July 31st

We were out early this morning in an attempt to avoid the threatened hot temperatures. We walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour and the most interesting event of the morning was finding a freshly dead juvenile Sandwich Tern on the beach. I always look at dead birds in the hope of finding that they are ringed and in this case I wasn't disappointed. There were quite a few Sandwich Terns about this morning, both adult and juvenile, so I expected the bird I had found to have been ringed in the Medway where they breed - but it wasn't! It had been ringed somewhere in the Netherlands and had a Vogeltrekstation Arnhem-Holland ring attached to its leg. I have entered the information on the BTO ringing database and await the details of when and where it was ringed.

Dead juvenile Dutch ringed Sandwich Tern

We had an enjoyable walk and saw a good range of species including 250 Starlings, 3 Pied Wagtails, 54 Linnets, 2 Grey Herons, 12 Little Egrets, 24 Common Scoter flying E, 1 Redshank, 21 Sandwich Terns, 1 Dunlin, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 41 Sanderling, 31 Ringed Plovers, 12 Turnstone, 1 male Stonechat, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Whitetroats, 18 Oystercatchers, 2 Kestrels, 5 Swallows, 4 Common Sandpipers, 5 Gannets flying E, 1 Whimbrel flying W, 8 Goldfinches and 1 Green Sandpiper.

July 30th
On another warm and sunny morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 31 Linnets, 8 Goldfinches, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Chiffchaff, 11 Reed Warblers, 5 Sedge Warblers, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Whitethroats, 1 Coot, 2 Kestrels, 1 Reed Bunting, 4 Sandwich Terns, 3 Willow Warblers, 4 Meadow Pipits, 24 Ringed Plovers, 1 adult Common Gull W, 18 Turnstone, 1 Whimbrel, 1 juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 6 Little Egrets, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Oystercatchers, 14 Sanderling, 1 Dunlin and 5 Swallows W.

Adult Sandwich Tern

July 29th
It was a sunny morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and almost the first birds we saw were 3 Curlew Sandpipers flying W over the Oyster Farm buildings and on over the Towers. Other birds we counted included 35 Linnets, 7 Little Egrets, 2 Meadow Pipits, 6 Sandwich Terns, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Whimbrel W, 30 Ringed Plovers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Oystercatchers, 2 Kestrels, 32 Turnstone, 13 Sanderling, 2 Dunlin, 3 Reed Warblers and 1 Pied Wagtail.
We also saw 1 Clouded Yellow, 1 Wall Brown and 2 Hummingbird Hawkmoths.

Turnstone and Dunlin

Adult Dunlin

We had an unexpected visitor to our garden at Bishopstone this afteroon in the shape of a Marbled White, a butterfly we've only seen here three or four times since we moved in 1972.

Marbled White

Terry Wilson found a Wheatear on the seawall.

July 28th
After yesterday's rain this morning dawned sunny and breezy as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. We counted 3 Grey Herons, 16 Mediterranean Gulls, 25 Linnets, 7 Reed Warblers, 2 Chaffinches, 6 Whitethroats, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 15 Goldfinches, 3 Kestrels, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 11 Egrets, 5 Skylarks, 2 Pied Wagtails, 4 Meadow Pipits, 5 Sandwich Terns, 28 Turnstone, 15 Ringed Plovers, 1 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpipers, 22 Sanderling, 2 Swallows , 2 Oystercatchers and 1 Common Buzzard.

Sanderling

July 27th
On a very showery morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour where on turning round to walk back we could see lightning and hear thunder behind the Towers and out towards Faversham. We hurried back to Reculver but luckily the storm drifted out over the Swale and out to sea off Sheppey. Birds we saw included 2 Whimbrel, 5 Sand Martins, 29 Mediterranean Gulls, 10 Oystercatchers, 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Herons, 19 Linnets, 7 Little Egrets, 2 Redshank, 5 Swallows, 5 Ringed Plovers, 1 Curlew, 11 Turnstone, 2 Marsh Harriers over the sea, 2 Yellow Wagtails and 2 Common Terns.

Marc Heath also walked from Reculver to Coldharbour, but between 0500 and 0715, and recorded 8 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Common Sandpipers, 4 Little Egrets, 8 Stonechats, 4 Whitethroats, 20 Turnstone, 19 Ringed Plovers, 6 Swifts W, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Reed Warblers, 1 Whimbrel, 10 Sandwich Terns, 1 Greenshank, 2 Redshank, 3 Oystercatchers, 5 Common Terns, 4 Sand Martins, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Mute Swans and 1 Blackcap.

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull

July 26th
After yesterday's rain it was less humid this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and the Wantsum outflow. We counted 1 Grey Heron, 20 Linnets, 6 Goldfinches, 11 Reed Warblers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Buntings, 2 Kestrels, 6 Meadow Pipits, 6 Sandwich Terns, 2 Pied Wagtails, 9  Mediterranean Gulls, 5 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 8 Turnstone, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Swallow W and 4 Chaffinches.

Sandwich Terns

Marc Heath was also out early and between 0500 and 0730 walked from Reculver to Coldharbour recording 1 Sparrowhawk, 142 Swifts W, 17 Mediterranean Gulls, 11 Little Egrets, 4 Stonechats, 17 Meadow Pipits, 11 Turnstone, 5 Whitethroats, 11 Sedge Warblers, 6 Reed Warblers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 9 Ringed Plovers, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Wheatear, 1 Swallow, 2 Sandwich Terns, 5 Grey Herons, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Whinchat, 4 Oystercatchers, 7 Sanderling, 4 Mallard, 1 Teal, 10 Redshank, 1 Dunlin, 2 Common Terns, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 4 Skylarks.

