May 1st

Matt was out very early and walked from Bishopstone to Plumpudding and back along the railway embankment. We walked in from Chamber's Wall where we met him and walked part of the way back to Reculver. Birds he saw included 1 Garden Warbler singing at Bishopstone (163rd), 70 Whitethroats, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Common Sandpiper (164th), 11 Yellow Wagtails W, 1 Kestrel, 3 Sandwich Terns E, 3 Shelduck, 21 Swallows W, 34 Sand Martins, 41 Sedge Warblers, 3 Stonechats, 4 Tufted Duck, 18 Turnstone, 3 Whimbrel W, 21 Reed Warblers, 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling at Coldharbour, 2 Cuckoos, 9 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Grey Herons, 1 House Martin, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Greylag Geese, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Fulmar, 1 Little Egret, 7 Blackcaps, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Gadwall, 1 Pochard and 1 Green Woodpecker.

Swallows nesting at Chamber's Wall crossing

Derek Smith was also birding this morning and walked from Shuart and along the embankment to Coldharbour and then on to Plumpudding and Netherhale. He recorded 2 Grey Herons, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Greenshank W, 6 Mediterranean Gulls E, 1 Cuckoo, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, the one at Coldharbour and another at Plumpudding, 40 Whitethroats, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 24 Reed Warblers, 36 Sedge Warblers, 12 Chiffchaffs, 16 Blackcaps and 1 Lesser Redpoll W.