Knot, Wheatear, and Southern Migrant Hawker - Shuart to Marshside 17/08/20

It has been a long time since I have been able to visit the Reculver area properly but with the start of a weeks holiday it gave the opportunity to have a slow wander today. I started out from Shuart and heading down the track it was nice to catch up with most of the usual jobs even if overall it did appear to be quite quiet. A large bee, what I think is a Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris, was busy amongst the flowers. I find, at the moment many bees hard to identify. Still the only good thing with that is that hopefully in time I can only get better.

Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris

Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris

Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris

3 Yellow Wagtails were in the horse paddocks and a pair of Pied Wagtail were calling away noisily. Goldfinches were busy amongst the seed heads and small flocks of House Sparrow, Starlings and Linnet were all chattering away as I made my way along. On reaching the sea wall a Stonechat was calling away constantly.

Stonechat

The tide was mostly in as I made my way along but still on the rise. It appeared quiet out to sea with just a few passing Black-headed and Herring Gulls. A Sandwich Tern (130) called as it passed. On nearing Plumpudding Island I could see 4 Whimbrel (131) on the shore and another flew in, calling as it did so. I carried on to Coldharbour which apart from a few Black-headed Gulls was very quiet. A moth, which I have not been able to identify yet, was moving rapidly from flower head to flower head.

I sat on the sea wall for a while and enjoyed watching a small group of mixed waders busily feeding on a small patch of exposed shore that was rapidly disappearing as the tide came in. A juvenile Knot (132) was amongst them and was a pleasure to watch as it fed busily.

Knot, Turnstone and Sanderling

Knot and Turnstone

Knot

Knot

Knot

With the last bit of shore being covered by the in-coming tide and the waders departing I carried on along the sea wall got a nice, if brief view of a Wheatear before it was disturbed by a passing dog walker. A couple of Common Sandpiper (133) flew past calling as they headed east. As I neared the green bank I caught up with another Wheatear.

Wheatear

12 Little Egret were in their usual tree and the air was full of the sound of Starlings as they moved from the oyster farm to the bramble bushes alongside the sea wall.

Little Egrets

A passing rain shower reduced the number of people on the sea wall temporarily but as Reculver was very busy I took the track to Brook instead. A family of Reed Warblers were noisily feeding in the hedgerow. A Corn Bunting peeped at me as I passed by but otherwise seemed unconcerned by my presence. It was fairly bedraggled from the rain shower but drying rapidly as the sun came out again.

Corn Bunting

A friend met me at the top of Brook and gave me a lift round to Marshside where I spent a while looking for Dragonflies and Damselflies. Good numbers of Willow Emeralds Damselflies were present and I was treated to some very nice views.

Willow Emerald Damselfly

I also saw several pairs in tandem.

Willow Emerald Damselflies

Willow Emerald Damselflies

  

A couple of Emperor Dragonflies were patrolling various sections of the dyke but I did not manage to catch up with one at rest. A Ruddy Darter was more obliging.

Ruddy Darter

Ruddy Darter

 A Common Buzzard gave some good views as it flew over while a couple of Ring-necked Parakeet called as they flew past behind me.

Common Buzzard

Without a doubt though the highlight was fnding a male Southern Migrant Hawker, which came as a very nice surprise as I have not seen one at this site before. The males are very handsome and he was an absolute pleasure to watch. I haven't seen one since the male I found at Shuart last year so I felt incredibly lucky to see this one.

Southern Migrant Hawker

Southern Migrant Hawker

Southern Migrant Hawker

Southern Migrant Hawker

It made a great end to the day and as I made my way back to the car I finished the visit with a young Moorhen peeping out at me.

juvenile Moorhen

Birds seen this visit included: 8 Robin, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 5 Long-tailed Tits, 5 Blackcap, 6 Wren, 12 Whitethroat, 5 Common Buzzard, 5 Kestrel, 15 Goldfinch, 3 Sedge Warbler, 8 Reed Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warbler, Rooks, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, 4 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 15 Linnet, 7 Stonechat, 6 Pied Wagtail, 5 Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipits, 4 Collared Dove, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, 2 Sparrowhawk, Cormorants, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 7 Sandwich Tern, 56 Oystercatcher, 5 Whimbrel, 15 Ringed Plover, 4 Sanderling, 12 Turnstone, 1 juvenile Knot, 3 Corn Bunting, 2 Common Sandpiper, 5 Reed Bunting, House Sparrows, Starlings, 2 Wheatear, 2 Redshank, 12 Moorhen, 3 Coot, 2 Grey Heron, 12 Little Egret, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet,  

