An Obliging Cetti's Warbler and a Hungry Gull - Reculver to Chambers Wall 04/06/21

With a north westerly wind and the threat of rain coming later I headed round the towers at Reculver on a sunny morning with rapidly building cloud. Four Swift were hawking for insects above and the song of Blackcap drifted over from the far hedgerow. As I started along the sea wall a Herring Gull flew in clutching a fish in its bill and landed on the beach. The fish was rolled and appeared to be a cut piece of raw fish rather than a freshly caught fish.

Herring Gull and fish

Herring Gull and fish

A passing immature Herring Gull spotted it instantly and pursued the adult who dropped down onto the sea and despite the size of the rolled piece of fish it somehow managed to mostly swallow it. As it tried to lift off it managed to completely swallow it but it appeared to be stuck in its throat, showing as a visible bulge, and the gull was clearly finding it difficult to gain height. Moments later the bulge in its throat had gone and it settled back down onto the sea, presumably to give it a chance to digest its meal a bit. The immature Herring Gull tried dive bombing a couple of times but seeing no further sign of the fish went to try its luck elsewhere. 

A pair of Tufted Duck flew up from the oyster farm and headed inland and a little while later another headed in the same direction. 2 Marsh Harrier, a male and a female were up at the back while out to sea a distant Fulmar flew east. A few Swallow were hawking for insects and Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler were in good song as I made my way to Coldharbour. Two Dunnock were chasing each other through one of the bushes by the sea wall and a single Great Crested Grebe was on the sea. The Yellow Horned Poppies were in flower giving vivid splashes of colour amongst the shingle.

Yellow Horned Poppy

Yellow Horned Poppy

A Sandwich Tern was out to sea and 2 Fulmar flew east as I approached Coldharbour while on Coldharbour itself there were a couple of Redshank and 3 Little Egrets. A pair of Oystercatchers were calling noisily from the shingle bank at the back and briefly mated. A male Tufted Duck was in its usual spot on the dyke opposite.

Tufted Duck

I tried again to see or hear a Grasshopper Warbler but unfortunately still didn't have any success. It really is turning into a bogey bird for me this year and I am proving to be particularly inept at catching up with one. Still, never say never, it may still happen. More of the darker patch of Salsify were in flower and very attractive.

Salsify

Salsify

Salsify

A small Snail showed a beautiful branching pattern on its semi-translucent shell as it made its way along a stem.

Snail

Snail

A micro moth was resting up and on looking it up, once I got home, I think that it is a Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana.

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana

I could hear a Mediterranean Gull calling and a few moments later two adult Meditereranean Gulls flew over heading out to sea.

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull

I was lucky that the rain had skirted round me so far but with the sky looking more threatening I decided to head for Chambers Wall. A Nomada Bee was resting up and I think that it may be a Marsham's Nomad Bee Nomada marshamella but I never got complete views of the pattern on its abdomen.

? Marsham's Nomad Bee Nomada marshamella

? Marsham's Nomad Bee Nomada marshamella

I met Chris and Anne who had heard and seen a singing Grasshopper Warbler near the railway embankment and had got a lovely photograph of it. I really hoped that it might still be their by the time I got there. Maybe today would be the day for one after all. A Cetti's Warber was in good voice but unfortunately I didn't have any success with the Grasshopper Warbler once I reached the railway embankment. I would liked to have spent longer trying for it but with drops of rain already falling and clearly some very heavy rain heading straight for me I decided to carry on. Another Cetti's Warbler was singing away and a Sedge Warbler was busy collecting insects for its young.

Sedge Warbler

Sedge Warbler

The Cetti's Warbler flew in and chased the Sedge Warbler following which it broke into frantic bursts of song moving from bush to bush within its territory. It was cycling through them rapidly and regularly returning to the bush it had chased the Sedge Warbler from but remaining out of sight. With the sky getting blacker by the minute I risked waiting and luckily for me on the 3rd loop round it perched briefly in the open allowing some good if fairly distant views. It made my day as I hear them a lot more than see them and these are the best views I have had of Cetti's Warbler for a long time.

Cetti's Warbler

Cetti's Warbler

Cetti's Warbler

Well chuffed, I paused to admire a Tipula lunata and a Variable Damselfly and then my luck weather wise ran out and I got soaked as a prolonged torrential shower moved through. It brought the visit to a decidedly soggy end but it had been good to be out and seeing the Cetti's Warbler so well made getting soaked well worthwhile.

