December 31st - 209 species recorded in the Reculver area this year
On a cold and sunny morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 1 Peregrine, 480 Dar-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pied Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipits, 3 Redshank, 46 Corn Buntings, 6 Oystercatchers, 3 Snow Buntings, 2 Little Grebes, 4 Reed Buntings, 1 Stonechat, 1 Shag flying W and 1 Kestrel.
 |
| Reculver Towers |
December 30th
It was a sunny and frosty morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Stonechat, 2 Kestrels, 12 Blackbirds, 8 Chaffinches, 6 Reed Buntings, 21 Redwings, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 450 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Little Egret, 30 Common Scoter, 3 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank, 24 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 2 Fieldfares and 1 Marsh Harrier.
 |
| Fieldfare |
Chris Tedder managed to photograph 2 Egyptian Geese flying over Shuart today.
 |
| Egyptian Geese - Chris Tedder |
December 29th
There was not a great deal to be seen on an overcast, dreary and cold morning as we completed our usual walk from Reculver to Coldharbour. We only managed to see 220 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Red-throated Diver E, 8 Corn Buntings, 4 Turnstone, 19 Mute Swans, 2 Mallard, 32 Common Scoter, 2 Shelduck and 2 Oystercatchers.
Today Chris Tedder found a Tundra Bean Goose and a ring-tailed Hen Harrier at Shuart.
December 28th
On what turned out to be a bright, calm but chilly morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. We saw 1 Pied Wagtail, 407 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 9 Meadow Pipits, 17 Mute Swans, 37 Ringed Plovers, 3 Redshank, 3 Shelduck, 4 Reed Buntings, 65 Corn Buntings, a flock of 52 Russian White-fronted Geese flying out to see towards Essex, 45 Common Scoter, 22 Oystercatchers, 6 Grey Plovers and 1 Little Egret.
Marc arrived on the Marsh early and had 2 Woodcocks, 1 Little Owl and 1 Red-legged Partridge. He then walked from Reculver to Coldharbour, half an hour before us, and counted 1 Kestrel, 36 Ringed Plovers, 9 Mute Swans, 8 Redshank, 5 Little Grebes, 40 Corn Buntings, 8 Reed Buntings, 2 Stonechats, 30 Red-throated Divers, 300 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Shelduck, 16 Grey Plovers, 21 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Egret and 2 flocks of Russian White-fronted Geese, including the flock we saw and numbering about 100 in total flying out to sea. He also saw 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 32 Common Scoter, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 large auk flying E.
Derek Smith was also out this morning and between 0930 and 1230 walked from Minnis Bay to Plumpudding, Shuart and Brooksend. He recorded 1 Fulmar E, 30 Red-throated Divers E, 38 Great Crested Grebes at Minnis Bay, 42 Mute Swans, 16 Grey Herons, 13 Little Egrets, 2 Sparrowhawks, 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Marsh Harrier, 86 Sanderling, 70 Turnstone, 26 Redshank, 90 Fieldfares, 1 Rock Pipit and 2 Cetti's Warblers.
Maria and Mike Longdon walked from
Minnis Bay to Reculver and back between 1100 and 1400. Apart from the
usual they saw 4 Snow Buntings and 2 Snipe on one of the small islands on
the scrape at Plumpudding, 23 Russian White-fronted Geese flying W
over Reculver
car park , 2 Short-eared Owls in the Oyster Farm and 2 Bar-tailed
Godwits at Minnis Bay.
December 27th
With Storm Bella having moved through overnight we arrived at a very soggy Reculver at about 0915 and had a 40 minute seawatch and counted 131 Dark-bellied Brent Geese. 1 Common Scoter, 1 Gannet E, 3 Mediterranean Gulls W, 2 Shelduck W, 60 Herring Gulls W and 1 Sparrowhawk. While we were at Reculver, Matt was at Minnis Bay where he counted 8 Red-throated Divers, 10 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Gannets, 2 Guillemots, 150 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 100 Cormorants.
On a sunny but chilly afternoon we walked at Chamber's Wall where we recorded 1 Common Buzzard, 19 Fieldfares , 6 Redwings and 120 Russian White-fronted Geese flying in the distance over Shuart.
Derek Smith walked from Shuart to Netherhale and Brooksend and back via Plumpudding between 1445 and 1700 and saw 12 Grey Herons, 14 Little Egrets, 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier, 4 Common Buzzards, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Barn Owl and 1 Little Owl.
December 26th
This morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 44 Common Scoter, 713 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 43 Ringed Plovers, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Corn Buntings, 9 Turnstone, 9 Sanderling, 3 Dunlin, 5 Shelduck, 1 Red-throated Diver, 13 Mallard, 1 Golden Plover, 80 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Egret, 1 Little Grebe, 52 Linnets, 4 Redshank, 31 Curlews, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 13 Lapwings, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Kestrel.
 |
| Rock Pipit |
Marc Heath was out early and saw 1 Woodcock, 1 Little Owl and 1 Black Redstart at the Towers.
