Whinchats, Clouded Yellows And a Surprise Willow Emerald in the Glen - Chambers Wall to Bishopstone Glen

I started out from Chambers Wall this morning. It was another beautiful morning with the sun once again rising into a clear blue sky. 25 House Sparrows were around the entrance road and a Cetti's Warbler was calling from the hedgerow as I came up to the car park. Where the tractors had been working recently in a far field I could see that there were good numbers of Rook and smaller numbers of Carrion Crows and Jackdaws. Overall it seemed quite quiet for birds. A Wood Pigeon was enjoying the early morning sunshine too much to move when it saw me and carried on sitting there quite contently even though it did keep a wary eye on me.

Wood Pigeon

As I walked down to the railway crossing there was a good mix of the usual jobs. 2 Curlew flew high overhead heading south west and calling away. A little while later a single bird followed in the same direction. An immature Cormorant gave a lovely view in the early morning light as it flew past following the river. 7 young Mallard were tucked in together at the edge of one of the fields.

immature Cormorant

As I neared Coldharbour I was pleased to see a Whinchat on the path. It stayed a good ways in front of me before flying over to the reeds and then moving on towards Coldharbour. It remained distant but it was nice to be able to get a memory shot of it. From the sea wall I could see a Lesser Whitethroat on the lookout for insects.

Whinchat

Lesser Whitethroat

A Black-headed Gull on Coldharbour had an almost perfect reflection as it picked invertebrates off the water weed below the surface. A couple of Redshank were also present and a Common Sandpiper was working its way along one of the edges. Yellow Wagtails, Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings were all back and fore with disputes regularly breaking out. I could hear a Green Sandpiper calling and as a group of cyclists came round it flew up from cover before heading off in the direction of the oyster farm.

Black-headed Gull

Redshank

Common Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper

I sat and watched out to sea for a while. The sea was very calm and stunningly blue and the light was crystal clear. It really was a beautiful morning. I had a single Tufted Duck flying west and small numbers of Common and Sandwich Tern. 5 Curlew also flew west calling.

Curlew

I started to make my way to Reculver. I could see 8 Coot down the dyke and a couple of Mute Swan. A few Turnstone and 26 Ringed Plover were along the shore together with 8 Sanderling. Common and Sandwich Terns continued past in small numbers with some flying both east and west. A couple of Willow Warblers were working their way through the bushes by the sea wall. I came across another Whinchat and also a Stonechat. A second Whinchat joined the first. I ended up with some very nice views of one of them as it flew down to the track near the sea wall. They are lovely little birds and I thoroughly enjoyed my time watching them.

Whinchat

Whinchat

Whinchat

I dropped down to the bottom path as I could see some hawkers and got some good views of a mating pair of Migrant Hawkers. After a while the female started to keep jerking herself up and away from him, with what appeared to be quite forceable movements, and she was clearly trying to unattach but either the male was reluctant to let go or perhaps it is quite difficult for them to unattach and needs the movements that the female was doing to enable them to do so, I don't know. Eventually he did partially unattach but was still clasping her head. They stayed in that position for a few moments before she once again began to jerk her body away from him and he finally unclasped her head and they separated. It was a privilege to have been able to spend time watching them.

mating Migrant Hawkers

mating Migrant Hawkers

mating Migrant Hawkers

separating Migrant Hawkers

I headed back up to the sea wall and saw a young Herring Gull flying past holding in its bill a sizeable flatfish. It dropped down the exposed mussel bed to try and eat it but moments later attracted the attention of a hungry adult and the chase was on. The youngster was first mobbed by the adult and then another youngster joined in. Despite that the gull with the fish held its nerve and hung onto it and eventually managing to evade them both it flew further along with its catch.

Herring Gull being mobbed

Herring Gull being mobbed

Quite a way further along from where I had seen the last couple of Whinchat I saw what was likely to be another bird making a total of 4 Whinchats seen today.

Whinchat

Whinchat

As I neared Reculver I could see a couple of Clouded Yellow butterflies patrolling along the bottom track. There was also a Brown Argus and a little further on a Small Copper. Out to sea the horizon line was almost invisible, as it was the same colour as the sky, and with darker bands of colour in the sea nearer to me it gave the optical illusion of the wind turbines hovering in the air.

