February 28th

On a dull and chilly morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver and saw  6 Mallard, 26 Linnets, 1 Curlew, 3 Meadow Pipits, 2 Goldfinches, 1,080 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Oystercatchers, 5 Turnstone, 3 Shelduck, 3 Redshank, 3 Skylarks and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls.

Norwegian colour ringed adult Great Black-backed Gull

 In the evening Matt heard a Tawny Owl calling at Shuart.

February 27th

With a cold NW wind blowing we spent nearly two hours seawatching at Reculver and counted 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls W, 18 Gannets E, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Grey Plover, 75 Red-throated Divers, 1 first winter Mediterranean Gull W and 4 Common Scoter W. 

February 26th

This morning we walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow and saw 1 Chiffchaff, 1,450 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale-belled Brent Goose,  12 Meadow Pipits, 10 Mallard, 20 Linnets, 3 Redshank, 11 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Stonechats, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 3 Turnstone, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Shelduck, 25 Carrion Crows, 2 Dunlin, 12 Wigeon, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Raven on the Towers.

Raven on the Towers

 

Dark-bellied Brent Geese at the Wantsum outflow

February 25th

On an overcast morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow where it appears that the Environment Agency are just about to complete there beach restoration work. We counted 4 Cetti's Warblers, 737 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Mallard, 20 Meadow Pipits, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Linnets, 3 Redshank, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Snow Buntings, a male and female, 3 Corn Buntings, 4 Goldfinches 5 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Oystercatchers, 5 Mute Swans, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Little Egret, 1 male Stonechat and 2 Shelduck.

Matt was out later and walked at Netherhale and saw 1 Firecrest, 3 Chiffchaffs, one with a pollen horn suggesting it had arrived from further south, 200 Chaffinches, 3 Common Buzzards, 34 Goldfinches, 3 Stonechats, 14 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Goldcrests.

A walk inland at Reculver this afternoon produced 18 Mallard, 30 Chaffinches, 34 Gadwall, 1 Common Buzzard, 27 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 42 Coot, 8 Little Grebes, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 4 Teal.

 February 24th

This morning was very wet and windy but we were greeted first thing by a Chiffchaff calling frequently in our garden at Bishopstone for about five minutes before it moved on. At this time of year it is difficult to pick out migrants from wintering birds but we have not seen or heard a Chiffchaff in our garden since November and our garden is only one road away from the coast. It therefore seems probable that this bird was a very early migrant.

 February 23rd

It was mild, bright and increasingly windy this morning as we walked along the seawall to the Wantsum outflow. Birds we saw included 12 Linnets, 6 Skylarks, 3 Gannets E, 4 Redshank, 6 Meadow Pipits, 360 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Reed Buntings, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Mallard, 2 Oystercatchers, 14 Wigeon, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Shelduck W, 1 Water Rail, 1 alba Wagtail, 2 Snow Buntings and 2 Goldfinches.

Winter plumage Oystercatcher

 

Female Snow Bunting

February 22nd

On a thoroughly wet morning we spent two hours seawatching and Minnis Bay where we recorded 61 Great Crested Grebes, 14 Red-throated Divers, 20 Shelduck, 27 Grey Plovers, 10 Dunlin, 30 Turnstone, 92 Oystercatchers, 600 Cormorants, 12 Curlew and 300 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

This afternoon Derek Smith walked from Shuart to Brooksend and on to Plumpudding. He saw 44 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 49 Tufted Duck,  9 Grey Heron, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Red Kite W, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls (118th), 130 Lapwings, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff and 4 Corn Buntings.

Red Kite - Derek Smith

 

Adult Mediterranean Gull - Derek Smith

February 21st

On a mild and breezy morning Matt walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and back via Brooksend and we walked in from Minnis Bay and met him at the riding stables. Between us we saw 1 Red Kite at Wade and 1 at Netherhale, 1 Stonechat, 7 Corn Buntings, 360 Lapwings, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Curlews, 63 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 40 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall, 20 Coot, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 second winter Caspian Gull flying W along the beach at Minnis Bay (117th), 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 1 Firecrest,  2 Pied Wagtails, 21 Oystercatchers, 11 Redshank, 2 Mallard, 14 Turnstone, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 293 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Little Egret, 10 Sanderling, 4 Ringed Plovers, a group of 21 Common Gulls flying W along the shore and 48 Great Crested Grebes.

This afternoon a Red Kite flew W near the Roman Galley. 

