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.

 June 12th

We spent an hour at Reculver this morning but did not see very much of note, just 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 3 Whitethroats, 1 Gannet flying W, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Swifts, 8 Linnets, 3 Common Terns and 1 Pied Wagtail. 

 June 11th

With heavy rain threatened for later this morning we managed a dry walk along the  seawall from Reculver. We saw 3 Cetti's Warblers, 23 Linnets, 1 Kestrel, 7 Whitethroats, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Swallow, 1 Little Owl, 5 Meadow Pipits, 20 Swifts, 2 Shelduck, 4 Ringed Plover, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Stonechats, 3 Mallard, 1 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Terns and 1 Blackcap.

 June 10th

This morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver and saw 1 Kestrel, 6 Whitethroats, 1 Oystercatchers, 9 Cormorants, 2 Meadow Pipits, 4 Common Terns, 3 Little Egrets, 4 Linnets, 64 Swifts feeding over an oil seed rape field, 4 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Swallows, 2 Stonechats, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Cetti's Warblers and 20 Sand Martins.

Female Stonechat

 

 June 9th

On a sunny morning with a chilly west wind blowing we walked at Reculver and counted 26 Sand Martins, 1 Chiffchaff, 22 Mallard, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 9 Greylag Geese, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Shelduck, 14 Coot, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Egret, 2 Blackcaps, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Gadwall, 3 Swifts, 2 Common Terns, 4 Skylarks and 4 Linnets. On the sea we saw 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Fulmars flying W, 2 Common Terns and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull. 

Matt was out later this morning and walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour where he recorded 2 Little Egrets, 360 Swifts feeding and moving W, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Cuckoos, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Avocets with 4 young, 3 Oystercatchers with 2 young, 2 Redshank, 1 Mallard with 5 young, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Sandwich Tern, 4 Stonechats and 1 Common Buzzard.

 June 8th

With heavy rain threatened for later this morning we managed a dry walk at Reculver where we recorded 1 Common Buzzard, 42 Mallards, 4 Blackcaps, 9 Greylag Geese, 12 Coot, 18 Sand Martins, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Shelduck, 7 Mute Swans, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Little Grebe feeding 4 tiny young, 70 Swifts feeding on insects over an oil seed rape field, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Tufted Duck and 3 Great Crested Grebes on the  sea.

Mute Swan cygnets

 June 7th

Although it was sunny this morning there was a chilly westerly breeze blowing as we walked at Reculver and then had a brief look at the sea. We counted 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Sparrowhawk, 16 Coot, 9 Greylag Geese, 5 Shelduck, 1 Kestrel, 4 Sand Martins, 18 Mallard, 4 Skylarks, 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 Linnets, 3 Whitethroats, 2 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebes, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Little Egret, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Shelduck, 2 Fulmars W, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 1 Common Tern. 

Male Shelduck

 June 6th

With a strong southerly wind blowing in showers we spent an hour at Reculver where we saw 2 Great Crested Grebes, 30 Sand Martins, 6 Swallows, 1 Common Tern, 2 Gannets flying W and 1 Fulmar flying W. 

 June 5th

On a bright and sunny morning I walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 42 Linnets, 1 Blackcap, 6 Whitethroats, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Goldfinches, 11 Cormorants, 4 Common Terns, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Meadow Pipits, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Chaffinches, 5 Stonechats, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Ringed Plovers, 1 Shelduck, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Swift W, 1 Oystercatcher and 2 Grey Partridges. In addition, at Reculver, I found 7 Bee Orchids and at Coldharbour 65 Pyramidal Orchids.

 

Bee Orchid

Pyramidal Orchid