An Optical Illusion of Hovering wind turbines

I took a fairly long break at Reculver and then as it is almost the end of my holiday I decided to try and make the most of the day and carry on to Bishopstone via the clifftop walk. It had started to cloud over but there were breaks in the clouds and I hoped that I might catch up with some more butterflies or insects. Good numbers of House Sparrows were at the start of the path and Sand Martins were hawking for insects above. 17 Goldfinches were busy feeding amongst the seed heads.

House Sparrow

I saw a couple of interesting looking insects. I am not sure what the first is at present and will update when I can find out. I think that the other may be a Lucerne Bug.

? Lucerne Bug Adelphocoris lineolatus

A Skylark was on the path and looked surprisingly long-legged as it stood very upright to look round as a dog started barking.

Skylark

I came across at least 4 Clouded Yellow butterflies with a fifth appearing to come in off the sea. I was very lucky as one allowed some very good views as it fed. They are beautiful butterflies. Another one flicked its wings briefly allowing a glimpse of the upperwings. I was very lucky as when one took off I just about managed to get it in the frame to enable a shot of its wings open as it flew up. It was great to be able to be able to spend the time just watching and enjoying such a super butterfly.

Clouded Yellow Butterfly

female Clouded Yellow Butterfly

female Clouded Yellow Butterfly

I sat on a bench and was treated to views of 2 Hobbies hawking for insects. A large group of mixed Herring and Black-headed Gulls was doing the same thing. If a Hobby got too close to a gull it was harassed and quickly moved away.

Hobby

After a while I made my way to Bishopstone Glen and had a wander through. There was a lot of activity from dog walkers so I did not see very many birds but I did do quite well for insects. I was really surprised to come across a Willow Emerald Damselfly as I have not seen one here before and did not know that they occurred in the Glen.

Willow Emerald Damselfly

A Buddliea was proving, as usual, to be popular with visiting butterflies so I paused for a while to see what came along. I got another nice surprise when a Hummingbird Hawkmoth dropped in and I was treated to the unusual view of looking up at it. Peacock, Comma, Painted Lady and Small White butterflies all visited while I was watching.

Hummingbird Hawk Moth

Hummingbird Hawk Moth

I finished off a very enjoyable day with seeing a patch of Robin's Pincushion Gall on a Dog Rose and a male Goldfinch keeping watch while its mate was having a preen.

Robin's Pincushion Gall

Goldfinch

Birds seen this visit include: 105 House Sparrows, 1 Cetti's Warbler, Wood Pigeons, 65 Rook, 13 Carrion Crow, 25 Jackdaw, 8 Curlew, 15 Whitethroat, 127 Linnet, 11 Mallard, 2 Green Woodpecker, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 1 Blackcap, 4 Wren, 3 Blackbird, 4 Magpie, 37 Goldfinch, 1 Common Buzzard, 5 Sedge Warbler, 2 Robin, 2 Chaffinch, 8 Coot, Cormorants, 4 Reed Warbler, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Pheasant, 3 Whinchat, 7 Reed Bunting, 12 Meadow Pipit, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Redshank, 16 Common Tern, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 15 Sandwich Tern, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swan, 4 Turnstone, 26 Ringed Plover, 8 Sanderling, 1 Dunnock, 1 Little Egret, 3 Oystercatcher, 14 Swallow, 59 Sand Martin, 1 Grey Heron, 135 Starling, 2 Kestrel,  3 Stonechat, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Skylark, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Hobby, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Jay, 1 Greenfinch

Wheatear, Caterpillars and Sparrowhawk - Reculver to Chambers Wall 20/08/19

I came to Reculver on a beautiful morning with the sun rising into a clear blue sky and with next to no wind. The tide was starting to go out and the sea was very calm. As I approached the towers I had a very confiding Wheatear on the grass who did not seem to mind my presence at all. It was nice to be treated to such a close view as it moved closer to me. Unfortunately I didn't get long to admire it as 3 cyclists came up, with one of them on the grass, and it flew towards the rocks by the car park but it had made a lovely start to today's visit.

Wheatear

A group of Black-headed Gulls were resting up on the rocks below the towers and several rabbits were out feeding on the grassy areas. Out to sea appeared to be very quiet with only the odd Black-headed or Herring Gull flying past. I had a couple of Robin on the way down to the sea wall and a Kestrel flying over the towers lead to a lot of alarmed chirping from the House Sparrows. I saw 4 Little Egret over the oyster farm and another Wheatear on the rocks with another couple seen, at the same time, on the beach made a welcome sight.

