April 9th

The sun was shining again this morning as I walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow. I saw 2 Blackcaps, 9 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, 37 Linnets, 1 Swallow W, 4 Goldfinches, 3 Skylarks, 4 Chaffinches, 6 Meadow Pipits, 4 Redshank, 18 Oystercatchers, 1 Stonechat, 9 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Sedge Warblers, 23 Mute Swans, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Shelduck, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Pied Wagtails, 6 Turnstone, 1 Wheatear, 3 Curlew E, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Whitethroat and 1 Red-legged Partridge.

Male Wheatear

This morning Julian Perry found a Cuckoo (142nd) on the embankment between Chamber's Wall and Plumpudding. This is the earliest record of a Cuckoo in the recording area beating the previous early record on 10th April 1993 by one day.

 April 8th

It was another fantastic spring morning as I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour for the first time since December. Birds I saw included 8 Skylarks, 7 Blackcaps, 9 Sedge Warblers, 9 Cetti's Warblers, 26 Linnets, 3 Song Thrushes, 6 Chaffinches, 1 singing Reed Warbler (141st), 5 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldfinches, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Greylag Geese, 24 Mute Swans, 3 Mallard, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 8 Oystercatchers, 2 Stonechats, 5 Redshank, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 singing Willow Warblers, 3 Reed Buntings and 1 Kestrel.

Green-veined White on Blackthorn

This afternoon Matt and Marion walked at Reculver and recorded 2 Common Buzzards, 5 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Greylag Geese, 2 Shelduck, 3 Mallard families, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, 18 Tufted Duck, 6 Gadwall, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrels, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Grey Partridges and 2 Mediterranean Gulls.

 April 7th

On another sunny morning I walked from Reculver to the Green Wall and back and saw 1 Great Crested Grebe, 7 Cetti's Warblers, 22 Linnets, 7 Redshank, 1 Gadwall, 1 Stonechat, 7 singing Sedge Warblers, 2 Shelduck, 2 Pied Wagtails, 3 Greylag Geese, 21 Mute Swans, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 3 Mallard, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron. 

This morning Matt walked from Reculver along the seawall to Plumpudding and back along the embankment. He counted 7 Willow Warblers, 2 Grey Partridges, 7 Blackcaps, 28 Cetti's Warblers, 8 Chiffchaffs, 2 Yellow Wagtails W, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Curlew, 6 Stonechats, 21 Sedge Warblers, 5 Shelduck, 6 Greylag Geese, 8 Redshank, 2 Golden Plovers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Gadwall, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Snipe, 42 Sanderling, 20 Turnstone, 6 Grey Plovers 1 Swallow, 2 Lapwings, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 female Hen Harrier, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Corn Buntings and 2 Brambling.

 

Female Hen Harrier

 Marc Heath was out early this morning and at Bishopstone had a singing Nightingale (139th),our earliest ever, and 1 Common Redstart (140th). 

 April 6th

On a glorious spring morning I walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow. I counted 8 Cetti's Warblers, 21 Linnets, 10 Meadow Pipits, 8 Oystercatchers, 2 Greylag Geese, 3 Little Egrets, 6 singing Sedge Warblers, 14 Corn Buntings, 6 Ringed Plovers, 13 Mute Swans, 9 Redshank, 3 Skylarks, 28 Turnstone, 1 Sand Martin W, 4 Shelduck, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Mallard, 1 Stonechat, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Mediterranean Gulls E and 2 Grey Herons.

Black-headed Gulls

This morning Derek Smith walked from Minnis Bay and along the embankment to the Green Wall and back via Plumpudding and Brooksend. He counted 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Greylag Geese, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Little Egrets, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Shelduck, 6 Mediterranean Gulls E, 14 Redshank, 5 Grey Plovers, 29 Sanderling, 3 Dunlin, 2 Stonechats, 5 Sedge Warblers, 1 Whitethroat (136th), 6 Blackcaps, 1 Willow Warbler, 21 Chiffchaffs and 1 Corn Bunting.

Dave Smith was also out and walked from Bishopstone to Reculver and his highlights were 1 Yellow Wagtail (137th) and 1 singing Whitethroat.

