December 31st
It was another blustery and showery morning as we walked at Reculver. We saw 160 Lapwings, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Jay, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Coot, 580 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 adult Black Brant, 18 Linnets, 1 Redshank, 1 Pied Wagtail and 2 Shelduck.
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| Adult Black Brant |
December 30th
On a mild but blustery morning we walked inland at Reculver and then along the seawall. We counted 4 Mute Swans, 1 Jay, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Gadwall, 1 Shoveler, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 5 Goldfinches, 875 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 adult Black Brant, 3 Red-throated Divers, 1 Pied Wagtail, 6 Meadow Pipits, 2 Stonechats, 1 female Marsh Harrier flying W out at sea, 28 Linnets, 1 Dartford Warbler and 2 Redshank.
December 29th
We made two visits to Reculver today and recorded 250 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 68 Oystercatchers, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 16 Red-throated Divers, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 Shelduck, 7 Goldfinches, 100 Woodpigeons, 2 Common Buzzards, 13 Mute Swans, 1 Little Egret, 11 Gadwall, 1 Mallard, 1 Coot, 1 Wigeon, 45 Linnets and 1 Teal.
December 28th
It was a blustery and occasionally drizzly morning as we spent an hour at Minnis Bay seawatching. We counted 55 Grey Plovers, 60 Dunlin, 110 Oystercatchers, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 26 Red-throated Divers, 33 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Rock Pipit, 4 Little Egrets, 3 Curlew, 1 Common Scoter and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits.
December 27th
Between us this morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and then inland at Reculver. It was a dreary morning with rain threatening but we managed to count 6 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Stonechats, 268 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 13 Turnstone, 11 Ringed Plovers, 31 Common Scoter, 2 Redshank, 80 House Sparrow, 15 Red-throated Divers, 3 Shelduck, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Oystercatcher, 220 Lapwings, 17 Teal, 11 Wigeon, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Curlew, 2 Mallard, 6 Dunlin, 50 Fieldfares, 1 female Marsh Harrier in off the sea, 12 Gadwall, 1 Tufted Duck and 1 Chiffchaff.
December 25th
WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS
Christmas Day dawned wet with a chilly E wind blowing so we spent an hour and a half seawatching at Minnis Bay. We counted 1 Mute Swan, 57 Red-throated Divers, 1 Pintail E, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 30 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 16 Wigeon, 12 Shoveler, 2 large auks, 6 Lapwings W, 19 Teal, 21 Gannets, 1 Common Scoter, 5 Kittiwakes E, 1 Guillemot W and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull W.
December 24th
On a dull and sometimes drizzly morning we walked up to Coldharbour and counted 1 Pied Wagtail, 254 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 28 Redshank, 2 Stonechats, 14 Mallard, 3 Red-throated Divers, 11 Oystercatcher, 3 Turnstone, 80 House Sparrows, 12 Lapwings, 1 Little Egret, 2 Sanderling, 150 Woodpigeons, 39 Ringed Plovers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Dartford Warbler and 24 Meadow Pipits.
December 23rd
As usual we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and recorded 2 Stonechats, 390 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 18 Redshank, 17 Oystercatchers, 28 Linnets, 1 Curlew, 1 Grey Plover, 19 Turnstone, 62 Ringed Plovers, 18 Mallard, 3 Shelduck, 1 Kestrel, 1 Velvet Scoter and 3 Eider flying E, 350 Woodpigeons being harried by a Peregrine, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose.
This afternoon forty minutes seawatching at Minnis Bay produced 10 Gannets flying E, 53 Red-throated Divers on the sea and flying E, 15 Great Crested Grebes and 1 Black-throated Diver diving and feeding close in shore.
December 22nd
There had been a heavy frost overnight but the sun was shining as I walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. I counted 580 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Common Buzzard, 13 Redshank, 60 Linnets, 2 Wigeon, 8 Goldfinches, 1 Curlew, 19 Oystercatchers, 20 Mallard, 2 Grey Plovers, 12 Turnstone, 32 Ringed Plovers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Shelduck, 1 Teal, 200 Woodpigeons, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kingfisher, 5 Stonechats, 1 Little Egret, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose and 1 Song Thrush.
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| Female Stonechat on Yellow Horned Poppy |
December 21st
At last we got a glimpse of the sun this morning as we walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow. Birds we saw included 506 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 14 Common Scoter, 53 Lapwings, 19 Oystercatchers, 37 Mallard, 35 Wigeon, 19 Redshank, 29 Goldfinches, 1 Curlew, 2 Shelduck, 16 Ringed Plovers, 1 Turnstone, 1 adult Black Brant at the Wantsum outflow and 16 Meadow Pipits.
