April 11th

On a glorious spring morning Matt completed his regular walk from Reculver to Plumpudding and Anne and I walked in from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back. Between us we saw 2 Stonechats, 7 Yellow Wagtails W, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Tree Pipit W, 14 Mediterranean Gulls, 33 Sedge Warblers, 5 Whitethroats, 2 Shelduck, 8 Chiffchaffs, 6 Tufted Duck, 20 Meadow Pipits W, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Snipe, 9 Swallows, 3 Greylag Geese, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Redpoll W, 5 Lapwings, 1 female Hen Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 10 Sand Martins W, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Sandwich Tern and 1 Greenshank.

We then birded at Shuart with the hope that the Booted Eagle that arrived at Broadstairs last night and was seen flying north at Ramsgate this morning would come our way. In the event it didn't, but we did see 3 Red Kites W, 5 Common Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Siskin W and 30 Mediterranean Gulls feeding on a newly cultivated field.

Derek Smith was also out early and walked from Shuart to Coldharbour and back via Brooksend. He counted 2 Little Grebes, 1 Little Egret, 4 Marsh Harriers, 8 Common Buzzards, 3 Sparrowhawks, 1 Red Kite W, 12 Greylag Geese, 6 Barnacle Geese, 32 Tufted Duck, 1 Shoveler, 12 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Sandwich Terns, 4 Lapwings, 2 Grey Herons,  3 Snipe, 5 Sanderling, 17 Swallows W, 21 Cetti's Warblers, 7 Blackcaps, 5 Whitethroats, 34 Sedge Warblers, 17 Chiffchaffs and 3 Corn Buntings.