January 31st

The last day of the month was overcast and calm as we walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow. We saw 410 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 10 Mute Swans, 18 Oystercatchers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Stonechats, 6 Redshank, 6+ Bearded Tits, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 45 Mallard, 1 Cetti's Warblers, 11 Turnstone, 6 Reed Buntings and 1 Grey Heron.

Working on the beach at Reculver

This afternoon we walked inland at Reculver and counted 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 8 Mallard, 10 Gadwall, 26 Teal. 1 Great Crested Grebe, 26 Coot, 22 Tufted Duck, 1 Redshank and 3 Little Grebes.

January 30th

This morning Anne and I visited Netherhale and Shuart. At Netherhale we saw 30 Linnets, 2 Corn Buntings, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 18 Tufted Duck, 3 Common Buzzards, 17 Chaffinches, 1 Cattle Egret, 1 Red-legged Partridge, 1 Raven and 1 Kestrel. At Shuart we counted 26 Goldfinches, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Jay, 6 Tufted Duck, 12 Mallard, 2 Little Grebes, 42 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 1 adult male Peregrine and 1 Common Buzzard.

Spring is on the way

January 29th

On an overcast morning with the tide out we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. We recorded 834 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Red-throated Diver E, 18 Oystercatchers, 19 Redshank, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Turnstone, 1 Curlew, 14 Mallard, 2 Stonechats, 6 Goldfinches, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Shelduck, 2 Lapwings, 26 Carrion Crows, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Pied Wagtail.

January 28th

On another bright morning we walked inland at Reculver and out onto the Marsh north and south of the railway. We counted 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Shoveler, 22 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Green Sandpiper, 18 Coot, 22 Gadwall, 80 Teal, 30 Mallard, 1 Snipe, 2 Stonechats, 1 Raven, 2 Grey Partridges, 270 Lapwings, 1 male Yellowhammer, 120 Stock Doves, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Siskin W and 2 Long-tailed Tits.

On his way home Matt looked at Minnis Bay where he saw 60 Red-throated Divers, 20 Great Crested Grebe and 7 Pintail flying E.

January 27th

It was a beautiful, cold winter's morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and counted 800 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kestrel, 1 Egyptian Goose eventually flying N out to sea (122nd), 16 Redshank, 2 Ringed Plover, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Stonechats, 16 Oystercatchers, 3 Shelduck, 2 Wigeon, 8 Mallard, 5 Greylag Geese flying W, 1 Turnstone and 1 Pied Wagtail. As we approached Reculver on our walk back we had a call from Matt to say he was watching a flock of 118 Russian White-fronted Geese flying WNW out at sea near Coldharbour (123rd). We eventually picked them up flying distantly over the wind farm off Reculver.

Russian White-fronted Geese - Matt Hindle

 

Male Stonechat

As mentioned above Matt was also out this morning and covered the eastern half of the recording area. He saw 150 Linnets, 20 Long-tailed Tits, 29 Tufted Duck, 7 Shoveler, 12 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 1 Jay, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Siskins, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Cattle Egret, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 4 Greenfinches, 2 Yellowhammers, 35 Reed Buntings, 5 Stonechats, 1 Marsh Harrier, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 100 Fieldfares, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Grey Heron, 24 Redwings, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Snipe, 1 Little Egret, 118 Russian White-fronted Geese flying W, 1 Grey Partridge, 2 Little Grebes, 12 Great Crested Grebes, 450 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 190 Lapwings, 5 Shelduck, 2 Wigeon and 2 Teal.

 January 26th

Today Julian Perry has a male Blackcap singing in the olive tree in his garden at Bishopstone.

January 25th

We didn't get out until after lunch today and visited Netherhale where we saw 112 Linnets, 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Canada Geese, 5 Greylag Geese, 4 hybrid Canada x Greylags, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Goldfinches, 30 Chaffinches, 1 Cattle Egret, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Kestrel.

Cattle Egret

 January 24th

There was a strong westerly wind blowing this morning as we walked inland at Reculver and counted 2 Green Woodpeckers, 42 Gadwall, 1 Shoveler, 50 Mallard, 130 Teal, 22 Tufted Duck, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Stonechat, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Wigeon, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Cetti's Warbler. Half an hour spent seawatching only produced 1 Shelduck W, 280 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 55 Cormorants.

