February 28th
It was nice to be out in the area again with the sun shining. On our walk from Brooksend to Plumpudding and Shuart we counted 30 Mute Swans, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Stonechats, 3 Mallard, 225 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Linnets, 6 Redshank, 67 Oystercatchers, 11 Ringed Plovers, 103 Sanderling, 2 Turnstone, 1 Barnacle Goose, 2 Common Buzzards, 4 Teal and 1 Fieldfare.
On our way home, at Reculver, we saw 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Stonechats, 1 Snipe, 1 Little Grebe and 3 Mallard.
In addition Terry Wilson found 2 Purple Sandpipers roosting with 10 Turnstone near Plumpudding.

Oystercatcher

February 20th-26th       Extremadura, Spain
As anyone who reads this blog regularly will know it has not been updated for the last week. That's because we decided to spent a week birding in Extremadura while it is still very quiet here. Below are one or two photos I managed to take of some of the iconic birds of this excellent region.

 



Great Bustards well camouflaged





Black-winged Stilt

 

Calandra Lark

Crested Lark

First winter Golden Eagle

Black Vulture

Griffon Vulture

White Stork

February 19th
This morning we walked from Chamber's Wall and around Coldharbour lagoon in mild conditions and bright sunshine. We counted 25 Chaffinches, 26 Yellowhammers, 1 Redwing, 32 Corn Buntings, 8 Tree Sparrows, 66 Mallard, 5 Mute Swans, 20 Reed Buntings, 18 Shelduck, 4 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 13 Oystercatchers, 2 Red-throated Divers W, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Turnstone, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Pochard W, 1 Curlew and 2 Long-tailed Tits.

Male Yellowhammer

February 18th
It was overcast and a bit misty this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 45 Mallard, 34 Chaffinches, 1 Marsh Harrier, 31 Reed Buntings, 4 Mute Swans, 1 Little Egret, 5 Redshank, 1 Golden Plover, 35 Oystercatchers, 19 Shelduck, 1 Sanderling, 5 Dunlin, 7 Wigeon, 1 Eider, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Water Rails, 26 Corn Buntings and 12 Yellowhammers.
Also this morning Derek Smith found a Firecrest (122nd) on the railway embankment.

February 17th
On a quiet morning with the tide going out we walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 1 immature male Eider flying W, 25 Meadow Pipits, 7 Redshank, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Little Grebe, 24 Shelduck, 32 Oystercatchers, 3 Curlews, 5 Mute Swans, 1 Sanderling, 238 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Ringed Plovers, 71 Mallard, 7 Lapwings, 1 Turnstone, 2 Stonechats, 1 Common Sandpiper still in the Oyster Farm lagoons and 1 Little Egret.

Meadow Pipit

February 16th
We had an early morning ringing session out on the Marsh after which we walked to Coldharbour. Birds we saw included 40 Corn Buntings, 5 Yellowhammers, 10 Tree Sparrows, 2 Fieldfares, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 10 Redwings, 20 Chaffinches, 30 Reed Buntings, 64 Mallard, 21 Magpies in one tree, 45 Teal, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 35 Oystercatchers, 31 Shelduck, 12 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Stonechat and 1 female Pintail.

Birds ringed 18: Reed Bunting 9, Chaffinch 2, Great Tit 2, Blue Tit 2, Dunnock 2, Blackbird 1.

February 15th
With the early morning showers clearing away to the north the sun came out and we had a pleasant walk from Chamber's Wall along the Green Wall and back via Coldharbour. We recorded 1 Stonechat, 6 Goldfinches, 1 Kestrel, 22 Chaffinches, 14 Yellowhammers, 1 Greenfinch, 4 Tree Sparrows, 28 Reed Buntings, 53 Lapwings, 62 Mallard, 1 Little Grebe, 43 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Egret, 3 Redshank, 27 Shelduck, 5 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Teal, 2 Curlew, 1 Golden Plover and 1 Common Buzzard.

Spring is in the air

February 14th
This morning we around the Shuart area before dropping in at Reculver on the way home. We saw 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 1 Goldcrest, 11 Red-legged Partridges, 14 Chaffinches, 1 ring tail Hen Harrier, 5 Mallard, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Greenfinches, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swans and 1 Great Crested Grebe.

