April 30th

It was cold again this morning as I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and on to the Wantsum outflow. I recorded 5 Whitethroats, 16 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 2 Blackcaps, 9 Reed Warblers, 2 Goldfinches, 6 Cetti's Watblers, 2 Kestrels, 18 Sedge Warblers, 21 Stock Doves, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Coot, 39 Corn Buntings, 1 Stonechat, 5 Greylag Geese, including one on a nest in Coldharbour, 1 Shelduck, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Egret, 5 Oystercatchers, 1 Whimbrel and 1 Rock Pipit displaying. I also met Alex and Juliian Perry who had heard a Cuckoo (160th).

Greylag Goose in Coldharbour

April 29th

This morning Matt walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back and counted 50 Corn Buntings, 2 Blackcaps, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Teal, 42 Sand Martins, 9 Cetti's Warblers, 16 Swallows, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Little Egrets,  8 Shelduck, 5 Stonechats, 2 Fulmars, 1 Tufted Duck, 5 Greylag Geese, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Grasshopper Warbler at Plumpudding, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Lapwings, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Kestrels, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Grey Partridges and 1 Garden Warbler.

April 28th

Matt and I had a change of scenery this morning and walked from Grove Ferry to Stodmarsh and back. Our highlights were 1 Turtle Dove, 2 House Martins, 1 Whinchat, 1 booming Bittern, 1 male Garganey and 1 singing Nightingale amongst all the singing warblers.

An early morning and then an afternoon visit to Reculver produced 4 Fieldfares, 3 Swallows, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Mallard, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Shelduck, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Pied Wagtails, 5 Reed Warblers, 2 Common Buzzards and 1 Cetti's Warbler.

April 27th

On a cloudy and cooler morning Matt walked from Reculver to Chamber's Wall where we met and then we both walked up to Plumpudding and back again. Between us we counted 17 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Garden Warbler, 3 Greylag Geese, 5 Shelduck, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Coot, 90 Corn Buntings, 2 Grey Partridges, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Little Egrets and 1 Fulmar flying along inland between the railway and Shuart Farm.We also saw 4 Stonechats, 13 Whimbrel, 4 Common Sandpipers, 6 Sanderling, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Snipe, 1 Kestrel, 7 Swallows, 11 Tufted Duck, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Lapwings, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Curlew, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Rock Pipit, 35 Sand Martins, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Grey Plover,18 Linnets, 6 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 17 Sedge Warblers.

April 26th

On another bright and breezy morning Matt walked from Reculver to Chamber's Wall where I met him and then we both walked along the seawall up to Plumpudding and back along the railway embankment. We saw a good variety of species including 2 Ravens,  3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Wood Sandpiper (158th), 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Shelduck, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Chiffchaffs, 32 Whimbrel mainly flying W, 3 Little Egrets, 9 Swallows flying W, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Mediterranean Gulls flying E, 1 Snipe, 1 Stonechat, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 21 Whitethroats, 22 Sedge Warblers, 3 Kestrels, 80 Corn Buntings, 35 Turnstone, 25 Bar-tailed Godwits flying E, 3 Greylag Geese, 3 Common Buzzards, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Fulmar, 1 Curlew, 1 Gannet flying E,  1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Lapwing, 3 Blackcaps, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 7 Common Scoter flying E, 10 Sand Martins, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Garden Warbler (159th). We also found a Hairy Dragonfly on the embankment.

Wood Sandpiper - Matt Hindle

Grey Plover - Matt Hindle

 Back at home we had a Hobby fly over the garden.

On a lovely sunny afternoon we walked inland at Reculver and recorded 2 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Whitethroats, 1 Garden Warbler, 16 Sand Martins, 4 Mallard, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Shelduck, 4 Common Buzzards, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 Swallow, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Mediterranean Gulls and 2 displaying Sparrowhawks.

April 25th

On a blustery day I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and along the seawall. Birds I saw included 1 Common Buzzard, 12 Whitethroats, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 14 Linnets, 8 Goldfinches, 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Reed Warblers, 1 Green Sandpipers, 17 Sedge Warblers, 2 Mallard, 1 Kestrel, 2 Blackcap, 29 Stock Dove, 95 Corn Buntings, 5 Coot, 2 Little Egrets, 15 adult Mediterranean Gulls flying E, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Swallow W, 180 Sanderling, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 2 Grey Partridges in Chamber's Wall car park.

Dave Smith was out earlier and walked from Reculver to Coldhabour and back along the embankment. His highlights were 8 Whimbrel, 1 Fulmar, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Grey Plover, 5 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Swallows, 1 House Martin and 3 Shelduck.

Our walk at Reculver this afternoon produced 2 Shelduck, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Swallows, 6 Mallard, 2 Ravens flying W being mobbed by the local crows, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 5 Great Crested Grebes.

