Missed Birds, Snow Bunting and a Juvenile Grey Plover - Shuart to Reculver 15/10/20

A light shower of rain greeted me as I arrived at Shuart and on the way down the approach road I saw 16 Red-legged Partridge along a field edge. There was a cold north easterly wind blowing with the advantage that the shower clouds were moving over quickly and clearer sky was starting to appear. 4 Goldcrests were in the trees by the car park and several Robin were tic-ing away. As I headed down the track a Siskin flew west overhead and a Brambling called as it was put up at the back by a Sparrowhawk. Coming to the first gap in the hedgerow I could see a flock of 63 Lapwing flying up over some back fields.

Lapwing

I met another bird watcher, who was walking back, and he said that he had been watching a pale Shrike near the end of the hedgerow for about 10 minutes. Unfortunately it had flown up when a dog walker came through and he had not been able to pick it up again. Thanking him I tried to see if I could re-find it as I would loved to have seen it, but I did not have any luck and after trying for quite a while I carried on, with a certain amount of kicking myself for missing it. A Goldcrest, who had worked its way out to the outer edge of the hedgerow, gave some lovely views as it made its way along and cheered me up no end. They are beautiful little birds and it had been lovely seeing good numbers of them today. A Merlin streaking over the fields was also a welcome sight as I always enjoy seeing them. 

Goldcrest

Goldcrest

Goldcrest

Goldcrest

Twenty five Fieldfare were in one of the paddocks at the stables and 3 more Goldcrest in the bushes. A couple of Stonechat were noisily calling away and a few Corn Bunting tucked into the bushes. I met another birdwatcher and said about the Shrike and she said that she had seen a Little Auk close in to shore between Coldharbour and Reculver. It must have been a lovely sight. I have not seen a Little Auk for a very long time. I was sorry to have missed two really good birds in one day and I really hoped that it might still be around as I made my way down. The tide was in as I came up to the sea wall and flocks of Brent Geese were heading east with some turning and coming back west before heading east again.

Brent Geese

Just past Plumpudding I came across a large roost of mixed waders strung out along the top of the shingle ridge.  Mostly the birds had stayed in their own groups apart from a couple of Bar-tailed Godwit, a Curlew and a single Sandwich Tern that were tucked in amongst the Oystercatchers and the odd Dunlin and Turnstone that were amongst the Sanderling. The Ringed Plovers mainly kept forward of the rest in a long well spaced out line. The birds had been pushed higher than normal by the incoming tide and were an impressive sight. Normally I am only able to see the wader roost distantly from the sea wall as I come up to Plumpudding so it was really nice to see them this side of the shingle bank for a change. They were a striking sight and appeared to be coping well with the number of people going back and fore along the sea wall.

Part of wader roost

Part of wader roost

Part of wader roost

Preening or sleeping seemed to be the order of the day and apart from a bit of spray they were safely out of high tides reach. 

Oysterctachers and Ringed Plover

Sanderling, Dunlin, Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover

Part of wader roost

Brent Geese flocks were still flying both east and west out to sea and it was nice to see some sizeable flocks of them.

Brent Geese

Brent Geese

Three Shoveler were tucked in with a Brent Geese flock before separating and dropping down to sea level and carrying on east.

Shoveler

A little further on 4 Grey Plover were roosting on the beach, once again close to the sea wall, in the company of a Knot. One of the Grey Plover was a very smartly plumaged juvenile contrasting beautifully with the adults. All were striking birds and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them. 

juvenile Grey Plover and Knot

juvenile Grey Plover and Knot

Grey Plover

Grey Plover

juvenile and adult Grey Plover

Grey Plovers

It was nice to see Derek Smith who was heading down to see if he could catch up with the Little Auk and he stopped to talk. He had also looked for the Shrike but without any luck and hoped it might still be in the area. 

As I carried on towards Coldharbour I had a sit on the sea wall for a while but the sea remained quiet apart from the flocks of Brent Geese now and then. Just before I came to Coldharbour I caught sight of movement and I was really pleased when I saw a Snow Bunting on the shingle, my first one for the year. It was a little beauty and was working its way rapidly along the shore as it searched for food. They really are gorgeous little birds, full of character, and any day that includes a Snow Bunting has to be a good one. That is one of the great things about birdwatching. It can be one of the really bad, pain filled days, where trying to walk is a nightmare and your legs don't want to do a thing you tell them, and then you see a little beauty like this and just feel so lucky to be able to see it at all.

