June 27th

 After overnight thunder and rain it was slightly less hot and humid this morning as Matt walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour. His highlight was hearing a Quail (165th) singing in a field south of Coldharbour. Other birds he recorded were 7 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Stonechats, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Avocets, 9 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Redshank, 2 Shelduck with 7 young, 6 Oystercatchers with 1 young, 1 Mallard with 5 young, 1 Corn Bunting and 15 Swifts.

We also received the details of a male Whitethroat we controlled at Reculver yesterday that had originally been ringed at Stodmarsh on 25th August 2025 by Nick Tardivel.

 June 26th

We had an early morning ringing session at Reculver where we saw 3 Green Woodpeckers, 14 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Whitethroats, 10 Blackcaps, 6 Reed Warblers, 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 6 Mute Swans, 8 Greylag Geese, 8 Tufted Duck, 35 Coot, 1 Corn Bunting, 64 Mallard, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 20 Sand Martins, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Kestrels, 1 Jay, 17 Lapwings W, 2 Swifts, 4 Skylarks, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Birds ringed 27: Long-tailed Tit 2, Blue Tit 2, Reed Warbler 3, Great Tit 1, Blackcap 5, Cetti's Warbler 3, Sedge Warbler 1, Robin 2, Dunnock 1, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 6. 

 June 25th

The heat wave continues but with a pleasant, easterly breeze blowing off the sea we are not suffering as much as those further inland. This morning we walked at Reculver where we saw 30 Sand Martins, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Whitethroats, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Redshank, 8 Greylag Geese, 62 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Pied Wagtail, 37 Coot, 1 Shelduck, 5 Gadwall, 5 Swifts and 9 Goldfinches. We then spent forty minutes looking at the sea but other than one or two Herring and Black-headed Gulls all we saw was 1 Mediterranean Gull flying W and a group of 12 Gannets flying high E.

 June 24th

On another scorching and humid morning I walked along the seawall from Reculver and counted 9 Whitethroats, 18 Linnets, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Little Egrets, 4 Meadow Pipits, 3 Stonechats, 1 Mallard, 1 Kestrel, 16 Cormorants, 4 Ringed Plovers, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Shelduck, 2 Sandwich Terns E, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Blackcap. There were also quite a few butterflies to be seen including at least 6 Painted Ladies and 5 Marbled Whites.

Painted Lady

 June 23rd

After overnight, violent thunder storms had cleared through east we had a quick look at Reculver but only saw 1 Little Egret, 1 Curlew, 8 Sand Martins and 2 Pied Wagtails. 

 June 22nd

With a cooling NE breeze blowing we spent the early morning ringing at Shuart where we saw 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Curlew, 2 Swifts, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Kestrel, 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Chiffchaffs, 10 Whitethroats, 1 Barn Owl, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Jays, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 10 Goldfinches, 15 Linnets, 12 Reed Warblers, and 2 Sedge Warblers.

Birds ringed 25: Chiffchaff 1, Whitethroat 3, Reed Warbler 9, Cetti's Warbler 2, Sedge Warbler 1, Blue Tit 4, Great Tit 1, Blackcap 2, Blackbird 1, Stock Dove 1. 

 June 21st

We spent the morning ringing on the Marsh south of the railway where we saw 3 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Common Terns, 2 Curlew, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Swifts, 2 Kestrels, 12 Whitethroats, 8 Sedge Warblers, 15 Reed Warblers, 5 Ravens, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Swallows, 1 Lesser Whitethroats and 1 Hobby.

Birds ringed 37: Wren 1, Reed Warbler 12, Chaffinch 1, Sedge Warbler 4, Whitethroat 9, Cetti's Warbler 2, Linnet 1, Great Tit 2, Blue Tit 3, Dunnock 2.

 June 20th

It was sunny again this morning but there was a pleasant westerly breeze blowing as I had a short walk at Reculver. I saw 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Blackcaps, 10 Sand Martins, 8 Greylag Geese, 6 Mute Swans, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 41 Coot, 82 Mallard, 4 Little Grebes, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Pied Wagtail and 1 Little Egret. 

