merlin was trying for a Skylark and a couple of times I thought it was going to catch it but each time the Skylark evaded it. It was amazing watching them and seeing how much effort and energy the Merlin had to put into trying to catch it, coming at it from all angles and the speed of the chase. In the end the Merlin had to admit defeat and headed off to try its luck elsewhere.
 

Merlin and Skylark

Merlin and Skylark

Merlin and Skylark

The lone Brent Goose was investigating the rocks near the towers as I reached Reculver. 

Brent Goose

Coming up past the towers a hovering Kestrel dropped to make a successful catch before flying off with it and bringing the visit to a close.

Kestrel

Kestrel with prey

Birds seen this visit included: Great Tits, Blue Tits, Wood Pigeons, 3 Wren, 6 Chaffinch, 29 Blackbird, 2 Robin, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 12 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Moorhen, 1 Golden Plover, 6 Magpie, 2 Pheasant, 152 White-fronted Geese, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Redwing, 1 Water Rail, 380 Brent Geese, 2 Barnacle Geese, 1 Marsh Harrier, 5 Mute Swan, 2 Common Buzzard, Carrion Crows, 5 Stonechat, 2 Reed Bunting, 10 Red-legged Partridge, 2 Dunnock, 5 Pied Wagtail, Starlings, House Sparrows, 1 Little Egret, 14 Oystercatcher, Cormorants, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Sanderling, 9 Redshank, 2 Red-throated Diver east, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Kestrel, 104 Mallard, 18 Common Scoter, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Curlew, 1 Grey Plover, 11 Turnstone, 6 Ringed Plover, 1 Merlin, Skylarks, 1 Short-eared Owl 

Russian White-fronted Geese and a Black Redstart - Reculver 04/12/20

I was able to pay Reculver a visit this afternoon with the intention of just a short wander along the sea wall. I could see a Merlin out to sea and a Great Crested Grebe was off shore, as were 3 Shelduck. A couple of Meadow Pipits were busy along the shore and as I came up to the oyster farm a Black Redstart was having a wash and brush up in a puddle. It had no sooner started when a Robin spotted it and chased it further along the sea wall. Each time the Black Redstart tried to return it was chased off again by the Robin. Eventually it moved further along the sea wall and I was lucky enough to catch up with it again as I made my way along. They are beautiful birds but clearly not so much to the local Robins.

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and though it remained quite quiet out to sea a flock of 17 Grey Plover and a couple of Dunlin flew west and a single Gannet flew east. Carrying on I stopped to admire a Redshank on the lower track with the light shining from behind causing its legs to positively glow and highlighting its feathers as it did a wing stretch.

Redshank

Redshank

With walking not a strong point today I had another sit on the sea wall and enjoyed watching a Grey Plover as it made its way along the shore. They are beautifully marked birds with such a distinctive way of walking.

Grey Plover

Initially I had planned to carry on along the sea wall for a bit further but caught sight of some geese go up briefly at the back of the oyster farm and decided to see if I could catch up with them. They turned out to be quite a flighty flock of 75 Russian White-fronted Geese which would settle in some of the far fields for a little while before taking to the air again and moving to another field. It did however give the chance for some nice flight views as they moved from field to field.

Russian White-fronted Geese

Russian White-fronted Geese

Russian White-fronted Geese

I headed back to the sea wall and on the way came across a flock of 135 Corn Bunting moving from the oyster farm to the fields. On reaching the sea wall the Redshank was still making the most of the puddles and wet ground along the lower track and proving very adept at catching small food items.

Redshank

Redshank

As I made my way back to Reculver I was pleased to see a Short-eared Owl, even if only very briefly, at the back of the oyster farm and out to sea a group of 11 Great Crested Grebes resting a good ways off shore together made a striking sight. I finished the visit with an obliging Stonechat perching on a back lit Teasel.

Stonechat

Red-throated Divers, Greylag Geese and a Hungry Little Egret - Shuart to Reculver 26/11/20

It was a very overcast morning when I arrived at Shuart but with next to no wind. A flock of mixed Tits were working their way through the trees, calling noisily and moving rapidly from tree to tree. A couple of Ring-necked Parakeet were vocal and provided a welcome flash of colour on a grey and dingy morning.

Ring-necked Parakeet

Wandering down the track I could see 3 Little Egrets busily feeding at the edge of the vegetation cleared from one of the dykes as I came up to a break in the hedgerow. At the back of the same field 7 Greylag Geese were resting up in groups of 4 and 3. They instantly became very alert as a passing dog walker's dogs started barking.