Julian Perry also had a Wheatear (138th) at Bishopstone. 

 April 5th

On a breezy morning I walked at Reculver and saw 2 Sparrowhawks, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Skylarks, 7 Greylag Geese, 18 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Buzzard, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Mute Swans, 5 Egyptian Geese, 1 Green Sandpiper, 12 Coot, 5 calling Mediterranean Gulls E, 1 Pied Wagtail, 12 Mallard, 2 Grey Herons, 4 Gadwall, 1 Swallow, 15 Corn Buntings and 10 Linnets.

Matt had a look at Minnis Bay and then walked at Shuart. At Minnis he saw 6 Sandwich Terns (135th), 1 Little Egret and 2 Mediterranean Gulls and at Shuart there were 12 Chiffchaffs, 5 Blackcaps, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Common Buzzards, 10 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Mistle Thrush, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Corn Bunting, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Redwings, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Egyptian Geese, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Brambling, 1 Jay and 2 Mediterranean Gulls.

 April 4th

On a lovely morning Matt walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the embankment and I met him at Coldharbour before we both walked back to Reculver together. His highlight was finding the third calendar year Iceland Gull, sub species Kumlien's, moving slowly W at Coldharbour. 

Third calendar year Iceland Gull, subspecies Kumlien's - Matt Hindle

 Other birds he recorded were 3 Little Egrets, 23 Cetti's Warblers, 7 Shelduck, 4 Stonechats, 8 Sedge Warblers, 1 male Greenfinch, 5 Greylag Geese, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Peregrine, 25 Mediterranean Gulls E calling, 1 Curlew, 1 Common Scoter, 4 Chiffchaffs, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Siskin W, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Corn Bunting, 6 Skylarks and 1 Swallow W. 

 April 3rd

As I left the house this morning there was a migrant Blackcap singing in our garden. I drove to a windy and chilly Reculver and walked out onto the Marsh where I recorded 4 Chiffchaffs, 10 Mallard, 3 Mute Swans, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 46 Linnets, 1 Siskin W, 14 Chaffinches, 9 Greylag Geese, 2 Goldfinches, 2 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, 4 Sand Martins, 12 Coot and 14 Tufted Duck.

Derek Smith was out at Shuart at 0730 and walked along the embankment to Chamber's Wall and saw 4 Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Buzzard, 115 Goldfinches flying W, 35 Chaffinches flying W, 16 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Blackcap and 17 Chiffchaffs.

 April 2nd 

On a surprisingly chilly morning I walked at Reculver and saw 6 Goldfinches, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Chaffinches, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 10 Mallard, 4 Mute Swans, 6 Greylag Geese, 14 Coot, 12 Gadwall, 4 Shelduck, 14 Tufted Duck, 1 Green Sandpiper, 6 Meadow Pipits, 3 Grey Herons, 4 Teal, 1 Little Grebe, 4 Linnets, 1 Pied Wagtail and 1 Green Woodpecker.

 

 

The Environment Agency destroying the foliage along the railway embankment at Plumpudding - Matt Hindle

 April 1st

Matt was out before me this morning and walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the embankment. He recorded 1 Grey Heron, 16 Cetti's Warblers, 1 male Greenfinch W (133rd), 4 Little Egrets, 3 Stonechats, 66 Turnstone, 2 singing Sedge Warblers (134th), 5 Greylag Geese, 18 Meadow Pipits W, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Snipe, 10 Sand Martins W, 1 Common Scoter, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Lapwings, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Siskin, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Shelduck.

I was out a 0745 and walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow and back and saw 3 Grey Herons, 3 Little Egrets, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 30 Linnets, 32 Oystercatchers, 48 Turnstone, 2 Stonechats, 6 Ringed Plovers, 19 Redshank, 1 singing Sedge Warbler, 13 Mute Swans, 1 Curlew, 1 Swallow W, 2 Greylag Geese, 2 Mallard, 1 Marsh Harrier flying W at Sea, 2 Mediterranean Gulls E, 2 Shelduck, 2 Corn Buntings and 2 Meadow Pipits.