Tipula lunata

Variable Damselfly

Birds seen this visit included: 4 Blackbird, 6 Swift, 4 Blackcap, House Sparrows, Starlings, 2 Collared Dove, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gull, 4 Meadow Pipit, 12 Whitethroat, 6 Linnet, 4 Stonechat, 4 Reed Bunting, 14 Mallard, Cormorants, 6 Tufted Duck, 10 Swallow, 9 Sedge Warbler, 5 Ringed Plover, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Lapwing, 2 Magpie, 4 Dunnock, 3 Fulmar east, 4 Little Egret, 10 Oystercatcher, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 7 Reed Warbler, 2 Redshank, 4 Wren, 1 Sandwich Tern, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 7 Mute Swan, 3 Turnstone, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat,1 Yellow Wagtail

Cuckoo and a Hairy Dragonfly in difficulty - Marshside 27/05/19

I came down to Marshside after work on an overcast but mild afternoon. Lots of Azure Damselflies were on the wing but it seemed pretty quiet for birds. As it was so quiet bird wise it turned out to be an afternoon that I saw a lot more insects than birds. The Marsh Frogs were very vocal.

A small moth settled briefly. I am not sure what it is and will update when I find out. A female Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis was feeding away in a Buttercup flower. I tend to see more males than females of this beetle so it was nice to catch up with a female.

Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis

Chaffinch and Wren were singing away and I could hear a Ring-necked Parakeet calling from the trees but could not manage to see it. Three little balls of baby Garden Spiders were suspended in a fine web, all around the same size as this one.

baby Garden Spiders

An old horse paddock was a sea of buttercups and a beautiful sight. Several Grass Vetchling Lathyrus nissolia flowers showed magenta pink amongst the yellow.

Grass Vetchling Lathyrus nissolia

I saw 2 Common Malachite Beetles, a male and a female. I thought, when I saw them, that they were fighting but the website UK Beetles explained that this was part of the mating ritual. It made fascinating reading.

male and female Common Malachite Beetles

A Chiffchaff was singing away and a Whitethroat and Reed Warbler were also in full song. A Common Earwig was resting up and a pair of Hairy Shieldbugs were mating.

Common Earwig

mating Hairy Shieldbugs

Rooks were back and fore between the rookery and a recently planted field and a male Ichneumon deliratorius gave some good, even if partially obscured views.

Rook

Ichneumon deliratorius

A pair of Great Tit were busily collecting food and made several journeys while I was watching. I was sorry to see that the female Mallard is down to 8 youngsters but those seemed to be doing well.

Great Tit

female Mallard with ducklings

female Mallard with ducklings

I came across a Ptychoptera contaminata amongst the vegetation bordering the dyke and also a beetle that I did not recognise. I haven't been able to identify the beetle and I will update when I can.

Ptychoptera contaminata

The Yellow Iris's were out in flower and are really handsome flowers and always a welcome splash of colour. A Blue-tailed Damselfly colour form rufescens gave a chance to admire that colour form close up.

Yellow Iris

Blue-tailed Damselfly colour form rufescens

I saw a Hairy Dragonfly resting low down in the vegetation at the waters edge. It was only when I saw it from the other side that I realised that its wings were only fully expanded on one side. On the other side one wing was only partially expanded with half of it shrivelled and folded back on itself and the other wing seemed to be missing altogether or else completely unexpanded. It was a sad sight.

Hairy Dragonfly

Hairy Dragonfly

I came across a Red-eyed Damselfly which  was a little too far away for a photo but further on I came across a much more obliging one which I was able to try some photos. They are very attractive damselflies.

Red-eyed Damselfly

Red-eyed Damselfly

I had heard a Cuckoo calling at times throughout the visit and it flew in and landed on the power cables. It sat preening until a nearby Wood Pigeon took exception to its presence and flew straight at it. The Cuckoo dropped off the wires and flew to a nearby tree whereupon the Wood Pigeon followed it and once again flew at it until it moved on. This happened three times before the Cuckoo gave up and flew further away before it began to call again.

Cucckoo and Wood Pigeon

Cuckoo and Wood Pigeon

It was nice to hear the Turtle Dove purring away. It is a lovely sound. I had a couple of different Ladybirds, both quite small. One I think is a 24-spot but I am not sure, at present, on the other one. Once again, I will update when I can identify it.

24-spot Ladybird

A Bee was busy amongst a Bramble flower and I came across a snail shell that was surprisingly translucent.

translucent Snail shell

I saw a very distant Barn Owl hunting which came as a nice surprise. It was too far for a photo but I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. It always makes my day when I see an owl. I haven't seen one here for a while so it was nice to know that they are still around. I finished the visit with a couple of moths, one of which I will have to update when I can identify it.

Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata

Birds seen this visit include: 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Carrion Crows, 8 Wren, 15 Blackbird, 6 Robin, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Starlings, 4 Chiffchaff, 8 Reed Warblers, 8 Whitethroat, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wood Pigeons, 5 Swallow, Great Tit, 5 Sand Martin, 5 Song Thrush, Rooks, Jackdaws, female Mallard with 8 ducklings, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Cuckoo, 4 Moorhen, Herring Gulls, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Collared Doves, 5 Blackcap, 2 Dunnock, House Sparrows, 2 Magpie, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Long Tailed Tits, Skylarks, 1 Barn Owl