Med Gull, Wheatears and Hawkers - Reculver to Shuart 07/08/19

I headed to Reculver with the aim of a slow wander to either Chambers Wall or Shuart depending on how the walking went. There was a south westerly wind with building cloud and it was forecast to be a warm day. The tide was just starting to go out. It seemed fairly quiet when I arrived. A few Sand Martin were zipping around and House Sparrows and Starling were busy feeding up by the towers. Apart from some Herring and Black-headed Gulls out to sea was very quiet. There was a juvenile Mediterranean Gull in amongst 110 Black-headed Gulls roosting on the beach. An approaching dog walker sent them all up so I tried for a photo and luckily I managed to get the juvenile Mediterranean Gull in amongst them.

juvenile Mediterranean Gull in amongst Black-headed Gulls

A couple of Redshank were noisily debating on the oyster farm and a Grey Heron and a Little Egret were in the tree that often appears popular with them.  A Green Sandpiper was also on the oyster farm. A few Turnstone were on the move as the tide fell with 12 flying in. 8 Ringed Plover were roosting on the shore. A couple of Carrion Crow were working their way along the shore line and the light catching their feathers looked lovely.

Carrion Crow

A few Whitethroat were in various bushes while a male Stonechat had a begging youngster in tow and a little further along I also saw a female Stonechat. A couple of Wheatear were on the grassy area of the beach.

Wheatear

Good numbers of Meadow Pipit were either along the shore or the sea wall area. A couple of Stock Dove were at a fields edge. I could see 8 Coot down the dyke near Coldharbour which included at least 4 youngsters. Coldharbour itself was pretty quiet with just a couple of Common Sandpipers and a few Black-headed Gulls.  A pair of Pied Wagtail were on the shore with the male posing nicely for a photo.

Pied Wagtail

I sat and watched out to sea for a while. Sandwich Terns were passing west in small numbers with a mix of adults and youngsters amongst them. Common Terns were also heading west starting with a group of 15 adults and youngsters and then passing west in 2’s and 3’s. A Herring Gull flew up holding something and dropped it onto the shingle before flying down to see if it had successfully managed to open it.

Common Tern

Sandwich Tern

Herring Gull dropping shell

I carried on along the sea wall and found Plumpudding island to be very quiet with only a couple of juvenile Yellow Wagtail and a few Linnet on there. As I passed the stables there were 3 sizeable flocks of House Sparrows adding up to approximately 160 birds. A female Marsh Harrier flew across the back. Honeysuckle was out in flower and looked lovely.

Honeysuckle

A family of Blue Tits were working their way through the bushes. A male Marsh Harrier was quartering over a far field. As I came up to the hedgerow I could see some hawkers on the wing. As it clouded over they landed and in amongst them I could see a Southern Hawker. It appeared to be a different individual to the one I saw last time as this one was a male. It was a beautiful dragonfly and I was well chuffed to see it.

male Southern Hawker

male Southern Hawker

male Southern Hawker

A little further along I was very pleased to see the male Southern Migrant Hawker as it was good to know that it was still around. I managed to get a shot quickly of it as it was resting up before a fast approaching tractor came up the track and unfortunately drove both the Southern and Southern Migrant Hawker ahead of it. They flew up the track strongly and I lost them from sight. A little while later Marc Heath had a male Southern Migrant Hawker much further up the track and it is hard to know if it was the same one or a possible second one. Time will tell I guess. It would be lovely if a female is found raising the possibility of them breeding.

male Southern Migrant Hawker

A family of Blue and Great Tits were working their way through the hedge together with 5 Long-tailed Tits. Swifts were hawking for insects above. I came across a Small Red-eyed Damselfly and a Willow Emerald Damselfly who were both enjoying the sunshine.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

Willow Emerald Damselfly

As I carried on down the track I had an eye to eye encounter with a Common Darter and then a little further on I enjoyed watching one as the sun shone through its wings.

Common Darter

Common Darter

Common Darter

I finished off an enjoyable visit with good views of a couple of Migrant Hawker.

