April 1st
The month began with the Long-eared Owl calling intermittently behind our house at about 0430. Later at Bishopstone Anne found a pair of Stonechat on the cliffs below Reculver Drive.
I arrived at Shuart at 0800 and walked around the area and found 4 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Redwings, 6 Jays, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Kestrel, 3 Red-legged Partridges, 9 Greenfinches, 4 Ring-necked Parrakeets, 4 Lapwings, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 9 Song Thrushes, 1 Marsh Harrier, 9 Mallard, 8 Skylarks, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 14 Chaffinches and 8 pairs of Rooks at the Wade House rookery.
On my way home I visited Reculver and counted 8 Goldfinches, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 6 Tufted Ducks, 2 Shoveler, 2 Mallard, 1 Great Northern Diver on the sea off the Towers and 10 Sand Martins at the colony.
I spoke to Martin Tapp of Shuart Farm today and he has had 5 Bramblings (129th) feeding with the Chaffinches at his bird table over the last week.

Meadow Pipit

I received notification from the BTO Ringing Office today that a Blackbird we ringed at West Brook Valley on 28th January 2016 was controlled at Losser, Overjissel, THE NETHERLANDS 58 days later on 26th March. It had flown 414 km ENE on its way back to somewhere in Northern Europe.