April 28th

After overnight rain, this morning was milder with sunny periods and a light south west breeze as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. Birds we counted included 10 Reed Warblers, 21 Sedge Warblers, 11 Skylarks, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, 9 Whitethroats, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Lapwings, 11 Goldfinches, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Little Egrets, 4 Mallard, 6 Swallows, 5 Swifts flying W (154th), 6 Oystercatchers, 21 Linnets, 1 Whimbrel flying in off the sea, 2 Ringed Plovers, 4 Tufted Duck and 2 Greenshank flying W.

Derek Smith was out between 1100 and 1500 and walked from Minnis Bay to Brooksend and Shuart and back via Coldharbour and Plumpudding. His highlights were 4 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, 12 Swifts W, 23 Swallows W, 1 House Martin W, 4 Wheatears, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 16 Cetti's Warblers, 8 Lesser Whitethroats and 4 Corn Buntings.

This evening I received the ringing information of a Dutch ringed Blackcap we mist netted at Reculver on 5th November 2022. It had originally been ringed as a first year male at Duizendmeterweg, Bentveld, Zandvoort, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands on 26th October 2022 and had flown 252 WSW km to reach Reculver.