Mating Ringed Plovers and a Thrush with an Anvil - Reculver to Shuart 05/06/21

I started out from Reculver this morning to the unusual sight of a cyclist on a modern day Penny Farthing bicycle. I hadn't realised that they were still made.

It proved to be a quiet walk up to Coldharbour with just the usual birds seen and only a couple of Great Crested Grebe on an otherwise very quiet sea. A couple of Great Black-backed Gulls flew east and a Lesser Black-backed Gull flew west. A Meadow Pipit at Coldharbour had a bill full of food and a youngster was busily calling for it from a bush at the side of the sea wall as I passed by. Young Meadow Pipit are beautifully marked birds.

Meadow Pipit

young Meadow Pipit

young Meadow Pipit

Two Oystercatchers and a Little Egret were on Coldharbour as I carried on and headed towards Plumpudding. A Coot with 3 youngsters was on the River Wansum. A single Common Tern flew east and a little while later 5 Great Crested Grebe flew west.

Great Crested Grebes

Four Mallard were resting up on Plumpudding and four Pied Wagtail were at the back, as were two Oystercatchers and a couple of Redshank. A pair of Ringed Plover were active on one of the islands. 

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

After a while the male started displaying and with the female responding to him positively he was able to mate.

It continued to be quiet as I headed on towards the stables turn off. A Blackbirds plumage showed well in the flat light.

Blackbird

At the stables a Song Thrush was using a stone in one of the paddocks as its anvil. It took multiple strikes, with the Song Thrush swinging from the position of its head right back, to get enough force before it was able to successfully start to separate the snail from its shell.

Near the railway crossing there was a small moth that I think is a Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana.

Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana

With it still very cloudy, and no sign of the sun yet breaking through, several Azure and Variable Damselflies were resting up amongst the grasses.

Azure Damselfly

Variable Damselfly

I came across a Speckled Bush-cricket and also a Drinker Moth Caterpillar that was still sparkling with dew. While watching those a Goldfinch flew into the bush above me giving an unusually close view.

Speckled Bush-cricket

Drinker Moth Caterpillar

Goldfinch

As I started towards Shuart a small moth fluttered up from the grasses before settling again and I think that it is a Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella.

Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella

I could hear a Mediterranean Gull calling, with the call gradually getting closer, and shortly 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls flew overhead.

adult Mediterranean Gulls

An Ichneumon Wasp was very active amongst the grasses and its white rear feet were particularly noticeable as it flew.

A pretty Alabonia geoffrella Moth was resting up and I saw another couple as I made my way along. They are amazing looking moths from the side.

Alabonia geofrella Moth

Alabonia geofrella Moth

I came across a couple of Nomad Bees and the first one I think one is a Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada Flava. 

?Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava

?Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava

?Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava

The other, I think, is a Marsham's Nomad Bee Nomada marshamella. I am not, though, finding them an easy group to separate but hopefully as I get more experience with them that will improve. In the meantime no doubt I will look back on some of these and realise that I got it wrong. Still, it is fun to try and learn to be able to separate them.

?Marsham's Nomad Bee Nomada marshamella

?Marsham's Nomad Bee Nomada marshamella

I could hear a Common Buzzard calling and a Marsh Harrier was quartering a far field edge. Variable and Azure Damselflies were plentiful and one of the Variable had almost non-existant antehumeal stripes and no post-ocular bar.

Variable Damselfly

I finished the visit with both Rambur's Pied Shieldbug Tritomegas sexmaculatus and a Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis catching my eye.

Rambur's Pied Shieldbug Tritomegas sexmaculatus

Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis

Birds seen this visit included: 8 Blackbird, Starlings, House Sparrows, 9 Linnet, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gulls, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Sandwich Tern west, 2 Kestrel, 7 Swallow, 3 Sand Martin, 8 Mallard, 5 Whitethroat, 7 Meadow Pipits, 3 Carrion Crows, 3 Stonechat, 6 Reed Bunting, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Wren, 4 Oystercatcher, 1 Little Egret, 3 Turnstone, 5 Swift, 2 Mute Swan, 4 Coot including 3 youngsters, 1 Common Tern, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Redshank, 4 Pied Wagtail, Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Dunnock, 3 Robin, 4 Chaffinch, 

