May 4th

On a glorious spring morning with the sun shining and the sea like a mill pond Matt was out early and walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and along the embankment back to Coldharbour where we met him and Dave Smith. The totals for the morning were 4 Chiffchaffs, 6 Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpipers, 5 Stonechats, 8 Tufted Duck, 19 Shelduck, 4 Common Terns, 7 Dunlin, 13 Ringed Plovers, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Sandwich Terns, 3 Cuckoos, 19 Turnstone, 1 Wheatear, 2 Avocets, 17 Lapwings, 1 Little Ringed Plover flying W, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Greylag Goose, 2 Curlew, 3 Blackcaps, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 120 Sanderling, 1 Common Scoter, 1 Bearded Tit, 2 Little Terns, 8 Gannets, 3 Swallows, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Common Buzzard.

Common Terns

Dave Smith was out at 0515 and walked from Shuart to Minnis Bay and on to Coldharbour and Plumpudding, His highlights were 2 Greylag Geese, 6 Mute Swans, 9 Shelduck, 14 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Scoter, 2 Cuckoos, 2 Avocets, 7 Ringed Plovers, 14 Lapwings (4 pairs with young), 2 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Turnstone, 120 Sanderling, 2 Little Terns, 2 Common Terns, 3 Sandwich Terns,  6 Grey Herons, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Kestrel, 1 Bearded Tit, 1 Swallow, 1 Willow Warbler, 6 Lesser Whitethroats, 21 Whitethroats and 1 Whinchat (157th) at Plumpudding.