July 31st

On an unexpectedly breezy morning we had a ringing session at Reculver. We saw 2 Kestrels, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Grey Partridges, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawks, 8 Whitethroats, 6 Chiffchaffs, 40 Sand Martins, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Wood Sandpiper flying W calling, 4 Little Egrets, 15 Swifts W, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Hobby.

Birds ringed 22: Chiffchaff 3, Treecreeper 1, Wren 1, Blackcap 3, Reed Warbler 3, Whitethroat 4, Robin 1, Blue Tit 1, Blackbirds 5.

We retrapped the juvenile Cuckoo that we ringed on July 23rd and it had grown significantly in the subsequent eight days. Its wing had increased from 164 to 193 millimetres and its weight had increased from 89.5 to 99.2 grams.

This afternoon Matt walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 2 Turtle Doves, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 16 Turnstone, 2 Sanderling, 2 Common Sandpipers, 21 Mediterranean Gulls, 14 Sandwich Terns, 2 juvenile Little Ringed Plovers in Coldharbour, 4 Common Terns, 24 Whimbrel and 1 Curlew.

Juvenile Little Ringed Plover - Matt Hindle