Little Egrets

Greylag Geese

As I carried on down the track both a Water Rail and a Cetti's Warbler were vocal and I could hear Blackbirds alarm calling from the back of the hedgerow but I couldn't see at what. However all became clear when first a Blackbird, and then a Sparrowhawk in hot pursuit, exploded out from the hedgerow and disappeared through the opposite side. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into the top of one of the trees and was promptly mobbed by a flock of 5 Meadow Pipits who flew up from the field edge to intercept it and were soon joined by another 4. The Great Spotted Woodpecker moved down and to the other side of the tree and peace reigned once again as the Meadow Pipits presumably decided that was far enough away. I was surprised at how quickly they responded to its presence, particularly as it is outside the breeding season.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Good numbers of Blackbird were making the most of the berries together with 1 Fieldfare and 6 Redwing. A single Goldcrest peeped out and a pair of Mistle Thrush looked very smart in the flat light. As I came up to the railway line 17 Red-legged Partridge were along a field edge while a Common Buzzard was up at the back following the edge of a distant field. It was fairly quiet as I came past the stables with just the usual jobs present. The manure heaps were proving to be good growing grounds for small groups of mushrooms.

Amongst the flock of House Sparrows there was a smart male with a much darker grey/brown crown than the other males and from some views I almost wondered if it could be a hybrid of sorts. Its cheeks were very white with a strong dusky patch. I can only think that it must be in a different stage of moult than the other males round it who still had very pale grey crowns and much less black on their breasts and not so much contrast on their cheeks.

darker crowned male House Sparrow

darker crowned male House Sparrow

paler crowned male House Sparrow

On reaching the sea wall the tide was mostly in and 30 Redshank were strung along the shore.

Redshank

Turnstone were also roosting and disputes were breaking out regularly between the birds on the groyne as new birds tried to join  and were unceremonially pushed off by the sitting birds. A single Redshank amongst them was no more tolerant of arriving birds dropping in close to it than the Turnstones. The birds on the shore appeared to be much more settled. 

Turnstones

A few Oystercatchers were a little further along and one of them was having a very enthusiastic wash and brush up by ducking down as the waves came in and allowing them to wash right over it. Afterwards it was time for a quick rearranging of its feathers to ensure all was at it should be.

Oystercatcher

Oystercatcher

Oystercatcher

As I approached Plumpudding I could see good numbers of Oystercatcher and Sanderling on the wader roost together with 20 Curlew and 8 Grey Plover. 320 Brent Geese flew over and landed on the sea. Plumpudding itself was quiet and a Mute Swan flying in to join its mate landed on the water which is an impressive sight and always shows superb control for such a large bird.

Mute Swan

As I made my way along to Coldharbour the cloud formation shapes were interesting and even on such an overcast day the tones and hints of colour in the greys were beautiful.

Four Common Scoter were off shore and a single Bar-tailed Godwit flew west. A flock of 9 Red-throated Divers were my first divers of the day and came as a very nice surprise. 

Red-throated Divers

Coldharbour was quite with just a few Redshank and a Little Egret. The Little Egret gave some great reflections as it hunted, paddling the mud with its foot causing bubbles to rise to the surface.

Little Egret

Little Egret

Little Egret

Little Egret

Another Water Rail was calling just past Coldharbour and as I neared the oyster farm a Short-eared Owl came up briefly at the back before landing in cover again. A single Brent Goose was on the rocks and was the second lone bird that I had seen today as there was also a lone bird in one of the fields.

Brent Goose

A Kestrel hovering over the oyster farm was once again giving a masterclass in remaining stationary and the fully fanned tail was a lovely sight.

Kestrel

Two Red-throated Divers flew east and another was off-shore as I neared the towers. I enjoyed watching a couple of Stonechat and they made a nice end to the visit.

Stonechat

Stonechat

Birds seen this visit included: 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Kestrel, 4 Wren, 9 Robin, 3 Dunnock, 5 Chaffinch, Wood Pigeons, 7 Stock Doves, 10 Magpie, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Common Buzzard, 10 Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tit, Great Tits, 45 Blackbird, 7 Little Egret, 7 Greylag Geese, 2 Water Rail, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 9 Meadow Pipit, 1 Jay, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Pheasant, 17 Red-legged Partridge, 1 Goldcrest, 6 Redwing, 19 Mute Swan, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Coot, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Curlew, 5 Stonechat, 2 Brent Geese, 4 Greenfinch, 3 Pied Wagtail, 7 Goldfinch, 6 Chaffinch, House Sparrows, 40 Redshank, 45 Turnstone, 96 Oystercatcher, 70 Sanderling, 20 Curlew, 8 Grey Plover, 8 Ringed Plover, 4 Common Scoter, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Red-throated Diver, 7 Great Black-backed Gull,