February 11th

I had a very uninteresting hour at Reculver this morning where all I saw was 5 Great Crested Grebes, 200 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 11 Oystercatchers E, 3 Curlew W, 2 Pied Wagtails and 33 Cormorants.

 February 10th

 Matt had a call today from a local farmer, Tim Smith, to say he had seen a Common Crane (119th) on his land but that it had flown north. Matt and I went this afternoon to see if we could find it again. After an hour's searching we saw it flying from Minnis Bay south towards the Thanet Way. This is the sixth record of this species in the area and is the twelfth bird.

Common Crane - Tim Smith 

Other birds we saw included 95 Fieldfares, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Egyptian Geese, 10 Skylarks, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1,000 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 21 Lapwings and 1 Green Woodpecker.

 February 9th

We received two ringing recoveries today The first was a first year Sedge Warbler we ringed on Reculver Marshes on 21st August 2022 and was controlled at Tour aux Moutons, Donges, Loire-Atlantique, FRANCE on 17th August 2025. This bird was 1,092 days old and was 507 km SSW of Reculver.

The second bird was a first year male Great Tit we ringed at Shingleton Farm, near Tilmanstone on 21st December 2025 and was controlled at Sandwich Bay on 8th February 2026 9 km NE.

 February 8th

Derek Smith was out this morning and walked from Shuart and along the embankment and back via Coldharbour and Plumpudding. Hr counted 3 Little Grebes, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Buzzard, 11 Magpies, 36 Fieldfares, 45 Redwings, 60 Blackbirds, 2 Stonechats, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Firecrest and 6 Corn Buntings

I had a brief walk at Reculver this afternoon where I saw 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrels, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Mute Swans, 72 Coot, 1 Grey Heron, 16 Mallard, 4 Teal, 19 Gadwall, 12 Tufted Duck, 1 Wigeon, 1 Water Rail and 2 Skylarks.

 February 7th

I managed to avoid the rain this morning as I had a walk at Reculver and recorded 5 Chaffinches, 2 Skylarks, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 9 Moorhens, 76 Coot, 58 Mallard, 32 Gadwall, 1 Water Rail, 1 Chiffchaff, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swans, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Wigeon, 1 Woodcock and 1 Green Woodpecker. 

Dave Smith was also out this morning and walked from Reculver and counted 2 Shelduck, 1 Grey Plover, 14 Ringed Plovers, 3 Lapwings, 1 Curlew, 3 Turnstone, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Peregrine, 2 Skylarks, 1 Goldcrest, 3 Song Thrushes, 5 Redwings, 40 Fieldfares, 2 Black Redstarts, 2 Stonechats, 150 Chaffinches, 200 Linnets, 3 Snow Buntings, 14 Corn Buntings and 2 Yellowhammers.

 February 6th

On a showery afternoon we birded at Brooksend and Minnis Bay. Birds we saw included 77 Greylag Geese, 1 Canada Goose with 4 hybrids, 3 Barnacle Geese, 13 Herons, 1 Little Egret, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Stonechat, 1 Corn Bunting, 15 Redwings, 20 Blackbirds, 50 Cormorants, 3 Red-throated Divers and 28 Great Crested Grebe.

Today we received information concerning a juvenile Sedge Warbler we ringed at Shuart on July 11th. It was controlled 18 days later on July 29th at Trunvel, Treogat, Finistere, FRANCE and had flown 560 km SW.

Juvenile Sedge Warbler

 February 5th

All I managed today was a quick drive down to Reculver in the pouring rain where I saw 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Sparrowhawk.

 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.

During the afternoon Justin Sneddon took two photographs of a second winter Kumlien's Gull flying E at Minnis Bay (118th). This a race of Iceland Gull and the 10th record for the area. 

 

Juvenile Kumlien's Gull - Justin Sneddon

 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.