Redwing, Brambling and a Confiding Whinchat - Shuart to Reculver 03/10/20

I started out from Shuart on an overcast day with showers threatening but it was good to be out. It appeared to be generally pretty quiet as I started down the track. As I came to one of the gaps I could see a flock of 26 Lapwing flying south west in the distance, the largest I have seen for quite a while. 5 Blackbird were on the track with a single Redwing searching for prey amongst the grass, giving some very nice views as it so. They are beautiful birds and my first good view of the autumn is always just that extra bit special.

Redwing

Redwing

Redwing

A couple of the Blackbird were showing clear signs of moult giving both of them quite a striking appearance.

Blackbird

Blackbird

Blackbird

Another couple of Redwing were in the hedgerow further along and 3 Greenfinch called from the back of the hedge before moving along further. There were noticeably a lot fewer Chiffchaff around than my recent visits. On nearing the railway line Skylarks were busily calling away and two small flocks of Chaffinch flew west. I was pleased to hear a Crossbill calling loudly as it flew west with another 8 heading in the same direction a short time later. As I neared the stables 11 Siskin passed overhead calling away as the flew west. I had a check of the horse paddocks and a couple of Song Thrush and a Mistle Thrush were in one while Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits were flitting about in several paddocks. A flash of orange amongst the mud caught my eye and I was pleased to see a Brambling in the company of 3 Chaffinch in another paddock. They are lovely birds and are always a very welcome sight and one guaranteed to lift the spirits.

Brambling with Chaffinch

On reaching the sea wall a Knot was flying west out to sea and I could see 42 Turnstone roosting on the rocks with more coming in as the tide rose. There was a very smart juvenile amongst them that was later joined by a second juvenile. A Rock Pipit called as it landed on the shore briefly before moving further along. 

Turnstone roost

juvenile Turnstone

two juvenile Turnstones

Oystercatchers were moving along the shore to still exposed feeding areas giving some nice flight views as they did so. 

Oystercatchers

A pair of Stonechat were active on the other side of the sea wall and a Bar-tailed Godwit flew west presumably heading for one of the roosts on the beach. As I headed along towards Plumpudding I was pleased to see a Purple Sandpiper on the rocks and sat on the sea wall for a while to give me time to be able to admire it. It was a little beauty.

Purple Sandpiper

Just before Plumpudding I had another sit on the sea wall so I could have a scan through the wader roost on the beach. There were 14 Curlew and 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, presumably the same bird I had seen fly west earlier, tucked in with 168 Oystercatchers. I enjoyed trying for some photos of the various Turnstone that were flying past.

Turnstones

Turnstones

As I approached Plumpudding Island 2 Wigeon flew in and landed briefly before carrying on. 2 Mallard were roosting on one of the islands. Three Stonechat were on Plumpudding Island and 3 Meadow Pipit. The waders from the roost wheeled up as somebody walked along the beach and some of the Curlew appeared above the fence before disappearing from sight again. I always feel very sorry for the roosting birds when they are disturbed, as it must waste vital energy reserves, and here it seems to happen a lot.

Curlew

Curlew

A Whinchat flicked up near the waters edge and perched obligingly and then proceeded to work its way closer and I ended up getting some cracking views of one of the most confiding Whinchat I have ever come across. It was an absolute beauty and a joy to watch.

Whinchat

Whinchat

Whinchat

Whinchat

Whinchat

Whinchat

As I carried on towards Coldharbour a couple of Sandwich Tern flew past calling loudly and a Redshank flew up from the shore. 2 Shoveler and 1 Teal landed on the sea and 20 Mallard flew over and also settled on the water. From the land side both Red-legged Partridge and Pheasant called.

Shoveler and Teal

Mallards

A Little Egret was on Coldharbour and 16 Redshank were tucked into one of the banks. As I headed to Reculver I saw a Grey Heron on the edge of the dyke which was having a decidedly bad hair day as the wind ruffled up its head feathers. It was a beautifully smart bird.

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

A Rock Pipit was working its way along the shore as I neared Reculver. I had not managed to see a Short-eared Owl over the oyster farm so hopefully another time. As I passed the towers 2 Chiffchaff were in the bushes and 16 Swallow were hawking for insects above the grassy area bringing an enjoyable visit to a close.

