September 28th
We arrived at Shuart just as it was getting light and after the overnight rain had moved through for a morning's ringing. The highlight of the morning was initially hearing and then seeing a female/first year Common Rosefinch (190th) in a hawthrorn bush. It called repeatedly for five minutes whilst in the bush and was then seen sitting at the top of another bush before it flew south. This is only the second Reculver record following one in late August 1990.
Other birds seen included 2 Tree Pipits, 15 Long-tailed Tits, 26 Blackcaps, 6 Goldcrests, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Common Buzzards, 4 Mallard, 56 Skylarks, 9 Song Thrushes, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Kestrels, 12 Swallows, 1 Hobby, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Yellow-browed Warbler and 200 House Martins W.

Birds ringed 43: Long-tailed Tit 2, Goldcrest 1, Chiffchaff 2, Wren 1, Blackcap 14, Reed Bunting 10, Goldfinch 2, Cetti's Warbler 1, Robin 2, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Blue Tit 1, Dunnock 3, Song Thrush 3.

This afternoon we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and counted 122 Swallows W, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Kestrels, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Stonechat, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Redshank, 8 Oystercatchers, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 Sandwich Terns, 3 Gannets, 1 Turnstone, 600 House Martins W, 3 Grey Plovers, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Kingfisher and 1 Common Buzzard.