December 31st
It was drizzly this morning as we walked at Reculver and recorded 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Moorhens, 38 Gadwall, 64 Coot, 42 Mallard, 2 Teal, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Shoveler, 8 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Redshank and 1 Goldcrest.
We ended 2024 having seen 201 species in the Reculver Marshes recording area.
December 30th
On the first sunny morning for nearly a week we walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow. We counted 1,050 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 12 Wigeon on the sea, 2 Redshank, 64 Corn Buntings, 26 Mallard, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 26 Cormorants, 21 Carrion Crows, 3 Common Buzzards over the Green Wall, 1 Oystercatchers, 1 Egyptian Goose flying W and 3 Stonechats.
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| Dark-bellied Brent Geese |
Derek Smith was also out this morning and walked at Shuart and Plumpudding and saw 1 Little Egret, 2 Teal, 2 female Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Water Rail, 18 Chaffinches, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Snow Buntings and 3 Corn Buntings.
December 29th
Our walk inland at Reculver this morning produced 8 Shoveler, 52 Mallard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 11 Teal, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 male Wigeon, 32 Gadwall, 64 Coot, 2 Mute Swans, 20 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 1 Redshank, 8 Little Grebes, 150 Woodpigeons, 1 Water Rail and 1 Jay.
Matt saw the 4 Snow Buntings at Plumpudding this morning.
December 28th
It was yet another raw and overcast morning at Reculver but at least there was no fog as we walked at Reculver. We saw 43 Chaffinches, 6 Moorhens, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Shoveler, 38 Mallard, 40 Gadwall, 68 Coot, 4 Teal, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 male Wigeon, 18 Tufted Duck, 8 Little Grebes, 1 female Pochard and 5 Goldfinches.
December 27th
With the high pressure still over us it was even drearier and misty this morning as we walked at Reculver. Birds we recorded were 16 Chaffinches, 1 Pied Wagtail, 300 Woodpigeons, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Shoveler, 32 Mallard, 22 Gadwall, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 66 Coot, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 18 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Little Grebes, 1 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 7 Moorhens, 1 Green Woodpecker and 190 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.
December 26th
On another damp and dreary morning we walked at Reculver and counted 6 Fieldfares, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 250 Woodpigeons, 10 Chaffinches, 24 Gadwall, 68 Coot, 34 Mallard, 12 Tufted Duck, 6 Shoveler, 2 Mute Swans, 8 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Water Rail, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Golden Plover and 550 Dark-bellied Brent Geese on the sea off the Towers.
David Elliott saw the 4 Snow Buntings still near Plumpudding lagoon.
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| Snow Buntings - David Elliott |
December 25th
WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS
On a misty, murky and damp Christmas morning I had an hour's walk at Reculver. Birds I saw included 1 Fieldfare, 6 Chaffinches, 1,250 Cormorants flying out to sea, 2 Chiffchaffs, 350 Woodpigeons, 4 Shoveler, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 30 Gadwall, 32 Mallard, 4 Teal, 8 Tufted Duck, 66 Coot, 1 Redshank, 8 Little Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 2 Water Rails, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.
December 24th
At least the wind had dropped this morning and even the sun came out briefly as we walked from Reculver along the seawall towards the Wantsum outflow. We saw 1,200 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 11 Meadow Pipits, 2 Redshank, 1 Greylag Goose, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 68 Corn Buntings, 30 Mallard, 2 Linnets, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Reed Buntings, 1 Water Rail and 1 Pied Wagtail.
Derek Smith was also out this morning and in two hours walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and back. He recorded 1 Little Egret, 97 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Teal, 2 female Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Water Rail, 18 Chaffinches, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Snow Buntings and 3 Corn Buntings.
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| Male Snow Bunting - Derek Smith |
December 23rd
It was cold and windy this morning as I walked inland at Reculver where the highlight was not a bird but a mammal. We occasionally see a Harvest Mouse nest in the area but I have never seen a live animal until this morning. As I was walking back to my car along a muddy path with rough grass on either side I saw a thumb-sized, orange mouse with a sturdy pink tail crawling through the foliage on the ground and disappearing into the foliage. I had imagined that Harvest Mice hibernate but apparently they don't but become less active during the winter and spend a good deal of time underground.
Birds I saw included 6 Pied Wagtails, 62 Chaffinches, 2 Grey Herons, 56 Mallard, 66 Coot, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 36 Gadwall, 10 Tufted Duck, 13 Teal, 8 Little Grebes, 1 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Water Rail.
December 21st and 22nd
The weather has been unpleasant for the last couple of days with gale force winds and showers so we have spent an hour at Reculver seawatching each morning but seeing very little. Yesterday in the hour we counted 142 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Curlew and 1 Gannet E and today we recorded 158 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Great Black-backed Gulls, 10 Common Gulls W, 13 Ringed Plovers and 100+ Herring Gulls W.