Rock Pipit

Birds seen this visit included: 9 Chiffchaff, 13 Robin, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Wood Pigeons, 26 Lapwing, 18 Swallow, 3 Magpie, 1 Moorhen, 13 Goldfinch, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Dunnock, 4 Skylark, 5 Blackbird, 3 Redwing, 27 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 9 Crossbill west, 5 Blackcap, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush, 10 Reed Bunting, 3 Kestrel, 22 Meadow Pipits, 8 Mute Swan, 2 Collared Dove, 11 Pied Wagtail, Starlings, House Sparrows, 1 Wren, 11 Siskin west, 1 Knot, 88 Turnstone, 2 Rock Pipit, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 184 Oystercatcher, 9 Stonechat, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 14 Curlew, 130 Ringed Plover, 6 Meadow Pipit, 1 Whinchat, 17 Redshank, 2 Wigeon, 22 Mallard, 2 Sandwich Tern, 2 Shoveler, 1 Teal, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 4 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Pheasant, Golden Plover, 1 Sanderling, 16 Swallow, 

Black Tern, Whinchat and An Arriving Merlin - Shuart to Chambers Wall 10/09/20

On a still and fine morning I paid an early visit to Shuart. Both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker's were calling as I started down the track and many of the usual suspects were either calling or singing. A Ring-necked Parakeet called noisily as it flew over. A little further on a Green Woodpecker shot through a gap in the hedge with a Sparrowhawk in hot pursuit and rapidly gaining. As they continued on through a gap on the other side the Sparrowhawk appeared to just miss as the Green Woodpecker veered sharply left but must have made some contact as a couple of greenish feathers drifted downwards. Further along the track I could hear Red-legged Partridge and peeping through a gap in the foliage I could see 10 of them in two groups of five in one of the fields. 

Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge

An increased number of Chiffchaff, compared to my last visit, were working their way through the hedgerow and I am sure that there were more than I managed to see and count. A singing Willow Warbler was a lovely sound and one I will miss. 2 Cetti's Warblers made their presence known and a Sedge Warbler peeped out at me as I neared the end of the track.

There was another singing Willow Warbler as I made my way past the stables and as I came up onto the sea wall two flocks of Oystercatchers totalling 52 birds flew east. A couple of Little Egret also flew east.

Little Egrets

I caught sight of a bird heading east, out to sea, and grabbed a few photos and had a really nice surprise when I saw it was a Black Tern, now that I had not expected. The photos, without a doubt, are appallingly bad, between the distance, heat haze, and being very heavily cropped but they give me a couple of memory shots of a very welcome and unexpected bonus and I am really pleased I tried for them.

Black Tern

Black Tern

Well chuffed with the Black Tern I carried on along the sea wall and had another treat when I saw a Merlin coming in off the sea. Within seconds of crossing the sea wall it was in pursuit of a small flock of Linnet before it continued south west. Plumpudding Island, when I reached it, was quiet and as I carried on towards Coldharbour a stream-lined Kestrel flew past at almost eye level.

Kestrel

Nearing Coldharbour there was a Whinchat was on the sea wall briefly and luckily, even though it was disturbed by a cyclist, it did not move too far and found a handy perch on the other side of the lower path. They are lovely birds.

Whinchat

Whinchat

Coldharbour was quiet and on the walk up to Chambers Wall I came across another singing Willow Warbler and at least another 6 Chiffchaff. A couple of Blackcap and a couple of Whitethroat were in the same Blackberry bush and a Cetti's Warbler was vocal at both the start and end of the path. A few Migrant Hawker and Ruddy Darters were on the wing and above a Hobby appeared to be very adept at catching dragonflies. 2 Common Buzzard spiralled lazily high above and made a nice end to the visit. 

