May 22nd

On a cloudy morning with a moderate west wind blowing Matt was out early and walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back whilst we arrived later and met him at Coldharbour. The westerly wind and cloudy conditions prompted an early morning movement of Swifts and hirundines flying west and we counted 232 Swifts, 91 House Martins, 73 Swallows and 1 Sand Martin. Other birds we saw included 8 Chiffchaffs, 4 Common Sandpipers, 4 Sanderling, 5 Little Egrets, 3 Stonechats, 1 Common Tern, 4 Cuckoos, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 7 Tufted Duck, 20 Mallard, 4 Avocets, 2 Corn Buntings, 1 Bearded Tit, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 1 Fulmar and 2 Grey Herons.