May 13th

Matt was out early and had an excellent morning. He walked from Shuart to Brooksend and back via the seawall to Chamber's Wall. He recorded 3 Corn Buntings, 2 Marsh Harriers, 8 Grey Herons, 3 Little Egrets, 6 Blackcaps, 8 Swallows, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Tufted Duck, 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Ring-necked Parakeets, 7 Lapwings, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Little Grebe, 5 Coot, 2 Canada Geese and 1 hybrid, 13 Greylag Geese, 1 Barnacle Goose (158th), 10 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Swift, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Cuckoos and 1 first summer Montagu's Harrier flying E over Plumpudding Stables (159th). He also saw 5 Common Sandpipers, 5 Red Kites W, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Stone Curlew flying W along the seawall (160th), 3 Avocets, 3 Kestrels, 1 Stonechat, 3 Common Terns, 4 Shelduck, 1 Grey Plover, 5 Ringed Plovers, 1 White Wagtail, 1 Redshank and 1 Hobby.

Matt also found an acrocephalus warbler singing in the thick foliage by the River Wantsum at Chamber's Wall car park. It sang intermittently but only gave fleeting views and it was only later in the afternoon that Dave Smith managed to get a record shot that proved that it was a very early Marsh Warbler (161st).

Marsh Warbler - Dave Smith

Anne and I walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and recorded 2 Blackcaps, 2 Pied Wagtails, 7 Whitethroats, 7 Cetti's Warblers,  11 Red Kite W, 10 Linnets, 2 Swallows, 2 Stonechats, 10 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Cuckoos, 1 Hobby, 2 Tufted Duck, 8 Oystercatchers, 20 Mallard, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Avocets, 3 Greylag Geese, 3 Lapwings, 1 Shelduck, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Sand Martin.

Avocet

This evening Dave Smith found a summer plumaged Knot on the beach (162nd).