 February 19th

This morning we walked inland at Reculver and saw 22 Gadwall, 100 Woodpigeons, 1 Kestrel, 45 Mallard, 44 Coot, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 22 Teal, 2 Grey Herons, 21 Tufted Duck, 1 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Little Grebes, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 18 Meadow Pipits and 700 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

This afternoon I received information about a juvenile Blackcap we ringed at Reculver on 22nd July 2024. It was controlled at South Foreland as a female on 4th September 2024 and had flown 29 kilometres SSE.

 February 18th

This morning there was a female Blackcap (116th) feeding on the fat balls in our garden at Bishopstone. 

For  a change of scenery today we visited Abberton Reservoir in Essex and saw a good range of species in cold but sunny conditions. Highlights were 13 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Slavonian Grebes, 34 Goosanders, 12 Great White Egrets, 3 Egyptian Geese, 20 Goldeneye, 30 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Red Kites, 1 Ruff, 30 Pintails and 1 Black-throated Diver.

 February 17th

On a cold and sunny morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. It was relatively quiet but we did manage to see 930 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 10 Blackbirds, 6 Chaffinches, 12 Mute Swans, 2 Goldfinches, 2 Gadwall 1 Little Egret, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Mallard, 1 Stonechat, 12 Oystercatchers, 1 Skylark, 1 Raven, 1 Reed Bunting and 1 Common Buzzard.

Little Egret

 Matt walked at Reculver and counted 17 Tufted Duck, 7 Little Grebes, 48 Coot, 18 Gadwall, 1 Great Crested Grebe,  1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Grey Heron, 35 Mallard, 1 Cetti''s Warbler, 1 Firecrest and 1 Kestrel.

February 16th

It was another morning with a cold easterly wind blowing as we walked at Netherhale and Shuart. We saw 45 Greylag Geese, 3 Common Buzzards, 22 Lapwings, 60 Chaffinches, 2 Marsh Harriers, 16 Tufted Duck, 8 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Mallard, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 12 Goldfinches, 1 Little Egret, 1 Water Rail, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 female Hen Harrier hunting over Wade Marsh (115th).

Derek Smith was also out this morning and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and counted 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Grey Herons, 6 Common Buzzards, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 12 Great Black-backed Gulls, 22 Lapwings, 4 Curlew E, 2 Ravens, 9 Long-tailed Tits and 1 Cetti's Warbler. 

Raven - Derek Smith

February 15th

On another cold morning we walked onto the Marsh at Reculver and counted 1 Jay, 34 Mallard, 2 Moorhens, 300 Woodpigeons, 14 Gadwall, 60 Coot, 22 Teal, 1 Shelduck, 1 Grey Wagtail, 14 Tufted Duck, 6 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Redshank, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 40 Chaffinches, 8 Mute Swans, 150 Carrion Crows, 100 Rooks, 50 Jackdaws and 1 Green Woodpecker.

While we were at Reculver Matt visited Netherhale, Brooksend, Plumpudding and Shuart and saw 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 61 Greylag Geese, 2 Marsh Harriers, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Peregrine, 35 Chaffinches, 60 Lapwings, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Kestrel, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 47 Tufted Duck, 8 Gadwall, 10 Teal, 2 Grey Herons,  2 Canada Geese with 1 hybrid, 9 Coot, 2 Common Buzzards, 5 Shelduck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 40 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 2 Shoveler.

February 13th

There was a cold NW breeze blowing and it was overcast this morning as we walked at Netherhale and Brooksend. Birds we saw included 2 Common Buzzards, 70 Chaffinches, 400 Woodpigeons, 43 Tufted Duck, 80 Linnets, 2 Goldcrests, 1 Red Kite (114th), 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Brambling, 200 Rooks, 200 Jackdaws, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Raven, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Grey Heron, 55 Greylag Geese, 1 Kestrel, 35 Lapwings and 2 Canada Geese.

We also saw a Purple Sandpiper at Minnis Bay and 6 Wigeon flying W at Reculver. 

 February 12th

On a cold and very quiet morning the only change was that the Environment Agency was repairing the winter storm damage to the beach. We walked up to the Wantsum Outflow but only saw 685 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Redshank, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 52 Carrion Crows, 6 Mallard, 110 Herring Gulls W, 4 Stonechats and 1 Grey Heron.

Repairing the sea defences at Reculver

 

February 11th

It was cold with a drizzly north-west breeze blowing this morning as we had a brief walk at Reculver and recorded 1 Redwing, 6 Ringed Plovers, 2 Sanderling, 70 Herring Gulls W, 820 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 4 Mallard.