January 23rd

On an overcast morning we walked at Netherhale and Shuart where we recorded 2 Red-legged Partridges, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Kestrel, 2 Canada Geese, 18 Tufted Duck, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Jays, 1 Cattle Egret in the horse field, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Coot, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Gadwall, 5 Mallard, 24 Teal and 10 Goldfinches.

Matt had a walk inland at Reculver and saw 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, 137 Teal, 41 Gadwall, 18 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Egret, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Green Sandpipers, 1 Redshank, 20 Coot, 30 Mallard, 5 Snipe, 28 Meadow Pipit, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 1 Siskin. On the sea he saw 25 Red-throated Divers and 1 Canada Goose.

January 22nd

With Storm Isha having cleared through overnight this morning was was bright and breezy as we walked inland at Reculver. We saw 1 Firecrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 55 Mallard, 80 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 36 Gadwall, 16 Coot, 18 Tufted Duck, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 1 Great Crested Grebe. A brief look at the Towers produced 19 Red-throated Divers mainly flying E.

January 21st

With a strong SW wind blowing, an hour at Reculver produced 310 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 41 Red-throated Divers E, 1 first winter Mediterranean Gull W, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 80 Common Scoter and 12 Ringed Plovers.

Marc Heath saw 2 Cattle Egrets at Netherhale this morning.

Cattle Egret - Marc Heath

January 20th

It was a bit milder this morning although there was still frost on the ground as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. We saw 3 Kestrels, 124 Redwings, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 14 Fieldfares, 1 Jack Snipe (119th), 5 Coot, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Green Woodpecker, 40 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Stonechat, 28 Mallard, 2 Shelduck, 4 Oystercatchers and 1 Cetti's Warbler.

Derek Smith walked at Shuart and Plumpudding between 1100 and 1300 this morning and saw 2 Shelduck, 10 Golden Plovers, 2 Snipe, 9 Lapwings, 3 Common Buzzards, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier (120th), 30 Fieldfares, 40 Redwings, 16 Skylarks and 2 Bearded Tits.

Hen Harrier - Derek Smith

 There has also been a recent report of a Long-eared Owl on the Marsh (121st).

January 19th

On another sunny but freezing morning we walked at various sites inland from Reculver and counted 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Firecrest, 1 Snipe, 19 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Green Sandpipers, 90 Teal, 20 Gadwall, 1 Stonechat, 1 Little Egret, 1 Redshank, 21 Coot, 61 Mallard, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Water Rail, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Chiffchaffs, 145 Stock Doves, 3 Yellowhammers, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Fieldfare, 10 Reed Buntings and 2 Long-tailed Tits.

Later at Netherhale there were 35 Tufted Duck, 2 Canada Geese with 4 hybrids, 10 Greylag Geese and 1 Black Redstart.

This afternoon Peter Carr saw the Grenham Bay Black Brant with the Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Reculver.

January 18th

On a bitterly cold but sunny morning we walked at Brooksend and Netherhale and saw 1 Black Redstart, 1 Green Woodpecker, 10 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Grey Herons, 15 Greylag Geese, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel, 1 Canada Goose, 4 hybrid Canada x Greylag Geese, 1 Common Buzzard, 34 Tufted Duck, 4 Chiffchaffs, 1 Goldcrest, 4 Lapwings and 1 Cattle Egret in the sheep field.

Cattle Egret

Matt was out at Reculver this morning and recorded 1 Grey Wagtail, 39 Teal, 19 Tufted Duck, 21 Gadwall, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, 22 Coot, 6 Snipe, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Stonechats, 30 Mallard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Water Rail, 1 Redwing, 15 Song Thrushes, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Jay and 1 Firecrest.

January 17th

It was overcast and calm but freezing this morning as we walked inland at Reculver and counted 3 Little Egrets, 44 Teal, 5 Gadwall, 16 Coot, 52 Mallard, 1 Water Rail, 16 Tufted Ducks, 1 Redshank, 4 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Green Woodpecker.  

An hour spent at Minnis Bay this afternoon produced 50 Grey Plovers, 14 Curlew, 5 Redshank, 21 Oystercatchers, 14 Red-throated Divers, 25 Great Crested Grebes, 125 Dunlin, 7 Bar-tailed Godwits, 30 Sanderling, 7 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 25 Common Gulls, 250 Black-headed Gulls and 1 Shelduck,