January 7th

It was bright and frosty this morning as we walked at various sites at Reculver. We counted 6 Great Black-backed Gulls, 226 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Shelduck, 1 Red-throated Diver, 6 Skylarks, 10 Chaffinches, 1 Redwing, 100 Woodpigeons, 76 Coot, 40 Mallard, 30 Gadwall, 8 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 8 Little Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 50 Jackdaws, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Sparrowhawk and 6 Pied Wagtails.

Matt was also out this morning and walked from Bishopstone to Reculver and Coldhabour and saw 6 Stonechats, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Little Egrets, 1,000 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Grey Herons, 5 Common Buzzards, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 8 White-fronted Geese with Brent Geese and then flying W, 27 Mute Swans, 2 Kestrels, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Sparrowhawk.

January 6th

Today I received information about a first year female Reed Bunting we ringed at Shuart on 1st November 2024. It was controlled at Abbey Farm, Bedlam Court Lane, Minster on 29th December 2024 and had moved 8 km SSE.

 January 5th

It was raining heavily as Matt had a seawatch at Minnis Bay between 0800 and 0930. There wasn't a great deal to see, just 8 Great Crested Grebes, 20 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Gadwall flying W, 1 male Pintail flying W (96th), 1 Mallard, 1 Red-throated Diver flying E and 1 Gannet.

January 4th

It was another frosty morning as we walked out onto the Marsh at Reculver and counted 80 Woodpigeons, 1 Green Sandpiper, 40 Chaffinches, 1 Redwing, 1 Merlin (90th)  70 Linnets, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Common Buzzards, 9 Skylarks, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Pochard, 8 Shoveler, 45 Mallard, 28 Gadwall, 4 Teal, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Tufted Duck, 8 Goldfinches, 8 Little Grebes, 72 Coot, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Redshank and 1 Chiffchaff.

Matt was also out and walked from Brooksend to Netherhale, Plumpudding and Shuart. He saw 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Fieldfare, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 12 Grey Herons, 6 Teal, 83 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese (91st) with 3 hybrids, 2 Egyptian Geese , 1 White-fronted Goose (92nd), 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 20 Coot, 1 Ringed Plover (93rd), 1 Stonechat, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Water Rail, 1 Firecrest, 140 Stock Doves, 1 Kestrel, 2 Goldcrests and 1 Jay.

Dave Smith walked at Minnis Bay and Plumpudding and his highlights included 2 Egyptian Geese flying E (94th), 5 Gadwall, 7 Teal, 3 Golden Plover, 4 Little Grebes, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard and 2 Stonechat.

Derek Smith also saw 2 Bramblings (95th) at Upper Hale.

Brambling - Derek Smith

 January 3rd

On a sunny and frosty morning we birded at Brooksend, Netherhale and Shuart where we saw 26 Chaffinches, 1 Pied Wagtail, 55 Greylag Geese (81st), 8 Ring-necked Parakeets (82nd), Great Spotted Woodpecker (83rd) , 1 Jay, 1 Sparrowhawk (84th), 55 Red-legged Partridges, 1 Kestrel, 80 Stock Doves, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Barn Owl (85th) and 1 Grey Heron.

This morning Matt walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back along the railway embankment. He saw 1 Firecrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 61 Coot, 1 Tufted Duck, 5 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, 8 Little Grebes,  1 Grey Wagtail, 41 Gadwall, 4 Grey Herons, 1 Little Egret, 49 Yellowhammers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Shoveler, 4 Teal, 65 Mallard, 1 Pochard, 4 Stonechats, 120 Chaffinches, 56 Skylarks, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Snipe (86th), 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Peregrine (87th), 11 Golden Plovers, 1 Marsh Harrier (88th), 27 Lapwings, 1 Kingfisher, 800 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Sparrowhawk, 5 Tree Sparrows (89th), 80 Linnets, 1 Kestrel, 1 Barn Owl and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

A first year male Reed Bunting we ringed at Shuart on 1st November 2024 was controlled by the East Kent Wildlife Group at Richborough, Sandwich on 27th December a distance of 9 km SSE.

 January 2nd

Although the gale force winds had abated this morning it was breezy and much colder as we walked along the seawall from Reculver. Birds we saw included 1 Jay, 1 Common Buzzard, 450 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Stonechats, 30 Carrion Crows, 2 Redshank, 2 Oystercatchers, 22 Mallard, 5 Mute Swans, 3 Corn Buntings, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher (74th), 5 Meadow Pipits and 1 Green Woodpecker (75th).

Male Stonechat

This morning Matt walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back along the Green Wall. He saw 2 Redwings (76th), 4 Kestrels (77th), 2 Shelduck, 13 Mallard, 2 Little Grebes, 800 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 600 Cormorants, 6 Linnets (78th), 150 Corn Buntings, 1 Grey Heron (79th), 22 Mute Swans, 30 Yellowhammers, 120 Stock Doves, 12 Song Thrushes, 1 Little Egret, 1 Green Woodpecker and 20 Fieldfares (80th).

January 1st

Matt and I spent a stormy morning battling the wind and trying to see how many species we could record on the first day of the year. Matt arrived at Shuart in the dark where he managed to find 1 Woodcock and 3 Lapwings. He then drove over to Reculver where I met him at 0730 and we had an hour's walk where birds we saw included 1 Water Rail, 64 Coot, 20 Mallard, 40 Gadwall, 1 female Pochard, 2 Teal, 7 Shoveler, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Grebes, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Yellowhammer and 1 Firecrest. We then drove to Minnis Bay where we recorded 14 Gannets, 50 Dunlin, 120 Oystercatchers, 20 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 40 Grey Plovers, 20 Turnstone, 100 Sanderling, 18 Curlew, 1 Shelduck W, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 20 Redshank, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Stonechat, 3 Snow Buntings, 1 Little Egret, 2 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Wigeon flying W. Our final total for the day was 71 species. 

Julian Perry was also out today and in addition to species we saw had Great Tit (72nd) and Corn Bunting (73rd).