July 31st
Today dawned still breezy after yesterday's gales and with the odd passing shower. We walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and counted 100 Sand Martins, 8 Little Egrets, 17 Redshank, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 18 Swifts W, 2 Grey Herons, 11 Cormorants, 10 Common Sandpipers, 13 Ringed Plovers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 250 Linnets, 3 Whimbrel, 11 Mediterranean Gulls, 22 Common Terns W, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Dunlin, 10 Turnstone, 3 Oystercatchers, 1 Wood Sandpiper (166th) and 20 Meadow Pipits.

Mediterranean Gulls

Marc Heath was out between 0530 and 1000 and saw similar numbers to us as he walked from Reculver to Chamber's Wall. His totals included 3 Sandwich Terns, 19 Swifts W, 20 Sand Martins, 1 Kestrel, 10 Stock Doves, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Owl, 1 Kingfisher, 14 Common Sandpipers, 10 Mediterranean Gulls, 7 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plovers, 7 Redshank, 4 Whimbrel, 7 Reed Warblers, 1 Wheatear, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 9 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 Turnstone, 2 Wood Sandpipers,1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Skylarks, 3 Marsh Harriers, 2 Greylag Geese, 2 Whitethroats, 7 Mute Swans, 1 Blackcap, 25 Common Terns W, 1 Gannet and 1 Great Crested Grebe.
During the day Chris Tedder visited Shuart where she found and photographed a new species of dragonfly for the area - a male Southern Migrant Hawker. She also photographed a Southern Hawker.

Male Southern Migrant Hawker - Chris Tedder

Southern Hawker - Chris Tedder