Robin on the rocks at Reculver

As usual there were House Sparrows to be found at the car park and around the Towers.

There was a Robin on the rocks just beyond the Towers as I went East and I saw it again when I returned, presumably the same one.

Five or more Pied Wagtails on the grass, counted no return.

Six or more Meadow Pipit in a small flock.

Flock of Turnstones and a few Ringed Plover on the way out, and counted about twenty Turnstone but only two Ringed Plover by one of the groynes on return. The waders were joined by a Grey Plover when last seen.

Seven plus Little Egret, up to five in view at any one time on the "paddle-wheels", and then one roosting on the larger conifer by the seafood farm as I returned.

Eight Redshank on the of the farm pools on the way out, with two more at Coldharbour Lagoon.

Overall hundreds of Black-headed Gulls around today, on the sea, in the fields or up in the air, together with many Herring Gulls and several Common Gulls, Larus canus.

Three or more cormorants, diving on the sea or flyovers.

At least one, probably two Stock Doves in the stubble with the Gulls.

Four Mute Swans, in two pairs, on fields and flying.

Ninety three or more Wigeon in one large raft on the sea, over a score of Mallard at Colharbour, and on the sea.

One Marsh Harrier being mobbed by the Carrion Crows, and then one female Kestrel along the seawall ditch, hunting briefly, on the way back.
A passing lady cyclist reported a possible Short-Eared Owl being harried by crows and going down at the seafood farm.  

Long Billed Dowitcher at Oare Marshes

This Dowitcher presumably flew in from across the Atlantic at some stage this autumn and arrived on this East Coast Marsh, perhaps via some intermediate stopping points. It is recognizable by its brownish snipe-like appearance, fairly clear pale eye stripe, and also by its "sewing-machine" like feeding motion. The details of its plumage are very similar to the closely-related Short Billed Dowitcher. It is fairly regularly found in Western Europe on a few occasions each year.

Here the uniform grey of the centre of the tertials is quite clear. At least on the juvenile the books indicate that this is a good sign that this is indeed a Long Billed rather than a Short Billed.

The white slightly spotted rump is visible in the picture below. The brownish scapulars(?) indicate a likely juvenile.

On several occasions the bird vigorously scratched at its bill.

Cliffe Pools on a lovely autumn afternoon

Very much enjoyed the Black Tern in winter plumage flying and then settled by BB1/BB2.

Pallid Harrier at Oare

I tried to time my arrival at Oare to fit in between the heavy rain showers whilst still in time for the high tide. It seemed to work with BTGs, Ringed Plovers, Lapwings, Golden Plover, Dunlin, and a few Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints. One Yellow Wagtail.

Popped over to park by the ramp, and after waiting in the car until another cloudburst passed over, had a look for Harriers. As I found and slowly confirmed my first Marsh harrier, a couple of experts turned up and they soon found the juvenile Pallid Harrier. I could just see the orange underside, and the narrow white rump, but no other detail, with perhaps an impression of the barred underwings.

I was personally much happier to pick out my own Bar-Tailed Godwit on the mud as I walked Monty along the seawall. Much streakier, bar tail, no wingbar, more of a clear supercilium. 

Reculver

Two Wheatears, three Mute Swans, half a dozen Redshank, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, three Little Egret, a juvenile Pied Wagtail, a Meadow Pipit, several Reed Buntings, and I also found at least one very neat Common Sandpiper at the lagoon.

On the sea was a raft of Mallard, a pair of Gadwall and a few Teal.

There were a few Golden Plover, one Dunlin and a few Ringed Plover with about 35 gorgeous Sanderling on the shore on the return walk. This one still has a couple of summer feathers showing.

This one is slightly further back in the moult process.

Bough Beech briefly

Green Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Lapwings, one Snipe flyover, Buzzards, Great Crested Grebes, at least three Egyptian Geese, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Mallards, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon.

Autumn migrants at Bough Beech

A lovely lapwing came quite close:

but the big star were a handful of Green Sandpipers, Tringa ochropus, and I had quite good views, fairly close.

Here is a view of a Greenshank wading through the water, washing the mud off the legs, to expose the yellowish-green legs. As the tertials are blown slightly up and off by the breeze, the plain dark primary feathers of the wing are quite clearly visible.