It was good to be able to head to Reculver today as I have not been able to do any bird watching for a while. On arrival I was greeted by a Wren calling away by the car park, looking around in all directions as it did so, and I paused to enjoy some nice close views. What a little beauty. The local Robin was not quite so appreciative and chased it from its perch.
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| Wren |
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| Wren |
There had been a thick frost this morning and as I came past the towers I could see a Black Redstart searching for insects on the concrete apron with it showing well amongst the white of the frost. I could not manage much of a photo as it was a fair way away but I enjoyed watching it as it worked its way along. A couple of Meadow Pipit, who were also busily looking for insects nearby, tolerated its presence much better than a Robin, who as soon as it saw it chased it down onto the rocks and I lost sight of it.
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| Black Redstart |
As I came down onto the sea wall I could see a couple of Lapwing on the old caravan site. It appeared quiet out to sea apart from small groups of Brent Geese on the move with some moving both east and west. A small flock of 7 birds, consisting of 2 adults and 5 first winters threw reflections into the sea as they came past.
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| Brent Geese |
I headed along towards the green bank with Redshank calling from the oyster farm and a few more dotted along the shore line. A couple of Great Crested Grebes were off shore, both diving frequently to fish before appearing again a fair distance from where they had first gone under. An obliging Stonechat alongside the sea wall gave some nice views and appeared to have picked up some of the frost off the vegetation onto its plumage but it may just have been a trick of the light and grey in the feathering.
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| Stonechat |
House Sparrows were chirping away as I neared the junction with the green bank and a male and female Stonechat were being hassled by a Reed Bunting. I carried on towards Coldharbour and a Chiffchaff was very mobile as it looked for insects. I could see 11 Mute Swan off shore with a Tufted Duck tucked on the end.
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| Mute Swans and Tufted Duck |
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| Mute Swans |
The Tufted Duck was having a wash and brush up while a youngster amongst the Swans was calling constantly. It got pecked several times for its troubles before it finally subsided. While watching the youngster I suddenly realised the Tufted Duck had lifted off and was heading west allowing a couple of flight photos as it came past.
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| Tufted Duck |
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| Tufted Duck |
On reaching Coldharbour I found it to be very quiet with the only bird present being an immature Mute Swan on a small island of vegetation. It had just finished preening as I arrived, leaving a few feathers amongst the vegetation, and with a quick ruffle of its feathers it took to the water with a few more loose feathers having been caught up on the far bank.
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| immature Mute Swan |
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| immature Mute Swan |
As I headed for a seat on the sea wall a flock of 32 Golden Plover lifted off from one of the fields splitting into two flocks as they headed towards Chambers Wall. I couldn't see what had spooked them at first but then caught sight of a Sparrowhawk flying low over the fields and causing consternation amongst the Skylarks. I watched out to sea for a while but it was very quiet apart from a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls and 8 Mallards drifting slowly by.
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| Golden Plover |
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| Mallards |
As I knew I would not be able to be out again for a little while I thought I would aim to make the most of today and carried on along the sea wall. The tide was well out by now and a large group of 64 Sanderling were busy feeding near the waters edge. Several Black-headed Gulls were watching them closely and as soon as they could see that one of the Sanderling had caught something they would ambush it and then chase it this way and that until it finally dropped what it had caught. A Common Gull joined a Black-headed Gull several times in the chase and when the Sanderling dropped whatever it had caught if the Black-headed Gull got it first the chase was back on this time with the Common Gull pursuing the Black-headed. The amount of effort and time spent on the chase made me wonder if the energy expended really made it worthwhile for so little reward but I guess it must have done because it happened repeatedly in the time I was watching. I couldn't think that what a Sanderling could catch could make much of a mouthful for either gull but clearly the gulls did not feel the same way.
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| Black-headed Gull chasing a Sanderling |
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| Common Gull, Black-headed Gull chasing a Sanderling |
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| Black-headed and Common Gull chasing a Sanderling |
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| Black-headed and Common Gull chasing a Sanderling |
Plumpudding Island was very quiet with the sole bird that I saw being a Reed Bunting. I carried on and came across a group of 10 Great Black-backed Gulls and 7 Common Gull dotted along the shoreline together with Herring and Black-headed Gulls. 3 Lapwing were blending in extremely well in one of the fields as I reached the turn off for the stables and an Oystercatcher on the shore worked its way closer to me so intent was it on looking for food.
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| Lapwing |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Oystercatcher |
It was fairly quiet as I passed the stables but I enjoyed watching a good mix of the usual suspects and a flock of 50 Corn Bunting announced their presence with multiple contact calls as they flew over. A Marsh Harrier was over the fields as was a Common Buzzard. A Magpie's wings showed a stunning blue as they caught the light.
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| Magpie |
Good numbers of Blackbirds were amongst the hedgerow as I walked through to Shuart and a Cetti's Warbler called loudly. A Common Buzzard was soaring above and a little further on I got some lovely views of a Kestrel as it hovered. I couldn't manage much in the photo line but enjoyed watching it before it settled with the wind ruffling its feathers as it surveyed its domain.
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
I finished off an enjoyable visit with a Little Owl calling as I neared the farm buildings and both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers calling as I reached the pick up point.
Birds seen this visit include: 4 Wren, 216 Brent Geese, 11 Robin, 35 Blackbird, 5 Pied Wagtail, House Sparrows, Starlings, Wood Pigeons, 17 Meadow Pipit, 1 Black Redstart, 10 Lapwing, Carrion Crows, Cormorants, 3 Blue Tit, 4 Stonechat, 23 Ringed Plover, 22 Turnstone, 7 Reed Bunting, 5 Kestrel, 15 Linnet, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 24 Redshank, 3 Common Buzzard, 16 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Tufted Duck, 12 Mute Swan, 4 Coot, 76 Sanderling, 62 Oystercatcher, 32 Golden Plover, 1 Sparrowhawk, 18 Mallard, 11 Common Gull, 4 Goldfinch, 4 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Great Tit, 1 Marsh Harrier, 10 Magpie, 7 Chaffinch, 1 Dunnock, 50 Corn Bunting, 4 Grey Heron, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Little Owl, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker
