January 3rd
After a drizzly start it became a bit brighter this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Green Wall and back via Coldharbour. We counted 2 Kestrels, 27 Mute Swans, 34 Chaffinches, 2 Moorhens, 2 Chiffchaffs, 36 Corn Buntings, 3 Yellowhammers, 140 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Tree Sparrows, 14 Reeed Buntings, 1 Grey Plover, 5 Turnstone, 18 Mallard, 3 Shelduck, 1 Common Buzzard and 3 Coot.
Marc Heath was also out birding at Reculver before walking to Coldharbour. He saw 4 Robins, 13 Meadow Pipits, 1 Marsh Harrier, 19 Lapwings, 27 Cormorants, 30 Mute Swans, 9 Corn Buntings, 2 Kestrels, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Chiffchaff, 24 Reed Buntings, 2 immature Shags, 2 Oystercatchers, 6 Stock Doves, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Little Grebes, 420 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 19 Redshank, 1 Grey Plover, 3 Shelduck, 18 Mallard, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Stonechats, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Black-throated Diver and 1 Red-throated Diver.
Marc then had a seawatch at the Towers between 1130 and 1420 and recorded 21 Red-throated Divers, 25 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Wigeon, 1 Gannet, 1 Curlew and 1 Slavonian Grebe (106th) drifting west past the Towers at 1420. It was later seen at 1500 at Swalecliffe.

Slavonian Grebe - Marc Heath