January 31st

After yesterday's incessant rain today dawned cold, bright and breezy however we have received 114.5 mm of rain at Reculver during January and the ditches are full, many fields are flooded and there is a stream running down Reculver Lane. This morning we tried to avoid most of the walkers, runners and cyclists on the seawall and walked to Coldharbour from Chamber's Wall. We counted 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Moorhen, 1 Green Woodpecker, 8 Chaffinches, 11 Blackbirds, 672 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 Coot, 13 Lapwings, 1 Raven, 10 Mute Swans, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Cetti's Warblers and 2 Kestrels. We also met Julian Perry on his regular run and he had seen a ring-tailed Hen Harrier at Brook Lane.

Dave and Sarah Smith were also out on the Marsh today and walked from Bishopstone to Chamber's Wall via the Roman Galley and back along the Green Wall. Their highlights were 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 12 Yellowhammers, 1 Tree Sparrow and 1 female Brambling (117th). They also saw a Woodcock fly in off the sea at Reculver car park.

January 30th

This morning we spent an hour in the wind and rain at Reculver and the highlight was seeing 129 Kittiwakes flying E close in shore between 1010 and 1030 in four flocks of 21, 31, 24 and 53. Other birds seen included 2 Grey Partridges flying across the road, 22 Cormorants, 11 Dunlin, 1 Grey Plover, 6 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Pied Wagtails, 9 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 1 Fulmar flying W.

January 29th

This morning our walk was at the east end of the Marsh and we saw 18 Corn Buntings, 2 Kestrels, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Greylag Goose, 31 Mute Swans, 1 Little Egret, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 19 Mallard, 1 Mistle Thrush, 4 Teal, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Pied Wagtails, 6 Grey Herons, 12 Coot, 24 Tufted Duck, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 4 Meadow Pipits.

 January 28th

The overnight rain had just cleared away to the east as we arrived at Reculver this morning. On our walk to Coldharbour we recorded 2 Pied Wagtails. 177 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kestrel, 4 Oystercatchers, 8 Redshank, 21 Corn Buntings, 1 Raven (116th), 5 Turnstone, 2 Stonechats, 4 Sanderling, 39 Ringed Plovers, 6 Mallard, 7 Red-throated Divers disturbed by a passsing boat, 6 Shelduck flying W and 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull flying W.

Also, this morning, I received the ringing information of a first year Song Thrush we controlled on Reculver Marshes on 7th November 2020. It had originally been ringed at Reddingsweg, Schiermonnikoog, THE NETHERLANDS on 14th October 2020 and had flown 410 km SW.

January 27th

It was much milder this morning as we completed our regular walk from Reculver to Coldharbour and we saw 575 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 29 Meadow Pipits, 22 Turnstone, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 76 Ringed Plovers, 2 Stonechats, 20 Common Scoter, 21 Mallard, 7 Redshank, 8 Sanderling, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Rock Pipit, 26 Corn Buntings, 1 Short-eared Owl and 6 Goldfinches.

Redshank

Matt was also out this morning at the east end of the Marsh where he saw a Merlin.

January 26th

This morning was cloudy and cold but with little wind as we walked up to Coldharbour and recorded 553 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kestrel, 31 Red-throated Divers, 1 Short-eared Owl, 2 Stonechats, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 14 Ringed Plovers, 3 Turnstone, 22 Common Scoter, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank and 2 Mallard.

Robin on the rocks at Reculver

January 25th

We walked from Reculver to Coldharbour on a chilly but bright and breezy morning. Birds we saw included 1 Kestrel, 500 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Red-throated Divers, 210 Cormorants, 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Sanderling, 3 Stonechats, 5 Corn Buntings, 6 Redshank, 9 Turnstone, 1 Grey Plover, 42 Ringed Plovers, 2 Snow Buntings, 22 Common Scoter, 29 Mallard, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 6 Reed Buntings.

Snow Bunting

 January 24th

On a freezing morning we had a walk south of the railway and saw 2 Common Buzzards, 110 Chaffinches, 1 female Peregrine hunting a group of 300 Woodpigeons, 43 Corn Buntings, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 male Stonechat, 1 Yellowhammer and 25 Reed Buntings.

Reculver Towers

January 23rd

On a still and frosty morning we walked at the east end of the Marsh and recorded 4 Common Buzzards, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 14 Red-legged Partridges, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Greylag Geese, 41 Mallard, 18 Tufted Duck, 4 Teal, 24 Coot, 3 Mistle Thrushes singing, 1 Pochard, 42 Mute Swans, 2 Jays, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, 8 Goldfinches, 57 Corn Buntings, 16 Chaffinches, 40 Jackdaws, 11 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Grey Heron and 57 Lapwings.

January 22nd

The wind had dropped overnight and the morning dawned sunny and frosty as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. We recorded 23 Meadow Pipits on the grass by the Towers, 2 Redshank, 3 Stonechats, 12 Mallard, 8 Reed Buntings, 32 Ringed Plovers, 4 Turnstone, 2 Little Grebes, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Common Buzzard, 233 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Corn Buntings, 1 Pied Wagtail and 40 House Sparrows.

Male House Sparrow and female Starling in the bushes by the King Ethelbert

Dave Smith completed a long walk around the Marsh today and his highlights were 3 Short-eared Owls at the Oyster Farm, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Snow Buntings, 1 Water Rail, 35 Common Scoter, 13 Tufted Ducks, 3 Pochard, 1 Chiffchaff and several Red-throated Divers.

January 21st

It was another very windy morning but at least the sun was shining as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. There was not a great deal different to see, just 480 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Red-throated Diver, 6 Reed Buntings, 22 Ringed Plovers, 3 Turnstone, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Malllard, 1 Shelduck, 1 Stonechat, 24 Corn Buntings, 1 Redshank, 2 Wigeon flying W and 400 Black-headed Gulls.

Turnstone

January 20th

With a gale force south westerly wind blowing we had a brief walk this afternnon at one of the more sheltered spots on the Marsh and saw 2 Mistle Thushes, 1 Moorhen, 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Mallard, 26 Mute Swans, 18 Goldfinches and 1 Sparrowhawk.

January 19th

On a very windy but surprisingly mild morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and and back and saw 387 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Meadow Pipits, 1 Redshank, 21 Corn Buntings, 3 Oystercatchers, 1 Lapland Bunting flying up from the beach calling and then flying into the Oyster Farm lagoons (115th), 56 Mallard, 2 Reed Buntings, 1 Curlew, 3 Snow Buntings, 7 Turnstone and 1 Stonechat.

January 18th

This morning we walked at the east end of the Marsh and recorded 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 4 Greylag Geese (113th), 35 Mallard, 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Red-legged Partridges, 1 Corn Bunting, 14 Coot, 5 Grey Herons, 38 Mute Swans, 5 Fieldfares, 22 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 12 Goldfinches, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Teal, 8 Redwings and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Also this morning, Dave Smith saw a Goldeneye flying W at Bishopstone (114th).

January 17th

After yesterday's revolting weather, today dawned bright and sunny and less cold. We walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and counted 476 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kestrel, 3 Stonechats, 2 Reed Buntings, 3 Oystercatchers, 2 Mute Swans, 3 Redshank, 6 Mallard, 2 Turnstone, 6 Meadow Pipits, 1 adult female Peregrine, 3 Snow Buntings, 12 Ringed Plovers, 2 Shelduck, 1 second winter Yellow-legged Gull at the Wantsum outflow (112th) and 2 Little Grebes.

This afternoon Dave Smith found a queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee at Bishopstone.