Sunday 31 March 2013

I Must Have Missed Spring!

With the clocks going forward it was already quite light when I awoke and left the house at 6.30am. I had a quick drive around noting 2 Marsh Harrier flying in from the south over the Thanet Way and soon after 2 Common Buzzard were seen. 2 Red legged Partridge ran across the road in front of the car and 2 Grey Heron were in flight as I made my way down to the towers to park up. After a quick cuppa I wrapped up and made my way down the seawall to Coldharbour before I walked inland to Chambers Wall railway crossing before refueling and walking back. As I walked down the seawall I spent about 30 minutes in heavy sleet showers which felt like nails hitting my face making viewing a challenge. Thankfully it passed and the skies started to break up. Birds noted this morning were 2 Black Redstart including the male bird around the towers, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Kestrel, 2 Rock Pipit, 13 Red throated Diver, 4 Mallard, 2 Pied Wagtail, 8 Grey Plover, 2 Kingfisher, 14 Shelduck, 10 Oystercatcher, 11 Turnstone, 2 Snipe, 15 Dunlin and 16 Curlew. There were c30 Mute Swan, c200 Brent Geese, 9 Golden Plover were flushed by 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Bar tailed Godwit, 3 Ringed Plover, 8 Sanderling, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Skylark, 19 Linnet, 4 Lapwing, 6 Common Scoter east and 1 Chiffchaff. I spent the last hour walking inland at Reculver where I noted 4 Shoveler, 8 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, c100 Fieldfare, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 8 Teal and as I walked back to the car 1 Grey Wagtail alighted in a puddle allowing me to grab a few rushed shots before it soon moved off. Other than the Black Redstarts, still no real signs of migrants but I suppose I should be thankful as if they were here, there would be little food probably for them given the conditions. Perhaps this means when they do arrive, we shall get some good numbers moving through. Hopefully out Tuesday morning to find that Bluethroat at Reculver!

Grey Wagtail

3 comments:

  1. The Grey Wagtail is it, that is the one I'll put up tomorrow, ha, yours is excellent.

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  2. Marc,
    Taht was a good variety of birds by many people's standards and at least you have seen some summer visitors i.e. Redstarts and Wheatears. This is the first year for a long time that I haven't had a single summer visitor in March on Sheppey, not even a Wheatear.

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