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

I did not manage to see any sign of the Little Auk on the way back and hoped that Derek had been able to have more luck. I couldn't see any sign of a Short-eared Owl today over the oyster farm. House Sparrows were chattering away and a couple of Reed Bunting took exception to a Stonechat. It was good to reach Reculver and though I had managed to miss a couple of really good birds today I was chuffed to have seen the Snow Bunting and enjoyed seeing the birds I had come across.

Birds seen this visit included: 16 Red-legged Partridge, 17 Goldcrest, 15 Robin, 1 Magpie, 3 Song Thrush, 27 Blackbird, 4 Wren, 7 Chiffchaff, Skylarks, 2 Moorhen, 3 Jay, 27 Redwing, 17 Siskin west, 2 Brambling, 38 Goldfinch, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Blue Tit, 26 Chaffinch, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Goldfinch, 185 Starling west, 63 Lapwing, 1 Song Thrush, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Merlin, 34 Fieldfare, 7 Stonechat, 5 Corn Bunting, 25 Fieldfare, 168 Oystercatcher, I Curlew, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Sandwich Tern, 110 Ringed Plover, 36 Turnstone, 149 Sanderling, 4 Dunlin, 160 Brent Geese, 3 Shoveler, 4 Grey Plover, 1 Knot, 1 Snow Bunting, 8 Reed Bunting, House Sparrows, Starlings

Gannets, Teal Encounter and a Shortie - Reculver 11/10/20

I came down to Reculver after work and thought I would try for a short wander along the sea wall. There was a cold north westerly breeze with sunny intervals and the tide was on the way out. As I came to the pumping station I could see a Kingfisher tucked in out of the wind and out to sea Black-headed and Herring Gulls were moving to and fro while a good way out a couple of Curlew flew west. A Stonechat popped up next to the sea wall and its eye glinted in the light.

Stonechat

I had a sit on the sea wall for a while and had 4 Gannet east and and another 4 west. From the ages of the first bird I saw they appeared to be different birds rather than the same ones coming back but as I saw more it became difficult to know so I have just recorded as east or west. 

Gannets

Five Common Gulls flew east in a couple of groups and 6 Great Black-backed Gulls. A single Brent Goose flew west coming reasonably close in.

Brent Goose

I could see a small duck coming, close in to shore, that was being pursued by a juvenile Herring Gull. The gull broke off but the duck kept coming and gave some nice views of its wing pattern before coming down on the sea close by. It was a gorgeous Teal and a lot closer than I normally see them at sea.

Teal

Teal

It settled down for a preen and seemed at home amongst the waves.

Teal

It looked so small as the waves came towards it but appeared to take them in its stride using two approaches. It either turned sideways and rode the wave in or faced it head on and took briefly to the air to glide over it.

Teal tackling waves

Teal tackling waves

Teal eying up the next wave

Teal tackling wave with a different approach

After a while more preening it moved off, its speculum changing colour depending on the angle of the light. I had thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

Teal

Teal

Teal

It was time to head for home. 55 Mallard flew out to sea and settled on the water near Coldharbour.

Mallards

The largest flock of Gannet I had seen during the visit headed east with nine birds in the flock.

Gannets

On the way back a single Short-eared Owl was up over the oyster farm which was a welcome sight. Though it remained distant it gave some lovely views as the light shone through its wings.

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

As I neared Reculver a partial Rainbow glowed faintly in the dark clouds above and another Gannet flew east reasonably close in.

Rainbow

Gannet

Up by the towers another couple of Common Gull were in amongst the Black-headed Gulls with one being almost unconcerned by passers by and remaining fairly close.

Common Gull

Common Gull

Starlings were using the tower ruins as a launch pad down to the grassy areas and the air was full of their constant whistles and chatter.

Starlings

Starlings

Starling

I finished the visit by watching the rain showers moving through out to sea and enjoying the ever changing scene of the clouds as they came over.

