March 31st
On a mild but overcast morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then visited Reculver on the way home. Birds we saw included 4 Mute Swans, 4 Shelduck, 7 Mallard, 7 Teal, 1 Shoveler, 1 Pochard, 10 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebes, 2 Marsh Harriers, 10 Coot, 24 Oystercatchers, 14 Redshank, 2 Curlew, 1 Green Woodpecker, 6 Skylarks, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler singing at Chamber's Wall, 5 Chiffchaffs, 8 Chaffinches, 3 Goldfinches, 15 Linnets and 15 Corn Buntings.

Black-headed Gull feeding in Coldharbour lagoon

For a change of scenery this afternoon we visited East Blean Woods where we saw or heard 4 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthach, 1 Jay, 1 Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaffs.

Wood Anemonies

March 30th
On another beautiful spring morning we arrived at Reculver at about 0820 and almost immediately heard and then saw a Firecrest skulking in the trees by the Vistors' Centre as well as 3 Sand Martins at the nearby colony.
We then walked along the seawall to Coldharbour and afterwards inland. Birds we saw included 3 Mute Swans, 7 Shelduck, 5 Mallard, 6 Teal, 16 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebes, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Harriers, 12 Coot, 12 Oystercatchers, 6 Ringed Plover, 18 Turnstone, 17 Redshank, 1 Curlew, 2 Dunlin, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Pied Wagtails, 13 Meadow Pipits, 1 singing Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs and 9 Linnets.

Turnstones

Just after lunch a Brimstone butterfly flew across our garden. This is an uncommon butterfly in the Reculver area.
This afternoon we had a stroll around Shuart and recorded 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Kestrel, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 singing Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Goldfinches.

Why did the Pheasant cross the road?

March 29th
We arrived at the Reculver car park at 0815 and walked up to the promenade where the first bird we saw was an adult  Spoonbill flying E towards Minnis Bay in the haze. I shouted to Barry Hunt who was just behind us and phoned Marc Heath who was near Coldharbour and they both managed to see it.
This is only the second Spoonbill I've seen in 50 years birding at Reculver with the other one seen a long time ago on 10th December 1978, however 19 or 20 have been reported in the area over the years.

Adult Spoonbill flying east past Reculver Towers - Barry Hunt

After this excitement we walked up to Coldharbour and then inland. Other birds we saw included 7 Mute Swans, 9 Shelduck, 4 Mallard, 1 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, 12 Tufted Duck, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Little Grebes, 13 Cormorants, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Sparrowhawk, 12 Coot, 58 Oystercatchers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 11 Turnstone, 23 Redshank, 2 Sanderling, 2 Pied Wagtails, 16 Meadow Pipits, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldfinches and 13 Linnets.

Oystercatchers at Coldharbour

March 28th

Before he met us at Chamber's Wall Matt had a quick look at Shuart where he found 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 singing Blackcap and 1 Chiffchaff.

We then walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back along the Green Wall and railway embankment. It was pretty uneventful but we did record 8 Mute Swans, 10 Shelduck, 8 Mallard, 10 Tufted Duck, 1 Red-throated Diver W, 4 Little Grebes, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 4 Oystercatchers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 3 Turnstones, 10 Redshank, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Yellowhammers and 40 Corn Buntings.
This afternoon we had a wander around Shuart and saw 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 2 Lapwings, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Green and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 singing Blackcap and 1 Chiffchaff. We also saw a Green-veined White.

On 25th January  2014 Marc Heath found a colour ringed Rock Pipit at Reculver. It proved to be the same bird that was seen at Reculver and Palm Bay in November 2011 and at Swalecliffe in November and December 2012. It had originally been ringed as an adult male at Makkevika, Giske, More og Romsdal, Norway on 12th August  2011, 1271 km NNE.

March 27th

Matt was up early and walked from Shuart to the seawall and recorded 4 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Shelduck, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Grey Partridge, 70 Oystercatchers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 4 Grey Plovers, 1 Golden Plover, 4 Turnstone, 4 Curlew, 1 Dunlin, 83 Sanderling, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 White Wagtails, 6 alba Wagtails, 1 singing Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaffs. 

As he drove to meet us at Reculver he had a Spoonbill flying S over the Thanet Way near to the Roman Galley.

Our walk along the seawall at Reculver and then inland produced 3 Shelduck, 14 Mallard, 10 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Kestrel, 12 Coot, 4 Oystercatchers, 8 Ringed Plovers, 3 Turnstone, 6 Redshank, 1 Dunlin, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Pied Wagtails, 3 Chiffchaffs and 5 Goldfinches.

Winter plumaged Dunlin beginning to moult into summer plumage

March 26th

On an overcast morning with a chilly E wind blowing we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then visited Reculver. We saw 3 Mute Swans, 16 Shelduck, 8 pairs displaying at each other in Coldharbour, 18 Mallard, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebes, 2 adult Gannets E, 12 Coot, 9 Oystercatchers, 1 Turnstone, 5 Skylarks, 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Goldfinches.

Shelduck in Coldharbour

Gannets flying past the Towers