Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Med Gulls and Greenshank - Reculver to Chambers Wall 17/07/19

I headed to Reculver today. It was a sunny and warm day with initially a south south easterly wind which gradually swung round to southerly. 6 Pied Wagtail were active around the car park area, a mix of adults and youngsters. a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls flew east. Lots of House Sparrows were chirping away. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew across and Blackbirds and Linnet were busy feeding amongst the cut grass.

As I neared the sea I saw a Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding from the plants by the last section of Roman Wall. It was ever active and, as always, an absolute joy to watch. It had an amazing turn of speed and such control when hovering. It would feed for a couple of minutes then shoot off and return a few minutes later. I tried for some photos and was lucky as the light was very good which enabled me to get some shots. It was really beautiful to watch and had such precise control over its long proboscis.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Out to sea appeared to be quiet except for a single Teal that flew west. A Little Owl was perched on one of the telegraph poles I tried for some photos but as I was taking into the light I struggled to get exposure right but was chuffed to have been able to get any at all. As a dog walker came past the owl flew over to the fence by the pumping station and after watching the ground intently dropped down and came back up with a mouse which it promptly swallowed.

Little Owl

A juvenile Black-headed Gull was with 4 Black-headed gull on the shore and a Common Gull dropped in briefly.

juvenile Black-headed Gull

There was a huge number of insects on the wing and a mixed group of Black-headed Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls were making the most of them. I could see 6 Mediterrranean Gull and a couple came close and gave superb views as they swooped after the insects.

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull

I could see a Little Ringed Plover in the same place as the other day. A Mute Swan was also there having a wash and brush up while a Kestrel hovered over the oyster farm. A Clouded Yellow Butterfly zoomed by on the lower path without stopping. A summer plumaged Turnstone looked gorgeous in the light.

Turnstone

The rest of the walk up to Coldharbour remained quite quiet. A Whimbrel flew west and I had a single Common Tern. On Coldharbour itself there only appeared to be a few Black-headed Gulls. I was pleased to see a Greenshank on the shore and it gave some good views.

Greenshank

Greenshank

Before heading up to Chambers Wall I had a short look along the bottom path. A Clouded Yellow Butterfly was patrolling but never paused long enough for a photo. A Conehead nymph had lost part of one of its antenna while a metallic beetle shone in the sunshine. I am not sure what it is at the moment.

Conehead nymph

A Sedge Warbler was working its way through the vegetation and a couple of mating Gatekeeper Butterflies fluttered past before settling. Peacock butterflies were enjoying the Red Clover as was a single Painted Lady. Small and Essex Skippers were plentiful and a few Small Heath were here and there.

Sedge Warbler

mating Gatekeeper Butterflies

A couple of Skylark were on the path up to Chambers Wall and gave some good views. A Yellow Wagtail called as it flew over.

Skylark

Skylark

By the river at Chambers Wall Small Red-eyed Damselflies were plentiful and there were also good numbers of Red-eyed. Many females were conjoined and and ovipositing. Blue-tailed damselflies fluttered about.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

Large Red Dameslfly

I saw 5 Emperor Dragonflies and 3 Brown Hawkers. I also saw a Norfolk Hawker. Once again I tried for some flight photos and once again did really badly. Still, as before, at least they make good memory shots.

Brown Hawker

Norfolk Hawker

There were a few Ruddy Darter here and there and I saw a single Willow Emerald. I saw some handsome metallic beetles and will need to try and find out what they are.

Ruddy Darter

I finished the visit with some very nice views of a female Banded Demoiselle sheltering out of the wind.

Banded Demoiselle

Birds seen this visit include: 8 Pied Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrows, Starlings, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, 4 Blackbird, 40 Linnet, Cormorants, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Teal, 1 Common Gull, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Mute Swan, 2 Kestrel, 21 Meadow Pipit, 6 Little Egret, 8 Turnstone, 2 Redshank, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 7 Oystercatcher, 8 Sand Martin, 15 Swallow, 4 Ringed Plover, 7 Reed Bunting, 18 Sedge Warbler, 7 Reed Warbler, 1 Grey Partridge calling, 1 Common Tern, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 12 Shelduck, 2 Magpie, 2 Grey Heron, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Carrion Crows

Clouded Yellows and Little Ringed Plovers in Twos- Reculver to Chambers Wall 15/07/19

I came down to Reculver after work. It was very overcast and though there was no sunshine it was very warm with a north north easterly breeze. I could hear young Starlings calling and a family were working their way over the rocks with the youngsters begging and badgering a parent constantly. When the rest of the family moved off this one stayed to root amongst the seaweed before moving to join them. A little further on a male Pied Wagtail was carrying a bill full of food.