Wheatear

It was nice to see that both Whinchat were still present but one of them was having a fairly rough time from a male Reed Bunting that was regularly flying up at it to dislodge it from the bush. Once it moved the Reed Bunting seemed to lose interest. 2 Stonechat were also out fly catching. I came across 2 Common Tern roosting on the beach with some Black-headed Gulls. A  little further along there was a group of waders with 22 Ringed Plover spread along the shore, and 12 Sanderling and a couple of Dunlin roosting together. I couldn't manage much in the photo line but they make good memory shots for me.

Common Tern

Sanderling and Dunlin

The walk up to Coldharbour remained fairly quiet. Some Common and Sandwich Terns had started to be on the move with the largest group being 15 Common Tern flying west. Both Hobby and Sparrowhawk were patrolling and both were met with alarm calls from Meadow Pipits and Swallows. Coldharbour itself was very quiet with just a few Black-headed Gulls. A Common Sandpiper called as it flew to cover. Meadow Pipits appeared to be chasing the couple of Yellow Wagtails present and there also appeared to be several clashes between Linnet and Meadow Pipit. I turned off the sea wall and headed up to Chambers Wall. I could see a Mute Swan and 5 Coot in the dyke. One of the Coot swam parallel with me for a while before it spotted me and headed for cover. A Cormorant flying down the river was moulting several of its flight feathers.

Coot

Cormorant

I came across some Peacock caterpillars on some nettles. Quite a few of them had white/clear spines and white prolegs rather than the usual black spines and orange prolegs. I wondered if the ones with white/clear spines had recently shed their skin and whether the spines change colour as they harden and age. I could not get much of a photo as they were fairly far into the nettle patch but  it does show several with white/clear spines.

Peacock Caterpillars - some with white/clear spines and white prolegs

Common Toadflax was in patches along the side of the path and was proving attractive to some bees. A Common Blue butterfly went from unseen with its wings closed to glowing like a blue jewel amongst the grass as it opened them to sunbath. They are beautiful butterflies.

Common Toadflax

Common Blue Butterfly

A Willow Emerald showed well and a Common Darter settled at eye level and gave some super views. Several Migrant Hawkers were on the wing and settled now and then.

Willow Emerald

Common Darter

Migrant Hawker

It remained fairly quiet for birds but with all of the usual jobs present. A Common Buzzard was soaring high up and a little further along I was treated to some super views of a large female Sparrowhawk soaring right overhead.

Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk

It made a nice end to the visit.

Birds seen this visit include: 4 Wheatear, 2 Robin, Starlings, House Sparrows, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Wood Pigeons, 4 Carrion Crows, 3 Kestrel, 8 Swallow, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Cormorant, 65 Linnet, 5 Little Egret, 6 Pied Wagtail, 5 Redshank, 8 Reed Bunting, 14 Turnstone, 2 Mallard, 2 Common Sandpiper, 26 Meadow Pipits, 2 Whinchat, 18 Whitethroat, 2 Stonechat, 1 Grey Heron, 9 Sandwich Tern, 12 Sanderling, 25 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 17 Common Tern,  1 Hobby, 7 Sedge Warbler, 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Mute Swan, 5 Coot, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Magpie, 6 Yellow Wagtail, Chiffchaff, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Pheasant, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Moorhen, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Wren, 2 Magpie, 2 Blackbird, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 1 Common Buzzard,

A Quiet Wander with Whinchats and Shovelers - Reculver to Shuart 19/08/19

I headed for Reculver for my first visit after being away. I want to make the most of the few days of annual leave I have left before I have to go back to work so I thought I would aim for a longer visit today. It was sunny with a west south westerly wind when I arrived and the tide was on the way out. The group of Starlings were up around the towers area again with many of them foraging on the concrete apron or down on the sea weed covered rocks and finding insects etc amongst the tufts of vegetation or seaweed. Good numbers of House Sparrow were flitting between the grassy areas and down to the nearly exposed debris left at the foot of the rocks.

