May 31st
On a lovely, bright morning we walked at Shuart before dropping in at Reculver on the way home and recorded 2 Tufted Duck, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Kestrel, 13 Coot, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 3 Turtle Doves, 1 Little Owl, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 4 Skylarks, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Reed Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers, 7 Whitethroats, 6 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs and 2 Chiffchaffs. We also saw a number of butterflies including 3 Small Heaths, 4 Speckled Woods and 1 Red Admiral.

Red-legged Partridge

Speckled Wood

May 30th
Anne walked at Bishopstone Glen this morning and saw 1 Fulmar, 80 Sand Martins, 8 Whitethroats and a family party of Blackcaps.
This afternoon we walked from Chamber's Wall and around Coldharbour and recorded 11 Mute Swans, 2 Shelduck, 2 Mallard,7 Cormorants, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshank, 7 singing Skylarks, 9 Reed Warblers, 5 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap and 11 Linnets.

Yellow-horned Poppies are beginning to flower

May 29th
On a much more pleasant morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm and saw 2 Mute Swans, 3 Shelduck, 5 Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 3 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 5 Oystercatchers, 4 Ringed Plovers, 5 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Cuckoo, 6 Swifts, 7 Skylarks, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Wheatear, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 11 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff, 7 Linnets, 2 Goldfinches and 1 Corn Bunting. Marc Heath was also out this morning and in addition saw a Turtle Dove.

Male Reed Bunting

May 28th
On another wet and drizzly morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then along the seawall. We saw 11 Mute Swans, 3 Shelduck, 6 Mallard, 5 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshank, 1 Cuckoo, 5 Skylarks, 22 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 2 Sand Martins, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Wheatear, 8 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff and 6 Linnets.
Marc Heath was also out and also got soaked. He recorded 2 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Hobby, 1 Greenshank, 2 Little Owls, 70 Swifts, 30 Swallows, 4 House Martins, 1 Sand Martin, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Wheatear, 5 Sedge Warblers,  Reed Warblers, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap and 1 Chiffchaff.

May 27th
On an unpleasant morning with a fresh northerly breeze blowing in non-stop drizzle we walked along the seawall from Reculver. Birds we saw included 5 Shelduck, 2 Tufted Duck, 3 Cormorants, 1 Fulmar E over the beach, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Oystercatchers, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Turnstone, 4 Redshank, 9 Sanderling in various stages of moult, 1 Common Tern, 1 Little Owl, 2 Pied Wagtails, 80 Starlings and 2 Linnets.

Common Tern

May 26th
We completed our regular walk from Chamber's Wall this morning and saw very much what we saw yesterday. Birds we recorded were 11 Mute Swans, 4 Shelduck, 1 Mallard, 5 Cormorants, 2 Oystercatchers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshank, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Cuckoo, 6 Skylarks, 11 Sand Martins, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Wheatear, 7 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff and 5 Linnets.

Ringed Plover

At Grenham Bay this morning Terry Wilson recorded 15 Gannets, 3 Common Terns and 1 Sandwich Tern.

May 25th
On a bright and breezy morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 13 Mute Swans, including 2 adults with 7 cygnets of which 3 were "polish" morphs, 3 Shelduck, 8 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 4 Cormorants, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 2 adult and 1 juvenile Coot, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Ringed Plovers, 4 Turnstone, 3 Redshank, 1 Cuckoo, 6 Skylarks, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 11 Whitethroats, 3 Blackcaps and 2 Linnets.

Female Mute Swan with 7cygnets including 3 "polish" morphs

This afternoon we had a walk at Shuart and saw 1 Grey Heron, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 2 Cuckoos, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Whitethroats, 5 Blackcaps and 3 Chiffchaffs. There were also  a number of Hairy Dragonflies on the wing.

Mating Hairy Dragonflies

May 24th
We arrived at Chamber's Wall an hour later than usual to avoid the early, heavy rain. We walked up to the seawall and still found it very quiet with just the usual birds to be seen. We recorded 2 Mute Swans, 3 Shelduck, 7 Mallard, 4 Cormorants, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrels, 3 Oystercatchers, 4 Ringed Plovers, 3 Turnstone, 1 Redshank, 2 Common Terns, 2 Cuckoos, 5 Swifts W, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Reed Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 5 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff and 3 Linnets.

Turnstone squabbling

May 23rd
It was another relatively quiet morning as we walked from Reculver along the seawall with a blustery SW wind blowing. We saw 6 Shelduck, 8 Mallard, 1 Gadwall, 4 Cormorants, 1 Gannet E, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Kestrel, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Turnstone, 4 Redshank, 2 Common Terns, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Kingfisher, 16 Swifts feeding over the fields, 2 Pied Wagtails, 3 Whitethroats and 4 Linnets.

Little Egrets in the Oyster Farm

May 22nd
With a southerly wind and an inch and a half of rain overnight I thought there might be some new birds to seen this morning, but our walk from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour produced very little that was new. We saw 2 Mute Swans, 3 Sheduck, 7 Mallard, 1 Gadwall, 1 Shoveler, 4 Cormorants, 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Redshank, 22 Swifts, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Reed Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 8 Whitethroats, 3 Blackcaps and 1 Chiffchaff.

Male Marsh Harrier

May 21st
This morning was overcast with no wind as we walked along the seawall from Reculver and then inland. Highlight of the morning was 2 Black-throated Divers flying W, an unexpected sighting. Other birds seen included 5 Shelduck, 6 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebes, 8 Cormorants, 1 Little Egret, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Kestrel, 8 Oystercatchers, 8 Ringed Plovers, 1 Turnstone, 5 Redshank, 1 first year Mediterranean Gull E, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Jay, 12 Sand Martins, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 5 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs, 5 Linnets and 1 Corn Bunting.

Male Yellow Wagtail

May 20th
Although it was mainly sunny this morning a warm, southerly wind was blowing thickening cloud up from the Continent. We walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 4 Mute Swans, 1 Shelduck, 5 Mallard, 5 Cormorants, 1 Kestrel, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Cuckoos, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 8 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps and 7 Linnets.

May 19th
After the winter storms large sections of cliff between Reculver and Bishopstone collapsed with the result that the Sand Martin holes near Reculver were destroyed. This summer the birds have excavated new holes east of Bishopstone Glen and this morning Anne counted 85 new nest holes in use.

Sand Martin colony at Bishopstone

May 18th
The warm sun was shining this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 4 Mute Swans, 5 Mallard, 6 Cormorants, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Cuckoo, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 9 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroats, 11 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff and 4 Linnets.

Salsify in flower

Marc Heath was also out this morning and his highlights were 2 Nightingales at Shuart and 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Mediterranean Gulls W, 1 Grasshopper Warbler and 1 Tree Pipit at Chamber's Wall.

May 17th
On an overcast morning we walked round the Shuart area and on to the sea at Plumpudding where the tide was a long way out. We recorded 2 Mallard, 3 Tufted Duck, 4 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 1 Red-legged Partridge, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Turtle Doves, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Barn Owl, 3 Cuckoos, including a hepatic female, 8 Swifts W, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Jay, 1 Wheatear, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 17 Reed Warblers, 12 Whitethroats, 5 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff and 3 Linnets. There was also a Nightingale singing at the Wagtail bridge on our way home.
A Red Kite alarmed the local Herring Gulls as it flew over our garden at Bishopstone at 1050.