January 7th

This afternoon Matt had a walk at Minnis Bay and saw 1 Purple Sandpiper (103rd), 102 Great Crested Grebes, 12 Red-throated Divers, 2 Teal flying W, Tufted Duck 2 flying W, 163 Sanderling, 14 Curlew, 500 Cormorants and 60 Common Gulls.

While Matt was at Minnis Bay I had a walk at Reculver where I saw 37 Mute Swans, 28 Chaffinches, 9 Cormorants, 38 Mallard, 1 female Sparrowhawk, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 72 Gadwall, 11 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebes and 60 Coot.

Female Sparrowhawk

 January 6th

On a sunny but freezing morning I spent an hour at Reculver where I counted 18 Chaffinches, 1 Green Sandpiper, 41 Tufted Duck, 90 Mallard, 210 Teal, 6 Goldfinches, 42 Coot, 2 Wigeon, 6 Little Grebes, 4 Lapwings, 7 Golden Plover, 1 Water Rail, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Barn Owl.

Matt was also out at Reculver for three hours and saw 1 Lapwing, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 91 Mallard, 41 Tufted Duck, 2 Wigeon, 216 Teal, 113 Gadwall, 6 Little Grebes, 82 Coot, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Water Rails, 17 Snipe, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Peregrine (101st), 800 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 60 Golden Plover, 60 Corn Buntings, 1 Stonechat and 3 adult Shags flying E (102nd).

 January 5th

On another freezing morning Matt birded at Reculver and then briefly at Shuart. At Reculver he counted 1 Grey Heron, 2 Chiffchaffs, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Firecrest, 1 Yellowhammer, 80 Coot, 220 Teal, 81 Gadwall, 21 Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard, 1 Shoveler, 8 Little Grebes, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Water Rails, 73 Mallard, 5 Snipe, 1 Grey Wagtail and 80 Golden Plovers. At Shuart he saw 1 Mistle Thrush (98th) and 2 Woodcock (99th).

Gadwall - Matt Hindle

I had an hour's walk at Reculver this evening where I saw 1 Jack Snipe, 2 Snipe, 72 Mallard, 2 Pochard, 60 Gadwall, 200 Teal, 12 Tufted Duck, 1 Redshank, 1 Lapwing and 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier (100th).

 January 4th

On another freezing morning Matt walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the embankment. He saw 1 Black Redstart, 90 Gadwall, 186 Teal, 2 Pochard  (92nd), 2 Wigeon, 2 Shoveler, 90 Mallard, 92 Coot, 4 Little Grebes, 14 Tufted Duck, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Water Rail, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Jack Snipe (93rd), 11 Snipe (94th), 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Firecrest, 142 Golden Plovers, 1 Kingfisher (95th), 650 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Shelduck (96th), 9 Lapwings, 1 Greylag Goose, 2 Yellowhammers, 1 Stonechat, 1 Raven and 1 Chiffchaff.

 

Dark-bellied Brent Geese - Matt Hindle

Dave Smith was also out walking from Shuart to Plumpudding and saw 1 Greylag Goose, 9 Mute Swans, 2 Shelduck, 7 Mallard, 5 Coot, 19 Golden Plovers, 4 Ringed Plovers, 45 Redshank, 5 Turnstone, 2 Sanderling, 1 Mediterranean Gull (97th), 2 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 100 Chaffinches, 75 Linnets, 4 Corn Buntings and 6 Yellowhammers. 

 January 3rd

On a sunny, freezing and windy morning Matt and I spent an hour birding at Reculver. We saw 1 Kestrel, 10 Chaffinches, 1 Firecrest, 10 Long-tailed Tits, 58 Gadwall, 76 Teal, 112 Mallard, 11 Tufted Duck, 300 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Shoveler, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Greylag Goose and 2 Red-throated Divers. 

 January 1st

On a bright and cold morning, with Anne still convalescing, I only had an hour this morning walking at Reculver. However, I managed to record 40 species including 1 Chiffchaff, 25 Chaffinches, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Lapwing, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 44 Gadwall, 58 Mallard, 6 Teal, 84 Coot, 1 Green Sandpiper, 11 Tufted Duck, 5 Little Grebes, 350 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Redshank, 1 Water Rail, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Goldcrest and 2 Black Redstarts, 1 inland and 1 male on the seawall by the Towers.

Dave Smith was also out this morning and completed the Shuart and Brooksend loop. He counted 6 Canada Geese, 13 Mallard, 20 Teal, 7 Red-legged Patridges, 30 Coot, 3 Oystercatchers, 45 Grey Plovers, 3 Curlew, 10 Redshank, 30 Turnstone, 100 Sanderling, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret, 4 Grey Herons, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Jays, 11 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Goldcrests, 1 Grey Wagtail, 27 Pied Wagtails and 30 Chaffinches.

Matt was up early and from 0540 to 0700 checked several locations in the area and managed to see or hear 2 Tawny Owls, 1 Long-eared Owl, 1 Little Owl, 2 Barn Owls and 1 Grey Partridge. 

He then birded the Reculver area before walking from the Towers along the seawall to Minnis Bay, then over to Brooksend and Shuart before returning to Reculver via the railway embankment. He managed to record 82 species for the day. His highlights were 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Firecrests, 11 Tufted Duck, 41 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, 1 Shoveler, 3 Water Rails, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 206 Golden Plovers, 800 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 immature Greater Scaup, 76 Redshank, 80 Grey Plovers, 200 Sanderling, 60 Dunlin and 20 Curlew. 

 

First winter Greater Scaup with Tufted Duck - Matt Hindle

 Julian and Alex Perry were also out from 0730 to 1600 and their highlights were 1 Raven, 3 Barnacle Geese, 2 Russian White-fronted Geese, 4 Yellowhammers, 14 Grey Partridges, 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Fieldfare and to their great surprise a Turtle Dove in the middle of the road at Reculver Lane. 

This makes an overall total for the day of 91 species.