Migrant Hawker

Migrant Hawker

Birds seen this visit include: 22 Sand Martin, 1 Reed Bunting, 7 Pied Wagtail, Cormorants, House Sparrows, Wood Pigeons, 65 Linnet, 6 Redshank, 31Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 17 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Carrion Crow, 28 Meadow Pipit, Skylarks, 1 Green Sandpiper, 7 Whitethroat, 5 Sedge Warbler, 3 Stonechat, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Wheatear, 2 Stock Dove, 11 Oystercatcher, 24 Sandwich Tern, 6 Common Sandpiper, 7 Swallow, 8 Coot, 17 Common Tern, 4 Blackbird, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Marsh Harrier, Blue Tits, 3 Mute Swan, 1 Magpie, 1 Collared Dove, 10 Swift, 2 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 1 Jay, 5 Long-tailed Tit, Great Tits,

Black-tailed Godwit, Wood Sandpipers, Bittern, Southern Hawker and Southern Migrant Hawker - Reculver to Shuart 31/07/19

I headed to Reculver this morning. It was sunny when I arrived but rapidly clouding up with a brisk west south westerly wind. The tide was out but starting to come in quite fast. Approximately 170 Starling were around the towers area alternating between the grassy area and then onto the concrete apron where they were searching for insects amongst the seaweed. 2 Grey Partridge flew up with a whirr of wings from the grass area on the old caravan site before disappearing into cover. As I came down to the sea wall a Little Egret was near the waters edge with a couple of Common Sandpiper on the shore line. Sand Martins were hawking for insects. I saw a Black-tailed Godwit flying west and though distant I tried for some photos. They haven't come out well and are heavily cropped but I was pleased to be able to get them.

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

I carried on along the sea wall and there was a good mix of waders on the shore with Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Turnstone all busy feeding and a couple of Curlew flew west. A single Wheatear popped up onto the sea wall and was chased off by a particularly belligerent Linnet. 2 Mediterranean Gulls were on the beach.

Mediterranean Gulls

A couple of Green Sandpipers flew up from the oyster farm before settling down again. A Mediterranean Gull flew west and Swift were over the oyster farm. I met Chris and Anne Hindle who said that Marc Heath had had 2 Wood Sandpiper early morning on Coldharbour. I hoped that they would still be present once I reached there. A female Tufted Duck was in one of the dykes and a couple of Coot with 2 youngsters in another one.

female Tufted Duck

I met Chris and Anne on their way back from Coldharbour and they had seen a Wood Sandpiper but it had flown shortly after so I was not hopeful of catching up with it. I met Marc Heath and while chatting with him a flock of 21 Common Tern flew past out to sea. A Great Crested Grebe was offshore. I reached Coldharbour and had a look to see what I could see. A couple of Dunlin were preening, as was a Redsank. There wasn't any sign of a Wood Sandpiper. Three Common Sandpipers were present and 4 Sandwich Tern flew east out to sea. I couldn't believe my luck when I heard a bird calling and a Wood Sandpiper (146) flew back in. It landed near a Common Sandpiper and started to feed. It was a beautiful bird and I was treated to some lovely views as it fed almost continuously the whole time I was watching it.

Wood Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

At one point a large group of cyclists came past and it flew a short distance before settling back down in the same area as a couple of Common Sandpiper. I did not manage much of a flight photo but it does show the pale underwing, well projecting toes and more narrowly barred tail.

Wood Sandpiper

A juvenile Common Sandpiper and 2 adult Dunlin with a juvenile also gave good views as they worked their way along the same edge.

juvenile Common Sandpiper

Dunlin

I carried on and sat on the sea wall for a while to watch the sea but it was very quiet apart from a few passing Sandwich Terns. As I carried on along the sea wall a flock of 10 Common Sandpiper flew east, presumably ones moving as the tide rose, so I have not counted them in the numbers below as I do not know how many I may have already counted as I came along. A Common Tern was fishing offshore and a Grey Seal popped its head up and had a look round before sinking under the water again. A flock of 4 Common Sandpiper flew west and I have counted those below.

