August 21st

With a moderate northerly breeze blowing Matt seawatched at Reculver between 0545 and 0700 but only saw 29 Sandwich Terns E, 1 Kittiwake E, 1 Arctic Skua E and 4 Common Scoter E. 

We then walked inland and afterwards had a short look at the sea and counted 1 Red Kite, 2 Teal, 1 Common Sandpiper, 103 Coot, 3 Mute Swans, 4 Ravens, 7 Little Grebes, 88 Mallard, 12 Gadwall, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Mediterranean Gulls E, 36 Oystercatchers E and 1 Sandwich Tern.

 August 20th

As we walked up to the Towers this morning we were greeted by a calling Spotted Redshank flying out to sea (172nd). Other birds we saw as we walked along the seawall included 25 Swallows flying W, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Cormorants, 2 Turnstone, 7 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank, 2 juvenile Shelduck, 9 Mallard, 1 Ringed Plover, 4 Stonechat, 3 Grey Herons, 2 Kestrels, 1 Hobby, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 22 Common Terns in a flock flying W, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 10 Linnet, 6 Whitethroat, 1 Wheatear, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Common Buzzard.

Wheatear

 This afternoon Matt and Marion walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and saw 6 Mediterranean Gulls, 60 Ringed Plovers, 30 Sanderling, 25 Dunlin, 20 Turnstone, 1 Ruff, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Wheatear, 1 Little Egret, 1 Stonechat and 2 Whitethroats.

Ruff - Matt Hindle

 August 19th

We spent the morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin, 4 Snipe, 103 Coot, 16 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, 9 Little Grebes, 30 Mallard, 2 Jays, 1 Common Buzzard, 16 Reed Warblers, 1 Whitethroat, 15 Blackcaps, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Kestrel, 3 Corn Buntings, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 21 Swallows W, 1 Hobby, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Greenshank.

Birds ringed 27: Wren 2, Willow Warbler 1, Blackcap 7, Reed Warbler 13, Whitethroat 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Robin 1, Dunnock 1.

Willow Warbler

 August 18th

On an overcast morning our walk at Reculver produced 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Mute Swans, 110 Coot, 1 Shoveler, 4 Pochard, 2 Tufted Duck, 84 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 7 Little Grebes, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Kestrel, 3 Gadwall and 1 Cetti's Warbler.

Pochard

 

 August 17th

After a welcome overnight shower this morning was very humid as we walked along the seawall at Reculver. We recorded 1 Green Woodpecker. 2 Grey Herons, 13 Oystercatchers, 7 Stonechats, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Shelduck, 73 Mallard, 1 Greenshank, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 6 Mediterranean Gulls, 5 Sanderling, 3 Ringed Plovers, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 adult Common Gull, 1 Little Egret, 1 Whinchat, 12 Cormorants 2 Swifts and 2 Sand Martins.

Adult Common Gull

Having just returned from their trip to Brazil, Matt and Marion walked at Reculver this evening and saw 45 Mallard, 3 Pochard, 1 Green Sandpiper, 15 Greylag Geese, 99 Coot, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Tufted Duck, 7 Common Sandpipers, 2 Gadwall, 2 Kestrels, 2 Common Buzzards, 16 Swallows, 3 Little Egrets and 5 Sand Martins. 

 August 16th

This morning we walked at Reculver and counted 1 Hobby, 3 Chiffchaffs, 122 Coot, 3 Mute Swans, 6 Little Grebes, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Kestrel, 4 Swallows, 5 Lapwings, 2 Whinchats (171st), 1 Teal, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Sand Martins, 68 Mallard, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Sedge Warblers, 6 Reed Warblers, 1 Pied Wagtail, 14 Greylag Geese, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Jay, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Redshank.

A distant Whinchat

 

 August 15th

We awoke to a light shower of rain, the first measurable amount in our garden at Bishopstone since June 27th, although it was only one millimetre! 

We arrived at Reculver at 0730 where the tide was going out and walked along the seawall as well as having a look at Reculver bushes. We counted 1 Whimbrel flying W, 1 Kestrel, 11 Golden Plover flying W, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 6 Cormorants, 1 Little Egret, 3 Oystercatchers, 5 juvenile Stonechats, 5 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Grey Heron, 62 Mallard, 1 Sandwich Tern, 14 Linnets, 7 Mediterranean Gulls flying E, 4 Corn Buntings, 6 Goldfinches, 8 Sand Martins and 1 Willow Warbler.

