November 20th

At Reculver on a bright, cold and windy morning with the tide out we saw 17 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 23 Cormorants, 2 Razorbills E, 5 Wigeon and 2 Teal W, 2 Gannets E, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 35 Carrion Crows and 1 Sparrowhawk.

This afternoon at Reculver we counted 5 Pied Wagtails, 9 Redwings, 6 Goldfinches, 58 Mallard, 68 Coot, 8 Tufted Duck, 20 Teal, 1 Redshank, 60 Gadwall, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Green Sandpipers, 2 Pintail, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Dunlin, 10 Shoveler, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Cetti's Warblers and 10 Blackbirds.

November 19th

We spent an hour at Reculver this morning in pouring rain but did not see a great deal just 2 Common Scoter flying E, 322 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Shelduck and 68 Kittiwakes flying E including one tight flock of 64.

Later Matt also spent an hour at Reculver and counted 104 Kittiwakes flying W, 2 Gannets, 8 Red-throated Divers, 3 Little Gulls W, 1 Common Scoter and 1 Red-breasted Merganser E.

November 18th

On an even cooler morning we walked inland at Reculver and saw 1 Little Egret, 62 Coot, 9 Little Grebes, 1 Redshank, 7 Shoveler, 8 Teal, 1 Green Sandpiper, 12 Meadow Pipits, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Buzzard, 48 Gadwall, 66 Mallard, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Pintail, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 24 Mute Swans, 1 Kestrel and 1 Stonechat.

November 17th  -  the 200th species for the year

On a sunny, chilly and breezy morning with the tide coming in we walked from Minnis Bay to Plumpudding lagoon and back. We counted 2 Pied Wagtails, 4 Ringed Plovers with 1 Purple Sandpiper flying W, 1 Gannet, 31 Oystercatchers, 5 Mallard, 2 Turnstone, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Snow Buntings on the beach just east of the lagoon, 300 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 65 Cormorants and 1 Redshank.

Snow Buntings

Matt walked at Reculver this morning and counted 55 Coot, 7 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Black-necked Grebe (200th), 1 Pochard, 2 Pintail, 9 Shoveler, 10 Teal, 20 Tufted Duck, 56 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, 60 Mallard, 1 Little Egret, 2 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Water Rails and 1 Brambling.

Black-necked Grebe - Matt Hindle

 November 16th

We spent a cold morning ringing on the Marshes south of the railway where we saw 12 Tree Sparrows, 6 Yellowhammers, 80 Redwings, 10 Goldfinch, 20 Blackbirds, 2 Sparrowhawks, 10 Fieldfares, 2 Goldcrests, 10 Skylarks, 1 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 86 Cormorants S, 1 Marsh Harrier, 10 Song Thrushes, 8 Long-tailed Tits and 1 Chiffchaff.

Birds ringed 44: Long-tailed Tit 2, Goldcrest 2, Chiffchaff 1, Robin 3, Tree Sparrow 6, Reed Bunting 4, Chaffinch 2, Blue Tit 1, Yellowhammer 1, Redwing 12, Song Thrush 2, Blackbird 8.

Tree Sparrow

 November 15th

We spent a calm and cold morning ringing at Shuart where we saw 13 Fieldfares, 90 Redwings, 60 Blackbirds, 3 Water Rails, 11 Redpolls, 400 Woodpigeons, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 10 Reed Buntings, 60 Chaffinches, 80 Stock Doves, 4 Brambling, 1 Stonechat, 1 Greenfinch, 118 Lapwings, 4 Tree Sparrows, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 3 Siskins, 1 Raven, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 15 Skylarks, 2 Golden Plover and 10 Goldfinches.

Birds ringed 49: Chiffchaff 1, Reed Bunting 8, Goldfinch 1, Robin 1, Redpoll 4, Cetti's Warbler 1, Chaffinch 4, Brambling 1, Redwing 5, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 22.

First year Redpoll

Phil Smith found 5 Snow Buntings on the beach at Plumpudding.

November 14th

After a drizzly start the weather improved this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 6 Little Egrets, 13 Gannets E, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Shelduck, 330 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kestrel, 19 Mute Swans, 1 Curlew, 9 Golden Plovers, 12 Redshank, 1 Stonechat, 1 Grey Heron, 20 Corn Buntings, 65 Carrion Crows, 11 Mallard, 14 Linnets, 7 Oystercatchers, 11 Turnstone, 1 Great Northern Diver flying high over the seawall E, 2 Rock Pipits, 1 Little Grebe, 13 Lapwings, 6 Common Scoter W and 1 Knot W.