Dave Smith found 120 Russian White-fronted Geese and 1 Pink-footed Goose in the fields at Shuart Drove.
December 25th
WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS
This morning we did the same as yesterday and between 0745 and 0915 we counted 9 Common Scoter, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 280 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 39 Red-throated Divers E, 5 Kittiwakes W, 6 Guillemots, 2E and 4 W, 2 Razorbills W, 1 Pink-footed Goose W, 4 Gannets W, 22 Golden Plovers W, 4 Grey Plovers W, 1 adult male Peregrine, 103 large auks E, 1 Curlew, 1 Shag, 1 Teal E, 1 first year Mediterranean Gull, 2 Dunlin W and 1 adult male Long-tailed Duck flying E (210th).
December 24th
With a northerly gale blowing overnight we had a seawatch at Reculver this morning, Anne and I watched from our car whilst Matt was at the Towers. Between 0730 and 1030 together we counted 297 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 46 Gannets W, 92 Red-throated Divers E, 2 Wigeon W, 200 Herring Gulls, 6 large auks, 19 White-fronted Geese flying in off and then S, 24 Great Skuas W, 13 Little Gulls W, 20 Kittiwakes W, 7 Common Scoter W, 1 Eider E, 1 Black-throated Diver on sea then E, 2 immature Shags on the sea, 2 Grey Plover W, 2 Dunlin W, 2 Shelduck W, 5 Razorbills W, 1 Great Crested Grebe E, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull and a female Goldeneye (208th) and female Scaup flying W (209th) together.
Whilst we were at Reculver, Marc Heath was at Minnis Bay and saw 120 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 165 Red-throated Divers, 33 Kittiwakes, 44 auk species E, 85 Cormorants, 39 Gannets, 1 Razorbill, 3 Great Skuas E, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Guillemots, 94 Oystercatchers and 40 Turnstone.
December 23rd
On an overcast morning that ended up being wet we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and counted 20 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 46 Oystercatchers, 22 Cormorants, 4 Mute Swans, 21 Corn Buntings, 21 Ringed Plovers, 6 Turnstone, 30 Common Scoter, 1 Little Egret, 4 Redshank, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Rock Pipit, 9 Reed Buntings, 12 Mallard and 26 Meadow Pipits.
December 22nd
We completed our regular, local birding walk at Reculver this morning in dull and sometimes drizzly conditions. Birds we saw included 50 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Redshank, 12 Corn Buntings, 2 Stonechats, 16 Cormorants, 2 Short-eared Owls often interacting with each other, 5 Turnstone, 8 Ringed Plovers, 35 Common Scoter, 3 Shelduck, 2 Snow Buntings, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Golden Plover, 6 Reed Buntings, 3 Pied Wagtails and 7 Mute Swans.
 |
| Male Snow Bunting |
December 20th
This morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and counted 171 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kestrel, 11 Mute Swans, 2 Kingfishers, 1 Pied Wagtail, 25 Corn Buntings, 14 Meadow Pipits, 44 Linnets, 10 Oystercatchers, 5 Shelduck, 12 Reed Bunting, 6 Stonechats, 31 Mallard, 27 Common Scoter, 4 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Turnstone and 1 Curlew. The most unexpected sight of the morning, as we neared Reculver on our way back, was seeing a man in a swimming costume trying to swim in less than a foot of water off the Towers!!
December 18th
It was cloudy this morning with a fresh south westerly breeze blowing as we walked at Shuart and Reculver. We saw 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrests, 51 Mallard, 220 Russian White-fronted Geese, 20 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Moorhens, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 37 Mute Swans, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 24 Chaffinches, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Coot.
December 17th
On a bright and breezy morning with the tide a long way out we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 1 Kestrel, 402 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Chiffchaff calling by the Oyster Farm buildings,9 Redshank, 2 Black Redstarts, 2 Corn Buntings, 32 Ringed Plovers, 2 Stonechats, 7 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Grebes, 8 Reed Buntings, 3 Snow Buntings flying E along the beach, 9 Turnstone, 45 Linnets, 1 Kingfisher and 8 Sanderling.
Matt arrived at Reculver before us and did the same walk but continued on as far as Plumpudding and in addition to what we saw recorded 282 Russian White-fronted Geese, 1 Tundra Bean Goose, another 200 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Marsh Harrier and an immature Shag flying E.
 |
| Tundra Bean Goose - Matt Hindle |
 |
| Tundra Bean Goose - Matt Hindle |
 |
| Russian White-fronted Goose - Matt Hindle |
 |
| Dark-bellied Brent Geese - Matt Hindle |