Rain showers out to sea

Birds seen this visit included: 1 Kingfisher, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 3 Curlew, 4 Stonechat, 8 Gannet, 32 east, 11 west, 1 Oystercatcher, 7 Common Gull, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Brent Goose, 2 Rock Pipit, 7 Redshank, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Kestrel, Starlings 

Blackcaps, Chiffchaff and a Whitethroat - Shuart to Chambers Wall 09/10/20

On arrival at Shuart several Chiffchaff were active around the car park area and I saw seven by the time I started out along the track. A Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker called from the trees. A Wren scolded as I passed by and overhead a flock of 28 Siskin flew west. It was a beautifully sunny morning and Skylarks were passing by overhead heading west. A male and female Blackcap appeared to be enjoying the sunshine.

male and female Blackcap

Two Lesser Redpoll flew low over calling loudly and were a welcome addition to the mornings birds. A Wood Pigeon eyed me warily as I passed by but otherwise appeared unperturbed.

Wood Pigeon

Two vocal Cetti's Warblers were sounding off against each other. Each time the one behind me called so the one from a little further along the track responded. A flock of 8 Long-tailed Tit were moving fast through the hedgerow as they searched for food. I love watching them and one was obliging enough to pause in a gap before moving on.

Long-tailed Tit

A single Crossbill flew over heading west and calling away and the hedgerow was alive with Chiffchaff busily searching for insects.

Chiffchaff

A Brambling flew over calling and small flocks of Chaffinch were moving west. The air was filled with the calls of Skylarks as they went over and a good number of Blackcap were working their way through various sections of the hedgerow. A Red Admiral Butterfly was sunning itself on the ivy.

Red Admiral

A Cetti's Warbler came tantalisingly close to coming out into the open but at the last minute dropped out of sight again. A scruffy Whitethroat gave pause when I caught sight of it but it never changed its position and was watching warily the approach of a group of loudly chatting dog walkers. As they neared it shot through to the back of the bush and disappeared. I waited to see if it would reappear but with no sign of it I carried on. I haven't seen a Whitethroat for a couple of weeks now.

Cetti's Warbler

Whitethroat

Another Blackcap was by the railway crossing and I had enjoyed seeing the numbers of them that I had today. At the stables a feisty Dunnock was chasing a rival repeatedly before returning to a favourite perch to keep watch on its rival's movements. Otherwise it was overall quieter than my last visit.

Dunnock

As I neared the sea wall one of the Corn Bunting present was tucked into one of the nearer bushes but keeping a wary eye on passers by.

Corn Bunting

The tide was already a fair way out as I came up onto the sea wall. Sanderling and Oystercatchers were along the shore. The westerly wind that had been very light had begun to pick up. The walk to Plumpudding was fairly quiet. Small flocks of both Chaffinch and Skylark were still moving west. Just past Plumpudding a couple of White Wagtail were on the sea wall. 5 Redshank were on Coldharbour but that also was quiet otherwise. Walking was becoming very difficult so I decided to head up to Chambers Wall as it was closer for a pick up point. I did not do much counting on the way through. A Red Admiral butterfly was showing its underwing pattern well making the contrast between that and its upperwing pattern even more striking.

Red Admiral Butterfly

Red Admiral Butterfly

It was nice to come across some Goldcrests. They are beautiful little birds and it was a treat to be able to take a break and just enjoy watching their acrobatic manoeuvres as they searched for insects.

Goldcrest

Several Migrant Hawkers were on the wing and I finished the visit with a perched male soaking up the warmth from the sun.

Migrant Hawker

Birds seen this visit included: 2 Green Woodpecker, 46 Chiffchaff, Wood Pigeons, 7 Wren, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 17 Robin, 8 Dunnock, 208 Chaffinch, 31 Siskin, Skylarks, 25 Blackbird, 15 Pied Wagtail including 2 alba, 2 Jay, 1 Pheasant, 4 Mallard, 9 Magpie, 8 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 19 Blackcap, 4 Mute Swan, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 17 Meadow Pipit, 1 Crossbill, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Brambling, 2 House Martin, 2 Common Buzzard, 6 Reed Bunting, House Sparrows, Starlings, 9 Linnet, 4 Corn Bunting, 24 Goldfinch, 43 Sanderling, 84 Oystercatcher, 2 Grey Heron, 15 Turnstone, 25 Ringed Plover, 5 Redshank, 4 Kestrel, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Swallow,