Pressure from work and other commitments has meant that this was my first chance for a good wander since the 15th so I started out from Shuart with the aim of making a day of it. It was shaping up to be a very fine day with a light south easterly wind which was due to increase as the day went on. 6 Red-legged Partridge made a nice start to the visit on the way down to car park.
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| 5 of 6 Red-legged Partridge |
It seemed pretty quiet around the car park area and up to the bridleway with just the usual suspects present. It carried on in the same vein as I wandered down the track. I enjoyed watching a flock of 10 Long-tailed Tits and a small flock of 8 Greenfinches. A Common Buzzard called from above and a Ring-necked Parakeet also called. A Cetti's Warbler exploded into song right next to me but deep in cover. Everything seemed to be in decidedly skulky or flighty mode today. The only bird that paused long enough for a photo on the walk through was a Chaffinch so I stopped and suitably admired him. He looked beautiful in the early morning light.
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| male Chaffinch |
As I neared the railway crossing a couple of Mute Swan youngsters were preening beside the path and 3 Stonechats were atop the reed heads. As one of the youngsters opened its bill it gave a chance to see the ridges and serrations on the inside surface of it.
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| immature Mute Swan |
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| Bill Structure - immature Mute Swan |
As I made my way past the stables a flock of 17 Goldfinch were busy amongst the seed heads and 3 Pied Wagtails were in the paddocks together with 5 Meadow Pipits. Starlings, House Sparrows and Linnets were all chattering away. As I reached the sea wall I heard a Greenshank call and one flew in and started to feed along the shoreline. The tide was partially out and ebbing further. A couple of Collared Dove flew up from the rocks.
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| Greenshank |
I made my way towards Plumpudding Island and had a distant adult Mediterranean Gull fly east over land. Linnet flocks were disturbed first by a Kestrel and then by a Sparrowhawk. A flock of 17 Goldfinches scattered as the Sparrowhawk flew past leaving just one youngster who was slower to realise the danger. Plumpudding Island was extremely quiet apart from some Linnet and Meadow Pipits so I headed on to Coldharbour.
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| adult Mediterranean Gull |
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| adult Mediterranean Gull |
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| immature Goldfinch |
Coldharbour itself was very quiet. While I was sitting on the sea wall a flock of 96 Mallard flew in with 6 Teal and 6 Wigeon amongst them and settled on the sea. Another 15 Wigeon flew in from the north and joined them. There were a couple of differently marked Mallard - one being either hybrid or domestic and one possibly being leucestic - but both were too far away for a photo.
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| Wigeon |
A passing Hobby caused alarm amongst the Meadow Pipits and got chased by a Carrion Crow for its troubles. The Meadow Pipits had no sooner settled when a Kestrel decided to try its luck and once more alarm ensued before they successfully evaded it.
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| Kestrel |
While sitting on the sea wall watching a Little Egret on the shore I heard a Heron call from behind and the call sounded 'flat'. On turning, I could see a Heron steadily spiralling upwards, already pretty high, and as it banked it caught the sun and showed striking brown upperwing coverts and the immediate impression was of an immature Purple Heron. I grabbed the camera but just could not get it to focus on the bird despite constantly trying. It continued climbing and spiralling away towards Reculver by now too high to see anything. I spent so long trying desperately to focus for a record shot that I missed the opportunity for a second good look at it so frustratingly I don't feel able to count it whatever my first impressions were. When I bumped into Matt Hindle yesterday he had said that he had seen a Purple Heron that day but I do not know if he saw an adult or immature. Did knowing that Matt had had a Purple Heron influence that first glance? Was it a trick of the light? I will never know. In my heart of hearts I think it was one but without that second good look the only thing it counts as is a missed opportunity. All I do know is I found it hard to stop kicking myself for messing up so badly with what in all likelihood was a great bird.
Still kicking myself I had a walk up to Chambers Wall but it did not throw up any surprises and there did not appear to be anything particularly new in. 3 Common Buzzard were in the air together over the embankment and another Cetti's Warbler calling from cover greeted me as I crossed the railway line. A Jay alarm called before flying off and a Pheasant called. A couple of Chiffchaff were working their way through one of the bushes but otherwise it was pretty quiet. As it was quiet bird wise I had a look for dragonflies. Several Migrant Hawkers were on the wing and I also came across several more perched soaking up the warmth from the sun.
