January 9th

On an icy but sunny morning with a biting easterly wind blowing Anne and I walked out onto the Marsh and then had an hour's seawatch at Reculver. On the Marsh there were only 3 Mute Swans and no Bewick's but other birds we saw included 14 Chaffinches, 1 Kestrel, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine, 75 Linnets, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Grey Wagtail and 7 Lapwings flying E (108th). At Reculver we counted 166 Red-throated Divers flying E, 18 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 first winter Mediterranean Gull E, 17 Common Gulls, 8 Dunlin, 4 Great Crested Grebes E, 2 Ringed Plovers and 1 adult Little Gull flying E close inshore.

Matt was out birding after us and walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back. He saw 60 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Stonechats, 2 Shelduck, 1 adult Little Gull E, 3 Snipe, 500 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 40 Redshank, 26 Curlew, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 60 Grey Plovers, 110 Sanderling, 45 Ringed Plovers, 120 Dunlin, 160 Oystercatchers, 1 Lapwing, 2 Grey Partridges, 100 Golden Plovers and 80 Carrion Crows.

The 9 Bewick's Swans were back in their usual field this afternoon.