March 14th

The temperature had dropped significantly overnight and a north westerly wind was blowing in increasingly wintry rain. We spent an hour and a half at Reculver but only recorded 298 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Rock Pipits, 250 Common Scoter off Coldharbour, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls W, 1 Curlew, 1 Mediterranean Gull E and 12 Ringed Plovers.

The weather had improved significantly this afternoon with bright sunshine as we walked inland at Reculver. We saw 1 Yellowhammer, 25 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 11 Tufted Duck, 2 Mallard, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Moorhens, 6 Coot, 2 Teal, 1 female Pintail, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 50 Linnets and 1 Grey Partridge.

First winter Bewick's Swan