November 26th
It was cold and sunny on our walk at Reculver this morning. Birds we saw included 6 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 immature Black Redstart, 60 Stock Doves, 18 Chaffinches, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Goldfinches, 6 Skylarks, 14 Blackbirds, 4 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaffs, 90 Mallard, 55 Gadwall, 110 Teal, 96 Coot, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck and 7 Long-tailed Tits.
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| Grey Wagtail |
Matt walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and recorded 1 Kingfisher, 1 Little Egret, 32 Teal, 7 Wigeon, 100 Lapwings, 1 Snipe, 1 Red-throated Diver, 600 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 7 Little Grebes, 40 Golden Plovers, 1 Snow Bunting and 7 Stonechats.
November 25th
With a fresh and cold northerly breeze blowing we spent an hour at Reculver where we saw 9 Chaffinches, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 11 Blackbirds, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldfinches, 120 Teal, 140 Mallard, 70 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 123 Coot, 1 Redshank, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Common Buzzards, 60 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Pied Wagtails and 2 Kittiwakes E.
November 24th
We were out early at Reculver this morning to have a walk before the threatened rain arrived. We recorded 6 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Little Owl calling, 2 Chiffchaffs, 10 Blackbirds, 1 Green Woodpecker, 120 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 110 Mallard, 75 Gadwall, 120 Coot, 1 Snipe, 1 Redshank, 2 Shoveler, 14 Tufted Duck, 8 Little Grebes, 1 Water Rail, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Chaffinches, 1 Black Redstart at the farm, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Goldcrests, 1 Firecrest, 230 Dark-bellied Brent Geese,18 Sanderling, 2 Ringed Plovers and 1 Little Egret.
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| Sunrise |
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| Looking across the fields towards Hillborough |
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| Approaching rain |
November 22nd
This morning we walked inland at Reculver and counted 2 Common Buzzards, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 23 Coot, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Green Woodpecker, 11 Blackbirds, 3 Redwing, 21 Chaffinches, 7 Lapwings W, 110 Mallard, 1 Water Rail, 2 Shoveler, 60 Gadwall, 3 Wigeon, 2 Grey Herons, 6 Mute Swans, 85 Teal, 14 Tufted Duck, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 35 Stock Doves, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Wagtail, 5 Meadow Pipits, 7 Moorhens and 138 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.
Whilst we were birding at Reculver, Matt walked along the icy seawall from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the embankment. He recorded 4 Goldcrests, 25 Chaffinches, 1 Rock Pipit, 600 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Kingfishers, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Shelduck, 25 Lapwings, 15 Wigeon, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Curlew, 1 Water Rail, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Redpoll, 7 Little Grebes, 3 Stonechats, 1 Marsh Harrier, 72 Mallard, 1 Peregrine, 58 Teal, 3 Greenfinches, 5 Fieldfares, 2 Redwings, 1 Snow Bunting, 1 Shoveler and 200 Carrion Crows.
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| Snow Bunting - Matt Hindle |
November 20th
On a freezing morning with a fresh NW wind blowing we walked inland at Reculver and counted 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Chiffchaffs, 140 Teal, 110 Mallard, 76 Gadwall, 120 Coot, 2 Redshank, 4 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 6 Little Grebes, 1 Grey Heron and 9 Long-tailed Tits. Next we joined Matt at Reculver where we recorded 29 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 11 Gannets E, 1 male Red-breasted Merganser W, 23 Common Scoter E, 10 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Sanderling, 1 Knot W and 5 Dunlin W.
November 19th
With a cold gale force northerly wind blowing in showers and the sea breaking over the promenade and flooding the road, Matt and Derek seawatched at Reculver from 1045 to 1345. The undoubted highlight of the morning was Matt seeing a first winter Black Guillemot flying in at 1045 and landing on the sea just to the east of the Towers and only 100 metres offshore. After a couple of minutes it took off and continued flying east towards Minnis Bay. Other birds seen included 4 Knot W, 10 Common Scoter W, 3 Kittiwakes W, 4 Gannets W, 3 Little Gulls W, 2 large auks E and 4 Dark-bellied Brent Geese W.
We have just received the ringing information of a first year Chiffchaff we controlled at Reculver on October 9th. It had been ringed at Aislaby, North Yorkshire on September 10th and had flown 366 km SSE to reach Reculver.
November 18th
On a cold morning that began sunny it soon clouded over as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 11 Goldfinches, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Meadow Pipits, 98 Cormorants, 2 Redshank, 230 Carrion Crows, 1,150 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 9 Mallard, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Shelduck, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Stonechat and 1 Kingfisher.
November 17th
It was sunny at Reculver this morning and there was a very fresh northerly wind blowing as I spent 90 minutes seawatching. I counted 58 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 8 Gannets, 2 Teal, 7 Kittiwakes W, 5 Wigeon, 1 male Eider flying W and then back E, 51 Common Gulls W, 14 Common Scoter E, 2 Shelduck W and 4 Little Gulls W.