December 20th
It was a bright and cold morning with the tide going out as we walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow and back. We counted 99 Carrion Crows, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1,040 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 8 Redshank, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Curlew, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Goldfinches, 18 Mallard, 38 Corn Buntings, 10 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Egret, 2 Grey Herons, 7 Reed Buntings, 1 Stonechat, 8 Meadow Pipits and 3 Sanderling.
December 18th
This morning there was westerly gale blowing and the tide was a long way out at Reculver and in an hour all we saw was 197 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Cormorants, 7 Great Black-backed Gulls and 52 Carrion Crows.
On a mild and less windy afternoon we walked inland at Reculver and counted 3 Chiffchaffs, 23 Gadwall, 56 Coot, 32 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Shoveler, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 2 Mute Swans, 8 Little Grebes, 14 Tufted Duck, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Teal 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Kestrel and 2 Pied Wagatils.
December 17th
On what had been forecast to be a dry morning we walked from Minnis Bay to Plumpudding but got thoroughly soaked on the return walk. With the tide out, birds we saw included 4 Curlews, 3 Grey Herons, 19 Oystercatchers, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Kestrel, 19 Great Black-backed Gulls, 3 Grey Plovers, 14 Meadow Pipits, 2 Turnstone, 6 Cormorants, 2 Little Egrets, 4 Snow Buntings on the beach by the beginning of the seawall, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 42 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.
At home at Bishopstone we had a group of 5 Ring-necked Parakeets flying W.
December 16th
On a bright and breezy morning we walked inland at Reculver and saw 32 Chaffinches, 1 Green Sandpiper, 74 Mallard, 22 Tufted Duck, 1 Water Rail, 8 Shoveler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 22 Gadwall, 72 Coot, 1 Redshank, 8 Little Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 3 Wigeon, 10 Teal, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Green Woodpecker, 12 Pied Wagtails and 1 Sparrowhawk.
December 15th
This morning I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 18 Redwings, 2 Chaffinches, 10 Blackbirds, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Mallard, 137 Cormorants mainly flying S to the Stour Valley, 1,050 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 33 Oystercatchers, 3 Redshank, 65 Turnstone, 2 Dunlin and 14 Ringed Plovers.
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| Redwing |
This afternoon Matt and Marion walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and Brooksend. They counted 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Little Egrets, 4 Goldcrests, 2 Redpoll, 12 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Stonechats, 5 Grey Herons, 67 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 3 hybrid Canada x Greylag Geese, 8 Teal, 1 Water Rail, 1 Marsh Harrier and 2 Common Buzzards.
December 14th
We made a brief visit to Reculver this morning and counted 450 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 3 Shelduck flying W and 1,600 Cormorants flying out to sea from the Stour Valley at 0830.
Dave Smith was also out and walked at Minnis Bay and Plumpudding and recorded 1 Wigeon, 9 Grey Plovers, 23 Curlews, 3 Dunlin, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Red-throated Divers, 1 Common Buzzard, 5 Corn Buntings, 1 Peregrine and 1 Stonechat.
December 13th
With the anticyclonic gloom persisting it was chilly and damp this morning as I walked inland at Reculver. I saw 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Mute Swans, 66 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 2 Shelduck, 68 Mallard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 65 Coot, 22 Tufted Duck, 5 Little Grebes, 24 Teal, 1 Little Egret plus 1 dead bird, 2 Wigeon, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 300 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.
December 12th
At least there was no wind this morning but it was misty, murky and damp as I walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow. It was quiet but I counted 910 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Great Black-backed Gulls, 13 Ringed Plovers, 1 Sanderling, 17 Mallard, 22 Carrion Crows, 10 Meadow Pipits, 3 Reed Buntings, 1 Redshank, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 21 Mute Swans, 2 Stonechats and 4 Robins.
December 11th
There was raw easterly breeze blowing as I walked at Reculver this morning and counted 6 Chaffinches, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Chiffchaff. 65 Mallard, 60 Gadwall, 16 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Goldfinches, 1 Kestrel, 68 Coot, 18 Tufted Duck, 6 Redshank, 4 Little Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Water Rail, 7 Long-tailed Tits, 170 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 4 intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gulls sitting on the sea off the Towers.
Derek Smith had a seawatch at Minnis Bay from 0800 to 1000 and saw 6 Great Crested Grebes flying E, 3 male Eiders E, 27 Red-throated Divers E, 12 Common Scoter E, 2 Wigeon E and 2 Curlew E.
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| Male Eiders - Derek Smith |
December 10th
On an unpleasant morning with a strong, cold, easterly wind blowing in drizzle we spent and hour and twenty minutes at Reculver and didn't see a great deal. Most birds were flying east and we counted 126 Herring Gulls, 18 Black-headed Gulls, 68 Oystercatchers, 6 Common Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 137 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Common Scoter, 1 juvenile Gannet and 102 Cormorants.