Starling

As I headed along the sea wall to the oyster farm a few Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls were on the shore but overall it appeared to be very quiet. Nearing the oyster farm I caught sight of a Kingfisher as it flashed through and 2 Common Sandpiper flew up calling while another answered from the shore. 3 Redshank were working their way around the edge of a dyke. Once again I saw a couple of large flocks of Mallard go up over the far fields at the same time and there appeared to be approximately 100 of them altogether so the numbers are still increasing. Once again I could not see what had put them up.

part of the flock of Mallards

A flock of 15 Common Tern flew west, out to sea, followed by a couple of Sandwich Tern. I saw another couple of Grey Heron flying over the oyster farm and Meadow Pipit and Linnet were busy moving from the sea wall to the shore. It was nice to see a couple of Whinchat, they are lovely birds. They remained fairly distant but were a joy to watch.

Whinchat

Whinchat

A Sandwich Tern was fishing off shore and successfuly caught several fish and I had small numbers passing west during the visit of both these and Common Terns. A female Sparrowhawk shot through the oyster farm and sent up a cloud of 88 Linnet in alarm. I saw 4 duck flying west fast out to sea and as they neared I could see that they were Shoveller. They suddenly did an abrupt turn and headed inland before flying east again.

Sandwich Tern fishing

Shovelers

Shovelers

Redshank, Turnstone and Ringed Plover were on the shore and also 3 Sanderling. 2 Yellow Wagtail were repeatedly chased by Meadow Pipits before moving on. I could hear a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling and a moment later one flew from one of the bushes by the sea wall and headed towards Chambers Wall. The dog walker that was approaching along the bottom path also made a Grey Heron make a hasty exit from the dyke before taking off. They are always such an impressive sight as they take off.

Grey Heron

I could see a Green Sandpiper on the oyster farm and as I neared Coldharbour 2 Coot and a Mute Swan were on the dyke. Coldharbour appeared quiet when I arrived with just a few Black-headed Gulls. As I walked round I could see a Redhank and a Common Sandpiper. 3 Yellow Wagtails were calling frequently and very active and a couple of Reed Bunting were amongst the seed heads. Swifts were continuing to pass west in small numbers as they headed over the fields. I turned off the sea wall and headed towards the embankment. A Sedge Warbler gave as a nice view as it perched in a bush and a Willow Warbler was moving rapidly through.

Sedge Warbler

I decided to head along the embankment to Shuart. Blue Tits and Great Tits were moving through the bushes on the embankment and the odd Whitethroat was seen but othewise it was very quiet for birds. 5 Migrant Hawkers were on the wing and I saw several Common Darter as well. A female Holly Blue butterfly partly opened her wings as she sunbathed.

Migrant Hawker

Common Darter

female Holly Blue Butterfly

I saw some very pretty female Common Blue butterflies. The males were very active but one did pause long enough to allow for a photo.

female Common Blue Butterfly

female Common Blue Butterfly

male Common Blue Butterfly

A Painted Lady butterfly had large areas missing from its wings but was still managing to fly well. A Silver-Y Moth flew up from the vegetation and after settling again it sat vibrating its wings.

Painted Lady Butterfly

Silver-Y Moth

A female Mute Swan was with a couple of cygnets in a dyke and a Grey Heron was on the bank as I neared where I would turn off for Shuart. The walk through to Shuart was also very quiet overall. A Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler were both working their way through the hedgerow. 6 young Mallard were keeping tightly together down one of the dykes and a couple of Coot were also there. I heard at least 3 Green Woodpeckers calling away. I could not manage to find any other hawkers except for Migrant Hawkers.

Migrant Hawker

I finished the visit listening to a couple of Wrens singing away with gusto. It had been nice, even though it was fairly quiet for birds, to have the opportunity for a longer wander today.


Birds seen this visit include: 3 Little Egret, 13 Oystercatcher, Starlings, House Sparrows, 3 Pied Wagtail, Cormorants, Black-headed Gulls, 107 Mallard, 29 Meadow Pipit, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Common Sandpiper, 105 Linnet, Carrion Crow, 6 Redshank, 6 Grey Heron, 24 Common Tern,  10 Sandwich Tern, 7 Swallow, 2 Turnstone, 4 Magpie, 2 Whinchat, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Sanderling, 4 Shoveller, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 14 Swift, 11 Ringed Plover, 6 Turnstone, 5 Yellow Wagtail, Carrion Crow, 1 Green Sandpiper, 7 Coot, 6 Mute Swan, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Kestrel, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Green Woodpecker, 3 Wren, Blackbirds, Robins,