An Encounter with a Whimbrel and a Juvenile Shag - Reculver to Coldharbour 28/08/20

I paid a visit to Reculver on a warm morning with very little wind. As I passed the towers a pair of Pied Wagtail were chasing after insects and two Robin were amongst the ruins. Swallows were overhead and a Little Egret flew west. Out to sea 7 Teal flew west but otherwise it appeared quiet with only a few Black-headed and Herring Gulls passing by out to sea.

Teal

The tide was in as I headed along the sea wall and 8 Little Egret were resting up in their usual tree. Small numbers of Swallows were regularly moving west with the odd Swift now and then. I saw 2 Wheatear as I made my way towards Coldharbour but both were decidedly camera shy today. Several Whitethroat were amongst the bramble bushes and one popped up before quickly disappearing again as a cyclist approached.

Whitethroat

A flock of 28 Golden Plover lifted off from one of the far fields flying high and bunched in alarm but I could not see what had put them up. A Whimbrel peeped at me from behind a shingle ridge giving me one of the closest views that I have had of one.

Whimbrel

I sat on the sea wall for a while near Coldharbour and a flock of mixed waders flew past having been disturbed from roost by a dog walker. I got an unexpected treat when a juvenile Shag suddenly appeared, having swam round from the other side of the groyne,and gave some great views as it searched for food, diving frequently. Marc Heath had seen a Shag at Reculver yesterday so presumably it was the same one. It was great to be able to see it so close in.

Shag

Shag

Shag

Shag

Coldharbour itself was quiet. A Common Sandpiper worked its way along a far bank and 6 Redshank were roosting at the waters edge.

Redshank

As I made my way back to Reculver I could see a Hobby chasing after Linnets and then Reed Buntings over the reed beds. It was still a good distance from me but it was fascinating to watch as it twisted and turned before suddenly appearing to almost stop prior to a sudden change in direction before the chase was on once again. It did not appear to be successful this time before moving on.

Hobby

Hobby

The weather had rapidly started to deteriorate and the wind steadily gathered strength. I could see heavy rain showers and a thunder storm moving through to the south but luckily still quite distant. As I made my way back to Reculver 5 Whimbrel and 2 Bar-tailed Godwit flew high north west. The threatening rain arrived and I was absolutely drenched as a torrential rain shower moved through. Just before the rain hit a flock of 75 Swallow and 2 Swift flew ahead of it moving east. As the rain eased off and the sun came out briefly 4 Golden Plover flew over and gave some great views as they passed overhead.

Golden Plover

Rain then definitely stopped play as shower after shower moved through. Thunder storms were both to the south and the north with some spectacular lightening and very loud cracks of thunder but luckily they never came overhead. At one point, as the sun broke through briefly while it was still raining, rainbow colours appeared to be floating just above the sea before disappearing as quicky as they had appeared. For those few seconds it was absolutely beautiful and almost made it worth getting drenched just to see that. I tried for a photo but only managed to catch the tail end of it and it really does not do it justice.

It was good to reach Reculver and to be able to get out of the rain.

Birds seen this visit included: 19 Pied Wagtail, 2 Robin, 14 Little Egret, 7 Swift, 157 Swallow, 35 Ringed Plover, 11 Turnstone, 2 Grey Heron, 15 Linnet, Cormorants, 4 Stonechat, 1 Kestrel, Starlings, House Sparrows, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 5 Whitethroat, 5 Reed Warbler, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Kestrel, 1 Wren,  Carrion Crows, 5 Reed Bunting, 8 Whimbrel, 28 Golden Plover, 3 Common Sandpiper, 45 Sanderling, 11 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Pheasant, 2 Wheatear, 1 Coot, 2 Magpie, 9 Sandwich Tern, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 38 Oystercatcher,  2 Dunlin, 1 Shag, 6 Redshank, 6 Meadow Pipit, Wood Pigeons, 1 Hobby, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 

Goldfinch family, Golden Plover and an Obliging Meadow Pipit - Reculver to Coldharbour 27/08/20

On an overcast day but with a very light south westerly wind I had a walk from Reculver to Coldharbour in the morning. The tide was just on the turn before starting to go out. A couple of Sandwich Tern were calling as I started out along the sea wall and Pied Wagtails flicked back and fore from the sea wall to the shingle. A single Whimbrel flew in from the north calling away and then flew east and a little while later another 3 also flew east. An adult Goldfinch with a couple of juveniles fed one of the youngsters as I neared giving the chance to try for a photo. They are beautiful birds.

Goldfinch family

Four Curlew flew south west over the oyster farm and high above a Hobby was mugged by a Kestrel causing it to move off rapidly. 

Curlew

I came across 56 Sanderling, 62 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin and 26 Turnstone roosting at various points on the beach and saw a total of 5 Common Sandpiper on the walk to Coldharbour.

Sanderling and Turnstone

The sun started to break through the clouds and as I neared Coldharbour a flock of 25 Golden Plover took to the air, lifting off from one of the fields and gave some great views as they whirled round.

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

A Dunlin was on Coldharbour, as were a couple of Redshank. A Common Sandpiper was feeding along a back edge and the few usual Black-headed Gulls were present.

Dunlin

Redshank

I enjoyed watching the Yellow Wagtails on my walk back to Reculver and every now and then a dispute would break out between one of them and a Pied Wagtail. 

Yellow Wagtail

Above, four Whimbrel flew west calling away, presumably the same ones that I had seen flying east earlier.

