Firstly, Happy New Year to you all and I hope it turns out to be a good one with lots of birds and wildlife to see and photograph. I was out of the house with excitement this morning at 6.30am where a few minutes later I was parking up near Reculver. After a cup of coffee I decided to walk down towards the towers and take in what birds I could. The excellent thing is that everything is new again. Birds I noted early on where 1 Bewick's Swan which was very vocal before flying south in the growing light. There were 45 Mute Swan, 8 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 7 Meadow Pipit, 5 Little Grebe, 1 Water Rail, 1 Green Woodpecker and a few passing Black headed and Herring Gulls. Moving on to the seawall I walked on down to Coldharbour before walking inland to Chambers Wall. The usual commoner birds were seen as well as 35 Cormorant, 7 Moorhen, c300 Brent Geese, c30 Linnet, 24 Ringed Plover, 12 Turnstone, 3 Curlew, 28 Grey Plover, 15 Sanderling, 9 Goldfinch, 12 Reed Bunting, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Stonechat, 1 Great crested Grebe, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 27 Lapwing, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Kestrel, 1 Pheasant, 3 Greylag Geese and 3 Waxwing showed well but on the wrong side of the railway line which prevented any photo opportunities. I met Phil Parker here and after deciding it was hard going having seen 54 species already we decided as the sun was shining to take a trip over to Bossenden Woods at Blean to see if we could photograph some birds on the 'log'. After dropping the car off at home I jumped in Phil's car and 30 minutes later we pulled up at the woods. A few other birders had the same idea but we spent the next 90 minutes having lovely views and photo opportunities of 3 Marsh Tit, 3 Coal Tits, 1 Nuthatch, numerous Blue and Great Tits, Chaffinch, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker also flew over and 2 Common Buzzards circled the woods. A great start to the year with some nice photos in the bag and probably the best views I have ever seen of Marsh Tits. Thanks for driving Phil and hopefully the year can continue like this please!
Marsh Tit
Coal Tit
cute bird
ReplyDeleteHi Marc,
ReplyDeleteAt last some light! Lovely Marsh and Coal tit, didn't find the ''Pittswood'' Marsh Tit today :-(
Lovely pics!
ReplyDeleteI have a special incline for these soft looking fellows!
How wonderful to have the Coal tit around, I have never seen it where I live!
A very happy New Year, Marc, and may all your dearest wishes come to be!
Cheers!
I love the Tits, and yours are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots Marc! What a lovely way to begin the year....Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteExcellent photos Marc , i must do a woodland visit soon.
ReplyDeleteMagnificas capturas.Saludos
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Marc, lovely pictures.
ReplyDeleteMarc.
ReplyDelete** Happy New Year **
Great photo's of the Marsh Tit, looking lovely in that light. The sighting of Waxwing on new years day is pretty good.
You seem to be off to a flyer.