May 24th

Today 3 Red Kites flew high W over Bishopstone between the showers.

Common Broomrape - Matt Hindle

May 23rd

On wet but calm morning Matt walked along the seawall from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the railway embankment. He saw 1 Fulmar, 10 Cetti's Warblers, 1 immature male Eider, 7 Swallows, 7 Little Egrets, 5 Stonechats, 6 Turnstone, 3 Corn Buntings, 8 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Common Terns, 2 Tufted Ducks and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Immature male Eider - Matt Hindle

May 22nd

This morning Matt walked from Chamber's Wall to Plumpudding and on to Brooksend and Netherhale and returned along the railway emabnkment. He saw 3 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Corn Buntings, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Cuckoos, 9 Blackcaps, 13 Cetti's Warblers, 29 Swallows, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, 5 Grey Herons, 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Sandwich Terns, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 male Stonechat with 5 juveniles, 6 Coot, 9 Greylag Geese, 2 Tufted Duck, 4 Greenfinches, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 9 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Swifts, 3 Kestrels, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Lapwing and 1 Little Grebe. 

He also saw nine species of butterfly including 10 + Painted Ladies, 1 Brimstone and 5 freshly emerged Common Blues.

Summer plumaged Dunlin - Matt Hindle

Ringed Plover - Matt Hindle

Goldfinch - Matt Hindle

Brimstone on railway embankment - Matt Hindle

May 21st

Dave Smith was out in the Minnis Bay and Plumpudding area between 0450 and 0920 and his undoubted highlight was finding a Red-rumped Swallow flying W (169th) at the Shuart crossing. This is the eighth record of this species for the area. Other birds he saw were 3 Greylag Geese, 4 Mute Swans, 2 Shelduck, 7 Tufted Duck, 1 Eider, 3 Red-legged Partridges, 1 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Turtle Dove, 48 Swifts W, 5 Oystercatchers, 3 Ringed Plovers, 1 Turnstone, 18 Sanderling, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Common Terns, 3 Sandwich Terns, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrels, 2 Jay, 4 Sand Martins, 17 Swallows, 4 House Martins, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Stonechats and 2 Yellow Wagtails.

 

Red-rumped Swallow - Dave Smith

 Matt was also out early and walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and Chamber's Wall. He saw 17 Swifts W, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls W, 17 Swallows W, 10 Yellow Wagtails, 7 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Common Sandpipers,  8 Shelduck, 8 Little Egrets, 1 Canada Goose, 1 Sandwich Tern, 2 Stonechat, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Blackcaps, 3 House Martins, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Turnstones, 1 Kestrel, 2 Common Buzzards, 20 Sand Martins and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Derek Smith was out at Shuart where he had a female Golden Oriole (168th) flying W at 0600. Other birds he saw included 2 adult and 6 juvenile Greylag Geese, 1 Canada Goose, 2 Little Grebes, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Little Egrets, 12 Ringed Plovers, 18 Sanderling, 2 Dunlin, 22 Swifts W, 38 Swallows W, 11 House Martins W, 1 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Stonechats with juveniles, 1 Willow Warbler and 3 Corn Buntings.

May 20th

On an increasingly wet morning Matt walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back. He counted 1 Blackcap, 8 Swallows, 1 Cuckoo, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls W,  6 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Kestrel, 7 Little Egrets, 1 immature White-fronted Goose E, 1 Shelduck, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 13 Turnstone, 4 Common Terns, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Whimbrel W, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Teal, 3 Corn Buntings, 1 Swift, 2 Tufted Ducks, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Stonechats, 3 Sandwich Tern and 2 Avocets W.

In the evening, after the rain, Dave Smith had a two hour walk aroung the Hillborough area. Birds he recorded included 11Stock Doves, 5 Swifts SW, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, 2 Skylarks, 10 Sand Martins, 5 Swallows, 20 House Martins, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 3 Whitethroats.

May 19th

After overnight thundery showers Dave Smith arrived at 0517 and spent three hours in the Minnis Bay and Plumpudding area. Birds he saw included 1 Greylag Goose, 2 Mute Swans, 3 Shelduck, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 5 Great Crested Grbes, 3 Stock Doves, 1 Cuckoo, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Lapwing, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Common Tern, 2 Grey Herons, 7 Little Egrets, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, 5 Swallows, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Wheatears and 2 Yellow Wagtails.

May 18th

Dave Smith was out in the Shuart and Plumpudding area between 0445 and 0745 and his highlights were 4 Mute Swans, 3 Shelduck, 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebes, 7 Swifts W, 3 Coot, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 Lapwings, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank, 5 Mediterranean Gulls E, 4 Common Terns, 10 Little Egrets, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 7 Swallows, 3 House Martins W, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 adult and 4 recently fledged juvenile Stonechats and 3 Yellow Wagtails.

Stonechat - Dave Smith

Meadow Pipit - Dave Smith

Painted Lady - Dave Smith