October 6th
After the overnight rain we ringed at Shuart for a couple of hours before the forecast mid morning rain arrived. We saw 11 Chiffchaffs, 1 Green Woodpecker, 56 Swallows flying S, 16 Blackcaps, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 11 Song Thrushes, 15 Goldcrests, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Redwing, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Kestrel, 4 Skylarks, 12 Chaffinches, 1 Sparrowhawk, 7 Pied Wagtails and 8 Siskins.

Birds ringed 26: Chiffchaff 3, Goldcrest 7, Blackcap10, Dunnock 1, Song Thrush 3, Redwing 1, Blackbird 1.

Redwing

Later at Reculver Towers Matt found an interesting pale Yellow Wagtail with a nasal call of which I managed to take a few long distance shots. Is it possible it is of one of the eastern forms of this variable species?
Other birds seen included 14 Swallows, 6 House Martins, 8 Chiffchaffs, 3 Stonechats, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Song Thrushes, 1 Rock Pipit, 8 Pied Wagtails, 30 House Sparrows, 1 male Common Redstart, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Common Buzzard and 2 Sparrowhawks.

Pale juvenile Yellow Wagtail on grass behind Reculver Towers

This afternoon we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and counted 4 Swallows, 1 Siskin, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Blackcap, 4 Goldcrests, 28 Mallard, 2 Redshank, 19 Golden Plover, 42 Oystercatchers, 12 Cormorants, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Peregrine, 1 Curlew and 1 Kingfisher.
At 1230 Terry Wilson saw a Short-eared Owl being mobbed by the local gulls flying in off the sea at Grenham Bay.