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| Sunrise |
December 20th
On a slightly brighter morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver and Matt walked in from Chamber's Wall and between us we saw 420 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 14 Mallard, 1 Turnstone, 13 Goldfinches, 3 Stonechats, 26 Ringed Plovers, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels, 200 Woodpigeons, 14 Corn Buntings, 1 Peregrine, 50 Fieldfares, 20 Redwings, 20 Blackbirds, 32 White-fronted Geese flying high NW and 2 Yellowhammers.
December 19th
It was damp and foggy this morning as Matt walked from Shuart and we met him on the seawall having walked in from Reculver. Between us we counted 82 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 immature Shag in Coldharbour, 9 Shelduck, 3 Teal, 3 Corn Buntings, 3 Curlew, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Redshank, 54 Mallard, 2 Wigeon, 2 Stonechats, 42 Barnacle Geese calling loudly as they emerged out of the fog and flew E, 1 White-fronted Goose, 16 Goldfinches and 1 Fieldfare.
December 18th
It was dull and dreary during this morning on our walk along the seawall from Reculver. We saw 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Lapwing on the beach, 22 Mallard, 2 Wigeon, 5 Redshank, 1 Shelduck, 1 Great Northern Diver feeding offshore, 286 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Red-throated Divers, 1 Turnsone, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Goldfinches, 2 Pied Wagtails and 1 Common Buzzard.
December 17th
On our walk to Coldharbour this morning we recorded 75 Sanderling, 3 Redshank, 20 Mallard, 35 Corn Buntings, 322 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 28 Ringed Plovers, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 13 Goldfinches, 1 Shelduck, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Grey Plovers, 17 Turnstone, 21 Dunlin, 2 Stonechats, 1 Little Egret, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Guillemot and 1 Common Buzzard.
December 16th
On another still and overcast morning we walked up to Coldharbour and saw 7 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Redshank, 4 Red-throated Divers, 20 Mallard, 7 Grey Plovers, 7 Turnstone, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 32 Ringed Plovers, 4 Shelduck, 9 Goldfinches, 332 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Teal, 22 Corn Buntings and 2 Little Grebes.
December 15th
It was overcast this morning as we did our regular walk to Coldharbour but we did see some nice birds to lighten up the gloom. We recorded 462 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 60 Cormorants, 1 Great Northern Diver feeding off the Towers, 1 Kestrel, 2 Redshank, 1 Dartford Warbler, 4 Stonechats, 31 Ringed Plovers, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Grey Plover, 16 Corn Buntings, 2 Shelduck, 1 Peregrine, 21 Goldfinches, 1 Curlew, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Common Buzzard.
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| Great Northern Diver at the Towers |
December 14th
The weather forecast at 0630 this morning still said it would be overcast and damp but as we reached Reculver just before sunrise there was a virtually cloudless sky and not a breath of wind. We walked up to Coldharbour and counted 750 Cormorants flying out to sea, 317 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Kestrels, 1 Pied Wagtail, 6 Shelduck, 5 Redshank, 2 Turnstone, 18 Goldfinches, 10 Mallard, 13 Corn Buntings, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Stonechats, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Dartford Warbler and 12 Meadow Pipits.
December 13th
On another relatively mild morning we walked from Reculver along the seawall to Coldharbour. Birds we saw included 3 Great Crested Grebes, 406 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Black Brant, 45 Common Scoter E, 25 Red-throated Divers, 1 Pied Wagtail, 64 Oystercatchers, 10 Redshank, 2 immature male Eiders E, 5 Stonechats, 3 Curlew, 1 Grey Plover, 5 Gannets, 120 Woodpigeons, 1 Peregrine, 11 Linnets, 9 Goldfinches, 23 Corn Buntings, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Rock Pipit, 8 Shelduck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Greylag Goose, 23 Golden Plovers and 1 Purple Sandpiper.
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| Purple Sandpiper |
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| Black Brant with Dark-bellied Brent Geese |
December12th
On a much milder morning we completed our regular walk as far as Coldharbour. We recorded 4 Pied Wagtails, 60 Lapwings, 4 Stonechats, 19 Corn Buntngs, 331 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 45 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 51 Golden Plovers, 8 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank, 24 Mallard, 1 Peregrine, 21 Goldfinches, 1 Purple Sandpiper on beach with Ringed Plovers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Mute Swans, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Grey Partridges flying off the beach near Coldharbour and 1 Water Rail calling by the Green Wall.
December 11th
It was bright and sunny this morning as we walked up to Coldharbour and back and recorded 1 Curlew, 2 Pied Wagtails, 34 Lapwings, 3 Stonechats, 1 Red-throated Diver W, 28 Goldfinches, 150 Woodpigeons, 34 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Pintail and 1 Teal flying E together, 1 Corn Bunting, 18 Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshank and 8 Mallard.
