Black Tern, Whinchat and An Arriving Merlin - Shuart to Chambers Wall 10/09/20

On a still and fine morning I paid an early visit to Shuart. Both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker's were calling as I started down the track and many of the usual suspects were either calling or singing. A Ring-necked Parakeet called noisily as it flew over. A little further on a Green Woodpecker shot through a gap in the hedge with a Sparrowhawk in hot pursuit and rapidly gaining. As they continued on through a gap on the other side the Sparrowhawk appeared to just miss as the Green Woodpecker veered sharply left but must have made some contact as a couple of greenish feathers drifted downwards. Further along the track I could hear Red-legged Partridge and peeping through a gap in the foliage I could see 10 of them in two groups of five in one of the fields. 

Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge

An increased number of Chiffchaff, compared to my last visit, were working their way through the hedgerow and I am sure that there were more than I managed to see and count. A singing Willow Warbler was a lovely sound and one I will miss. 2 Cetti's Warblers made their presence known and a Sedge Warbler peeped out at me as I neared the end of the track.

There was another singing Willow Warbler as I made my way past the stables and as I came up onto the sea wall two flocks of Oystercatchers totalling 52 birds flew east. A couple of Little Egret also flew east.

Little Egrets

I caught sight of a bird heading east, out to sea, and grabbed a few photos and had a really nice surprise when I saw it was a Black Tern, now that I had not expected. The photos, without a doubt, are appallingly bad, between the distance, heat haze, and being very heavily cropped but they give me a couple of memory shots of a very welcome and unexpected bonus and I am really pleased I tried for them.

Black Tern

Black Tern

Well chuffed with the Black Tern I carried on along the sea wall and had another treat when I saw a Merlin coming in off the sea. Within seconds of crossing the sea wall it was in pursuit of a small flock of Linnet before it continued south west. Plumpudding Island, when I reached it, was quiet and as I carried on towards Coldharbour a stream-lined Kestrel flew past at almost eye level.

Kestrel

Nearing Coldharbour there was a Whinchat was on the sea wall briefly and luckily, even though it was disturbed by a cyclist, it did not move too far and found a handy perch on the other side of the lower path. They are lovely birds.

Whinchat

Whinchat

Coldharbour was quiet and on the walk up to Chambers Wall I came across another singing Willow Warbler and at least another 6 Chiffchaff. A couple of Blackcap and a couple of Whitethroat were in the same Blackberry bush and a Cetti's Warbler was vocal at both the start and end of the path. A few Migrant Hawker and Ruddy Darters were on the wing and above a Hobby appeared to be very adept at catching dragonflies. 2 Common Buzzard spiralled lazily high above and made a nice end to the visit. 

Birds seen this visit included: 5 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wood Pigeons, 4 Blackbird, 11 Robin, 4 Wren, 26 Chiffchaff, Jackdaws, 4 Chaffinch, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 1 Mallard, 1 Moorhen, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 7 Magpie, 3 Common Buzzard, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Red-legged Partridge, 4 Blackcap, 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Willow Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 4 Kestrel, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Goldfinch, 17 Swallow, 32 House Sparrow, 125 Starling, 81 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Egret, 2 Stonechat, 1 Black Tern, 1 Merlin, 40 Linnet, 7 Sanderling, 15 Ringed Plover, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Sandwich Tern, 1 Hobby,  

Chiffchaff Arrivals and Passing Knots - Reculver to Coldharbour 09/09/20

I paid an early morning visit to Reculver. The tide was in but on the turn and there was a nearly cloudless sky above. A Chiffchaff and a Robin were on the rocks by the car park with another 5 Chiffchaff in the bushes near the towers. As I came down onto the sea wall the air was alive with Chiffchaff calls and more new arrivals were in the bushes and scrub. Out to sea appeared quiet apart from 85 Oystercatcher flying east. A Short-eared Owl was up briefly over the oyster farm and a Common Buzzard hunting above the far fields managed to avoid any hassling from the local Carrion Crows. Groups of Black-headed Gulls were resting up on the shore but it appeared quiet for waders. 60 Mallard flew over and appeared to come down near Coldharbour.

Mallards

As I made my way along it remained quiet for waders with just a few Turnstone along the tide line. Out to sea 2 Bar-tailed Godwit flew east followed a short while later by a Whimbrel. 4 Pheasant were perched in a bush on the oyster farm while on the other side of the sea wall a Wheatear flew up onto the rocks with another on the shore below.

Wheatear

I saw more Whitethroat today than I have seen on my last couple of visits. More Chiffchaff were calling from various bushes alongside the sea wall as I made my way along. While I was watching a Hobby over the fields a flock of 30 Siskin flew overhead heading west. Coldharbour was quiet and I could hear a Sandwich Tern out to sea. I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and 3 Mute Swan flew over and landed on the sea. A couple of Sandwich Tern were at the waters edge with the youngster repeatedly calling to the adult.

