July 19th

With a fresh northerly wind blowing we spent an hour seawatching at Reculver from 0800 but it was very slow. All we saw was 97 Black-headed Gulls E, 8 Oystercatchers E, 7 Mediterranean Gulls E, 3 Curlew E and 2 Little Egrets. 

 July 18th

We spent the morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 2 Common Buzzards, 50 Coot, 3 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebes, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Marsh Harrier, 40 Sand Martins, 1 Common Sandpiper, 11 Mallard, 3 Kestrels, 1 Raven, 1 Peregrine, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Greenfinch, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 12 Blackcaps, 6 Whitethroats, 20 Reed Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers, 1 Sparrowhawk and 8 Goldfinches.

Birds ringed 57: Chiffchaff 3, Long-tailed Tit 1, Wren 1, Reed Warbler 18, Blackcap 10, Sedge Warbler 2, Whitethroat 5, Blue Tit 6, Robin 1, Chaffinch 1, Dunnock 2, Song Thrush 2, Blackbird 5. 

 July 17th

There was still a cool northerly breeze blowing this morning as we walked at Reculver and recorded 2 Kestrels, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Lapwings, 4 Goldfinches, 24 Mallard, 1 Marsh Harrier, 49 Coot, 15 Greylag Geese, 4 Tufted Duck, 4 Mute Swans, 3 Little Grebes, 16 Sand Martins, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Woodpecker and 5 Skylarks.

 July 16th

With the tide out and a cool northerly breeze blowing we walked along the seawall from Reculver and counted 21 Mediterranean Gulls flying E, 1 Kestrel, 3 Little Egrets, 3 Oystercatchers, 1 Peregrine, 6 Stonechats, 2 Ringed Plovers, 15 Cormoranats, 2 Meadow Pipits and 4 Linnets.

 July 15th

On an overcast and windy morning at Reculver we saw 6 Cormorants, 19 Mallard, 58 Coot, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Heron, 15 Greylag Geese, 4 Sand Martins, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Whimbrel flying W. 

At the same time Matt walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 2 Little Egrets, 3 Stonechats, 6 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Redshank, 1 Curlew, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Common Terns, 24 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 2 Sandwich Terns.

Juvenile Black-headed Gull - Matt Hindle

 July 14th

With a fresh and cool northerly wind blowing this morning we had a walk inland at Reculver and then had a half hour look at the sea. We saw 21 Mallard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Sand Martins, 1 Gadwall, 53 Coot, 3 Pied Wagtails, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Corn Bunting, 2 Common Sandpipers and 1 Cetti's Warbler. At the sea 55 Mediterranean Gulls and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull flew E along the shore.

 July 13th

There was a different feel to the weather this morning with cloud and a very fresh easterly wind blowing. Matt walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and we spent an hour seawatching at Reculver. Matt's final totals were 3 Stonechats, 2 Little Egrets, 7 Shelduck, 1 Common Sandpiper, 12 Mediterranean Gulls E, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls E, 2 Redshank. 4 Curlew, 4 Common Terns, 1 Kestrel, 5 Ringed Plovers, 1 Turnstone, 5 Sandwich Terns E and 1 Whimbrel E.

 July 12th

We completed the same walk as yesterday morning and saw 15 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 10 Sand Martins, 3 Kestrel, 1 Little Egret, 48 Coot, 12 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Hobby. 

Female Tufted Duck with 3 ducklings

 

 July 11th

With a fresh, cooler NE wind blowing Matt walked from Reculver along the seawall to Plumpudding and back. He counted 2 Swifts, 179 Mediterranean Gulls, 15 Sandwich Terns, 11 Little Egrets, 10 Shelduck, 4 Teal, 1 Common Tern, 350 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Spoonbill flying north and then west at Coldharbour (167th), 1 Peregrine, 1 summer plumaged Dunlin, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 1 Gadwall.

Adult Mediterranean Gull - Matt Hindle

 I walked at Reculver and then had a 30 minute seawatch. Birds I saw included 1 Hobby, 10 Sand Martins, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Kestrels, 5 Great Black-backed Gulls, 48 Coot, 1 Little Egret, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Lapwing, 6 Mallard and 1 Chiffchaff. On the sea I saw 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying E, 24 Common Scoter E and 2 Mediterranean Gulls E.

Nick Hando was also out at Minnis Bay this morning where he saw 39 Mediterranean Gulls, 6 Little Egrets, 70 Common Scoter flying E in four groups, 5 Sandwich Terns and 2 Whimbrel.

 July 10th

Forty minutes at Reculver this morning produced our first juvenile Mediterranean Gull of the year flying W, 2 Swallows, 10 Sand Martins, 6 Cormorants and 4 Common Scoter flying W. 

 July 9th

We were out early this morning to avoid the worst of the heat and walked along the seawall from Reculver. We saw 1 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroats, 8 Linnets, 1 Curlew W, 2 Stonechats, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Meadow Pipits, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 juvenile Black Redstart briefly on the rocks by the car park, 1 Pied Wagtail and 6 Mediterranean Gulls. 

 July 8th

It was another hot and sunny morning but with a cooling NW breeze blowing in off the sea. On our walk along the seawall from Reculver we counted 2 Whitethroats, 4 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Oystercatchers, 6 Little Egrets, 2 juvenile Shelduck, 2 Swallows, 4 Ringed Plovers, 5 Cormorants, 6 Great Black-backed Gulls, 15 Linnets, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Stonechat, 1 Common Tern, 5 Sand Martins and 1 female Marsh Harrier.

Nesting Ringed Plover

 

 July 7th

We spent a relatively slow morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 3 Kestrels, 2 Ravens, 2 Common Terns, 30 Sand Martins, 42 Coot, 5 Little Grebes, 11 Greylag Geese, 11 Mallard, 6 Mute Swans, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Swifts, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 1 Common Buzzard.

Birds ringed 16: Wren 2, Chiffchaff 2, Blue Tit 2, Blackcap 5, Reed Warbler 2, Blackbird 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1.

Adult male Great Spotted Woodpecker

 

Emperor Moth caterpillar

 July 6th

On a scorching morning we walked at Reculver where we saw 1 Kestrel, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 52 Coot, 12 Greylag Geese, 10 Sand Martins, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Blackcaps, 8 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Mallard, 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Corn Buntings. 

 July 5th

We spent the morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 41 Coot, 14 Tufted Duck, 8 Greylag Geese, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Gadwall, 2 Ravens, 30 Sand Martins, 1 Jay, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 15 Blackcaps, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrels, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Little Egret, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Swifts.

Birds ringed 26: Chiffchaff 3, Long-tailed Tit 1, Reed Warbler 1, Blackcap 11, Cetti's Warbler 3, Blue Tit 1, Great Tit 3, Dunnock 2, Blackbird 1.