Saved by a Text!

Another Saturday morning was spent from 6.30am driving around the Reculver lanes in the hope of finding some Long eared Owls but despite a good look I did not see any. I would have thought by now I would be hearing and seeing them in the mornings if they were on territory but perhaps they are not here this year, I shall keep trying though. I parked up at Shuart where scanning from the car produced 1 Woodcock into roost and as it got light I walked the Brooksend, Minnis loop which takes about 3 hours if you walk leisurely. Not a great deal on offer this morning with mostly cloud and a strengthening wind. Birds noted were 7 Moorhen, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Mistle Thrush, c500 Cormorant flew in from the Stour Valley, 1 Water Rail was heard, 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Green Woodpecker, c60 Lapwing, c20 Goldfinch, c20 Reed Bunting, 52 Greylag Geese were in fields at Brooksend with 4 Canada Geese, 1 Goldcrest was singing and 4 Mute Swan were in flooded fields. There were 7 Tufted Duck, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Ring necked Parakeet, 13 Sanderling, c20 Oystercatcher and back at the car there were 4 Red legged Partridge in the fields.

Red legged Partridge

Not too far out of the area at Sandwich Bay there are currently 2 Glossy Ibis and I hope that on one of the visits they decide to have a fly into Reculver air space, preferably when the sun is out and I have the camera to hand. I did have a detour late this morning thanks to Brendan with a text to Collards Lake at Stodmarsh where I was able to see my second Slavonian Grebe, a valley scarcity. Also seen from here were 5 Goldeneye including 2 drakes, 1 Pintail, 1 Great crested Grebe, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 male Yellowhammer and a few hundred Wigeon. Hopefully a visit tomorrow somewhere.