Birds seen this visit included: 5 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wood Pigeons, 4 Blackbird, 11 Robin, 4 Wren, 26 Chiffchaff, Jackdaws, 4 Chaffinch, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 1 Mallard, 1 Moorhen, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 7 Magpie, 3 Common Buzzard, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Red-legged Partridge, 4 Blackcap, 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Willow Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 4 Kestrel, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Goldfinch, 17 Swallow, 32 House Sparrow, 125 Starling, 81 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Egret, 2 Stonechat, 1 Black Tern, 1 Merlin, 40 Linnet, 7 Sanderling, 15 Ringed Plover, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Sandwich Tern, 1 Hobby,  

Whinchats, Knot and Bar-tailed Godwits - Shuart to Reculver 02/09/20

I paid a visit to Shuart this morning and on the walk down the road had a small group of 7 Swallows on the wires, a mix of adults and juveniles. A Chiffchaff flicked up from the hedgerow and another 2 were calling further down with a single Willow Warbler working its way along the hedgerow.

Swallow

Swallows

As I had a wander down the track I saw a couple of beautifully fresh and bright immature Willow Warblers and enjoyed watching them as they made their way through the hedgerow. Several Migrant Hawkers were on the wing and one was returning to persistently hover over one of the dykes giving the chance to try for some flight photos..

Migrant Hawker

Migrant Hawker

It appeared fairly quiet as I came past the stables. 3 male Blackcap were in one of the Blackberry bushes and 2 Stonechat were on the fence at the back of one of the paddocks. A charm of 35 Goldfinches swirled round as they moved from Teasels to Thistles. Another Stonechat was by the sea wall as I came up onto it. A flock of c150 Starling appeared to be flycatching as they swooped and turned above me. The tide was mostly in and as I started along the wall I could see 17 Turnstone on the rocks.

Turnstones

I was pleased to see 2 Whinchat  with a third seen a little further along. They seemed very wary of the people passing on the sea wall and tended to keep their distance.

Whinchat

Whinchat

A couple of juvenile Stonechats were begging from their parents. They are beautifully marked little birds. 

juvenile Stonechat

adult and juvenile Stonechat

As I headed along the sea wall it became increasingly overcast and noticeably cooler. I saw a good mix and numbers of waders roosting at various points as I made my way towards Coldharbour. 3 Teal flew east and a little further along 4 were a fair distance out on the sea but gradually drifted a little closer in. A short while later 4 Teal flew east and I thought the ones on the sea had taken off but they were still present.

Teal

Teal

Small flocks of Ringed Plover flew past now and then giving the opportunity to try for some flight photos. An adult Dunlin showed its black belly patch well as it came into land. 

Ringed Plover

Dunlin and Ringed Plover

A Knot flying east in the company of 3 Oystercatcher was a welcome sight.

Knot and Oystercatchers

Pied Wagtails were busily feeding along the shore with 3 Yellow Wagtails working their way along the tide line. 3 Bar-tailed Godwit flying east were a good addition to the waders seen today.

Bar-tailed Godwits

Coldharbour had the usual few Black-headed Gulls in attendance and 7 Redshank roosting on one of the banks. 4 Goldfinch were amongst the thistle heads. As I carried on to Reculver I saw another 77 Ringed Plover roosting on the beach on the high tide line roost with 40 Sanderling, 12 Turnstone and 5 Dunlin. A Hobby was over the far edge of the fields and another 3 Stonechat were busy insect catching. The last part of the walk to Reculver was fairly quiet and I finished the visit with a good view of a Carrion Crow as it banked.

Carrion Crow

Birds seen this visit included: 7 Swallow, 5 Chiffchaff, Great Tits, Blue Tits, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Willow Warbler, 8 Blackcap, 4 Chaffinch, 3 Wren, 1 Robin, 4 Blackbirds, 1 Stock Dove, Woodpigeons, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Moorhen, 2 Magpie, 43 Linnet, 8 Reed Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 39 Goldfinch, 6 Stonechat, 150 Starling, House Sparrows, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 15 Turnstone, 12 Pied Wagtail, 3 Whinchat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 98 Oystercatcher, 189 Ringed Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 49 Turnstone, 46 Sanderling, 22 Dunlin, 4 Redshank, 11 Teal, 7 Reed Bunting, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Sandwich Tern, 7 Redshank, 2 Little Egret, 1 Hobby, Carrion Crows