January 17th

On a bright and cold morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver and saw 1 Kestrel, 1 Goldfinch, 17 Mute Swans, 24 Corn Buntings, 162 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 28 Ringed Plovers, 1 Turnstone, 1 Dartford Warbler, 44 Golden Plover and 2 Stonechats.

A visit to a sunny Shuart this afternoon produced 1 Sparrowhawk, 12 Goldfinches, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Jay, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, 31 Mallard, 36 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Coot, 4 Tufted Ducks, 19 Mute Swans and 34 Greylag Geese.

I have just received information about a Long-tailed Tit we ringed at Reculver on 17th October 2021 that was controlled at Stonelees Golf Club on 12th January and had moved 12 km ESE.

January 16th

This morning we walked at Chamber's Wall and Netherhale where we recorded 43 Mute Swans, 1 Song Thrush, 6 Coot, 38 Corn Buntings, 40 Chaffinches, 50 House Sparrows, 42 Golden Plover, 1 Tree Sparrow, 1 Stonechat, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 22 Blackbirds and 3 Tufted Duck.

January 15th

It was a struggle to see anything this morning with thick fog for the duration. On our walk from Reculver to Coldharbour we managed to see or hear 1 Pied Wagtail, 17 Mallard, 2 Shelduck, 2 Redshank, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Corn Bunting, 250 House Sparrows, 1 Coot, 2 Stonechat, 1 Turnstone and 35 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

Matt walked from Shuart to Coldharbour and recorded 40 Blackbirds, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Water Rail, 1 Shelduck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 42 Mallard, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Stonechat, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher, 70 Corn Buntings, 15 Song Thrushes and 3 Tree Sparrows.

Derek Smith was also out this morning and wlaked from Shuart to Brooksend and on to Minnis Bay. He started his walk in fog but ended in bright sunshine and counted 16 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 4 Red-throated Divers, 1 Gannet E, 9 Grey Herons, 46 Greylag Geese, 17 Russian White-fronted Geese flying S, 22 Tufted Duck, 56 Mallard, 2 Teal, 1 Marsh Harrier, 137 Sanderling, 34 Redshank, 2 Cetti's Warblers and 6 Corn Buntings.

This afternoon, Matt found 3 Short-eared Owls and 1 Snipe at the Oyster Farm and during the day Steffan Walton found a Snow Bunting (117th) below the cliffs at Bishopstone. 

Andrew Lipczynski completed the NE Kent Co-ordinated Wader Count Survey and walked from the eastern end of Minnis Bay to Coldharbour and back between 1000 and 1145. His total wader counts were 217 Sanderling, 115 Turnstone, 48 Redshank and 2 Grey Plovers. He also saw the large flock of 1,035 Dark-bellied Brent Geese together with the adult Black Brant and the Pale-bellied Brent Goose.

A foggy Reculver Towers

17 Russian White-fronted Geese - Derek Smith

 January 14th

On another beautiful winter's morning Matt walked inland at Reculver and then met us on the seawall and we walked up to Coldharbour and back. Between us we saw 1 Little Owl, 2 Bearded Tits, 3 Little Egrets, 35 Red-throated Divers, 20 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Fulmar flying W, 20 Corn Buntings, 60 Linnets, 1 Rock Pipit, 65 Dunlin, 40 Ringed Plovers, 15 Grey Plovers, 12 Golden Plovers, 1 female Velvet Scoter flying E (116th),  1 Dartford Warbler, 1 Shelduck, 9 Common Scoter, 1 Peregrine, 1 Common Buzzard, 80 House Sparrows, 4 Stonechats,18 Redwings, 1 Water Rail and 2 Chiffchaffs. Matt also saw 7 Russian White-fronted Geese at Brooksend.

Thre were at least 2 Short-eared Owls at the Oyster Farm this afternoon. In addition, Dave Smith found a Purple Sandpiper at Minnis Bay.

 January 13th

We had a change of scenery today and visited Dungeness on a beautiful, sunny winter's day. Our highlights included 36 Bewick's Swans, 2 Glossy Ibises, 6 Cattle Egrets and 3 Great White Egrets. We also saw 4 Common Porpoises which are now a very rare sight at Reculver.

Glossy Ibis - Matt Hindle

Bewick's Swans - Matt Hindle

Cattle Egrets - Matt Hindle

This afternoon Alex Perry visited Reculver and saw 4 Short-eared Owls and 1 Snipe (115th).

 January12th

On a glorious winter's morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 108 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pied Wagtail, 14 Mute Swans, 3 Stonechats, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Redshank, 5 Turnstone, 9 Goldfinches, 32 Mallard, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Shelduck, 1 Gannet E, 1 Dartford Warbler sunning itself in a bush beside the seawall, 41 Ringed Plovers and 8 Meadow Pipits.

Matt was out at the same time but walked from Shuart to Coldharbour and saw 3 Common Buzzards, 7 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Little Egrets, 24 Curlew, 295 Oystercatchers, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Red-throated Divers, 51 Mallard, 3 Litle Grebes, 6 Tree Sparrow, 60 Corn Buntings, 1 Water Rail, 45 Mute Swans, 66 Blackbirds, 15 Coot, 1 Tufted Duck, 3 Grey Herons, 4 Fieldfares, 43 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Marsh Harrier.

Colour ringed Dark-bellied Brent Goose - Matt Hindle

 This afternoon Alex Perry found 3 Short-eared Owls at the Oyster Farm as well as 2 Bearded Tits (114th).

Short-eared Owl - Alex Perry

Bearded Tits - Alex Perry

January 11th

It was very quiet this morning both weatherwise and birdwise as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and only saw 23 Meadow Pipits, 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 Redshank, 3 Turnstone, 30 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Mallard, 1 Teal, 9 Ringed Plover and 3 Stonechats.