'Patch Tick' at Reculver

I was up and out of the house this morning at 5am where I was greeted by a frosty car and after clearing the windscreen, I made my way over to Reculver where the plan was to drive around the lanes and try to get a Nightingale singing. Despite stopping off a various locations, I failed to hear any but it was pleasing to hear the dawn chorus waking up wherever I stopped to listen. As the light picked up I made my way to the towers and parked up and then spent the next 3 hours or so walking down the seawall and inland to Chambers Wall before checking the bushes on my way back. The weather was absolutely superb, very light winds and bright sunshine for most of the visit although at first it was very chilly on the hands. Birds noted today included 1 Red legged Partridge, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Black Redstart still singing from the towers, 17 Shelduck, 4 Stock Dove, 1 Little Owl, c80 Cormorant, 5 Pheasant, 5 Reed Bunting, 10 Redshank, c15 Oystercatcher, 12 Turnstone, 1 Rock Pipit and as I scanned the Oyster Farm, I picked out a Short eared Owl sitting on a post which was a welcome surprise. Better was to come when I picked out 3 birds flying west at distance which I could see were geese. Through the binoculars I could make out large white wing flashes and quickly taking a few record shots of them, I was able to confirm that they were 3 Egyptian Geese, a patch tick for me. Moving on in a somewhat good mood I added 3 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Curlew, 1 Wheatear, 1 Peregrine, 1 dark bellied Brent Goose, 3 Sedge Warbler and 3 singing Chiffchaff. I spent some time taking a few photos of some more Wrens and although I still haven't got the required shots, I ended up with a couple of pleasing efforts. Other bits noted were 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Swallow, 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Sand Martin, 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Lapwing and as I arrived back at the towers, I could hear a Coal Tit calling and soon located it on top of a tree at the towers. Unfortunately, as I got the camera on to it, some cyclists appeared and it flew off high east down the seawall. A nice finish to another pleasant session made all the better with a patch tick. Back to work tomorrow but hopefully if anything good arrives in the week, I may be able to get out to have a look. 

Wren