May 26th
Back at a misty and drizzly Reculver this morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and the Oyster Farm as the drizzle cleared and the sun came out. We recorded 7 Whitethroats, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Cuckoo, 8 Skylarks, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Tufted Duck, 8 Mute Swans, 25 Mallard, 2 Little Egrets, 1 pair of Teal, 24 Carrion Crows, 8 Oystercatchers, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 7 Turnstone, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 4 Ringed Plovers, 6 Linnets, 3 Shelduck, 2 Gannets E and 1 Common Tern.

Mute Swan family with 1 normal and 1 "Polish" morph cygnet

May 25th - Another day trip to France
With a promising forecast after a misty start we decided to have another trip to northern France visiting Baie de Canche, Sailly-Bray, Crecy Forest and Marquenterre. Unfortunately the day turned out to be misty and overcast which probably has a negative effect on singing birds but we did mange to see 2 Cattle Egrets, 3 Great White Egrets, 34 Spoonbills, 11 White Storks, 1 displaying Honey Buzzard, 1 Crested Lark, 1 Crested Tit, 4 Short-toed Treecreepers, 5 Melodious Warblers and 1 Hawfinch in a total of 104 species.

Great White Egret

Spoonbill

May 24th
This morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and the Oyster Farm and saw 5 Whitethroats, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 9 Linnets, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Oystercatchers, 6 Mute Swans, including 2 adults with 2 young cygnets one of which was of the Polish morph, 16 Mallard, including a female with 6 ducklings, 2 Redshank, 34 Carrion Crows, 1 Common Scoter E, 4 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel, 1 Shelduck, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Fulmar E, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 7 House Martins W, 3 Sand Martins and 1 Common Tern.

Whimbrel

May 23rd
On another cool and blustery morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back along the railway embankment. Birds we saw included 3 Little Egrets, 1 Shelduck, 7 Oystercatchers, 2 Common Terns, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Marsh Harrier, 2 Ringed Plovers, 11 Gannets E, 2 Turnstone, 1 Dunlin, 2 Tufted Duck, 30 Carrion Crows, 18 Linnets, 7 Whitethroats, 1 Grey Partrdge, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Heron, 2 House Martins W, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Swifts W and 1 Little Owl.

May 22nd
There was rain in the air this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour but it remained relatively quiet. We recorded 4 Gannets E, 5 Mediterranean Gulls E, 10 Common Scoter, 1 Sandwich Tern, 2 Swift, 6 Whitethroats, 4 Little Egrets, 13 Sand Martins, 1 Cuckoo, 14 Swallows W, 4 Shelduck, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Oystercatchers, 4 Common Terns, 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 32 Carrion Crows, 1 Whimbrel, 10 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 4 Redshank, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Kestrel.

May 21st
We spent this morning ringing at Shuart where we saw 2 Ravens, 5 Red-legged Partridges, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Turtle Dove, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Lapwings, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 8 Whitethroats, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Kestrels, 1 Corn Bunting, 12 Reed Warblers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Grey Heron.

Birds ringed 12: Wren 1, Reed Warbler 6, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Whitethroat 3, Cetti's Warbler 1

Reed Warbler

This morning at Grenham Bay Terry Wilson saw 2 Grey Plovers, 1 Turnstone and 1 Great Crested Grebe.

Great Crested Grebe

May 20th
We spent an overcast morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 1 Cuckoo, 8 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Turtle Dove, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 5 Whitethroats, 2 Tufted Duck, 5 Mallard, 1 Jay, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Shelduck, 1 Kestrel, 10 Sand Martins and 12 Swallows.

Birds ringed 13: Great Tit 1, Reed Warbler 3, Blackcap 3, Robin 1, Chaffinch 1, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 3