May 4th
The day began well with the Long-eared Owl calling again at Bishopstone at 0330.
This morning we had a ringing session out on the Marsh where we saw 2 Cuckoos, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 5 Blackcaps, 18 Whitethroats, 6 Reed Warblers, 2 Grey Herons, 4 Mallard, 8 Sedge Warblers, 7 Chaffinches, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Lapwing, 1 Garden Warbler (159th), 1 Turtle Dove and 1 Siskin.

Birds ringed 37: Wren 2, Chaffinch 3, Whitethroat 13, Blackcap 4, Sedge Warbler 8, Reed Bunting 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Cetti's Warbler 1, Reed Warbler 3, Dunnock 1.


Lesser Whitethroat

Common Whitethroat

Derek Smith arrived at Shuart at 0600 and over the next four hours walked up to the Green Wall along the railway embankment and then back along the seawall. He recorded 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 4 Common Buzzards, 20 Oystercatchers, single pairs of Tufted Duck, Gadwall and Lapwing, 1 Cuckoo, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Blackcaps, 58 Whitethroats, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 36 Sedge Warblers, 20 Reed Warblers, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 6 Cetti's Warblers and 13 Chiffchaffs.
A brief walk at Reculver this afternoon produced 1 female Merlin, 4 Grey Partridges (2 pairs), 2 Grey Herons, 3 Mallard, 12 Tufted Duck, 1 Marsh Harrier, 7 Swifts, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Cetti's Warbler.
This evening at the Oyster Farm Dave Smith recorded 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 or 2 Hobbies, 1 Gadwall, 1 Greenshank and 2 Cuckoos.