February 13th
At last the sun was out as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour this morning and with the tide miles out and a cool easterly breeze blowing we recorded 19 Yellowhammers, 10 Chaffinches, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Kestrel, 6 Skylarks, 10 Reed Buntings, 4 Mute Swans, 1 Little Egret, 54 Oystercatchers, 73 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Grey Plovers, 28 Shelduck, 52 Mallard, 2 Curlews, 3 Turnstone, 1 Stonechat and 22 Corn Buntings.

Male Stonechat

I have been in touch with ringers in The Netherlands and have entered details of a colour ringed Sanderling I saw at Minnis Bay on 29/12/2016 into their database. It was ringed at Griend, West Friesian Islands, The Netherlands on 8/5/2016 and had flown 347 km SW.

Colour ringed Sanderling



February 12th
It was a much more pleasant morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and counted 205 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 16 Lapwings, 20 Redshank, 8 Mute Swans, 22 Linnets, 5 Grey Plovers, 46 Oystercatchers, 7 Ringed Plovers, 8 Turnstone, 3 Sanderling, 86 Mallard, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Curlew, 31 Shelduck, 3 Gadwall, 12 Wigeon, 130 Teal, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Stonechat, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Little Egret and 1 Dunlin.

February 11th
Overnight wintry showers had left a thin layer of wet snow as we drove to Chamber's Wall this morning. With light snow flurries still falling we walked up to the Wantsum outflow and visited Reculver on the way home. We saw 5 Mute Swans, 18 Yellowhammers, 10 Blackbirds, 53 Corn Buntings, 20 Chaffinches, 3 Tree Sparrows, 15 Reed Buntings, 1 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Lapwings, 92 Mallard, 26 Shelduck, 11 Redshank, 91 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Little Egret, 40 Carrion Crows, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Coot and 2 Tufted Ducks.
This afternoon south of the recording area the 2 Taiga Bean Geese were on fields near Monkton together with 148 Greylag Geese and 1 Barnacle Goose.

Taiga Bean Goose

February 10th
This morning we covered the area from Shuart to Plumpudding lagoon and out to Brooksend and recorded 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 18 Blackbirds, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 451 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 171 Oystercatchers, 3 Curlews, 1 Teal, 1 Wigeon, 19 Dunlin, 12 Redshank, 10 Turnstone, 6 Sanderling, 10 Lapwings, 21 Mute Swans and 4 Skylarks.
On the way home at Reculver we saw 2 Grey Partridges, 1 Coot, 2 Green Sandpipers and 1 Marsh Harrier.
Matt spent 45 minutes at the Towers and counted 3 Guillemots, 30 Red-throated Divers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Kittiwake and 1 Common Scoter.
On a cold afternoon we then walked from Chamber's Wall around Coldharbour and saw 46 Greylag Geese flying towards the Roman Galley, 14 Yellowhammers, 24 Corn Buntings, 7 Mute Swans, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrels, 4 Tree Sparrows, 1 Marsh Harrier, 70 Skylarks, 31 Shelduck, 74 Mallard, 2 Redshank, 1 Teal, 1 female Pintail, 1 Little Egret, 1 Wigeon and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull. We also found 2 Moles having a fight on the path before disappearing underground again.

February 9th
It was a raw and unpleasant morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 36 Cormorants, 64 Corn Buntings, 4 Tree Sparrows, 20 Chaffinches, 6 Mute Swans, 2 Marsh Harriers, 32 Shelduck, 73 Mallard, 2 Redshank, 1 Lapwing, 1 Little Egret, 1 Shoveler, 10 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 45 Carrion Crows, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard and 2 Green Sandpipers.
Just south of the recording area the 2 Taiga Bean Geese were near Monkton Reserve with 110 Greylags and 1 Barnacle Goose until a low flying helicopter spooked them and they flew south.
Also this morning, in an hour at the Towers, Matt counted 40 Red-throated Divers, 83 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Guillemots E 1 Fulmar E, 1 Kittiwake E, 4 Shelduck and 6 Great Crested Grebes.

Today I received information about a German ringed Blackbird we controlled at Shuart on 11/11/16, 14/11/16 and 16/12/16. It had been ringed as a first year female at Helgoland, GERMANY on 24/10/16 and had flown 545 km WSW.