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| Migrant Hawker |
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| Migrant Hawker |
I also saw a single Willow Emerald Damselfly, a very mature Common Darter and a smart Colletes sp. bee.
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly |
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly |
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| Common Darter |
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| Colletes sp. Bee |
I made my way up to the embankment and then back to the sea wall via the green bank. It proved be a quiet walk picking up just another couple of Chiffchaff. Starlings were tucking into the blackberries on the oyster farm. A Stonechat was also on the oyster farm. When I reached the sea wall I had a sit and watched out to sea for a while. A couple of Brent Geese flew east but otherwise it was quiet.
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| Brent Geese |
4 Stonechat were on the shore busy catching insects. Once again two Wheatear were close to where I was sitting and I watched them for a while. They are lovely birds.
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| Stonechat |
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| Wheatear |
As I made my way back to Reculver I had a juvenile Gannet fly east reasonably close inshore and giving some good views as it went past. They certainly have an impressive wing span when seen from head on. The wind had picked up to a moderate easterly by now and I hoped that a few more birds might move through but out to sea remained very quiet apart from 3 Sandwich Tern east.
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| juvenile Gannet |
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| juvenile Gannet |
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| juvenile Gannet |
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| juvenile Gannet |
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| juvenile Gannet |
I did well for Wheatear on the walk back and saw 7 in total. 2 Great Black-backed Gulls flew east. I took a break at Reculver and then late afternoon had a wander back along the sea wall. The tide was in now and the wind was east north easterly. A Red-throated Diver flew east and a Great Black-backed Gull but otherwise all was still quiet out to sea.
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| Red-throated Diver |
A Black-headed Gull flew east low over the sea with slower wing flaps as it flew into the wind which gave a chance to see the feathering in its wings better in the photos.
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| Black-headed Gull |
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| Black-headed Gull |
A smart Whinchat was on the shore and obligingly worked its way closer as I watched it. One of the Wheatears did not take kindly to its presence as the Whinchat got closer to it and it chased the Whinchat on several occasions, forcing it further up the shore each time.
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| Whinchat |
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| Whinchat |
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| Whinchat |
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| Whinchat |
11 Ringed Plover and 5 Sanderling were roosting on the beach as I neared Coldharbour with another 8 Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderling and a Turnstone a little further up. 2 Little Egrets flew past me and flew into Coldharbour and on reaching there I found 10 Little Egrets with 5 of them feeding together.
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| Little Egrets |
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| Little Egrets |
I sat on the sea wall for a while and watched out to sea but could not see anything much moving apart from Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls. A single Great Black-backed Gull flew east. The Mallards flew in again and it gave an opportunity for some photographs of the pale bird. I do not know if it is leucistic or a variant plumage or a domestic bird. But it is a striking bird and really stands out in flight.
The other strikingly marked Mallard also flew past
16 Turnstone flew in and settled on the shore on the walk back. As I came up to the pumping station a Greenshank called and flew down onto the exposed mud startling a Kingfisher as it flew down. It was a beautiful sunset as I reached Reculver and as the sun dropped below the horizon the clouds were filled with colour.
It was good to reach Reculver. It had been nice to be able to just spend time out particularly as I have a busy week ahead now so there won't be time for bird watching for a bit.
Birds seen this visit include: 9 Red-legged Partridge, 8 Robin, 12 Blackbird, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 12 Chiffchaff, Wood Pigeons, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 3 Wren, 12 Magpie, 109 Mallard, Carrion Crow, 10 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Chaffinch, 6 Common Buzzard, 2 Dunnock, 1 Blackcap, 8 Greenfinch, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 Reed Bunting, 1 Reed Warbler, 47 Goldfinch, 6 Mute Swan, 2 Coot, 8 Stonechat, 20 Meadow Pipits, 134 Linnet, 3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Grey Heron, Starlings, House Sparrows, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Greenshank, 7 Oystercatcher, 4 Kestrel, 12 Little Egret, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Skylark, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Teal, 21 Wigeon, 1 Hobby, 1 Jay, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Pheasant, 2 Brent Geese east, 7 Wheatear, 1 juvenile Gannet east, 3 Sandwich Tern east, 1 Swallow, 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Redshank, 1 Red-throated Diver, 19 Ringed Plover, 7 Sanderling, 18 Turnstone, 1 Kingfisher
