June 30th

On what is threatened to be the hottest day of the year so far, with the temperature over 30℃, we were out early and walked inland at Reculver. We saw 2 Kestrels, 6 Reed Warblers, 1 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 9 Greylag Geese, 4 Goldfinches, 6 Mute Swans, 2 Lapwings, 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Little Grebes, 14 Sand Martins, 24 Coot, 5 Tufted Ducks, 1 Shelduck, 1 Green Woodpecker, 8 Linnets, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Ravens, 4 Grey Herons, 2 Little Egrets, 40 Jackdaws and 11 Mallard.

Derek was also out very early and walked from Shuart to Coldharbour and back. He counted 1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Little Egrets, 4 adult Mute Swans on the sea, 26 Mediterranean Gulls E, 44 Black-headed Gulls E, 7 Sandwich Terns E, 3 Redshank, 2 Curlew W, 9 Swifts E, 1 Stonechat and 3 Whitethroats.

June 29th

On a hot and sunny morning we ringed at Shaurt where we saw 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Common Tern, 20 Whitethroats, 12 Linnets, 4 Blackcaps, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 8 Swallows, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Reed Warblers, 1 Crossbill flying W and calling (168th), 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Sedge Warblers and 1 Grey Wagtail.

Birds ringed 28: Wren 2, Chiffchaff 1, Whitethroat 12, Reed Warbler 2, Sedge Warbler 1, Blackcap 3, Robin 1, Cetti's Warbler 1, Blue Tit 1, Linnet 1, Great Tit 1, Dunnock 2.

During the morning Marc Heath found 7 Ringlet butterflies on the cliffs below the Bishopstone Lane Car Park. This is the first time this species had been noted in the recording area.

Ringlet - Marc Heath

June 28th

We spent a breezy morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 26 Coot, 3 Tufted Ducks, 8 Mallard, 1 Green Sandpiper, 6 Mute Swans, 9 Greylag Geese, 1 Corn Bunting, 2 Grey Herons, 40 mainly juvenile Sand Martins, 2 Ravens, 1 Firecrest, 1 Green Woodpecker, 20 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, 12 Reed Warblers, 1 Kestrel, 2 Jays, 1 Hobby, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Sparrowhawk. 

Birds ringed 33: Chiffchaff 2, Wren 1, Great Tit 1, Reed Warbler 7, Whitethroat 1, Robin 3, Blackcap 13, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 4.

 June 27th

On another sunny morning we had a short walk along the seawall from Reculver and only saw 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcaps, 7 Linnets, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Whitethroats, 3 Little Egrets and 1 Grey Heron.

Reculver looking towards Bishopstone

 June 26th

This morning our regular walk inland produced 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Blackcaps, 6 Sand Martins, 24 Coot, 2 Shelduck, 40 Mallard, 9 Greylag Geese, 2 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 14 Reed Warblers, 6 Mute Swans, 1 Whitethroat, 4 Goldfinches, 1 Kestrel, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Marsh Harrier. Later a brief look at the sea resulted in 1 Whimbrel W, 1 Shelduck, 5 Little Egrets and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls.

 June 25th

It became increasingly hot this morning as we walked inland at Reculver and counted 2 Goldfinches, 2 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 14 Reed Warblers, 34 Mallard, 24 Coot, 3 Gadwall, 9 Greylag Geese, 8 Tufted Duck, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Mute Swans, 1 second calendar year Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Shelduck, 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Kestrel and 2 juvenile Mistle Thrushes.

Male Banded Demoiselle

 Derek Smith was out at 0415 and in three hours walked from Shuart to Plumpudding lagoon which is drying out rapidly, Coldharbour and back along the embankment. He saw 2 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzards, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Redshank, 1 Common Tern, 2 Sandwich Terns, 57 Swifts flying SW, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Blackcaps, 3 Lesser Whitethroats and 7 Chiffchaffs.

 June 24th

On a morning that began drizzly and became increasingly breezy Matt walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and counted 4 Grey Herons, 3 Little Egrets, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Stonechats, 12 Ringed Plovers, 6 Common Terns, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Redshank, 2 Sandwich Terns, 9 Swifts, 1 Turnstone, 9 Oystercatchers, 6 Gannets, 1 Common Gull, 2 Kestrels and 1 Shelduck.

Birds ringed 3: Ringed Plover 2, Oystercatcher 1

Common Tern - Matt Hindle

 

 June 23rd

There was a fresh NW breeze blowing this morning as we walked inland at Reculver and counted 3 Blackcaps, 1 Jay, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Shelduck, 35 Mallard, 14 Tufted Duck, 9 Greylag Geese, 6 Mute Swans, 18 Coot, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Grey Herons, 4 Reed Warblers, 2 Mediterranean Gulls and 4 Little Grebes.

