Tuesday 8 April 2014

Yellow Stunners!

With only until 8am this morning to fit in some birding until the wife went to work I was out of the house this morning at 5.45am where on the way down to Reculver I stopped off for the first time this year to listen for Nightingale. There seem to be a few appearing in Kent now but despite a lovely dawn chorus I could not pick out the classic song, I shall try again in the morning hopefully. I then parked up and although I seemed to be dressed for winter with the biting wind the sun soon appeared above the horizon for a lovely few hours. As I walked to the towers I could hear 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap singing and as I started along the seawall I met Dave Barnes who joined me on the walk down to Coldharbour. Birds noted were 15 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 6 Goldfinch, 10 Turnstone, 3 Little Egret, 1 Wheatear, c25 Linnet, 13 Redshank, 3 Swallow, 6 Ringed Plover and near Coldharbour I could hear the first of 5 Yellow Wagtail calling with a few showing really nicely in the morning sunshine on the shingle allowing me to grab some shots of what can only be described as stunning plumage colour. The photos do not do them justice but what a treat to be able to sit patiently while they wander not too far away. 


Yellow Wagtail

Moving on I noted 4 Oystercatcher, 5 Shoveler, 12 Mute Swan, 7 Shelduck, 1 Green Sandpiper heard, 5 Reed Bunting, 2 Dunlin and 2 Sand Martin west. As I got back to the car park I scanned the Sand Martin colony but again I could not see any. I thought their numbers would be building up nicely now but with a lot of the cliff face fallen due to the wet weather including old nest holes I hope they return to nest again soon. Only a couple of hours again tomorrow morning hopefully but it looks like it will be sunny again, perhaps a few more migrants will arrive as well to make for another enjoyable session.

Yellow Wagtail

8 comments:

  1. A fantastic set of a gorgeous individual Marc.

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  2. Absolutely stunning Marc. I saw a couple myself recently at Elmley. They stood out nicely against the dark green grass but were too far away to get pics.

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  3. They look as bright as yellow light bulbs Marc! Very nicely caught mate, well done ;-)

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  4. Oh yes, you've done it, Yellow Wagtail. Great photography Marc.

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  5. Just have to agree with everything already said about this stunning bird Marc....EXCELLENT bird and photography

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