 June 19th

On a hot and humid morning we hat a limited walk along the seawall from Reculver. Birds we saw included 12 Swifts screaming around the Towers, 1 Little Egret, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 5 Whitethroats, 2 Grey Herons, 14 Linnets, 1 Kestrel, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Meadow Pipits, 1 Stonechat and 13 Mediterranean Gulls calling and flying E.

Matt had been out at Reculver before us and had recorded 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 5 Lapwings, 8 Greylag Geese, 6 Mute Swans, 76 Mallard, 32 Coot, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Corn Bunting, 30 Sand Martins, 10 Tufted Duck, 2 Kestrels, 1 Gadwall, 4 Little Grebes, 6 Common Terns and 1 Swift.

 June 18th

We spent a humid morning ringing at one of our sites at Shuart where we saw 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Barn Owls, 2 Common Buzzards, 35 Whitethroats, 4 Sedge Warblers, 15 Reed Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 30 Linnets, 6 Goldfinches, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Swift, 2 Cuckoos, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Hobby and 1 Greenfinch.

Birds ringed 68: Chiffchaff 1, Reed Warbler 11, Whitethroat 31, Linnet 1, Cetti's Warbler 4, Sedge Warbler 2, Blue Tit 4, Lesser Whitethroat 3, Great Tit 1, Blackcap 3, Goldfinch 1, Reed Bunting 1, Dunnock 4, Blackbird 1.

Juvenile Lesser Whitethroat

 June 17th

On an overcast morning we had a walk at Reculver and then looked at the sea where the tide was out. We counted 8 Greylag Geese, 81 Mallard, 29 Coot, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Goldfinches, 2 Skylarks, 6 Mute Swans, 3 Tufted Duck, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 10 Sand Martins, 6 Little Grebes, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 8 Linnets, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Gadwall, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls W, 1 Curlew W and 2 Common Terns.

 June 16th

This morning we walked at Reculver and recorded 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Egret, 4 Skylarks, 2 Kestrels, 7 Greylag Geese, 20 Sand Martins, 42 Coot, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Pied Wagtails, 6 Mute Swans, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Corn Bunting singing, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 8 Linnets, 1 Blackcap, 68 Mallard, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Jay and 1 Common Buzzard. 

 June 15th

On an overcast morning with the occasional shower we walked from Reculver along the seawall. We saw 1 Blackcap, 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 Goldfinches, 14 Linnets, 5 Whitethroats, 2 Grey Herons, 12 Cormorants, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 adult and 1 juvenile Stonechat,1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 second calendar year Mediterranean Gull, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Kestrel, 2 Common Terns and 2 Meadow Pipits.

Juvenile Grey Heron

 Derek Smith was also out early this morning and walked from Shuart, along the railway embankment and back via Coldharbour and Plumpudding. He saw 1 Little Egret, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Lapwing, 2 Avocets with chicks, 8 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank, 1 Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Blackcaps and 3 Chiffchaffs. He also found 1 Southern Marsh Orchid near the stables at Plumpudding.

Southern Marsh Orchid - Derek Smith

 

 June 14th

We spent the morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 6 Blackcaps, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 8 Tufted Duck, 31 Coot, 8 Greylag Geese, 6 Little Grebes, 2 Corn Buntings, 6 Mallard, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrels, 20 juvenile Sand Martins, 3 Jays, 1 Barn Owl, 29 Lapwings, 22 Swifts, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Mute Swans and 1 Common Tern.

Birds ringed 25: Wren 2, Long-tailed Tit 1, Great Tit 1, Blue Tit 2, Reed Warbler 5, Cetti's Warbler 3, Sedge Warbler 2, Blackcap 4, Robin 1, Dunnock 4.

Male Sedge Warbler

 June 13th

On a bright and breezy morning we walked at Reculver and then had a quick look at the sea. We saw 3 Blackcaps, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Chiffchaff, 9 Greylag Geese, 28 Coot, 7 Mute Swans, 3 Shelduck, 5 Tufted Duck, 34 Mallard, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Gadwall, 2 Pied Wagtails, 10 Sand Martins, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Skylarks, 2 Common Terns, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Curlew flying W.