May 31st
It was overcast and calm this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall and along the seawall to the Oyster Farm lagoons. We saw 6 Mute Swans, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Blackcap, 4 Lapwings, 6 Whitethroats, 19 Mallard, 10 Linnets, 28 Carrion Crows, 6 Oystercatchers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 9 Skylarks, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Tufted Duck and 3 Goldfinches.

Ringed Plover

May 30th
On a murky and relatively calm morning with low tide at 0745 we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. We didn't see a great deal just 2 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Whitethroats, 5 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Egrets, 20 Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swans, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Linnets, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 24 Carrion Crows, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 male Shoveler, 1 Fulmar W and 1 Little Owl.

Sweet Peas by the seawall

May 29th
Because of the thunder, lightning and heavy rain this morning we didn't venture out until after lunch when we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. Birds we saw included 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Goldfinches, 2 Whitethroats, 6 Mallard, 6 Linnets, 4 Mute Swans, 23 Carrion Crows on the beach at Coldharbour, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 Oystercatchers, 3 Turnstone, 4 Gannets W, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Whinchat, 1 Swift, 7 Swallows, 1 Cuckoo and 3 Yellow Wagtails.

Oystercatcher

May 28th
We spent a sunny morning ringing at Reculver and saw 5 Blackcaps, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Whitethroats, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Mallard, 1 Jay, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Common Treecreeper, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Grey Partridge, 10 Reed Warblers and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Birds ringed 23: Chiffchaff 1, Blue Tit 12 pullus, Reed Warbler 5, Chaffinch 1, Whitethroat 1, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 1, Moorhen 1.

Moorhen

May 27th
The adult Rose-coloured Starling was still to be seen at Bishopstone this morning. A number of visiting birders saw it in the trees between Glenbervie Drive and Reculver Drive on either side of Freshlands and even heard it singing.
On a hot and humid morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back along the railway embankment and saw 2 Pied Wagtails, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 11 Whitethroats, 1 Whinchat, 1 Little Owl, 24 Mallard, 10 Oystercatchers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 6 Ringed Plovers, 1 Shelduck, 8 Mute Swans, 2 Redshank, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Lapwings, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, 1 first summer Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Sandwich Tern and 6 Gannets flying E.

Whinchat

May 26th
This afternoon I was sitting in my garden with my binoculars hoping for a raptor or two to fly over and while trying to make sure my binoculars were in focus I honed in on a Collared Dove sitting in an evergreen tree at the end of my garden. As I looked at the Collared Dove I noticed a Starling partially hidden by foliage next to it. It appeared to have a jet black head and an unusual sheen on its back which on closer inspection was not shine but pink feathers! It was an adult Rose-coloured Starling (167th) and only the second one to be seen in the Reculver area. I managed to take a few shots against the sky but it soon flew off but Matt refound in another garden about 100 metres away an hour later and it was then seen intermittently until dusk.

Adult Rose-coloured Starling

Back at a misty and drizzly Reculver this morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and the Oyster Farm as the drizzle cleared and the sun came out. We recorded 7 Whitethroats, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Cuckoo, 8 Skylarks, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Tufted Duck, 8 Mute Swans, 25 Mallard, 2 Little Egrets, 1 pair of Teal, 24 Carrion Crows, 8 Oystercatchers, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 7 Turnstone, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 4 Ringed Plovers, 6 Linnets, 3 Shelduck, 2 Gannets E and 1 Common Tern.

Mute Swan family with 1 normal and 1 "Polish" morph cygnet

May 25th - Another day trip to France
With a promising forecast for the day after a misty start we decided to have another trip to northern France visiting Baie de Canche, Sailly-Bray, Crecy Forest and Marquenterre. Unfortunately the whole day turned out to be misty and overcast which probably had a negative effect on singing birds but we did manage to see 2 Cattle Egrets, 3 Great White Egrets, 34 Spoonbills, 11 White Storks, 1 displaying Honey Buzzard, 1 Crested Lark, 1 Crested Tit, 4 Short-toed Treecreepers, 4 Marsh Warblers, 5 Melodious Warblers and 1 Hawfinch in a total of 104 species.