Last evening I received the ringing information of a first year Goldcrest we controlled at Reculver on October 26th and November 4th. It had originally been ringed at Sandwich Bay on October 18th.

November 13th

It was cold, windy and increasingly wet as we had a 45 minute walk along the seawall at Reculver. We saw 80 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 22 Mute Swans, 1 Kestrel, 14 Wigeon, 7 Little Egrets, 9 Corn Buntings, 4 Lapwings N, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Gannet E and 7 Shelduck W.

Matt was also out this morning in the rain and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and Minnis Bay. He recorded 1 Firecrest, 11 Redwings, 2 Siskins, 1 Stonechat, 2 Gannets, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 16 Curlew, 17 Grey Plovers, 200 Oystercatchers, 150 Sanderling, 60 Redshank, 30 Turnstone, 60 Ringed Plovers and 5 Dunlin.

At 0808, Marc Heath had 5 Cattle Egrets flying N at Hillborough.

November 12th

This morning, with a strong northerly wind blowing in the occasional shower, Matt seawatched from Reculver Towers between 0650 and 1250 and I joined him between 0710 and 1010. He recorded 104 Gannets, 34 Common Scoter W, 87 Common Gulls W, 85 Kittiwakes W, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 325 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 23 Shelduck W, 147 Cormorants, 53 Little Gulls W, 72 Dunlin W, 12 Red-throated Divers, 30 Wigeon W, 4 Curlew, 98 Lapwings W, 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls W, 1 Guillemot E, 10 Teal W, 1 male Pintail W, 2 Merlins in off, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers W and 2 Razorbills E. He also saw 2 Puffins flying W, 1 at 0830 and 1 at 1015 (197th), 21 Golden Plover W, 1 Peregrine, 13 Eider E, 4 Knot W, 2 Slavonian Grebes on the sea off the Towers that flew W at 1035 (198th) together with a Red-necked Grebe that flew E at 1035 (199th), 1 Pomarine Skua and 1 Mediterranean Gull.

November 11th

On a sunny morning with a fresh north wind blowing we walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Green Wall and back. We counted 304 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kestrel, 24 Mute Swans, 400 Starlings, 8 Ringed Plovers, 4 Turnstone, a flock of 85 Corn Buntings, 42 Mallard, 1 Oystercatcher 3 Redshank, 1 Little Egret and 4 Gannets flying E. 

This morning Matt had a watch from the Towers and then walked inland. He saw 92 Gannets W, 200 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 17 Common Gulls, 345 Cormorants, 2 Red-throated Divers, 8 Great Crested Grebes, 10 large auks W and 4E, 3 Razorbills W, 4 Kittiwakes, 1 adult Little Gull W, 200 Woodpigeons, 270 Herring Gulls, 24 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Common Scoter, 1 Guillemot E, 12 Skylarks, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Stonechat, 23 Lapwings, 4 Little Grebes, 5 Shoveler, 5 Teal, 30 Gadwall, 60 Mallard, 6 Tufted Duck, 61 Coot, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Tree Sparrows and 2 Common Buzzards.

November 10th

At least we had a glimpse of the sun this morning as we visited various sites at Reculver. We saw 1 Kestrel, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 78 Mallards, 6 Goldfinches, 69 Coot, 4 Little Grebes, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Raven, 1 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Teal, 1 Snipe, 4 Shoveler, 25 Gadwall, 1 Water Rail, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Redwing, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Common Buzzard, 110 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 11 Gannets E and 45 Carrion Crows on the beach below the cliffs at Bishopstone.

Derek Smith walked from Minnis Bay to Coldharbour and back and saw 12 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Little Grebes, 2 Little Egrets, 130 Gannets E, 42 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 11 Great Black-backed Gulls, 4 Wigeon E, 3 Shelduck W, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Kingfisher, 5 Stonechats, 10 Tree Sparrows, 4 Goldfinches W and 1 Chiffchaff.

 November 9th

There was a continuation of the quiet, cold and overcast weather this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. We counted 530 Goldfinches flying W, 16 Siskins flying W, 16 Mute Swans, 3 Shelduck, 1 Great Northern Diver on the sea out by the red buoy, 1 Redwing, 1 Marsh Harrier, 21 Meadow Pipits, 3 Corn Buntings, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Oystercatchers, 3 Redshank, 28 Mallard, 1 Curlew, 36 Carrion Crows, 1 Teal, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Stonechats, 2 Bearded Tits, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Little Egrets, 41 Linnets, 35 Golden Plovers, 52 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel, 1 Red-throated Diver and 1 Goldcrest.