December 10th
With a strong NW wind blowing we spent an hour at Reculver this morning but there was not much to be seen. We counted 339 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 840 Cormorants, 2 Common Scoter, 10 Great Black-backed Gulls W and 150 Herring Gulls W.
Recently we have had the ringing data of a colour-ringed Redshank Terry Wilson saw at Minnis Bay on December 5th. It had been ringed at Harty on November 2nd by the Swale Wader Group.
Colour-ringed Redshank
December 9th
On a sunny morning we completed our regular walk from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Pied Wagtail, 305 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 adult Black Brant, 13 Goldfinches, 200 Woodpigeons, 2 Stonechats, 6 Oystercatchers, 12 Redshank, 10 Turnstone, 2 Grey Plovers, 22 Ringed Plovers, 4 Shelduck, 13 Mallard, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Kestrel, 1 Rock Pipit, 80 House Sparrows and 1 Dartford Warbler. In addition, Norman McCanch saw a Peregrine and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
On his walk from Minnis Bay to Plumpudding this morning Terry Wilson saw 9 Golden Plovers, 12 Lapwings, 2 Stonechats and 2 Goosanders flying past,
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| Adult Black Brant |
December 8th
It was bright and breezy this morning as we completed our walk from Reculver to Coldharbour with the tide a long way out. We counted 2 Kestrels, 167 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 300 Woodpigeons, 3 Redshank, 29 Linnets, 1 Song Thrush, 4 Stonechats, 1 Dartford Warbler, 7 Shelduck, 4 Mallard, 27 Lapwings W, 5 Wigeon, 11 Goldfinches, 4 Grey Partridges flying off the beach by the Wantsum outflow and 2 Common Buzzards.
During the morning Terry Wilson had 2 Snow Buntings at Plumpudding.
December 7th
On a cold and frosty morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour. The highlight of the morning was picking out the adult Black Brant from amongst the 340 Dark-bellied Brent Geese. It was a large and aggresive bird often chasing the other geese and was therefore probably a male.
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| Adult Black Brant |
December 6th
At last a calm morning with no wind or rain. With the tide out and beginning to come in we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. We saw good range of species including 367 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Grey Herons, 16 Meadow Pipits, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Stonechat, 1 Dartford Warbler in bushes by the seawall, 18 Reed Buntings, 1 Marsh Harrier, 21 Redshank, 1 Fieldfare, 200 Woodpigeons, 120 Starlings flying W and 110 House Sparrows. we also saw 48 Goldfinches, 5 Oystercatchers, 1 Lapland Bunting, 2 Grey Plovers, 7 Linnets, 6 Shelduck, 25 Mallard, 4 Wigeon, 2 Kestrels, 3 Little Grebes, 4 Lapwings flying in off the sea, 2 Turnstone, 6 Red-throated Divers and 2 Common Buzzards.
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| Kestrel |
December 5th
We spent two hours seawatching at Reculver this morning where there was a strong NW wind blowing. We counted 308 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1,840 Cormorants, 1 Black-throated Diver flying E, 1 female Common Scoter, 1 large auk, 400 Herring Gulls W, 9 Red-throated Divers, 5 Kittiwakes W, 4 Gannets, 1 Curlew, 1 Razorbill W and 1 Great Crested Grebe W.
December 4th
It was pouring with rain as we arrived at Reculver this morning with little to see although the rain eventually cleared away at 0900 we only managed to count 890 Cormorants, 3 Common Scoter, 196 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 large auks E and 5 Red-throated Divers E.
This afternoon Matt and Marion walked in from Chamber's Wall and found an adult Black Brant in with the 200 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and also a Marsh Harrier.
December 3rd
On a drizzly morning with a freshening SW wind blowing we spent two hours seawatching at Minnis Bay. We counted 111 Red-throated Divers, 1 Great Skua W, 22 Gannets, 24 Common Scoter, 9 Wigeon W, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 4 large auks, 2 Little Egrets, 172 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Curlew, 37 Grey Plovers, 43 Dunlin, 200+ Cormorants, 1 Razorbill E and 4 Eider E.
December 2nd
With a strong NW wind blowing this morning we spent some time seawatching at Reculver with Richard Collins. Between us we counted 200 Cormorants, 1 Red-throated Diver W, 1 immature male Eider E, 1 large auk E, 1 Great Crested Grebe W, 3 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Gannets, 1 male Goosander W and 2 female Common Scoter.
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| Female Common Scoter - Richard Collins |
December 1st
An hour spent at Reculver this morning with a strong westerly wind blowing produced 180 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 387 Cormorants, 1 female Common Scoter sitting on the sea close inshore, 14 Gannets, 12 Common Gulls, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Red-throated Diver flying E, 14 Blackbirds and 2 Goldfinches.
Also this morning Richard Collins saw a Merlin at Reculver.