Common Tern

Grey Seal

Common Sandpiper

The weather was improving rapidly and becomming sunny and warm. I had more Common and Sandwich Tern passing out to sea as I approached Plumpudding Island with a juvenile Sandwich Tern giving some good views. I did not manage much of a photo but it makes a good memory shot.

juvenile Sandwich Tern

I got a nice surprise when I saw a Wood Sandpiper on Plumpudding Island. I have counted it as a separate bird but it is possible that the one from Coldharbour had flown down. It was turning out to be a very good visit. A juvenile Yellow Wagtail and a juvenile Pied Wagtail close to each other gave good opportunities to compare them.

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

I carried on along the sea wall. I could see at least 6 Whimbrel roosting on the beach together with 62 Oystercatchers, Black-headed and Herring Gulls, and Sandwich and Common Terns. A Common Sandpiper on some rocks stayed longer than I expected with the waves breaking over the rocks. I was beginning to be somewhat concerned that it was going to be washed off the rock but once a large wave came in it flew up and away and escaped unharmed.

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

As I neared the point to come off the sea wall for Shuart some Black-headed Gulls gave some very good views as they flew into the wind. 11 Common Scoter flew east.

Black-Headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Lots of Starlings and House Sparrows were around the stables area and several more Pied Wagtail. Linnets were chattering away and a couple of Whitethroat scolded from the bushes. A teneral Migrant Hawker's wings caught the light as it rested amongst nettles.

teneral Migrant Hawker

On crossing the railway line I saw another Migrant Hawker sheltering out of the wind. As I turned from photographing that I saw a large brown bird disappearing from view with a large wing span and it was definitely not a bird of prey or an owl. From the very brief glimpse I thought that it was a Bittern but it seemed so unlikely that I doubted myself too much to count it as such. As an update to this it later turned out that a farm worker had photographed a Bittern in one of the dykes and showed the photo to Matt Hindle. He had seen it in the same area and around the time that I saw this bird so it was really nice to confirm that I had not got the identification wrong even though it was only the briefest of views.

Migrant Hawker

As I came up to the beginning of the hedgerow I could see several hawkers on the wing ahead. There were several Migrant Hawkers and an interesting looking hawker that, luckily for me, settled as it clouded over and I could see that I was looking at my first Southern Hawker. I was so chuffed. It was a beautiful dragonfly.

female Southern Hawker

female Southern Hawker

Extremely well chuffed I carried on down the path and had not gone very far when I saw a couple of hawkers settle. The first was a Migrant Hawker and it gave nice views. A Common Darter was determined not to be left out and settled in front of me allowing a good close view.

Migrant Hawker

Common Darter

I moved forward slowly towards where I had seen the other hawker go down and caught sight of blue and expected to find a male Migrant Hawker. What I actually saw as I crept closer took my breath away. There was a beautiful blue hawker sitting there. Blue eyes and blue and black markings. I couldn't believe it as I thought I may well have a Southern Migrant Hawker but it did not really seem possible and I thought that I must be mistaken. I could not manage to remember exactly what were the definitive identifying features for Southern Migrant Hawker and knew that I would need to check my photos against my books before I could be sure. I was able to get some photos before the sun came back out and suddenly it was off and back to hawking for insects. What an incredibly beautiful dragonfly. As I had to leave shortly afterwards and did not get back until late I wasn't able to check my photos against my books until late evening but they seemed to confirm what I thought. For confirmation I sent a couple of photos to both Chris Hindle and Marc Heath who agreed with identification. What a beauty.

male Southern Migrant Hawker

male Southern Migrant Hawker

male Southern Migrant Hawker

I finished off a very enjoyable and productive visit with close views of another Common Darter.

Common Darter

Birds seen this visit include: 5 Blackbird, Starlings, House Sparrows, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 9 Pied Wagtail, 67 Oystercatcher, 48 Sand Martin, 20 Common Sandpiper, 2 Grey Partridge, 8 Redshank, Carrion Crows, 138 Linnet, Wood Pigeons, 4 Little Egret, 31 Meadow Pipit, 20 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin, 5 Whitethroat, 12 Turnstone, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wheatear, 1 Grey Heron, 2 west and 1 east Curlew, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Reed Bunting, 53 Swift, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Pheasant, 5 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 4 Coot, 30 Common Tern, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Mute Swan, 6 Whimbrel, Skylarks, 16 Sandwich Tern, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 3 Magpie, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 11 Common Scoter east, 1 Marsh Harrier, 6 Corn Bunting, 3 Collared Dove, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Moorhen