I decided rather than going out yesterday and running the risk of getting another soaking that I would go out this morning instead. The forecast looked quite sunny but with very strong winds but most importantly, no rain! I left home at 6.30am where a few minutes later whilst driving around 1 Woodcock was seen in flight near Shuart. Not much was heard above the strong wind so I decided to drive back over to Reculver Towers to park up. With the light picking up I walked/got blown down the seawall to Coldharbour before returning inland along the embankment and back along the seawall. Not surprisingly no that much troubled the notebook but it was quite nice to get some fresh air without getting wet. Birds noted were c300 Brent Geese flying east in small flocks, good numbers of Herring and Black headed Gulls in the area, 4 Little Egret, c400 Cormorant flying in fro the Stour Valley, 10 Mute Swan, 9 Ringed Plover, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Meadow Pipit, 4 Snow Bunting flew up from the beach and flew west before landing again. On my return I saw them again flying east and landing near Coldharbour.
Herring Gull
There were 16 Redshank, 3 Grey Plover, 3 Turnstone, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Reed Bunting and 2 Shelduck ended the session without the camera coming out of the back despite some nice sunshine. With an hour or so left I then drove over to Minnis Bay where I hoped to catch the waders on the move as the tide dropped. A search of the rocks provided no Purple Sandpiper but a few waders and photographic opportunities were had with c80 Grey Plover, 12 Bar tailed Godwit, c100 Dunlin, c20 Turnstone and c30 Oystercatcher all being seen with a few flocks providing the camera with some needed action.
Grey Plover and Bar tailed Godwit
Dunlin, Sanderling and Turnstone
There were as ever hundreds of Gulls around and a few shots were taken of Herring and Great black backed Gulls. One more week at work before I get a week off and then it will only be a few weeks until the migrants start arriving on the coasts and the start of spring birding begins.
Great black backed Gull
Those pics are enticing me, but, oh, the in flight of the Great black-backed Gull is superb.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you got out Marc, you must of needed that :-) Like the GBB Gull shot, can even see the colour of its legs, they rarely come that close over my patch, even with bins I cant pick that out !
ReplyDeleteI'm yet to get to see any waders really this year, those pics have made me think a trip to north Kent is on the cards! Just on the Merlin at Sissinghurst, I get them maybe 3 out of 5 years approx and usually just 1 sighting in that year.
ReplyDeleteAwesome flight shots! The GBB is my favorite gull! They are so impressive!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant captures!
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