February 4th

I was out early this morning at Reculver and recorded 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 68 Coot, 12 Tufted Duck, 46 Mallard, 12 Gadwall, 14 Teal, 1 Shoveler, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Wigeon and 1 Common Buzzard.

 February 3rd

On a foul morning with rain and a cold easterly breeze blowing I spent 45 minutes at Reculver and counted 233 Dark-bellied Brent Geese E, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Great Northern Diver E and 4 Scaup, seen earlier at Swalecliffe, flew E at 0915.

 February 1st

On a calm and overcast morning the first bird I saw was a Black-throated Diver sitting on the sea off the Towers (117th). Other birds seen during the next hour included 168 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Great Black-backed Gulls, 17 Common Scoter flying E, 8 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Red-throated Divers and 1 Curlew. Later Matt found the 3 Snow Buntings along the seawall and 1 immature male Black Redstart at Reculver.

 January 31st

It was bright and chilly this morning as I walked along the seawall at Reculver and saw 3 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Skylarks, 3 Redshank, 44 Corn Buntings, 24 Linnets, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Red-throated Divers E, 38 Ringed Plovers, 10 Mallard, 105 Carrion Crows, 56 Great Crested Grebes and 520 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

Ringed Plovers

 Matt was also out this morning and walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back. He counted 1 immature male Black Redstart, 7 Cetti's Warblers, 89 Great Crested Grebes, 13 Red-throated Divers E, 990 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 20 Corn Buntings, 3 Golden Plovers, 1 Little Egret, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 43 Ringed Plovers, 180 Sanderling, 80 Grey Plovers, 75 Turnstone, 47 Redshank, 3 Snipe, 16 Curlew, 60 Dunlin and 3 White-fronted Geese flying W.

Sunrise - Matt Hindle

 January 30th

Matt had a look at rainy Reculver this morning and saw 1 Black Redstart, 61 Great Crested Grebes, 137 Red-throated Divers flying E, 333 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Guillemot flying E. 3 large auks flying E, 1 Teal and 21 Gannet.

 January 29th

On a cold and overcast morning I visited Minnis Bay and walked up to Plumpudding lagoon. Birds I saw included 40 Common Scoter flying E, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Curlew, 95 Oystercatchers, 1,000 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 76 Redshank, 30 Turnstone, 15 Linnets, 150 Sanderling, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Mallard, 28 Grey Plovers, 42 Dunlin, 35 Ringed Plovers, 4 Wigeon, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Corn Bunting singing.

Rock Pipit

 January 28th

On a sunny afternoon I had a walk at Reculver where I recorded 35 Stock Doves, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Chiffchaff, 12 Chaffinches, 3 Redwings, 16 Teal, 68 Coot, 20 Gadwall, 26 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel and 1 singing Mistle Thrush. 

 January 27th

This morning I spent forty five minutes in the pouring rain and strong southerly wind of Storm Chandra seawatching at Reculver. Virtually all birds were flying E and included 102 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Guillemot (115th), 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 65 Herring Gulls, 11 Red-throated Divers, 1 Curlew, 5 Ringed Plovers W and 3 Kittiwakes.

Matt had a seawatch at Minnis Bay between 1030 and 1200 and saw 1 Rock Pipit, 143 Red-throated Divers E, 12 Great Crested Grebes, 13 Gannets E, 1 Common Scoter E, 5 Kittiwakes E, 1 Fulmar W (116th), 68 Dark-bellied Brent Geese E and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

 January 26th

On another overcast afternoon I had a short stroll at Reculver and saw 1 Common Buzzard, 5 Red-legged Partridges, 82 Coot, 18 Gadwall, 46 Mallard, 14 Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Jay. 

 January 25th

It was overcast and there was a chilly south easterly breeze blowing this morning as I walked along the seawall from Reculver. I counted 2 Cetti's Warblers, 656 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Mute Swans, 1,100 Cormorants flying out to sea from the Stour Valley, 1 first winter Mediterranean Gull, 4 Redshank, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 22 Corn Buntings, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 4 Ringed Plovers, 14 Mallard, 1 Stonechat, 4 Oystercatchers ansd 1 Curlew.

 January 24th

On a sunny morning Matt walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the embankment. He counted 27 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Great Northern Diver W, 1,000 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kittiwake, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Grey Herons, 9 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Little Grebes, 36 Greylag Geese, 24 Lapwings, 3 Snipe, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Redwing, 1 Yellowhammer, 80 Corn Buntings and 1 Rock Pipit.

 January 23rd

Matt had a seawatch at Minnis Bay this afternoon where he saw 12 Red-throated Divers, 3 Gannets, 1 Razorbill (114th), 40 Grey Plovers, 45 Turnstone, 20 Dunlin, 1 Purple Sandpiper and 5 Great Crested Grebes. 

Later he walked at Reculver and counted 2 Chiffchaffs, 32 Gadwall, 8 Teal, 44 Mallard, 7 Tufted Duck, 80 Coot, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Lapwing and 1 Common Buzzard.

 January 22nd

I had a relatively quiet walk at Reculver this afternoon where I saw a male Peregrine, 1 Common Buzzard, 22 Chaffinches, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Water Rail, 12 Teal, 34 Mallard, 31 Gadwall, 86 Coot and 7 Tufted Duck.

 January 20th

On a sunny morning with a chilly southerly breeze blowing I had an hour to walk along the seawall from Reculver. Birds I saw included 416 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 25 Ringed Plovers, 2 Mallard, 3 Pied Wagtails, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 4 Redshank, 3 Meadow Pipits, 13 Cormorants, 1 Marsh Harrier, 7 Turnstone, 16 Linnets, 22 Corn Buntings, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Curlew and 2 Grey Partridges.

Grey Partridges

Pied Wagtail

 January 18th

This morning I walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Green Wall and counted 217 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 male Goldeneye flying E (110th), 2 Pied Wagtails, 4 Mute Swans, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Redshank, 24 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 1 Sanderling, 63 Corn Buntings, 8 Meadow Pipits, 18 Linnets, 30 Carrion Crows, 1 male Stonechat, 2 Reed Buntings, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 first winter male Black Redstart.

Matt was also out this morning and walked from Brooksend to Minnis Bay, Shuart and Netherhale. He saw 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Common Buzzards, 700 Lapwings, 2 Little Egrets, 10 Grey Herons, 3 Barnacle Geese, 29 Greylag Geese, 1 Canada Goose with 4 hybrids, 4 Corn Buntings, 140 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Red-throated Divers, 65 Redshank, 1,000 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 110 White-fronted Geese, 35 SW and 75 E, 1 Chiffchaff, 16 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Firecrest, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Egyptian Goose (111th).

Also this morning, Steve Blaskett found 3 Snow Buntings on the beach between Reculver and Coldharbour (112th) and a Short-eared Owl in the Oyster Farm (113th).