Whimbrel

A Hobby flew past, having been out at sea and pursuing passing Swallows, before dropping down and streaking away over the reed beds.

Hobby

I finished the visit with superb views of a Meadow Pipit as it came and fed close to me while I was sitting on the sea wall.

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Birds seen this visit included: 6 Pied Wagtail, House Sparrows, Starlings, 2 Mute Swan, 3 Little Egret, 9 Sandwich Tern, 88 Oystercatcher, 4 Whimbrel, 5 Swallow, 3 Redshank, 5 Common Sandpiper, 26 Turnstone, 4 Stonechat, 7 Goldfinch, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Grey Heron, 62 Ringed Plover, 7 Corn Bunting, 4 Curlew, 3 Swift, 2 Hobby, 3 Kestrel, 56 Sanderling, 2 Dunlin, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 25 Golden Plover, 65 Swallow, 1 Pheasant, 7 Yellow Wagtail, 30 Linnet, 2 Common Buzzard, 

Two Sea Watches and an Osprey - Reculver 26/08/20

With a breezy north westerly blowing this morning I decided to try a sea watch to see if anything was passing. Overall it turned out to be fairly quiet but I enjoyed seeing my first Arctic Skuas (136) of the year with a couple of singles seen heading west during the morning. Even though distant, one came close enough to try for a memory shot.

Arctic Skua

Wader wise it was fairly quiet. Oystercatchers were heading east in small groups and a Bar-tailed Godwit (137) west was nice to see. A single Snipe also headed past. It was mainly Sandwich Terns that were heading east in small numbers while 3 Common Terns (138) passed west close enough to the towers to try for a photo. 

Common Terns

The undoubted highlight of the morning was when Marc Heath, who was also sea watching, spotted a distant Osprey (139) coming in from the north. I really hoped that it might head our way but it remained too far away to try for a photo and came in over Coldharbour instead and carried straight on, presumably ending up at Stodmarsh. I would have loved to have been able to get a photo of it. As a first sea watch for a long time it had been an enjoyable morning and I am very grateful to Marc for all of the help he gave me during the morning.

In the afternoon I headed to Coldharbour and sat on the sea wall to see what was moving out to sea. It was clear that there were more terns on the move this afternoon, with both Sandwich and Common Terns moving west. One of the Sandwich Terns gave a nice close fly past.

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

I also saw a single Great Skua (140) west and an Arctic Skua east.

Great Skua

Arctic Skua

I enjoyed watching as groups of Terns moved through, sometimes small mixed groups of both Sandwich and Common, other times larger unmixed groups. All were a pleasure to watch.

Common Terns

Sandwich Terns

Small groups of waders were on the move as the tide continued to come in and it gave an opportunity to try for some flight shots as they came past.

Sanderling

Ringed Plover

Oystercatchers

With the movement of terns seemingly come to an end I started to make my way back to Reculver and as I did do a Rock Pipit landed on the beach and gave some very good views as it searched amongst the shingle for food. A nearby Meadow Pipit was equally obliging.

Rock Pipit

Meadow Pipit

A Common Sandpiper was on one of the groynes and I did well with them on the way back seeing 8 in total. Waders were roosting on the beach and a single Dunlin was amongst the Ringed Plover whilst a very smart Sanderling gave a very nice view.

Common Sandpiper

Dunlin and Ringed Plover

Sanderling

Four Whimbrel flew west calling and a short while later another Whimbrel flew west before turning and returning east. They have a very distinctive and far carrying call.

Whimbrel

Three Yellow Wagtails were on the beach in the company of a couple of Pied Wagtails while Linnet and Goldfinches chattered away from the other side of the sea wall. A Whitethroat peeped out at me from one of the bramble bushes and another three were more skulking.

Whitethroat

An adult and juvenile Cormorant were feeding in close proximity to each other close in to the shore. A Cormorant coming into land showed just what an impressive wing span they have and was moulting various flight feathers.

Cormorants

Cormorant landing

A juvenile Sandwich Tern was resting on the beach as I neared Reculver. They are beautifully marked and it showed its wing markings well as it wing stretched several times. It called as another Sandwich Tern flew past out to sea but it did not receive a reply.

juvenile Sandwich Tern

juvenile Sandwich Tern

juvenile Sandwich Tern

A Common Gull was on the beach as I approached the towers and a large number of Herring and Black-headed Gulls were swooping and soaring, presumably catching the many insects that were on the wing. The juvenile Sandwich Tern joined them briefly before flying back east.

It was good to reach the car park but had been an enjoyable and productive visit.

Birds seen during the morning sea watch included: 2 Arctic Skua west, 27 Sandwich Tern, 3 Common Tern, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit west, 1 Dunlin, 1 Snipe, 3 Little Egret, 1 Osprey in off the sea and south over Coldharbour.

Birds seen during the afternoon visit included: 1 Great Skua west, 1 Arctic Skua east, 86 Sandwich Tern west, 49 Common Tern west, 2 Dunlin, 29 Turnstone, 63 Ringed Plover, 78 Oystercatcher, 5 Whimbrel, 6 Meadow Pipit, 61 Sanderling, 8 Common Sandpiper, 1 Sparrowhawk, 56 Linnet, 3 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 2 Little Egret, 5 Sand Martins, 25 Swallows, 15 Goldfinch, 2 Stonechat, 1 Reed Bunting, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Whitethroat,  2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Common Gull