Singing in the Sunshine!

I was awake just after 5am this morning and with hardly any wind, conditions looked good for some Owling. As I arrived at Reculver I immediately saw a Barn Owl sat in a tree above the road which soon flew into the darkness and a few minutes later when I had parked up, I could hear a Little Owl calling. A good start to the morning which got even better when I added a Long eared Owl a while later and saw a Woodcock flying into roost. Other birds noted in the dark hours were 3 Grey Partridge and 2 Red legged Partridge. As the forecast was for some sunshine this morning I thought I would return to an area where a Barn Owl had been hunting in daylight yesterday. Needless to say, the sun was out and all looked good except the Owl had not read the script. I moved on and parked at the towers and walked down the sea wall before walking back along the green wall and behind the oyster farm. Spring was in the air with many birds singing and displaying to each other in the sunshine. Birds noted included 10 Oystercatcher, 1 Pied Wagtail, 26 Shelduck including 20 flying east at sea, 3 Lapwing, 4 Stock Dove, 1 Kestrel, 3 Marsh Harrier, 10 Brent Geese and 2 Bar tailed Godwit allowed the camera to get some action as they fed on the shoreline.

Bar tailed Godwit

There were 7 Redshank, 6 Meadow Pipit, a year tick in the form of 2 Rock Pipit (110), 3 Sanderling, 4 Dunlin, 8 Ringed Plover, 6 Grey Plover, 23 Curlew, 1 ring tail Hen Harrier flew up from the oyster farm and moved off south, 1 Peregrine and 7 Turnstone. Moving on inland I noted 1 Lesser Redpoll, a few singing Skylarks, 206 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 22 Gadwall, 7 Pochard, 1 Bewick's Swan was seen in flight, 14 Mute Swan, 7 Tufted Duck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 5 Teal and 4 Reed Bunting. With so many birds seemingly enjoying the sun I thought I would try for a few photos of the commoner species. I had forgot how stunning a Blue Tit looks so set about trying to catch this species with some quite pleasing results. With the longer evenings here and migrants arriving in the next few days/weeks, hopefully a few visits can be made after work and if the weather allows, maybe another go at the Barn Owl soon.

Blue Tit