 April 24th

I arrived at Chamber's Wall on a bright and breezy morning and walked up to Coldharbour and the Wantsum outflow. The first bird I heard was a late Fieldfare "chakking" in the hedge closely followed by a Ring Ouzel "takking" close by. Other birds I saw included 8 Whitethroats, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 24 Linnets, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Blackcaps, 4 migrant Song Thrushes, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Swallow, 15 Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, 1 Little Egret, 3 Turnstone, 120 Sanderling, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull E, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese W, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Coot, 1 Eider on the sea, 1 Marsh Harrier, 6 Corn Buntings and 1 Stonechat.

Fieldfare

Sanderling

 

 Marc Heath was also out this morning between 0530 and 0800 and walked from Reculver to Chamber's Wall. He saw 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs, 8 Whitethroats, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Egrets, 7 Shelduck, 10 Linnets, 7 Sedge Warblers, 1 Kestrel, 1 Golden Plover E, 1 Stonechat, 1 Eider, 4 Turnstone, 1 Ringed Plover, 15 Corn Buntings, 1 Rock Pipit, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Redshank, 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Skylarks, 4 Mute Swans, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 adult Mediterranean Gulls E, 77 Sanderling, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Fulmar and 5 Swallows.

Derek Smith walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and back via Brooksend and Netherhale between 0700 and 0930 and recorded 23 Bar-tailed Godwits in Plumpudding lagoon, 3 Whimbrel E, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls E, 2 Wheatears and 1 male Stonechat. 

Bar-tailed Godwits at Plumpudding lagoon - Derek Smith

 

This afternoon a walk inland at Reculver produced 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Green Sandpipers,14 Sand Martins, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Shelduck, 1 Common Sandpiper, 7 Mallard, 1 Little Egret, 1 Blackcap, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Common Buzzards and 1 Whitethroat.

April 23rd

I had a blustery walk from Reculver to Coldharbour and back this morning. I saw 4 Gannets flying E, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Ringed Plovers, 1 Hobby (157th), 7 Oystercatchers, 16 Linnets, 3 Mallard, 1 Shelduck, 8 Sedge Warblers, 3 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying E, 1 Rock Pipit doing its song flight, 5 Great Black-backed Gulls, 39 Sanderling, 75 Corn Buntings, 1 Kestrel and 1 Redshank.

Oystercatcher

Dave Smith was our early this morning and completed the Shuart loop where he saw 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Eider on the sea, 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler and the other usual warblers. He also saw a Grey Seal.

April 22nd

Although the sun was still shining this morning there was and increasingly blustery NE wind blowing as I walked from Chamber's Wall up to Coldharbour and along the seawall. I counted 9 Whitethroats, 6 Mallard, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Reed Warbler, 13 Sedge Warblers, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 7 Goldfinches, 24 Linnets, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Little Egret, 2 Corn Buntings, 1 Rock Pipit, 4 Oystercatchers, 42 Turnstone, 6 Ringed Plovers, 2 Tufted Duck and 2 Coot.

Turnstone beginning to moult into breeding plumage

April 21st

I met Matt at Chamber's Wall this morning and we walked up to Coldharbour and back along the Green Wall. Birds we saw included 2 Blackcaps, 14 Whitethroats, 6 Goldfinches, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 21 Linnets, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 9 Mallard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 62 Corn Buntings, 2 Snipe, 3 Marsh Harriers, 2 Swallows W, 3 Reed Warblers, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Rock Pipit in breeding territory, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Egret, 1 reeling Grasshopper Warbler, a different bird to that seen by Dave, 14 Stock Doves, 2 Stonechats, 1 Shelduck, 1 Common Tern and 1 Chiffchaff. We also saw a Wall Brown on the seawall at Coldharbour.

Rock Pipit

 Dave Smith was also out early this morning and walked from Shuart and along the embankment to Chamber's Wall and back along the seawall. He counted 1 Ring Ouzel at Shuart, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Little Egrets, 4 Tufted Duck, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 13 Whitethroats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Reed Warbler, 6 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Shelduck, 2 Redshank, 7 Oystercatchers, 2 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Lapwings, 2 Marsh Harriers and 8 Red-legged Partridges.

April 20th

Although the sun was shining this morning there was a chilly NE breeze blowing as Matt walked from Reculver to Coldharbour where I met him and we then both walked along the seawall to Plumpudding and back along the embankment.We saw 8 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Stonechats, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Grey Heron, 19 Corn Buntings, 1 Gadwall, 2 Swallows W, 3 Blackcaps, 1 Lesser Whitethroat at Chamber's Wall (156th), 3 Long-tailed Tits,  3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Tern, 2 Greylag Geese, 1 Reed Warbler, 27 Mute Swans, 1 Lapwing, 3 Tufted Ducks, 6 Coot, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Kestrel, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 4 Shelduck, 17 Whitethroats, 23 Linnets and 8 Goldfinches.

