March 13th
After heavy overnight rain, Matt walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and recorded 4 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Stonechat, 121 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Rock Pipits, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Curlew, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Shelduck and 47 Red-throated Divers flying W having been disturbed by the service boat going out to the wind farm.
March 12th
This morning Matt visited Minnis Bay and Shuart. At Minnis Bay he counted 2 Shelduck, 4 Gannets, 21 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Rock Pipit, 41 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 alba Wagtails, 2 Curlews, 17 Grey Plover and 8 Sanderling. At Shuart he saw 4 Chiffchaffs, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Firecrests, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Egyptian Geese, 3 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Jays, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
March 11th
I arrived at Reculver just as the overnight rain had moved through and the sun had come out. I recorded 3 singing Chiffchaffs, 3 Mute Swans, 4 Cetti,s Warblers, 5 Greylag Geese, 18 Mallard, 32 Coot, 22 Gadwall, 14 Tufted Duck, 5 Grey Herons, 4 Teal, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Green Woodpecker, 10 Chaffinches, 4 Long-tailed Tits and 1 Pied Wagtail.
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| Grey Herons |
March 10th
The fog had cleared this morning as I walked along the seawall from Reculver and I saw 4 Pied Wagtails, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Corn Buntings, 6 Redshank, 8 Meadow Pipits, 272 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 2 male Black Redstarts, an adult catching flies on the seawall and an immature singing at the Towers. Other birds seen included 22 Linnets, 1 Stonechat, 3 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plover, 3 Reed Buntings, 4 Oystercatchers, 12 Cormorants, 2 Mallard, 1 migrant Chiffchaff on the seawall and 40 Black-headed Gulls.
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Immature male Black Redstart |
Matt was also out this morning whilst I was at Reculver and walked from Shuart to Netherhale and Brooksend and back via Plumpudding. He counted 3 Firecrests, 2 Brambling, including a singing male (127th), 7 Chiffchaffs, 7 Redwings, 1 Fieldfare, 12 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 6 Corn Buntings, 1 Common Buzzard, 21 Tufted Duck, 30 Greylag Geese, 7 Barnacle Geese, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, 4 Teal, 5 Grey Herons, 1 Pochard, 2 Little Grebes, 20 Coot, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 200 Black-headed Gulls, 10 Common Gulls, 1 White Wagtail, 25 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 1 Lapwing.
March 7th
On a cool and drizzly morning Matt walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the embankment. He counted 9 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 440 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Stonechats, 3 Greyag Geese, 1 second calendar year Caspian Gull on the beach at Plumpudding outflow (126th), 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Lapwings, 1 Goldcrest, 145 Linnets, 3 Wigeon, 2 Shelduck and 1 Corn Bunting.
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| Second calendar year Caspian Gull - Matt Hindle |
March 6th
On another calm morning we ringed at one of our sites at Shuart where we saw 6 Chiffchaffs, 1 Goldcrest, 12 Redwings W, 2 Fieldfares W, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 9 Siskins E, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Peregrine, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Lapwing and 20 Linnets.
Birds ringed 17: Wren 1, Chiffchaff 4, Dunnock 1, Robin 4, Cetti's Warbler 2, Chaffinch 1, Linnet 1, Blue Tit 1, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 1.
March 5th
On a beautiful early spring morning I joined Matt at Reculver for our first ringing session of the year. We saw 3 Redwings, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Firecrest, 11 Siskins (125th), 3 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Green Sandpipers, 15 Tufted Duck, 8 Gadwall, 2 Pochard, 32 Coot, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Raven, 4 Grey Herons, 9 Teal, 6 Mallard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Water Rail, 1 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Kestrel, 1 Goldcrest, 4 Long-tailed Tits and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Birds ringed 14: Chiffchaff 4, Reed Bunting 1, Blackcap 1, Chaffinch 1, Dunnock 2, Song Thrush 2, Blackbird 3.
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| Female Blackcap |
March 4th
On a misty, murky morning with the tide out and the Environment Agency repairing the winter damage to the beach I walked along the seawall. I saw 5 Greylag Geese, 1 Kestrel, 12 Linnets, 480 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 Stonechats, 6 Redshank, 11 Cormorants, 10 Ringed Plovers, 2 Oystercatchers, 12 Meadow Pipits, 19 Turnstone and 2 Mallard.
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| Reculver beach looking towards Thanet |
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| Female Stonechat |
March 3rd
It was sunny with a chilly easterly breeze blowing as I had an hour's walk at Reculver this afternoon. I recorded 2 Pied Wagtails, 35 Chaffinches, 50 Jackdaws, 20 Rooks, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Red-legged Partridges, 54 Coot, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 10 Tufted Duck, 14 Mallard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 3 Mute Swans, 2 Green Sandpipers and 1 Common Buzzard.
March 2nd
On a sunny morning with a chilly southerly breeze blowing I walked along the seawall from Reculver. I recorded 1 Great Crested Grebe, 11 Mute Swans, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 14 Meadow Pipits, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 5 Stonechats, 19 Gannets flying E, 11 Turnsstone, 11 Ringed Plovers, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Corn Buntings, 3 Reed Buntings, 68 Linnets, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Redshank, 11 Cormorants, 4 Mallard and 450 Dark-bellied Brent Geese. Just as I got home 2 Ravens flew over the house calling loudly and were followed ten minutes later by a Red Kite.