Nick Hando was our during the day at Minnis Bay and recorded 1 Arctic Skua (170th), 15 Whimbrel, 16 Sandwich Terns E, 10 Gannets E and 1 Common Sandpiper W.

 August 14th 

On an even hotter morning we walked inland at Reculver and then had a half hour look at the sea where the tide was out. We saw 1 Raven, 1 Marsh Harrier with red wing tags, 101 Coot, 3 Tufted Duck, 8 Little Grebes, 3 Mute Swans, 4 Buzzards. 3 Meadow Pipits, 5 juvenile Grey Partridges, 1 Pied Wagtail, 12 Sand Martins, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrels, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 162 Mallard, 4 Gadwall, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Curlew E, 1 Little Egret, 1 Shelduck and 2 Sandwich Terns W.

 August 13th

It was unpleasntly hot and humid this morning as we walked at Reculver and saw 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Shelduck, 3 Mute Swans, 102 Coot, 6 Little Grebes, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Lapwings, 28 Greylag Geese, 2 Barnacle Geese, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Willow Warbler, 88 Mallard, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Gadwall, 12 Reed Warblers, 3 Kestrels and 1 Greenfinch.

August 12th

Although there was a pleasant easterly breeze blowing it became increasingly hot as we walked along the seawall from Reculver. We did not see a great deal, just 2 Swallows, 18 Linnets, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Egrets, 7 Cormorants, 6 Stonechats, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 Shelduck, 1 Grey Heron, 35 Mallard, 4 Kestrels, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 4 Ringed Plovers and 2 Whitethroats.

Juvenile Stonechat

This morning Jim Bloor found a Pied Flycatcher (169th) in the bushes on the railway embankment at Shuart. 

 August 11th 

There was a pleasant easterly breeze blowing as we walked at Reculver this morning.We counted 1 Kestrel, 12 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Little Egret, 79 Mallard, 7 Little Grebes, 3 Tufted Duck, 101 Coot, 3 Mute Swans, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Snipe, 1 Ruff, 4 Goldfinches, 6 Linnets, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Redshank, 3 Gadwall, 4 Cormorants and 2 Sandwich Terns.

Common Sandpiper

 August 10th

Although it was hot and sunny again this morning there was a refreshing westerly breeze blowing as we walked along the seawall from Reculver. We counted 14 Whitethroats, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Stonechats, 1 juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 21 Mallard, 26 Linnets, 2 Turnstone, 2 Sanderling, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Sandwich Tern W, 3 Little Egrets, 4 Cormorants, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Swallows W, 1 Wheatear, 16 Goldfinches and 1 Green Woodpecker.

Turnstone

Newly arrived Wheatear

 August 9th

It was another warm morning as we walked out onto a parched marsh and then had a half hour look at the sea. We saw 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 12 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Kestrel, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 6 Little Grebes, 3 Mute Swans, 94 Coot, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Lapwings, 6 Swallows, 3 Little Egrets, 56 Mallard, 1 Greenshank and 15 Sandwich Terns.

Reculver Marshes

 

 August 8th

This morning on our walk at Reculver we recorded 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Mute Swans, 2 Ravens, 76 Coot, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Tufted Duck, 2 Greylag Geese, 6 Little Grebes, 4 Sand Martins, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Corn Bunting, 2 Jays, 42 Mallard, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Gadwall, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Goldfinches, 1 Golden Plover and 10 Swallows. 

 August 7th

It was yet another sunny morning with a pleasant, light, westerly breeze blowing as we walked along the seawall from Reculver. Birds we saw included 1 Sand Martin, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Goldfinches, 11 Cormorants, 23 Linnets, 4 Little Egrets, 5 Stonechats, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Swallows, 3 Whimbrel flying W and 32 Oystercatchers flying E with a Black-tailed Godwit tagged on behind (168th). Othe birds we counted were 11 Mallard, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 5 juvenile Shelduck, 2 Whitethroats, 3 Sandwich Terns, 1 Mediterranean Gull and a Sparrowhawk hunting around the Towers.

Wall Brown on the Roman wall

 

Little Egret