September 15th
Forty seven years ago today saw one of the most impressive falls of birds ever at Reculver, but I was in the early stages of birdwatching and probably missed a great deal and also was the only person birding. As I remember, the day started with strong winds and pouring rain and with virtually no birds. The weather cleared after lunch and the wind dropped at which point birds started falling out of the sky. I only birded around Reculver Towers and about one hundred yards along the seawall but had impressive counts of 93 Redstarts, 120 Robins, 70 Wheatears mostly on the beach and around the breakwaters as well as 100+ Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, 11 Garden Warblers and 52 Tree Pipits with smaller numbers of other warblers. Highlights for me were to be found in the allotments of the coastguard cottages which were then where the grass is behind the Towers. Here I found 3 new species for me namely 2 juvenile Bluethroats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 16 Siskins. I only wish I had been a more experienced birder as I am sure there were other good birds to be found that afternoon.
This morning started wet and windy also with little to be seen. A wet walk around Reculver produced 1 Sandwich Tern W, 8 Swallows W, 9 House Martins W, 7 Pied Wagtails, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Grey Heron and 2 Goldfinches.
Later this morning at Bishopstone there was 1 Pied Flycatcher, 18 Siskins W, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs and 2 Goldcrests.
This afternoon, with the sun shining, we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 10 Swallows W, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail W, 62 Siskins W, 3 Kestrels, 43 Mallard, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Redshank, 39 Turnstone, 2 Wheatears, 36 Oystercatchers, 2 Curlew, 55 Ringed Plovers, 30 Sanderling and 1 Sandwich Tern E.

Juvenile Turnstone

Adult Turnstone moulting into winter plumage