I started out from Reculver on a cloudier and cooler day than yesterday with a south easterly wind that was keeping it on the chilly side but with it due to get warmer as the morning went on. The tide was well out and still falling. House Sparrows were busily collecting food around the towers and a Sparrowhawk scattered Starlings and Wood Pigeons as it shot through. A Hobby was moving out to sea in the distance as I made my way to Coldharbour and small numbers of Sand Martin were hawking for insects over the oyster farm. The song of a Lesser Whitethroat carried well from the oyster farm. I enjoyed watching a young Stonechat while on the sea ward side it was surprisingly quiet with the exposed shore having few occupants.
A Cuckoo was calling away and a Great Black-backed Gull made its way east. An Oystercatcher was tucked down amongst the shingle and did not seem too bothered by any passers by on the sea wall, only calling when a group of cyclists came past before settling again.
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Oystercatcher |
Coldharbour was very quiet apart from the usual Rock Pipit and a few Mallard. I still failed miserably at being able to either hear or see a Grasshopper Warbler but the nice thing with bird watching is you never know when you might just finally catch up with something and often it's when you least expect to. I came across a patch of Salsify that was a beautifully rich purple compared to the paler flowers I had seen up until now.
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| Salsify |
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| Salsify |
A Cetti's Warbler exploded into song and above a few more Swift moved west. A single Brown-tail Moth Caterpillar was on one of the bushes.
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| Brown-tail Moth Caterpillar |
A Common Tern was out to sea and a Common Sandpiper on the rocks as I made my way to Plumpudding. Another Cetti's Warbler was singing at Plumpudding and a pair of Yellow Wagtails and 4 Pied Wagtails were active at the back of the lagoons on Plumpudding itself. A couple of Mallard were on the water and 2 Shoveler were resting up on one of the islands with the male keeping a watchful eye.
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| male and female Shoveler |
A male Marsh Harrier was starting to thermal higher as I carried on along and a Common Buzzard joined some Herring Gulls thermalling high above. As I approached the turn off for the stables a Herring Gull was persistently pursuing a couple of Sanderling along the length of the outflow pipe, each time they settled it would lift off to intercept them, chasing them from concrete block to concrete block.
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| Herring Gull and Sanderling |
The male Marsh Harrier flew past carrying prey and another Common Buzzard was up over the fields. A Longhorn micro moth landed on an umbellifer and had impressively long antennae. I looked it up when I got home and I think it is a Adela reaumurella.
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| Longhorn Micro Moth Adela reaumurella |
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| Longhorn Micro Moth Adela reaumurella |
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| Longhorn Micro Moth Adela reaumurella |
Reed and Sedge Warbler song filled the air as I made my way to Shuart with more Reed Warbler than Sedge singing today. A beetle was making its way up a grass stem but I do not know which it is at present.
A male Tufted Duck was down the usual dyke and a Lesser Whitethroat's song carried well. I was keeping my eyes open for damslflies and once I reached the sheltered areas at the base of the hedgerow there were several Azure Damselflies making the most of the sunshine that had broken through and the air was already feeling much warmer.
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| Azure Damselfly |
Several Variable Damselflies were also on the wing.
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| female Variable Damselfly |
I caught sight of a teneral damselfly that from first glance I thought was going to be a Blue-tailed but it turned out to be a Variable.
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| teneral Variable Damselfly |
The only butterflies that I could see were several Holly Blue's and an active Orange-tip butterfly. One of the Holly Blue settled on an Ivy leaf and as it partially opened its wings to take advantage of the warmth from the sun its underwing was lit beautifully as the light shone through.
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| Holly Blue |
A Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler were filling the air with song and above a Lapwing swooped, twisted and turned as it did its display flight breaking off to chase a Carrion Crow that invaded its space. As yesterday, I came across another damselfly that had broken antehumeral stripes but no post ocular bar. Apart from the lack of post ocular bar all other features suggested male Variable Damselfly. One wing was badly crumpled but it he seemed to be able to fly and manoeuvre well despite that.
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| despite no post ocular bar other features suggest male Variable Damselfly |
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| despite no post ocular bar other features suggest male Variable Damselfly |
As I made my way to the pick up point I was struck with how the cloud formations appeared to be reflecting the pattern of the furrows in the field, all radiating to a central vanishing point.
I finished with watching pairs of Swifts. Each pair would stay close to each other as they swooped and dived after insects at breakneck speed. I enjoyed trying to grab a photo as they came past but did pretty badly with it, most of the time not even managing to keep them in frame. Keeping my balance and tracking a fast moving object turned out not to be a strong point but it didn't affect my enjoyment during the time spent watching these masters of the air.
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| Swift |
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| Swift |
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| Swift |
Birds seen this visit included: House Sparrows, 12 Blackbird, Wood Pigeons, 5 Pied Wagtail, 15 Mute Swan including 3 cygnats , 5 Swallow, Starlings, 1 Sparrowhawk, 14 Whitethroat, 7 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Hobby, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 2 Collared Dove, 15 Sand Martin, 14 Mallard, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 9 Meadow Pipit, 6 Stonechat, 16 Linnet, 8 Sedge Warbler, 13 Reed Bunting, 2 Kestrel, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, Carrion Crow, 3 Magpie, 14 Swift, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Coot, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Wren, 15 Reed Warbler, 1 Rock Pipit, 7 Goldfinch, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Shoveler, 2 Sanderling, 4 Chaffinch, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Lapwing
