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

 August 6th

This morning we walked at Reculver and then spent an hour looking at the sea. We recorded 5 Sand Martins, 1 Raven, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Mute Swans, 4 Gadwall, 98 Coot, 3 Tufted Duck, 66 Little Grebes, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 8 Corn Buntings, 56 Mallard, 7 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Sandwich Terns, 10 Oystercatchers, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Whimbrel flying W and 1 Little Egret.

 August 5th

There had been an overnight change in the weather although it was still warm there was a fresh south westerly wind threatening showers.  We had an uneventful walk along the seawall at Reculver where we saw 4 Goldfinches, 7 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Kestrel, 19 Linnets, 2 Meadow Pipits, 6 Sandwich Terns, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Oystercatcher, 3 Mallard, 4 Shelduck and 5 Stonechats.

 August 4th

On another scorcher we walked at Reculver and saw 2 Willow Warblers, 38 Mallard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Raven, 82 Coot, 3 Mute Swans, 9 Little Grebes, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 3 Tufted Duck, 8 Corn Buntings, 10 Linnets, 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Lapwings, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Mediterranean Gull. 

 August 3rd

It was even hotter this morning as we walked along the seawall at Reculver with the tide going out. Other than 32 Sandwich Terns and 57 Mediterranean Gulls it was relatively quiet with just 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 6 juvenile Shelducks, 1 Swallow, 24 Linnets, 6 Stonechats, 3 Ringed Plovers, 2 Whitethroats, 3 Mallard and 4 Cormorants.

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull

 

Sandwich Terns

 August 2nd

On yet another sunny and warm morning we walked at Reculver and saw 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Marsh Harriers, 4 Little Egrets, 5 Gadwalll, 52 Mallard, 2 Ravens, 3 Mute Swans, 2 Lapwings, 97 Coot, 7 Little Grebes, 6 Corn Buntings, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Kestrel, 1 Golden Plover and 3 Mediterranean Gulls. 

 August 1st

This morning our walk at Reculver produced a Quail calling on and off in an oat field south of the Towers. Other birds we saw included 1 Chiffchaff, 1 male Peregrine, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Cormorants, 32 Mallard, 16 Goldfinches, 82 Coot, 3 Mute Swans, 2 Little Egrets, 4 Little Grebes, 8 Lapwings, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 2 Tufted Duck, 8 Corn Buntings, 4 Sand Martins, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Pied Wagtail and 1 Common Tern.

Black-tailed Skimmer

 

 July 31st

It was still sunny and hot this morning but there was a very welcome cooling breeze blowing in off the sea as we walked along the seawall at Reculver. As we drove down to Reculver we saw a Hobby flying across the fields and out to the Sand Martin colony at Bishopstone. After this we counted 27 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Goldfinches, 12 Swallows flying W and 7 Stonechats in two family groups of 5 juveniles together and an adult with a recently fledged juvenile. We also saw 1 adult Kittiwake flying E, 6 Cormorants, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Shelduck with 5 young, 17 Linnets, 2 Meadow Pipits, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Whimbrel flying W and 2 adult Common Gulls flying W. We also recorded 1 Clouded Yellow and 2 Wall Brown butterflies.

Juvenile Stonechat

 

Clouded Yellow

 July 30th

After yesterday's extremely hot weather it was a little more bearable this morning as we walked at Reculver. We recorded 1 Grey Heron, 54 Mallard, 3 Mute Swans, 4 Greylag Geese, 6 Gadwall, 62 Coot, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 7 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Sand Martins, 2 Swallows, 1 Jay and 1 Cetti's Warbler.

 July 29th

Anne and I were our early at Reculver to avoid the worst of the heat. On our walk at Reculver we saw 3 Cetti's Warblers, 66 Coot, 3 Mute Swans, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Tufted Duck, 4 Sand Martins, 1 Corn Bunting, 2 Little Grebes, 8 Linnets, 2 Snipe, 42 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 1 Lapwing and 1 Jay. 

On the shore by the car park we saw 13 Mediterranean Gulls with one sporting a white colour ring on its left leg which appears to show 9XF3, but I can't discover where it was ringed. Can any one help?

 

 

Mediterranean Gulls

Nick Hando walked from Potten Street to Chamber's Wall and along the railway embankment east for a mile. He counted 1 Clouded Yellow, 7 Painted Ladies, 5 Red Admirals, 3 Large Whites, 25+ Small Whites, 4 Gatekeepers, 15 Holly Blues, 3 Common Blues and 7 Hummingbird Hawk Moths. Also, at Minnis Bay, he counted 22 Mediterranean Gulls and 1 Curlew.

 July 28th

On a sunny and hot morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver and saw 28 Linnets, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Stonechats, 8 Ringed Plovers, 1 Mallard, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Whitethroats, 19 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Common Terns and 4 Swallows flying W.

Starlings on theTowers

Mediterranean Gull

Nick Hando was also out between Brooksend and Shuart and saw 5 Mediterranean Gulls and 1 female Clouded Yellow butterfly and 2 Hummingbird Hawk moths.

 July 27th

On a warm and breezy morning we walked at Reculver and recorded 1 Grey Heron, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 52 Coot, 4 Grey Partridges, 3 Mute Swans, 6 Little Grebes, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 4 Sand Martins, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 32 Mallard and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Painted Lady on Hemp Agrimony