Matt was out before us and walked further, from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the railway embankment and Green Wall. He recorded 17 Redwings, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtails, 16 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Little Egrets, 7 Wigeon, 7 Stonechats, 1 Spotted Redshank still in the Oyster Farm, 14 Cetti's Warblers, 91 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Rock Pipits, 9 Teal, 1 Lesser Redpoll W, 1 Water Rail, 3 Kingfishers, 1 Tufted Duck W, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Red-throated Divers, 1,944 Goldfinches W, 1 Great Northern Diver flying high NW, 30 Siskins W, 6 Bearded Tits, 1 Marsh Harrier, 157 Chaffinches W, 460 Starlings, 10 Grey Herons, 12 Skylarks, 20 Meadow Pipits W, 47 Lapwings, 14 Golden Plovers, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 4 Snipe, 75 Linnets, 20 Gadwall, 15 Mallard, 24 Song Thrushes, 3 Goldcrests, 1 female Merlin, 1 Common Buzzard, 105 Corn Buntings,1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel and 1 Firecrest.

Derek Smith was also birding this morning and walked from Shuart to Brooksend and then to Coldharbour before returning along the embankment. He saw 5 Greylag Geese, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Shelduck E, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Peregrine, 1 Marsh Harrier, 16 Gadwall, 46 Lapwings, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Snipe, 1 Water Rail, 6 Fieldfares W, 95 Redwings W, 5 Mistle Thrushes, 8 Pied Wagtails W, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Rock Pipit, 6 Bearded Tits, 9 Stonechats, 1 Tree Sparrow, 204 Goldfinches W, 4 Bramblings, 93 Chaffinches W, 39 Siskins W, 6 Lesser Redpolls, 4 Chiffchaffs, 8 Goldcrests, 2 Firecrests, 1 Yellowhammer and 2 Corn Buntings.

Female Brambling - Derek Smith

 November 8th

It was cold and overcast again this morning as we had another ringing session at Shuart. Birds we saw included 3 Chiffchaffs, 67 Redwings, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Firecrest, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Sparrowhawk, 5 Goldcrests, 2 Water Rails, 5 Bramblings, 1 Hawfinch flying high south-west and calling, 47 Fieldfares, 1 Common Buzzard, 24 Lapwings, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 7 Siskins, 10 Chaffinches, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 11 Goldfinches and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Birds ringed 17: Goldcrest 3, Chiffchaff 2, Wren 1, Chaffinch 2, Robin 2, Great Tit 1, Dunnock 5, Blackbird 1.

This morning Dave Smith was from Shuart to Plumpudding and counted 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Jay, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests, 3 Firecrests, 10 Song Thrushes, 30 Blackbirds, 15 Fieldfares, 2 Stonechats, 4 Bramblings, 15 Siskins and 2 Corn Buntings.

This afternoon I have received the ringing information of a first year male Reed Bunting we controlled at Shuart on November 5th. It had been ringed as a juvenile at Cock Marling, East Sussex on 14th August 2024 and had flown 65 km NE to reach Shuart. We have ringed over 300 Reed Buntings so far this year and hope that some of these will be controlled by other ringers.

November 7th

We spent another cool and overcast morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 6 Fieldfares, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 22 Redwings, 7 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests, 3 Blackcaps, 54 Coot, 36 Gadwall, 70 Mallard, 4 Shoveler, 1 Wigeon, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 1 Water Rail, 400 Starlings, 1 Teal, 200 Woodpigeons, 3 Tree Sparrows, 3 Lapwings, 2 Common Buzzards, 60 Stock Doves, 1 Firecrest, 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Siskins, 1 Brambling, 1 Mistle Thrush, 15 Goldfinches, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 1 Lesser Redpoll.

Birds ringed 17: Goldcrest 2, Chiffchaff 7, Reed Bunting 1, Blackcap 3, Chaffinch 1, SongThrush 2, Blackbird 1.

November 6th

On a calm, cool and overcast morning with the tide out we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 110 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Red-throated Divers, 1,150 Starlings, 5 Little Egrets, 18 Meadow Pipits, 4 Grey Partrdges, 2 Grey Herons, 4 Redshank, 1 Marsh Harrier, 7 Corn Buntings, 11 Goldfinches, 51 Linnets, 1 Curlew, 19 Oystercatchers, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Stonechats, 17 Mallard, 44 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 1 Dunlin, 60 Carrion Brows, 44 Lapwings, 1 Shelduck, 17 Teal, 1 Water Rail, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 adult Little Gull flying W and 1 Kestrel.

Matt walked at Reculver and Bishopstone this morning and saw 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 7 Tree Sparrows, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Sparrowhawk, 600 Starlings, 20 Skylarks, 6 Goldcrests, 1 Firecrest, 1 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Redpoll and 5 Teal flying W.