April 24th
On a warm and still morning we walked from Chamber's Wall up to the seawall and recorded 3 Shelduck, 9 Mallard, 1 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, 7 Cormorants, 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Oystercatchers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 10 Turnstone, 4 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 157 Sanderling, 2 Sandwich Terns, 5 Skylarks, 2 Swallows, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Wheatears, 5 Reed Warblers, 22 Sedge Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 16 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff and 7 Linnets.

Sanderling and Turnstone moulting into breeding plumage

This afternoon we had a walk at Reculver and found a very early Spotted Flycatcher on the dead elms near the cafe. This is only four days later than our earliest record in 1975 and our 150th species for the year. Other birds we saw included 2 Shelduck, 2 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Whitethroat and 1 Willow Warbler.