Matt and Derek Smith seawatched from the Towers between 0700 and 1100 and recorded 43 Common Scoter , 164 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 male Eiders E, 6 Shelduck W, 109 Common Gulls W, 40 Razorbills W, 22 Kittiwakes W, 54 Lapwings W, 7 Little Gulls W, 4 Red-throated Divers, 13 Gannets W, 2 Teal W, 17 Wigeon E, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Dunlin, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Red-breasted Merganser W, 8 Starlings W, 1 Curlew and 1 Firecrest.
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| A windy Reculver - Matt Hindle |
November 16th
Matt had a superb seawatch today between 0645 and 1445 together with Derek Smith, Dave Smith, Anne and me. It was overcast and there was a fresh NE breeze blowing and with rain on and off for the first three hours. Matt's final totals were 2,259 Dark-belled Brent Geese arriving in large flocks from the east with some moving inland, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 128 Common Scoter mainly flying E, 4 Mediterranean Gulls E, 35 Little Gulls, 2 Little Egrets, 39 Teal W, 6 Great Northern Divers E, 1 Peregrine, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 13 Razorbills E, 41 large auks E, 2 Sandwich Terns E, 42 Kittiwakes E, 39 Dunlin E, 5 Curlew, 4 Shoveler W, 25 Gannets E, 6 Red-throated Divers E, 1 Woodcock in off the sea, 122 Lapwings W, 5 Gadwall W, 29 Sheduck W, 25 Pintail W, 1 male Goosander W, 2 Black-throated Divers E, 1 Ruff E, 1 Arctic Skua W, 1 female/immature Goldeneye E, 5 Great Skuas W, 20 Starlings W, 1 Red-necked Grebe on the sea off the Towers (204th), 4 Pomarine Skuas E, 6 Wigeon W, 5 Eider E and a flock of Brent Geese with 1 Pink-footed Goose (205th) and 1 Greylag Goose.
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| Moulting adult Great Northern Diver - Derek Smith |
November 15th
The morning began sunny but fog rolled in at about 0745 before clearing again at 0900. Matt was out at daybreak and walked along the seawall from Reculver where we met him later at the Wantsum outflow. He recorded 240 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 26 Little Gulls E, 44 Kittiwakes E, 18 Curlew, 27 Gannets, 13 Red-throated Divers, 1 female/immature Black Redstart, 16 Wigeon, 3 Sandwich Terns E, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Teal W, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Stonechats, 17 Common Scoter, 3 Little Grebes, 3 Redshank, 30 Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Kingfishers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Great Skuas E, 3 Siskin and 1 Great Northern Diver on the sea at Reculver.
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| Female/immature Black Redstart - Matt Hindle |
Dave Smith was out birding on the Marsh this afternoon and counted 60 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 55 Wigeon, 7 Teal, 22 Common Scoter, 1 Goldeneye at Coldharbour, 2 Goosanders (203rd), 18 Grey Plovers, 17 Golden Plovers, 9 Lapwings, 2 Curlew, 5 Redshank, 7 Dunlin, 3 Little Gulls, 2 Kittiwakes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Stonechats, 1 Snow Bunting and 20 Corn Buntings.
November 14th
On a wet morning we walked from Reculver to the Green Wall and counted 190 Dark-belied Brent Geese, 16 Meadow Pipits, 4 Pied Wagtails, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Little Egrets, 80 Carrion Crows, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Shelduck, 15 Mallard, 1 Curlew, 1 Redshank, 6 Corn Buntings, 17 Oystercatchers and 14 Cormorants.
Matt had a seawatch at Minnis Bay and recorded 6 Sandwich Terns E, 9 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Red-throated Divers, 77 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Common Scoter, 4 Little Gulls E, 1 Kittiwake E, 1 large auk and 1 Gannet.
November 13th
This morning Anne and I walked inland at Reculver and then looked at the sea. We saw 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Chiffchaffs, 5 Siskins, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 34 Teal, 73 Gadwall, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 54 Mallard, 8 Tufted Duck, 4 Wigeon, 130 Coot, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Redshank, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Peregrine, 1 Water Rail, 1 Red-throated Diver, 35 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Black Redstart, 24 Common Scoter and 1 Sandwich Tern E.
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| Black Redstart |
Matt walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the railway embankment and saw 7 Goldcrests, 1 Black Redstart, 3 Red-throated Divers, 1 Razorbill, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Sandwich Tern, 10 Stonechats, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 12 Wigeon, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 13 Skylarks, 1 Kingfisher, 6 Redpoll, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Little Egret, 307 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 23 Pied Wagtails, 4 Redwing, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Grey Herons, 3 Firecrests, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 20 Blackbirds and 1 Rock Pipit.
Derek Smith was also out walking from Shuart along the embankment to Coldharbour and back via Plumpudding. He recorded 46 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 21 Mallard, 1 Little Egret, 3 Little Grebes, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Kestrel,1 Peregrine, 2 Golden Plovers, 1 Snipe, 1 Water Rail, 142 Woodpigeons W, 23 Skylarks W, 6 Stonechats, 2 Fieldfares, 6 Redwing, 124 Chaffinches W, 3 Repoll W, 16 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 9 Goldcrests and 1 Corn Bunting.