Jet-propelled Sanderling, a Wheatear and Swift - Shuart to Reculver 25/04/21

It was cool, overcast and with a brisk north easterly wind when I started out from Shuart this morning. The usual jobs were around the car park area and I paused to enjoy the song of 2 singing Willow Warblers. A sound that is always lovely to hear and all the more amazing when I think of the distance that they have travelled to get here. A Water Rail called as I made my way down the track and a Cetti's Warbler was singing loudly but staying out of sight. A Lapwing was giving any passing Carrion Crow a hard time until they moved on and it relaxed until the next one. Otherwise, overall it remained fairly quiet. As I neared the railway crossing a male Kestrel was perched in one of the bushes and gave some very nice views as I came past. Though it was clearly aware of my presence it appeared settled and making the most of some cover from the wind.

Kestrel

Kestrel

It remained quiet, apart from a very vocal Cetti's Warbler, as I came past the stables and once on the sea wall the wind did not make for a particularly pleasant walk but, still, it was good to be out. 5 Gannet flew east out to sea and I could see 6 Curlew at roost behind Plumpudding. A Snipe flew across from the edge at Plumpudding Island and settled into cover on one of the islands. 18 Redshank were roosting out of the wind on the lee side of another of the islands. I passed a very quiet Coldharbour before settling down for a seat on the sea wall. A large flock of 229 Sanderling flew in before settling down to roost.

Sanderling

Late arrivals gave some very good views as they came in to join the others. They really are beautiful little waders and always very attractive in flight. The wind was not making for a particularly comfortable sit on the wall but views of these little fellas more than made up for it. 

Sanderling

Sanderling

Sanderling

Sanderling

I carried on towards Reculver and had a couple of Sandwich Terns flying east. Keeping the camera steady was proving to be somewhat problematic in the wind but through luck rather than anything else I did manage to keep them in the viewfinder for the odd shot. Not good ones by any means but an enjoyable reminder of the walk.

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

Another sit on the sea wall didn't turn up anything more out to sea but a few more passing Sanderling gave the opportunity for some really nice views. Flying into the strong wind was slowing them just enough to enable me to track them a bit better. Real little beauties.

Sanderling

Sanderling

Sanderling

The morning was brightening as the sun managed to break through at times and the wind seemed to be more easterly now although remained brisk. A couple of Stonechat were swaying on their perches as they sortied for insects. A Ringed Plover was making the most of the little bit of shelter from the wind afforded by some flotsum on the beach.

Ringed Plover

I couldn't see any sign of a Short-eared Owl today. Out to sea 2 Whimbrel flew east. A Black-headed Gull lifted off from the beach amidst a shower of shingle as a wave broke on the shore.

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

They might be birds I see every time I come out but they are still a beautiful sight in full breeding plumage, particularly in flight.

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

As I neared the towers a single Swift flew west and as my first Swift of the year it was a welcome sight.

Swift

Despite a fair few people up at the towers a male Wheatear was at the back of the grassy area and taking advantage of even the limited height afforded by the mole hills. It has taken me a long time to catch up with a Wheatear this spring and made a nice finish to the mornings birding

male Wheatear

male Wheatear

Later in the afternoon I had a short walk along the embankment at Shuart. Whitethroat and Cetti's Warbler were singing away and a Green Sandpiper was at edge of a flooded area in one of the fields.

Green Sandpiper

 A Greylag Goose tucked down amongst the grass was keeping a wary eye out. 

Greylag Goose

It was time to head for home and as I made my way back I glanced sideways to find myself eye to eye with a passing male Marsh Harrier flying low beside the embankment. It was only visible for a moment before disappearing behind the hedge but made a memorable end to the visit.

 

Birds seen this visit included: 2 Robin, 3 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 8 Chaffinch, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Water Rail, 6 Lapwing, Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons, 2 Pheasant, 1 Red-legged Partridge, 5 Goldfinch, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Blackbird, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Sedge Warblers, 1 Reed Warbler, 5 Whitethroat, 1 Kestrel, 6 Pied Wagtail, 7 Meadow Pipit, 2 Corn Bunting, 10 Linnet, 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Gannet east, 6 Curlew, 12 Oystercatcher, 1 Snipe, 18 Redshank, 2 Mallard, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Stonechat, Sanderling 237, 7 Ringed Plover, 1 Marsh Harrier