Starling

Pied Wagtail

A Magpie rooting around in the grass had a patch of white behind its eye. It was very quiet out to sea with just a few passing Herring and Black-headed Gulls. 6 Little Egret were roosting in the tree on the oysterfarm while 4 Redshank were feeding along the shore. Good numbers of House Sparrows were bouncing around.

Magpie

It was very quiet for birds walking along the sea wall. A Reed Bunting was working its way through the grasses and a couple of Sedge Warbler were singing. I caught sight of a Clouded Yellow Butterfly patrolling on the path below the sea wall. It paused briefly on some Red Clover and though distant I tried for a photo before it moved off. A second Clouded Yellow flew in and they chased each other before they resumed patrolling in opposite directions.

Clouded Yellow Butterfly

A pair of Oystercatchers were calling noisily and 3 Meadow Pipits were feeding amongst the vegetation on the concrete by the sea wall.

Meadow Pipit

A male Stonechat appeared particularly dark with large white wing flashes and a neat orange bib. I know that there had been a male continental race rubicola earlier in the year and wondered if this was it or our race hibernans in a state of moult. Whichever is the case he was a handsome bird and a joy to watch. Unfortunately it remained distant and moved off as a dog walker came through.

Stonechat

Stonechat

Stonechat

The tide had started to go out and 3 Little Egret flew in with one giving nice reflections in the
shallow water.

Little Egret

I was pleased to see a couple of Little Ringed Plover in the same place on the oyster farm that I had seen one earlier in the year. They really were too distant for anything in the photo line, particularly as the light was not great, but I was pleased to be able to get some memory shots and certainly enjoyed watching them.

Little Ringed Plovers

Little Ringed Plover

A Marbled White Butterfly was flying along the bottom path and then obligingly came and sat on a Teasel nearer the sea wall.

Marbled White Butterfly

As I carried on I saw another 3 Stonechat, one of which was a female carrying food.

Stonechat

The tide was well out by now but apart from Oystercatchers, Redshank and Ringed Plover I could not see any other waders. The exposed mussel beds were popular with the Herring Gulls. The family of Shelduck were feeding along the waters edge. A very smart male Linnet was singing away before moving on.

male Linnet

Coldharbour was very quiet with just a few Black-headed Gulls and a single Redshank. I could see an adult Coot and 4 youngsters on the river and a Common Tern flew down. 4 Mute Swan flew past, 2 adults and 2 youngsters. I headed for home via Chambers Wall and on the way had a head on encounter with a Roesel's Bush Cricket. It appeared to have lost one of its antenna. They are very striking insects.

Roesel's Bush Cricket

I had come further than I had initially planned this evening and with walking becoming increasingly difficult I concentrated on that rather than looking round much and didn't keep much of a count for the last part back. I did however see a Cuckoo at Chambers Wall and in the river Amphibious Bistort was in flower. I finished off with a male Marsh Harrier giving a flypast and he looked gorgeous in the evening light.

Amphibious Bistort Persicaria amphibia

male Marsh Harrier

Birds seen this visit include: Starlings, House Sparrows, 5 Blackbird, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 4 Magpie, 4 Collared Dove, 6 Little Egret, 3 Goldfinch, Wood Pigeons, 5 Sand Martin, 7 Swallow, 5 Redshank, 12 Meadow Pipit, 10 Oystercatcher, 4 Stonechat, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel, 4 Whitethroat, 5 Linnet, 2 Pheasant, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Ringed Plover, 12 Shelduck, 4 Mute Swan, 5 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 5 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Tern, 2 Wren, 1 Cuckoo

Wasp Spider, Grasshoppers and Bush Crickets - Highstead 14/07/19

I  paid a visit to Highstead this afternoon to see what I could see. It was sunny when I left home but with rapidly building cloud and a breezy north easterly wind. A sunbathing Blackbird outside the house was enjoying the sunbath, so much so that he did not even move as I came past.