Sandwich Terns

On the walk back to Reculver I paused to watch a Goldfinch extracting seeds from a Teasel head. 

Goldfinch

Nearing Reculver I heard a Turnstone call and was surprised to see that it had 8 Knot in tow with it as they flew past heading west. They picked up height rapidly and were soon lost to view but they made a good end to the visit.

Knot and Turnstone

Knot and Turnstone

Knot and Turnstone

Birds seen this visit included: 20 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, 2 Pied Wagtail, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 4 Dunnock, 113 Oystercatcher, 5 Little Egret, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Common Buzzard, 60 Mallard, 3 Kestrel, 13 Reed Bunting, 5 Pheasant, 7 Stonechat, 4 Linnet, 15 Goldfinch, 5 Turnstone, 13 Whitethroat, 8 Meadow Pipit, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit east, 1 Wren, 30 Siskin west, 2 Corn Bunting, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Wheatear, 1 Hobby, 5 Swallow, 3 Sandwich Tern, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Redshank, 1 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, House Sparrows, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Magpie, 3 Mute Swan, Starlings, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 8 Knot

Shortie In Off The Sea and Bar-tails - Reculver to Coldharbour 07/09/20

I headed to Reculver after work and had a wander along to Coldharbour and back. As I came down onto the sea wall I could see a flock of wader approaching and had 6 Bar-tailed Godwits flying west. They gave some good views as they came past.

Bar-tailed Godwits

Bar-tailed Godwits

A ringed Robin was on the rocks but only some of the letters can be made out in the photo. 

Ringed Robin

Small numbers of Swallow were moving west as I made my way along the sea wall and I enjoyed watching a Wheatear on the shingle. 10 Little Egret were in their usual tree in the company of a Grey Heron. 6 Redshank were on the bank of one of the dykes on the oyster farm.

Wheatear

While I was watching the Wheatear a Common Seal briefly surfaced, out to sea, before disappearing underwater again and continued moving westwards, popping its head up now and then as it went.

Common Seal

A flock of 38 Sanderling flew east out to sea and turned back towards the shore further along. I could hear a Whimbrel calling and one flew west fairly close inshore.

Whimbrel

I had a seat on the sea wall near Coldharbour and watched out to sea for a while. Turnstone and Ringed Plover were on the move now and then and a Dunlin was tucked in with a small Sanderling flock. A single Bar-tailed Godwit flew west. I had done well for seeing them today.

Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit

What happened next was one of those magical moments that you sometimes get with bird watching. I glanced up from watching a group of Turnstone flying past to see a Short-eared Owl coming in off the sea.

Short-eared Owl

As it came in past me it gave some of the best views I have ever had of Short-eared Owl. A truely magical moment.

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl and Swallow

Once over the sea wall it dropped down and landed in the field behind me. It was briefly disturbed by a couple of Carrion Crows and had a short fly round before settling down once more in the field where it stayed the whole time I was sitting on the sea wall.

Short-eared Owl

On the walk back to Reculver a Sandwich Tern flew west followed by another 2 a little later on. A flock of 84 Swallows flew west, the largest I saw today.

Sandwich Tern

I could see a Common Buzzard hanging in the wind at the back of the oyster farm and clearly so could the local Carrion Crows as four joined in with mugging it. They hassled the Common Buzzard until it was well clear of the oyster farm and then they turned back and came back into land.

Common Buzzard and Carrion Crows

I saw a vessel out to sea that I have not seen before and having looked it up on the internet the Vattenfall Tempest is a service vessel.

Service Vessel - Vattenfall Tempest

I finished the visit with a Pied Wagtail, on the rocks near the towers, keeping an eye on a couple of other Pied Wagtails that passed overhead.

Pied Wagtail

Birds seen this visit included: 7 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Robin, 10 Little Egret, 298 Swallow west, 1 Wheatear, 6 Redshank, Black-headed Gulls, 1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 39 Turnstone, 2 Magpie, 41 Ringed Plover, 1 Reed Bunting, 3 Stonechat, 1 Whimbrel west, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Dunlin, 4 Linnet, 58 Sanderling, 3 Sandwich Tern, 3 Pied Wagtail

Wheatear, Grey Wagtails and Common Toadflax - Reculver to Chambers Wall 05/09/20

I arrived at Reculver on a cool morning with a westerly breeze. The first bird I saw was a Wheatear on the rocks by the car park which made a good start to the visit.

Wheatear

Wheatear

A Chiffchaff was in the bushes by the towers and a flock of 75 Starling were feeding between the grassy areas and concrete apron. Out to sea appeared very quiet, as did along the shore as I came down onto the sea wall. The tide was fairly high but on the way out.