July 25th
On a showery and blustery morning Matt was out early and walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back. We met him a Coldharbour and between us saw 42 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Wheatear, 14 Common Sandpipers, 13 Redshank, 16 Turnstone, 13 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Dunlin, 10 Stonechats, 2 adults and 8 juveniles, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 12 Whitethroats, 8 Ringed Plovers, 11 Whimbrel flying W, 1 Kestrel, 2 Common Terns, 41 Sand Martins W, 1 Curlew, 2 Sandwich Terns, 21 Swifts W, 3 Gannets, 5 Sanderling, 10 Goldfinches, 11 Linnets, 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Chaffinches, 5 Reed Warblers, 4 Mallard, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 1 Hobby.
We also found 1 Clouded Yellow.

July 24th
On a cloudy morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 3 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Chaffinches, 36 Linnets, 10 Reed Warblers, 9 Goldfinches, 12 Little Egrets, 1 Whitethroat, 35 Mallard, 2 Reed Buntings, 3 Sedge Warblers, 5 Pied Wagtails, 4 Meadow Pipits, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 12 Ringed Plovers, 4 Turnstone, 12 Sanderling, 1 Curlew and 1 juvenile Marsh Harrier.

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull

July 23rd
This morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour with the tide going out. Birds we saw included 2 Pied Wagtails, 68 House Sparrows, 1 Kestrel, 3 Sandwich Terns, 41 Mediterranean Gulls, 9 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 4 Meadow Pipits, 3 Swifts W, 7 Oystercatchers, 4 Whitethroats, 2 Redshank, 5 Turnstone, 17 Ringed Plovers, 16 Sanderling, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 12 Linnets.

Kestrel

During the afternoon Alex Perry saw our first returning Wheatear of the autumn on the seawall.

July 22nd
Our walk this morning from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour produced 14 Mallard, 59 Linnets, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Chiffchaff, 26 Goldfinches, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 13 Reed Warblers, 7 Sedge Warblers, 2 Coot, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Whitethroats, 6 Meadow Pipits, 4 Oystercatchers, 6 Little Egrets, 7 Redshank, 4 Ringed Plovers, 6 Turnstone, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Dunlin and 6 Chaffinches.

July 21st
On a sunny morning with a NW breeze blowing we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm lagoons. We saw 15 Linnets, 10 Skylarks, 17 Goldfinches, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Reed Buntings, 4 Whitethroats, 50 Sand Martins, 5 Coot, 6 Mallard, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Little Egrets, 1 Swift, 4 Sedge Warblers, 8 Oystercatchers, 18 Turnstone, 2 Curlew, 8 Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshank, 2 Stonechat, 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, 1 summer plumaged Sanderling, 5 Reed Warblers and 1 Lapwing.

Singing male Sedge Warbler

July 20th
The highlight of our ringing session at Reculver this morning was catching a Portuguese ringed Reed Warbler. Other birds we saw included 16 Cormorants, 4 Chiffchaffs, 50 Sand Martins, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Whitethroats, 12 Blackcaps, 2 Garden Warblers, 1 Siskin, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 22 Swifts, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Sparrowhawks, 20 Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Little Egret, 2 Moorhens, 1 Common Buzzard and 7 Chaffinches.

Birds ringed 40: Chiffchaff 1, Wren 3, Reed Warbler 19, Garden Warbler 1, Blackcap 8, Robin 2, Whitethroat 3, Cetti's Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Goldfinch 1.

Reed Warbler

July 19th
This morning we ringed on the Marsh south of the railway and saw our first 2 Willow Warblers of the autumn, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Goldfinches, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Linnets, 15 Whitethroats, 10 Reed Warblers, 10 Sedge Warblers, 4 Skylarks, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Lapwing, 1 Little Egret, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 female and 1 juvenile, and 1 Curlew Sandpiper (168th) flying over and calling.

Birds ringed 33: Willow Warbler 2, Wren 1, Sedge Warbler 7, Reed Warbler 7, Whitethroat 9, Blue Tit 1, Great Tit 1, Reed Bunting 2, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 2.

Willow Warbler

July 18th
We spent the morning ringing at Reculver and saw 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Whimbrel flying W, 20 Sand Martins, 1 Turtle Dove singing for 20 minutes, 20 Blackcaps, 18 Reed Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 juvenile Garden Warbler, 1 Siskin, 1 Common Buzzard and 2 Whitethroats.
We also saw 1 Brown Hawker.

Birds ringed 51: Chiffchaff 1, Blackcap 16, Reed Warbler 16, Sedge Warbler 2, Robin 2, Cetti's Warbler 2, Goldfinch 2, Great Tit 1, Garden Warbler 1, Whitethroat 1, Dunnock 1, Song Thrush 3, Blackbird 3.

July 17th
We spent a very warm morning ringing at Shuart where we also saw 4 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 30 Whitethroats, 35 Reed Warblers, 10 Sedge Warblers, 15 Blackcaps, 5 Greenfinches, 14 Goldfinches, 6 Crossbills flying W, 1 Siskin, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Common Buzzards, 3 Marsh harriers, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Red Kite, 2 Mallard, 12 Swallows, 6 Swifts, 1 Cuckoo and 1 Kestrel.

Birds ringed 76: Wren 5, Whitethroat 23, Blackcap 9, Reed Warbler 25, Sedge Warbler 7, Goldfinch 1, Reed Bunting 2, Cetti's Warbler 1, Blue Tit 1, Dunnock 2.