April 8th  -  A New Species for Reculver

At last the wind had dropped and this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and along the Green Wall. Matt walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the railway embankment, meeting us at Coldhabour. 

As we began walking back along the seawall towards Reculver, Matt noticed a very small and very pale grey harrier flying along over a wheat field beside the White Poplars about 250 metres away and he immediately said that it was a male PALLID HARRIER (153rd). As we looked at it through our binoculars it landed briefly on a muddy farm track before continuing flying and gliding towards the Green Wall and Oyster Farm. As we watched it we could see the diagnostic small black wedge of feathers in its primaries and were struck by its small size and very pale plumage and buoyant flight. It landed once more out of sight but then continued flying W before disappearing over the Green Wall. We did not see it again. This is the 309th species recorded for Reculver.

Other birds we saw this morning included 1 Merlin flying W, 1 male Eider, 2 Kestrels, 2 Little Owls, 2 Stonechats, 1 Little Egret, 8 Grey Plovers, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Teal, 4 Greylag Geese, 1 Yellow Wagtail flying W, 5 Sandwich Terns, 12 Sanderling,  3 Common Buzzards, 1 Siskin flying W, 2 Sparrowhawks, 7 Chiffchaffs, 10 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 6 Coot, 3 Goldfinches, 8 Sedge Warblers, 27 Linnets, 10 Meadow Pipits, 20 Redshank, 35 Common Scoter, 1 Mallard, 2 Wheatears, 57 Turnstone, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 Marsh Harriers and 3 Swallows.