July 29th
With a very blustery wind blowing and the tide out there wasn't much to be seen as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour before dropping in at Reculver on the way home. We recorded 4 Goldfinches, 5 Grey Partridges, 1 Blackcap, 18 Linnets, 4 Mallard, 1 Coot, 9 Little Egrets, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 adult Common Gull and 1 Green Woodpecker.
This afternoon, in the wind and the rain, Matt walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and Plumpudding and counted 26 Whimbrel, 20 Common Terns, 12 Sandwich Terns, 3 Common Sandpipers, 6 Turnstones, 3 Mediterranean Gulls and 8 Little Egrets.


I received this from the secretary of the British Birds Rarity Committee today. A bit disappointing but not a complete surprise.

Just writing to let you know that this bird has been accepted by BBRC as a Pine Bunting but with some Yellowhammer influence – as indicated by the yellowish edges to the primary wing feathers that are discernible in the photos. A ‘pure’ Pine Bunting has clean white edges to those feathers.  We’ve had a few like this in Britain over the years – hybrids arise because the two species overlap in range further east.  Your record is therefore due to be published in the annual BBRC report, but under Pine Bunting x Yellowhammer.