Great White Egret

Spoonbill

May 24th
This morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and the Oyster Farm and saw 5 Whitethroats, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 9 Linnets, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Oystercatchers, 6 Mute Swans, including 2 adults with 2 young cygnets one of which was of the Polish morph, 16 Mallard, including a female with 6 ducklings, 2 Redshank, 34 Carrion Crows, 1 Common Scoter E, 4 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel, 1 Shelduck, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Fulmar E, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 7 House Martins W, 3 Sand Martins and 1 Common Tern.

Whimbrel

May 23rd
On another cool and blustery morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back along the railway embankment. Birds we saw included 3 Little Egrets, 1 Shelduck, 7 Oystercatchers, 2 Common Terns, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Marsh Harrier, 2 Ringed Plovers, 11 Gannets E, 2 Turnstone, 1 Dunlin, 2 Tufted Duck, 30 Carrion Crows, 18 Linnets, 7 Whitethroats, 1 Grey Partrdge, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Heron, 2 House Martins W, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Swifts W and 1 Little Owl.

May 22nd
There was rain in the air this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour but it remained relatively quiet. We recorded 4 Gannets E, 5 Mediterranean Gulls E, 10 Common Scoter, 1 Sandwich Tern, 2 Swift, 6 Whitethroats, 4 Little Egrets, 13 Sand Martins, 1 Cuckoo, 14 Swallows W, 4 Shelduck, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Oystercatchers, 4 Common Terns, 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 32 Carrion Crows, 1 Whimbrel, 10 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 4 Redshank, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Kestrel.

May 21st
We spent this morning ringing at Shuart where we saw 2 Ravens, 5 Red-legged Partridges, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Turtle Dove, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Lapwings, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 8 Whitethroats, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Kestrels, 1 Corn Bunting, 12 Reed Warblers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Grey Heron.

Birds ringed 12: Wren 1, Reed Warbler 6, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Whitethroat 3, Cetti's Warbler 1

Reed Warbler

This morning at Grenham Bay Terry Wilson saw 2 Grey Plovers, 1 Turnstone and 1 Great Crested Grebe.

Great Crested Grebe

May 20th
We spent an overcast morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 1 Cuckoo, 8 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Turtle Dove, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Marsh Warbler (166th), 5 Whitethroats, 2 Tufted Duck, 5 Mallard, 1 Jay, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Shelduck, 1 Kestrel, 10 Sand Martins and 12 Swallows.

Birds ringed 14: Great Tit 1, Reed Warbler 3, Marsh Warbler 1, Blackcap 3, Robin 1, Chaffinch 1, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 3

Marsh Warbler

May 19th
Back at Reculver on a beautiful May morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back along the railway embankment and behind the Oyster Farm. Birds we saw included 2 Blackcaps, 2 Little Owls, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 12 Whitethroats, 12 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Egrets, 16 Swallows W, 1 Egyptian Goose E, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Turnstone, 5 Mallard, 5 Shelduck, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Fulmar E, 1 Marsh Harrier, 5 "alba" Wagtails W, 2 Redshank, 10 Linnets, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 8 Swifts, 1 Red Kite, 2 Corn Buntings, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Grey Heron and 8 Sand Martins.

May 18th - A Day Trip to France
Today we caught Le Shuttle and visited various sites in Northern France including Guines, Romelaire, Clairmarais and Oye Plage. Our highlights included 2 White Storks, 1 Great White Egret, 4 Spoonbills, 2 Honey Buzzards, 1 Osprey, 1 White-spotted Bluethroat, 7  Marsh Warblers, 1 Icterine Warbler and 6 Short-toed Treecreeper.

May 17th
The blustery wind had moved round more to the NE this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and Plumpudding before returning along the railway embankment. There was still very little moving but we did see 3 Gannets, 3 Common Scoter, 1 Fulmar, 2 Cuckoos, 1 Blackcap, 1 Ring Ouzel at Chamber's Wall, 8 Whitethroats, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Little Egrets, 8 Mallard, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Kestrel, 4 Ringed Plovers, 5 Shelduck, 4 Linnets, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Lesser Whitethroat.