Sunshine at Last!

Having not been out for a few days and no doubt a few pounds heavier after lots of food and drink, I was looking forward to a walk at Reculver and hopefully a few birds in the sunshine. I had a brief drive around and again was frustrated not to see or hear any Owls, where are they all? I then moved on to Reculver where after parking up I had a nice walk down to Coldharbour and back in lovely sunshine. Unfortunately there was not a lot of birds to be seen but it was nice just to be out. Birds noted were 1 Marsh Harrier, c300 Dark bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale bellied Brent Goose, 1 Guillemot, 6 Turnstone, 1 Little Egret, c30 Lapwing, 18 Red throated Diver east, 1 Black throated Diver east, 27 Ringed Plover, 5 Bar tailed Godwit and c300 Cormorant flew in from the Stour Valley.

Bar tailed Godwits

There were 2 Snow Bunting heard and then seen flying high west and were lost to view as they flew over the towers, 4 Great crested Grebe, 4 Shelduck, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Kingfisher, 26 Redshank, 2 Sanderling, c70 Grey Plover, c50 Dunlin, 3 Stonechat and 1 Rock Pipit.

Stonechat

Not long after getting home I received a call from Phil Parker and after a brief discussion and 30 minutes later Phil pulled up on the driveway and we took a drive over to Hampton Pier in the hope of connecting with some Purple Sandpipers in the sun. The tide was dropping on arrival and we soon found 4 Purple Sandpiper feeding near the rocks just off the pier and with the sun shining we took a number of shots and managed a few pleasing images. 

Purple Sandpiper

A few Turnstone were also noted feeding on a few large dead fish. Not a bad day in the end, a few photos taken, a few nice birds seen and a few pounds lost...... I hope! Hopefully out in the morning again, lets hope something good turns up locally, preferably at Reculver.

Purple Sandpiper