December 9th
Matt and Derek Smith spent another three hours seawatching at the Towers this morning with a strong NE wind blowing in frequent showers. They saw 1 Puffin flying NW at 0748, 17 Common Scoter, 11 Kittiwakes, 9 Wigeon, 42 Red-throated Divers, 4 Gannets, 30 Lapwings, 1 male Eider flying E, 7 Little Gulls flying W and 1 Teal.
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| Reculver - looking towards Bishopstone |
December 8th
This morning Storm Darragh was still battering the coast at Reculver with a severe northerly gale so Matt and Derek Smith seawatched between 0730 and 1300. They counted 12 Common Gulls W, 241 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Velvet Scoter flying W at 0742, 212 Kittiwakes W, 1 Curlew, 4 Common Scoter, 14 Red-throated Divers, 1 Great Northern Diver E, 900 Cormorants, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 59 Gannets W, 1 Peregrine and 4 Great Skuas W. At 0845 they had a Puffin fly W and at 1214 there were 2 more sitting on the sea off the Towers before flying W and then at 1230 another flew E. In addition one Little Auk flew E at 1020 (201st). Other birds recorded included 4 Little Gulls W, 1 Pomarine Skua W, 7 Shelduck W, 3 White-fronted Geese W, 37 Wigeon W, 95 Teal W, 4 Gadwall W, 2 Shoveler W and finally a male Goosander flying W.
December 7th
With Storm Darragh battering the area we visited Reculver for an hour this morning but only saw 131 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Little Egret, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull and 2 Pied Wagtails.
David Elliott did brave the weather and found 4 Snow Buntings at Plumpudding.
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| Snow Bunting - David Elliott |
December 6th
Matt walked inland at Reculver this morning and counted 1 Firecrest, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 12 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Water Rail, 4 Redwings, 3 Yellowhammers, 48 Gadwall, 40 Teal, 2 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, 61 Coot, 6 Little Grebes, 1 Dunlin, 13 Tufted Duck, 13 Shoveler, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 50 Mallard, 2 Stonechats, 1 Common Buzzard,70 Chaffinches and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
December 5th
On a damp and dreary afternoon I walked inland at Reculver and recorded 2 Chiffchaffs, 16 Shoveler, 1 Little Egrets, 52 Gadwall, 56 Mallard, 64 Coot, 30 Teal, 22 Tufted Duck, 1 Redshank, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 Green Sandpiper, 7 Little Grebes, 22 Mute Swans, 2 Common Buzzards and 1 Grey Partridge.
December 4th
A walk inland at Reculver this morning produced 1 Peregrine, 42 Stock Doves, 21 Teal, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Shoveler, 60 Mallard, 54 Gadwall, 62 Coot, 14 Tufted Duck, 8 Little Grebes, 1 Redshank, 1 Common Buzzard, 14 Mute Swans, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 13 Blackbirds, 40 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Gannets E and 1 Curlew.
Derek Smith was out at 0800 and walked from Shuart to Brooksend and back via Plumpudding. He saw 12 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 3 hybrid Canada x Greylag Geese, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Kestel, 4 Common Buzzards, 9 Redshank, 1 Water Rail, 8 Coot, 66 Stock Doves, 9 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Stonechats, 75 Chaffinches, 1 Brambling, 8 Redpoll, 4 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests and 5 Corn Buntings.
December 3rd
On a quiet winter's morning we walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow and saw 1 Kestrel, 16 Mute Swans, 970 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Redshank, 1 Corn Bunting, 60 Carrion Crows, 1 Curlew, 18 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Short-eared Owl in the Oyster Farm, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 9 Meadow Pipits, 2 Stonechats, 1 Little Egret and 1 adult male Peregrine flying W low along the beach.
Matt spent a couple of hours at the Towers this morning and counted 56 Common Scoter, 22 Red-throated Divers, 14 Gannets, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 24 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Shelduck, 500 Cormorants, 5 Teal, 1 Peregrine, 2 Wigeon and 1 Little Egret.
December 2nd
On a bright and breezy morning we walked from Minnis Bay to Plumpudding lagoon and back. Birds we saw included 22 Curlew, 72 Oystercatcher, 15 Ringed Plovers, 2 Pied Wagtails, 43 Sanderling, 37 Redshank, 2 Turnstone, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 8 Chaffinches, 19 Meadow Pipits, 1 Cettti's Warbler, 2 Little Egrets, 676 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Skylarks, 23 Linnet, 3 Great Crested Grebes and 1 Red-throated Diver.
December 1st
On a breezy morning we walked inland at Reculver and then had a quick look at the sea. We saw 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Common Buzzards, 100 Woodpigeons, 74 Mallard, 75 Gadwall, 23 Teal, 60 Coot, 6 Shoveler, 1 Redshank, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Chiffchaffs, 7 Little Grebes, 22 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Green Sandpiper, 10 Chaffinches, 12 Goldfinches, 6 Blackbirds, 1 Jay 12 Gannets flying E and 18 Common Scoter.
