April 10th
It turned out to be a very good morning. We began and ended at Reculver but in between walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back via the Green Wall. On our walk from Chamber's we saw 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaffs, 9 Song Thrushes, 2 Cetti's Warblers,15 Mute Swans, 6 Mallard, 8 Redshank, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Curlew, 8 Oystercatchers, 1 Whimbrel (143rd), 1 male Wheatear, 15 Linnets, 1 Swallow, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 2 Tree Pipits (144th), 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Little Egret, 21 Cormorants, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Corn Bunting.
The undoubted highlight of the morning was us disturbing an adult Purple Heron (145th) from a ditch south of Reculver. This is the thirteenth Purple Heron for Reculver. Unfortunately it flew away from us behind a line of sallows so it wasn't until it was a fair distance away I managed to take some photos. Although not very good they do show some of the most significant structural features of the bird compared to a Grey Heron, namely smaller size, bowed wings, long dagger-shaped bill and large neck bulge and feet.

Adult Purple Heron

Other birds seen included 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Kestrel, 4 Goldfinches, 11 Tufted Ducks, 10 Sand Martins, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Mute Swans, 2 Mallard, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs and 1 Cetti's Warbler.
At lunchtime Matt thought he could here a Coal Tit singing in the road behind our house so we drove round and there sitting in a conifer was a Coal Tit singing non stop.
After this we drove down to Reculver and walked around the bushes and the Towers and counted 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Little Egret, 1 Goldcrest and the immature male Black Redstart still singing "fit to bust" on the Towers.
Next a walk at Shuart produced 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Kestrel, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Lapwing, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 1 Blackcap.