Birds ringed 7: Barn Owl 2, Stock Dove 5 

 June 22nd

We had intended to spend the morning ringing at Reculver but a band of thundery rain moved through between 0500 and 0830 so we had to cancel. Matt, however, spent some time at Reculver and heard a Reed Warbler singing near the Towers and saw 10 Mediterranean Gulls flying W, 6 Sandwich Terns, 1 Swift, 3 Common Terns and 200 Starlings. He also found 10 Bee Orchids.

June 21st

With the heat wave continuing I was out early at Reculver and walked along the seawall where the tide was in. I counted 14 Linnets, 1 Reed Bunting, 3 Pied Wagtails, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Whitethroats, 9 Reed Warblers, 8 Cormorants, 5 Sedge Warblers, 3 Grey Herons, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Stonechats, 2 Little Egrets, 14 Mallard, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 14 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Redshank, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 4 Swifts and 1 Kestrel. I also saw a Marbled White beside the seawall.

Derek Smith was out at 0500 and walked from Minnis Bay to the Oyster Farm and saw 2 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Shelduck, 3 Redshank, 18 adult Black-headed Gulls, 3 Sandwich Terns E, 1 Common Tern, 6 Swifts E, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Stonechat, 15 singing Whitethroats and 1 Chiffchaff.

 June 20th

It was another sweltering morning as we walked inland at Reculver and counted 2 Kestrels, 5 Skylarks, 3 Blackcaps, 6 Sand Martins, 22 Coot, 6 Tufted Duck, 6 Mute Swans, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 9 Greylag Geese, 4 Shelduck, 20 Mallard, 4 Whitethroats, 2 Corn Buntings, 1 Heron, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Reed Warblers, 1 Hobby, 1 Yellow Wagtails and 1 Gadwall. We also saw 7 juvenile Grey Herons flying out to sea and the back at the Towers. 

 June 19th

On an increasingly hot morning I walked along the seawall from Reculver where there was a plague of pollen beetles. Birds I saw included a group of 18 Swifts screaming loudly as they flew round the Towers, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Pied Wagtails, 4 Little Egrets, 13 Linnets, 10 Sedge Warblers, 1 Reed Bunting, 3 Reed Warblers, 3 Grey Herons including 2 flying out to sea, 4 Mallard, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 6 Cormorants and 12 Mediterranean Gulls flying S.

Ringed Plover

June 18th

We spent another sunny morning ringing at Shuart where we saw 1 Curlew, 1 juvenile Firecrest, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Cuckoo, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 30 Whitethroats, 6 Chiffchaffs, 1 Green Woodpecker, 20 Linnets, 16 Reed Warblers, 1 Jay, 1 Blackcap and 1 male Marsh Harrier. We also saw 2 Marbled White butterflies. 

Birds ringed 55: Wren 3, Firecrest 1, Chiffchaff 4, Linnet 3, Reed Warbler 7, Whitetroat 25, Reed Bunting 2, Blue Tits 2, Great Tit 1, Robin 1, Cetti's Warbler 1, Blackcap 1, Dunnock 3, Blackbird 1. 

Recently fledged Firecrest - Matt Hindle

June 17th

We spent the morning ringing at Reculver where the highlight was seeing and hearing an immature male Golden Oriole calling repeatedly from poplars by the railway line and then being disturbed by a train before flying W towards Hillborough. Other birds seen during the morning included 6 Chiffchaffs, 1 juvenile Cuckoo, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Grey Herons, 10 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall, 16 Mallard, 26 Coot, 9 Greylag Geese, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Corn Buntings, 30 Sand Martins, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Whitethroats, 6 Mute Swans, 12 Reed Warblers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Kestrel.

Birds ringed 48: Chiffchaff 4, Wren 4, Blackcap 13, Reed Warbler 4, Blue Tit 9, Robin 4, Cetti's Warbler 4, Dunnock 1, Song Thrush 2, Blackbird 1, Cuckoo 1, Moorhen 1.

 

Juvenile Cuckoo - Matt Hindle

June 16th

It was a beautiful, early, summer morning as I walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow. Birds I recorded included 4 Goldfinches, 14 Linnets, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Little Egrets, 4 Skylarks, 11 Oystercatchers, 6 Meadow Pipits, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Reed Warblers, 12 Sedge Warblers, 2 Stonechats, 9 Mallard, 1 Reed Bunting, 27 Swifts feeding over wheat fields and continuing W, 2 Ringed Plovers,1 Common Tern, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Pied Wagtails and 1 Swallows W. I also found 5 Bee Orchids at Reculver.

Bee Orchid

 

Male Stonechat