February 8th
On a cold and overcast morning with a north wind blowing we began at the Towers before walking from Chamber's Wall and back to Reculver. We saw 78 Cormorants, 8 Red-throated Divers, 290 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Rock Pipits, 9 Grey Partridges, 17 Yellowhammers, 30 Chaffinches, 80 Corn Buntings, 4 Tree Sparrows, 2 Marsh Harriers, 22 Shelduck, 9 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 1 Shoveler, 8 Wigeon and 1 Short-eared Owl.
Just south of our recording area between the St Nicholas-at-Wade and Monkton roundabouts the 2 Taiga Bean Geese were still in winter wheat fields with 110 Greylag Geese and 1 Barnacle Goose.

One of two Taiga Bean Geese

February 7th
It was an unpleasant morning with drizzle and mist making observation difficult. We birded at Minnis Bay for half an hour but gave up in the hope that the forecast sunshine would arrive after lunch. We saw 55 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 18 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Red-throated Divers and 72 Cormorants.
It brightened up a bit this afternoon so we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 1 Kestrel, 25 Chaffinches, 22 Yellowhammers, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 528 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 44 Mallard, 6 Mute Swans, 10 Teal, 14 Oystercatchers, 4 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 24 Shelduck, 1 Curlew, 1 Shoveler, 60 Corn Buntings and 6 Tree Sparrows.

February 6th
We saw a good range of species this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour including 1 Kestrel, 4 Pintail W (121st), 8 Grey Partridges made up of 4 pairs having a territorial dispute in the old caravan site, 1 Eider, 205 Oystercatchers,14 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 42 Red-throated Divers W disturbed by a passing boat, 2 Redshank, 27 Ringed Plovers, 1 Turnstone, 36 Dunlin, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 26 Shelduck, 2 Stonechats, 7 Lapwings, 7 Mallard, 1 Teal, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Little Egret, 4 Mute Swans, 3 Great Crested Grebes and 1 Kingfisher.

Redshank

February 5th
This morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and counted 10 Blackbirds, 3 Goldfinches, 13 Yellowhammers, 1 Water Rail, 1 Kestrel, 68 Corn Buntings, 6 Tree Sparrows, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 20 Chaffinches, 35 Reed Buntings, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 64 Mallard, 2 Redshank, 19 Shelduck, 80 Carrion Crows, 15 Oystercatchers, 8 Cormorants, 2 Wigeon, 1 Eider, 2 Teal, 5 Turnstone, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Common Buzzard.

February 4th
This morning was overcast and drizzly so we started by walking round the Shuart area. We saw 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Grey Heron, 21 Blackbirds, 19 Red-legged Partridges, 2 Lapwings, 5 Song Thrushes, 2 Mistle Thrushes and 1 Jay.
We then visited Chamber's Wall where we recorded 32 Blackbirds, 4 Song Thrushes, 11 Yellowhammers, 31 Corn Buntings, 10 Chaffinches, 1 Marsh Harrier, 15 Reed Buntings and 2 Kestrels.

February 3rd
On a bright and breezy morning we walked round the Chamber's Wall/Green Wall/Coldharbour loop and recorded 3 Stonechats, 26 Yellowhammers, 35 Chaffinches, 14 Blackbirds, 30 Corn Buntings, 30 Reed Buntings, 250 Carrion Crows, 11 Cormorants, 27 Shelduck, 61 Mallard, 11 Redshank, 34 Grey Plovers, 85 Dunlin, 24 Oystercatchers, 22 Lapwings, 1 Little Egret, 5 Goldfinches, 2 Wigeon, 6 Teal, 9 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Chiffchaff, 7 Mute Swans, 24 Skylarks, 1 Kestrel and 7 Tree Sparrows.

February 2nd
We started off early this morning driving to Chamber's Wall but came to a halt near the Chez Laurie when our car got a puncture. Although the AA were very quick, by the time they had finished and I had been to Herne Bay to buy a new tyre it wasn't until 1015 that we arrived at a blustery Reculver where it was low tide. We walked along the seawall towards Coldharbour and recorded 250 Lapwings, 164 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Mute Swans, 11 Redshank, 12 Oystercatchers, 1 Curlew, 2 Turnstones, 3 Ringed Plovers, 2 Grey Plovers, 17 Shelduck, 210 Carrion Crows, 54 Mallard, 2 Stonechats and 1 Kestrel.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese

February 1st
We visited a wet Dungeness today and saw a reasonable range of species including both the Iceland Gulls. I wouldn't mind finding one of these at Reculver as I haven't seen one here since 1985!