A Peregrine shot past and cannon balled through the flock of Starlings on the grassy area scattering them in all directions. It had been successful and without stopping, rose and banked sharply to the left with a bird in its talons and came down in one of the fields behind the oyster farm to eat it.

Two Grey Wagtail (146) flew west overhead, calling as they did so. They gave nice, if brief views, as they flew over. I did try for a photo but with walking definitely not a strong point today I was having trouble keeping my balance and using the camera. 

The walk up to Coldharbour remained generally quiet. I enjoyed watching the various groups of Goldfinch that were busy on Teasel and Thistle heads. A Cetti's Warbler called as I reached Coldharbour and made my way to Chambers Wall. Common Toadflax was in flower alongside the path and I paused to admire them. They are beautiful flowers.

Common Toadflax

Chambers Wall also appeared quiet but I enjoyed watching a couple of Willow Warbler and Reed Warblers peeped out now and then together with a few of the common residents. A nearby Cetti's Warbler made its presence known and a Common Buzzard above attracted the attention of the nearby Carrion Crows.

Reed Warbler

It was good to reach the pick up point but had been an enjoyable, if overall quiet visit.

Birds seen this visit included: 1 Wheatear, 2 Chiffchaff, Starlings, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Peregrine, 3 Kestrel, 2 Grey Wagtail west, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Stonechat, 8 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 5 Meadow Pipit, 5 Reed Bunting, 1 Blue Tit, 25 Goldfinch, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Magpie, 4 Swallow, 23 Linnet, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler,  

Increasing Bar-tails and a Harrier Out To Sea - Reculver to Coldharbour 04/09/20

There was a very light south westerly wind and sunny intervals when I arrived at Reculver today and the tide was partially out. A Robin was on the rocks, with two more by the towers and another 2 as I came down onto the sea wall. Looking out to sea I could see 2 Bar-tailed Godwit flying in from the north and as they got closer to the shore they turned west and flew past. It made a nice start to the visit.

Bar-tailed Godwits

Overall it appeared to be quite quiet as I headed along the sea wall and the tide appeared to be on the turn. Another couple of Robin were in the bushes and as I looked behind me, the sun broke through and highlighted the towers with a backdrop of dark clouds and it looked beautiful.

Reculver

Out to sea a Marsh Harrier flew west but unfortunately never came in any closer. Pied and Yellow Wagtail called from the shore and 6 Redshank were busy feeding in a group by the rocks.

Marsh Harrier

A Rock Pipit called as it flew along the beach and 2 Wheatears were a welcome addition to the morning. One flicked up onto the sea wall before rejoining the other and continuing their search for food amongst the shingle. A Stonechat was busy insect catching on the other side of the sea wall. It does not matter how often I see Wheatear and Stonechat, I always enjoy watching them.

Wheatear

Wheatear

12 Swallows flew in from the north and 3 Goldfinch were feeding on the teasel heads. As I made my way up towards Coldharbour I came across 4 Bar-tailed Godwit feeding in shallow water just offshore. It was great to be able to watch a group together and relatively close in. 

Bar-tailed Godwits

Bar-tailed Godwits

They became very alert as a loudly chatting group of cyclists approached and within moments had lifted off, veered sharply to the east and then carried on east. I would loved to have been able to watch them for a little longer but felt very lucky to have been able to enjoy the views that I did.

Bar-tailed Godwits

Bar-tailed Godwits

Bar-tailed Godwits

As I neared Codharbour a Whimbrel flew west and Meadow Pipits were busy amongst the scrub on the shingle. Small flocks of Turnstone and Ringed Plover were on the move.

Whimbrel

Meadow Pipit

I sat on the sea wall for a while and 38 Mallard were out on the sea and a single Sandwich Tern flew west.

Mallards

Coldharbour was very quiet when I arrived with just the usual Black-headed Gulls and 2 Redshank. As I made my way to Reculver the number of waders roosting on the shore had increased. 4 Dunlin were amongst the Turntone, Ringed Plover and Sanderling, 3 of which had their bills firmly tucked under there wings and did not appear to stir however much noise came from the sea wall as people passed.

Dunlin

I finished the visit, as I neared Reculver with some nice views of Stonechat utilising both natural and man made perches.

Stonechat

Stonechat

Birds seen this visit included: Starlings, 6 Robin, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Little Egret, 2 Yellow Wagatil, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 12 Linnet, 10 Reed Bunting, 6 Redshank, 1 Kestrel, Cormorants, 6 Stonechat, 15 Turnstone, 2 Wheatear, 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Goldfinch, 7 Meadow Pipit, 76 Ringed Plover, 38 Mallard, 3 Sandwich Tern, 35 Sanderling, 6 Dunlin, 1 Wren,