I haven't been able to get birdwatching for a while so it was good to have the chance to start out from Shuart late morning and aim for a wander and see where it took me. It was sunny with a south south westerly wind that strengthened as the visit went on. At least 5 Chiffchaff were calling away from the car park area, together with the usual jobs, but otherwise it seemed quite quiet. As I headed down the track a couple of Kestrel were calling continuously and appeared to crash land into one of the trees. Suddenly they were up and directly overhead and then disappearing in hot pursuit of a Sparrowhawk which presumably they had flushed from the tree. For a brief second all three birds gave a breath taking view, in beautiful light and right above me, before being lost behind the trees again, wow.
As I carried on down a couple of Common Darters were on the wing and two Speckled Wood butterflies appeared to be dancing in the sunshine as they spiralled upwards. A single Goldfinch was busy plucking seeds and a resting Red Admiral butterfly's wings reflected a beautiful range of colours as the light caught it. Good numbers of Hoverflies and some wasps were busy amongst the ivy flowers.
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| Goldfinch |
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| Red Admiral Butterfly |
A couple of Ring-necked Parakeet called and a Redwing was in the hedge. As I worked my way down I had a couple of Cetti's Warblers nosily calling, a sound I always enjoy hearing. 5 House Martin were above and a fair mix of the usual jobs were present. 24 Lapwing lifted off from one of the fields and as I cleared the hedgerow and started towards the railway crossing multiple Common Buzzard calls alerted me to 7 birds in the air. It was quite a sight with 4 spiralling lower down and another 3 spiralling high above them and for the next few minutes I was treated to some lovely views as they gradually gained height with the air full of their calls. The 3 highest birds appeared to be moving through.
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| juvenile Common Buzzard |
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| Common Buzzard |
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| Common Buzzards |
The only sign of life in one of the dykes were multiple Whirly Gig Beetles living up to their name as they whirled frantically around each other.
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| Whirly Gig Beetles |
As I approached the stables Starlings and House Sparrows were busy moving from path to bushes with multiple calls and whistles filling the air. The Starlings were taking advantage of any available puddles for a wash and brush up. 19 Swallows were hawking for insects over the paddocks. I could see 5 Pied Wagtail which included 3 alba with one of them giving some nice views as it hunted for insects in one of the nearer paddocks. A flock of 8 Chaffinch flew west overhead.
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| White Wagtail |
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| White Wagtail |
The tide was heading towards high tide when I reached the sea wall. The weather had gone off somewhat and the rest of the visit was a mix of either threatening rain, or very short showers, and sunny intervals, with an ever brisker south south westerly wind. A Common Seal was off shore taking some deep breaths before disappearing under the water again. I sat and watched out to sea for a while but it was very quiet so I headed towards Plumpudding. A Wheatear was on the rocks and several Sanderling were feeling along the shoreline with more flying in and 6 Redshank flew up onto the rocks, their legs glowing orange in the light.
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| Sanderling |
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| Sanderling |
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| Redshank |
As I carried on 44 Ringed Plover took to the air in alarm as a dog walker walked along the shore and I could see that a large flock of Sanderling had also been disturbed but after wheeling around for a while they appeared to settle back down again and I came across them further down. Sanderling are lovely little birds and there is something quite magical about a large flock of them. There were 168 strung along the shoreline with Ringed Plover interspersed with them.
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| part of the Sanderling and Ringed Plover flock roosting |
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| Sanderling and Ringed Plovers |
A couple of Wheatear were flitting around and 3 Great Black-backed Gull flew east with another on the sea as I approached Plumpudding Island.
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| Wheatear |
Plumpudding Island was very quiet with the sole visible occupant being a Collared Dove! 9 Skylarks flew up from one of the fields before settling down again as I continued on towards Coldharbour. I came across another sizeable roost of waders which once again was flushed by dog walkers. Birds must find it pretty hard to roost here. 68 Oystercatcher flew up and 17 Curlew were in amongst them, one of which gave some nice views as it wheeled round to come back into land while the others carried on in the direction of Coldharbour.
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| Part of Oystercatcher and Curlew flock |
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| Curlew |
A few gulls had also flown up at the same time and settled out on the sea. There were a couple of Common Gull among them. I had also seen some smaller waders go up and these whirled round and came back past me before carrying on towards Coldharbour and proved to be 9 Grey Plover.
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| Common Gull |
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| Grey Plovers |
Another 12 Chaffinch flew west as I neared Coldharbour which proved to be as quiet as Plumpudding. There were not even the usual Black-headed Gulls on it and apart from a couple of Meadow Pipit and Reed Buntings nothing stirred as I walked round. A couple of Chiffchaff were calling from the bushes bringing the number seen today to 27. I sat on the sea wall for a while but it was still very quiet out to sea. An immature Cormorant was surveying its world from a broken groyne post. A Wheatear gradually worked its way closer to me.
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| immature Cormorant |
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| Wheatear |
An immature Mute Swan gave an almost eye level flypast as it flew in off the sea with an adult before they both circled prior to landing in one of the dykes. The immature's wings are strikingly marked and beautiful in their own right.
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| immature Mute Swan |
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| immature Mute Swan |
A couple more Wheatear were along the shore and as I neared the oyster farm Starling and House Sparrow calls filled the air. 2 Kestrels above seemed to be the reason for the multiple calls. A Greenshank called as it flew in off the sea and landed on the oyster farm. A male and female Stonechat were busily catching insects and a Migrant Hawker was on the wing over the shore but really struggling in the wind. As it turned the wind caught it and sent it twisting through the air whereupon it crash landed at the base of the sea wall and used its abdomen, curled up and braced against a small twig, to keep itself in place while it soaked up some warmth from the brief spell of sunshine.
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| Migrant Hawker |
25 Carrion Crow were over the oyster farm and 70 Linnet. Several Redshank called and a couple of Little Egret lagoon hopped while another 6 were in their usual tree. Good numbers of Stonechat were active and once again I had a very obliging individual pop up almost next to me. They are such lovely little birds.
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
The Kingfisher was in its usual spot near the pumping station and a Wheatear and a Pied Wagtail were on the rocks. I had done well for Wheatear today and had seen 9 in total during the visit and this bird was particularly obliging as it worked its way along the rocks.
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| Wheatear |
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| Wheatear |
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| Wheatear |
I finished off with nice views of the Pied Wagtail and watching distant rain clouds sweeping through.
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| Pied Wagtail |
It had been an enjoyable visit and with a bit of luck it will not be so long before I can get out again.
Birds seen this visit included: 27 Chiffchaff, 12 Robin, 8 Wren, 16 Blackbird, 21 Chaffinch, 2 Green Woodpecker, 5 Kestrel, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 2 Moorhen, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, 2 Sparrowhawk, 22 Goldfinch, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, 7 House Martin, 24 Meadow Pipit, 14 Skylark, 10 Magpie, 1 Redwing, 7 Common Buzzard, 17 Mute Swan, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 24 Lapwing, 2 Grey Heron, 6 Reed Bunting, 56 Swallow, Cormorants, Starlings, House Sparrows, 13 Pied Wagtail, Linnets, 1 Collared Dove, 12 Redshank, 172 Sanderling, 9 Wheatear, 46 Ringed Plover, 21 Turnstone, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, 68 Oystercatcher, 17 Curlew, 2 Common Gull, 9 Grey Plover, 4 Coot, 1 Greenshank, 10 Little Egret, 11 Stonechat, 1 Kingfisher