sunbathing Blackbird

As I arrived at Highstead the sun promptly went in and apart from some inceasingly brief intervals  stayed in until late in the visit when the cloud suddenly cleared. Overall it was very quiet for birds. A pair of Collared Doves were flying back and fore and House Sparrows and Goldfinches were in the bushes. Carrion Crows called as they flew past and Jackdaws were in the horse paddock. A small flock of 5 Linnet were moving through and Swallows hawked for insects above. A good mix of butterflies were on the wing with a single Painted Lady, good numbers of Gatekeepers, also Meadow Browns, Large and Small Whites, both Small and Essex Skippers, Peacocks and Red Admirals. The walk down was very quiet with no sign of any damselflies but the wind was proving to be pretty cool and with the cloud turning ever greyer it did not look hopeful. A Labyrinth Spider was outside a funnel web, giving good views, with another one inside the funnel. I could see the long spinnerets, a feature of these spiders.

Labyrinth Spider Agelena labyrinthica

Labyrinth Spider Agelena labyrinthica

As I came out from the small wooded area a Common Buzzard flew up from the tree and circled away. a couple of Wren scolded away. I came across my first Ruddy Darter of the year which was resting up out of the wind and a little further on another also gave good views. A fresh male Gatekeeper butterfly was also resting up nearby.

female Ruddy Darter

female Ruddy Darter

Gatekeeper Butterfly

A female Yellowhammer came down briefly onto the path and a male was over atop a bush. A Common Blue Damselfly was tucked out of the wind and was the only Common Blue I saw during the visit. A small  moth flew up from the vegetation and landed on the path briefly allowing a quick photo. I looked up from taking the photo to find a fox just a few feet from me but the movement of me looking up startled it and it shot away into the cover of the field. I would have loved a photo of it as it was so close and in tip top condition. I was so intent on the moth that I had not realised the fox had come down the path. Still, I felt lucky to have had such a close encounter, even if only brief.

Common Blue Damselfly

Agapeta hamana

 I saw several Roesel's Bush Crickets and Grasshoppers seemed to be everywhere. A Flesh Fly looked striking in the sunshine and as the light shone through a male Ruddy Darter's wings the effect was beautiful.

Flesh Fly Sarcophaga carnaria

male Ruddy Darter

I caught sight of a striking spider low down in the vegetation. I have wanted to see a Wasp Spider ever since I saw a photo of it in my book on spiders, as it looked a fascinating spider, and I could not believe my luck when I realised I was actually looking at one. She was beautiful and sitting in a large orb web with the stabilimentum - the zig zag band of silk showing well. Apparently they are widespread in the south east but it was the first time I have ever seen one. I would not normally say a spider made my day but this one definitely did.

Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

 I started a slow wander back stopping regularly to look at the various countless Grasshoppers that were around. My Grasshopper identification skills are still very poor so I will need to look into exactly which this and many of the others that I saw are at a later date and update when I find out. Good numbers of Cinnibar Moth Caterpillars gave some very nice views.

Cinnibar Caterpillers

The cloud finally started to clear giving some welcome sunshine. Both a Green-veined White and a male Ruddy Darter sat enjoying the warmth.

Green-veined White

male Ruddy Darter

I did well for Bush Crickets seeing Roesel's, Dark and Speckled during the afternoon.

Roesel's Bush Cricket

Dark Bush Cricket

Speckled Bush Cricket

Various Grasshoppers were frequent throughout the walk back. The middle one has green combined with purple which makes a striking combination.

I saw a single Black-tailed Skimmer that landed on the path briefly before disappearing down between the wheat stems in the field. A single Blue-tailed and a single Azure Damselfly were a little further along. It will be worth trying again without the cool north easterly wind and a bit more sunshine.

Black-tailed Skimmer

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Azure Damselfly

I finished off with a couple of Thistle Ermine Moths. They are pretty moths.

Thistle Ermine Moth Myelosis circumvoluta

It had been good to be able to have a little time out after work and though the weather could have been better and it was very quiet for birds it had still been an interesting afternoon and I was well chuffed with having seen the Wasp Spider.


Birds seen this visit include: 4 Collared Doves, House Sparrows, 8 Goldfinches, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, 6 Chaffinch, 20 Linnet, 11 Swallows, 6 Blackbird, 3 Dunnock, 2 Wren, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Jay, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Yellowhammer, 3 Magpie, Wood Pigeon, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Song Thrush, Great Tits, Blue Tits, 1 Robin, Skylarks, 8 Sand Martin