Male Goldfinch

 April 19th

The highlight of the morning was a Hoopoe (155th) found by Matt at Reculver at 0630. He initially found it feeding on tractor tracks in a wheat field but it quickly flew up onto a telegraph pole before it landed on one of the toilet blocks in the old caravan park and proceeded to sing for ten seconds. It was then disturbed by a dog walker and flew east to the Oyster Farm and was not seen again despite being searched for by a number of the Reculver locals. This is the fifteenth record of this species for the Reculver area. There was also a male Ring Ouzel on the grass.

Hoopoe - Matt Hindle

After this Matt walked up to Chamber's Wall where I met him and we then walked along the seawall to Plumpudding and back along the railway embankment. Birds we saw included 10 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 9 Blackcaps, 9 Reed Warblers, 8 Shelduck, 12 Coot, 9 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Wheatears, 1 Snipe, 1 Stonechat, 9 Mediterranean Gulls E, 3 White Wagtails, 45 Corn Buntings, 26 Stock Doves, 4 Tufted Ducks, 2 Grey Herons, 4 Marsh Harriers, 1 Jay, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Kestrel, 1 Willow Warbler, 9 Pied Wagtails, 23 Mute Swans, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Lapwings, 1 adult Red Kite E, 2 Long-tailed Tit and good numbers of Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats.

When we got home 2 Red Kites flew W over our garden at Bishopstone. 

Later we visited Reculver and recorded 2 Red Kites W, 2 White Wagtails, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Sand Martins, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Reed Warbler and 5 Great Crested Grebes.

April 18th

Matt arrived at Chamber's Wall at dawn where I met him later and we then walked along the seawall to Plumpudding and back along the railway embankment. Between us we saw 55 Sedge Warblers, 24 Whitethroats, 14 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Grasshopper Warbler (153rd), 1 Ring Ouzel, 4 Reed Warblers, 3 Shelduck, 16 Mediterranean Gulls flying E, 9 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Willow Warbler, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Common Sandpipers (154th), 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Kestrel, 45 Corn Buntings, 1 White Wagtail, 1 Rock Pipit, 4 Grey Partridges, 2 Yellowhammers, 5 Coot, 3 Tufted Ducks, 1 Greenshank, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Little Egret, 1 Wheatear, 2 Greylag Geese, 24 Mute Swans, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Lapwings, 2 Long tailed Tits, 1 Sand Martin and 1 Snipe.

Sedge Warbler - Matt Hindle

April 17th

This morning I walked from Chamber's Wall to the Wantsum outflow and recorded 10 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 12 Sedge Warblers, 12 Linnets, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Kestrel, 8 Chaffinches, 13 Goldfinches, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Grey Herom,1 Nightingale calling occasionally from a large bramble bush beside the Wantsum, 86 Corn Buntings, 4 Mallard, 10 Magpies, 2 Sparrowhawks displaying, 2 Coot, 6 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Egret, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Redshank, 1 Kestrel, 6 Turnstone, 1 Swallow W, 5 Mediterranean Gulls and 1 Green Woodpecker.

Male Whitethroat

 Dave Smith walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour and back along the railway embankment and his highlights were 38 Mediterranean Gulls flying E, 1 Green Sandpiper, 7+ Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 23+ Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers and 1 Willow Warbler.

Julian and Alex Perry did the Chamber's Wall and Coldharbour circuit and their highlights were 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Nightingale, 1 Red Kite W, 3 Mediterranean Gulls and a pair of Yellowhammers.

Male Yellowhammer - Alex Perry

This afternoon at Reculver we saw 3 Common Buzzards, 3 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Shelduck, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Little Egret and 21 Sand Martins. We also had a Red Kite flying W over our garden at Bishopstone.

 April 16th

Although the sun was still shining there was a chilly breeze blowing this morning as I walked from Chamber's Wall to the Wantsum outflow. Birds I saw included 8 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Kestrel, 6 Goldfinches, 38 Linnets, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 15 Sedge Warblers, 3 Mallard, 3 Coot, 2 Mediterranean Gulls E, 33 Corn Buntings, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Redshank, 4 Oystercatchers, 36 Turnstone, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 White Wagtails, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Grey Partridge calling.

Marc Heath was also out this morning between 0515 and 0945 walked from Chamber's Wall to the Towers and back and counted 9 Whitethroats, 4 Reed Warblers, 4 Skylarks, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Kestrel, 1 Brambling, 2 Coot, 6 Oystercatchers, 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Little Egrets, 3 Redshank, 8 Reed Buntings, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 35 Corn Buntings. He also saw 1 Yellowhammer, 4 Mediterranean Gulls E, 3 Ringed Plovers, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Meadow Pipits, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Swallow and 1 Marsh Harrier.

This afternoon at Reculver we saw 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret and 3 Blackcaps and at Bishopstone a Red Kite flew W at 1510.

Bob Dewire and Anthea Skiffington walked from Chambers Wall to Plumpudding and their highlights were 2 Bramblings near Plumpudding, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 1 White Wagtail in the horse field and a Red Kite in the ploughed field by the railway line.