March 31st

This morning Matt walked from Bishopstone to Plumpudding and back meeting us on the seawall after we had walked in from Chamber's Wall. He also met Dave Smith who was out early and also birding. The final totals for this morning were 20 Chiffchaffs, 3 Shoveler W, 13 Shelduck, 4 Little Egrets, 10 alba Wagtails W, 13 Meadow Pipits W, 3 Lesser Redpolls W, 5 Sedge Warblers, 4 Stonechats, including a pair carrying nesting material, 80 Corn Buntings, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Black Redstart, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Yellow Wagtails (143rd), 10 Sand Martins, 1 Spotted Redshank flying S (144th), 1 Red-breasted Merganser flying E, 2 Greylag Geese, 3 Great Crested Grebes and 33 Little Gulls feeding offshore. He also saw 2 Curlews, 12 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 10 Blackcaps, 1 singing Firecrest, 1 Red Kite flying W, 2 Lapwings, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrels, 7 Coot, 1 Snipe, 5 Grey Plovers, 3 Teal, 1 Little Owl, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Bearded Tit, 1 Reed Warbler (145th), the earliest Reed Wabler ever recorded at Reculver beating 2011 by four days, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 6 continental Song Thrushes, 18 Chaffinches, 30 Linnets, 3 Redwings and 2 Short-eared Owls. 

Male Chaffinch in Blackthorn bush

On his drive home Matt found a White Stork (146th) circling low over the Thanet Way at Shuart. He phoned me and I managed to see it circling very high over Minnis Bay. Matt managed to take some good photos and it appears that the bird was not ringed.

White Stork - Matt Hindle