October 4th

It was cool but sunny this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 2 Pied Wagtails, 11 Meadow Pipits, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Grey Herons, 19 Swallows flying W, 4 Little Egrets, 9 Redshank, 34 Linnets, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 65 Mallard, 6 Goldfinches, 6 Oystercatchers, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Wheatear, 7 Mediterranean Gulls, 181 House Martins flying W, 13 Lapwings and 1 Sandwich Tern. We also found 3 Wall Browns sunning themselves on the Roman walls.

Wall Brown

October 3rd

There had been an overnight change in the weather and there was a chilly WNW wind blowing in drizzle as we arrived at Reculver this morning. We walked around a couple of sites and counted 11 Chiffchaffs, 58 Mallard, 45 Teal, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 12 Coot, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Tufted Duck, 4 Pied Wagtails, 5 Goldfinches, 6 Skylarks, 1 Wheatear and 1 Red-throated Diver flying E.

October 2nd

On a misty and muggy morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 2 Stonechats, 7 Cetti's Warblers, 13 Chiffchaffs, 14 Chaffinches, 1 Green Woodpecker, 6 Mallard, 2 Marsh Harrriers, 20 Reed Buntings, 1 Golden Plover, 3 Bearded Tits in the reeds at Coldharbour, 6 Oystercatchers, 1 immature Gannet flying E, 2 Little Grebes and 17 Goldfinches.

We have been wondering where the Blackcaps we have been seeing and ringing over the last few days come from. We caught a male Blackcap on September 30th at Reculver that had already been ringed and received its ringing information this evening. It had been ringed at Westdown Plantation, Wiltshire on September 16th and had flown 218 km E to reach Reculver.

October 1st

We spent the morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 60 Chiffchaffs, 20 Blackcaps, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Pied Wagtails, 12 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Barn Owl, 2 Green Sandpipers, 7 Little Grebes, 7 Tufted Duck, 20 Teal, 60 Mallard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 20 Coot, 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Raven, 3 Jays, 14 Siskins W, 1 Water Rail, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Snipe, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Wagtails and 3 Stonechats. We also saw a Clouded Yellow butterfly.

Birds ringed 62: Chiffchaff 45, Blackcap 12, Robin 1, Blue Tit 3, Song Thrush 1.

September 30th

There had been another overnight arrival of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs at Reculver where we spent the morning ringing. Birds we counted included 60 Chiffchaffs, 85 Blackcaps, 1 Kestrel, 4 Common Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk, 17 Feral Pigeons, 2 Goldcrests, 6 Grey Wagtails, 5 Jays flying W, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 23 Swallows, 46 Siskins, 6 Little Grebes, 5 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall, 100 Mallard, 30 Teal, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Egrets, 100 House Martins, 5 Mediterranean Gulls and 20 Coot.

Birds ringed 132: Chiffchaff 43, Goldcrest 2, Grey Wagtail 3, Blackcap 68, Blue Tit 1, Great Tit 4, Goldfinch 1, Cetti's Warbler 1, Chaffinch 7, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 1.

Male Goldcrest

 This morning Derek Smith walked from Shuart along the embankment and back along the seawall. He recorded 1 Red-throated Diver, 6 Grey Herons, 5 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Curlew, 6 Swallows, 2 Tree Sparrows, 2 Bearded Tits flying high W, 19 Cetti's Warblers, 55 Blackcaps, 2 Reed Warblers, 125 Chiffchaffs and 87 Siskins W.

This afternoon Matt and Marion walked from Shuart to Coldharbour and along the embankment. They recorded 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Hobby, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 40 Turnstone, 3 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plovers, 6 Redshank, 2 Little Grebes, 3 Bearded Tits and 6 Long-tailed Tits.

September 29th

We had originally intended to ring at Shuart but by the time Matt had put the nets up the wind had increased and so we decided to pack up and have a seawatch at Reculver instead.

Birds ringed 4: Wren 1, Chiffchaff 1, Blackcap 2.

With a fresh NW wind blowing we had what turned out to be a rather uneventful seawatch at Reculver between 0830 and 1100. We counted 15 Gannets W, 45 Common Scoter, 1 Whimbrel W, 18 Common Terns W, 2 Red-throated Divers, 7 Swallows in off the sea, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 7 Wigeon W, 1 Little Egret, 21 Sandwich Terns W, 11 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Curlew W, 21 Dark-bellied Brent Geese W, 45 Carrion Crows on the beach, 2 large auks W and 1 adult pale phase Arctic Skua E.

September 28th

We spent eight hours ringing at Reculver where we saw 60 Chiffchaffs, 2 Common Buzzards, 14 Blackcaps, 33 Siskins W, 14 Chaffinches, 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Peregrine, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 52 Swallows flying W, 60 Teal, 5 Tufted Duck, 6 Little Grebes, 11 Gadwall, 1 Wigeon, 40 Mallard, 15 Coot, 1 Snipe, 1 first year Caspian Gull, 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Shoveler, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Grey Wagtails, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Raven, 3 Mediterranean Gulls and 80 House Martins flying W.

Birds ringed 83: Chiffchaff 47, Goldcrest 1, Willow Warbler 1, Long-tailed Tit 1, Blackcap 12, Great Tit 1, Robin 1, Blue Tit 5, Cetti's Warbler 2, Chaffinch 7, Goldfinch 2, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 2.

This morning Derek completed his regular walk from Shuart and along the railway embankment to Coldharbour and Plumpudding. He recorded 3 Grey Herons, 4 Common Buzzards, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Peregrine E, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Sandwich Terns, 14 Swallows S, 1 Common Redstart, 1 Kingfisher, 10 Siskins W, 18 Cetti's Warblers, 8 Blackcaps, 5 Reed Warblers, 105 Chiffchaffs and 1 Firecrest.

Mike Longdon also saw what was probably the same Snow Bunting that was seen yesterday but this time at Minnis Bay as well as 15 Sandwich Terns.