February 14th

On what is forecast to be the last day of the recent freezing weather we walked at a still cold, snowy and windy Reculver as far as Coldharbour.There are still a lot of birds that seem to be struggling or are out of their normal habitat but hopefully they will survive now the weather is changing. We counted 1,000 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret, 3 Redshank, 4 Mute Swans, 12 Lapwings, 2 Grey Plovers, 27 Mallard, 42 Snipe mainly in the grass below the seawall, 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier, 5 Redwing, 2 Snow Buntings, 1 Kestrel, 6 Skylarks, 15 Wigeon, 2 Turnstone, 65 Linnets, 1 adult male Peregrine hunting along the beach, 1 Woodcock, 2 Song Thrushes, 10 Blackbirds and 8 Goldfinches.

Snow Buntings

At the same time at Shuart there were 2 Goldcrests, 1 Bittern disturbed from a ditch by the farm (127th), 8 Moorhens, 13 Teal, 7 Snipe, 4 Common Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 1 Stonechat, 2 White-fronted Geese, 33 Tufted Ducks, 6 Gadwall, 17 Coot, 2 Greylag Geese, 20 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Pochard, 47 Mallard, 1 Wigeon, 4 Grey Herons and 1 Woodcock. 

Dave and Sarah Smith had a walk at the west end of the Marsh and their highlights were 7 Grey Partridges and 1 Merlin.