July 3rd

We spent the morning ringing at one of our Shuart sites and saw 1 Grey Heron, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Swallows, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 5 Whitethroats, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Little Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier, 20 Linnets, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Jay, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 25 Reed Warblers, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Sedge Warblers.

Birds ringed 35: Wren 1, Reed Warbler 19, Cetti's Warbler 8, Blue Tit 1, Whitethroat 3, Sedge Warbler 2, Linnets 1.

Adult male Sedge Warbler

 July 2nd 

It was warm and breezy this morning on our walk at Reculver after which we had a quick look at the sea. We counted 3 Blackcaps, 3 Kestrels, 20 Sand Martins, 3 Chiffchaffs, 41 Mallard, 12 Tufted Ducks, 4 Gadwall, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 52 Coot, 11 Greylag Geese, 6 Mute Swans, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Corn Bunting, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 6 Swifts flying W and 1 Jersey Tiger Moth. 

 July 1st

We spent a warm and sunny morning ringing at Shuart where we saw 1 Barn Owl, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Common Terns, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 15 Whitethroats, 1 Sedge Warblers, 15 Reed Warblers, 15 Linnets, 8 Goldfinches, 1 Sparrowhawk and 2 Blackcaps.

Birds ringed 39: Wren 1, Whitethroat 12, Great Tit 1, Linnet 6, Blue Tit 2, Cetti's Warbler 3, Reed Warblers 10, Sedge Warbler 1, Goldfinches 2, Blackcap 1. 

We also caught a Belgian ringed Reed Warbler. 

Juvenile Whitethroat

 June 30th

On a cooler morning we walked inland at Reculver and then looked at the sea. We saw 1 Blackcap, 4 Kestrels, 3 Chiffchaffs, 60 Sand Martins, 4 Goldfinches, 42 Mallard, 14 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebes, 8 Greylag Geese, 6 Mute Swans, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Gadwall, 40 Coot, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 3 Whitethroats, At the sea we counted 7 Swifts flying W and 5 Mediterranean Gulls.  

 June 29th

On another sunny morning but with a welcome, cooling, westerly breeze blowing we walked along the seawall from Reculver. We saw 1 Great Crested Grebes, 16 Linnet, 7 Whitethroats, 13 Mediterranean Gulls flying W, 5 Meadow Pipits, 1 Little Egret, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Stonechats, 2 Shelduck, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Mallard, 8 Cormorants and 2 Common Terns.

Male Stonechat

 June 28th

On a slightly less hot and humid morning and with a light westerly wind blowing we walked out on to the Marsh at Reculver. We saw 2 Kestrels, 10 Sand Martins, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 5 Whitethroats, 1 Lapwing, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 1 Blackcap, 64 Mallard, 9 Tufted Duck, 8 Greylag Geese, 2 Gadwall, 6 Mute Swans and 38 Coot.

Female Banded Demoiselle

 

 

Dryad's Saddle

  Nick Hando walked at Minnis Bay this evening and saw a Cattle Egret (166th) fly in off the sea at 2050.

 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.