February 16th
We arrived at Chamber's Wall just as the early morning fog was lifting and walked up to Coldharbour and then along the seawall. Birds we saw included 1 Snipe, 1 Golden Plover, 4 Ringed Plovers, 127 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 7 Gadwall, 3 Shelduck, 53 Mute Swans, 10 Redshank, 1 Grey Plover, 4 Snow Buntings, 35 Mallard, 9 Oystercatchers, 1 Sanderling, 4 Turnstone, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Pied Wagtail, 42 Carrion Crows, 8 Skylarks, 16 Tufted Duck, 2 male Shoveler and 2 Coot.

Mallard are beginning to pair up and display

February 15th
On a beautiful, springlike morning we walked inland at Reculver and saw 42 Fieldfares, 17 Mute Swans, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 500 Woodpigeons, 4 Coot, 11 Mallard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 10 Gadwall, 14 Tufted Duck, 1 Teal, 12 Goldfinches, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Stonechat, 184 Redwings, 1 Grey Heron, 84 Corn Buntings, 100 Reed Buntings, 6 Yellowhammers, 4 Tree Sparrows, 2 Long-tailed Tits and 3 Greenfinches.

February 14th
This morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and then inland at Reculver. We recorded 2 Pied Wagtails, 520 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 21 Mute Swans, 82 Oystercatchers, 17 Cormorants, 12 Ringed Plovers, 25 Redshank, 22 Linnets, 4 Snow Buntings, 2 Stonechats, 1 Little Egret, 18 Lapwings, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Shelduck, 2 Green Woodpckers, 23 Mallard, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Green Sandpipers, 14 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall, 2 Coot, 1 Grey Heron and 600 Woodpigeons.
During this morning's visit to Reculver, Alex and Julian Perry managed to find the Common Sandpiper at the Oyster Farm.

February 12th
We spent the morning ringing on the Marsh and saw 1 Common Buzzard, 6 Fieldfares, 20 Yellowhammers, 15 Tree Sparrows, 90 Corn Buntings, 4 Mute Swans, 1 Sparrowhawk, 17 Greylag Geese (8S, 9W), 150 Reed Buntings and 110 Stock Doves.

Male Yellowhammer

February 11th
This morning we ringed at West Brook Valley and caught 17 Chiffchaffs including one with a Belgian ring. Other birds we saw included 800 Woodpigeons, 40 Fieldfares, 3 Grey Wagtails, 2 Goldcrests, 1 Sparrowhawk, 70 Rooks, 8 Long-tailed Tits and 1 Bullfinch.
This afternoon we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back via the Green Wall and railway embankment. Birds we saw included 372 Cormorants S, 52 Golden Plovers, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Redshank, 5 Mute Swans, 2 Greylag Geese W, 8 Great Crested Grebes, 37 Grey Plovers, 27 Mallard, 2 Shelduck, 35 Oystercatchers, 1 Stonechat, 8 Snow Buntings, 16 Ringed Plovers, 650 Brent Geese and 1 Grey Heron.

February 10th
We spent an exciting morning ringing on the Marsh where we ringed 138 birds of which 115 were Reed Buntings! The totals of birds seen during the morning were 120 Corn Buntings, 700 Fieldfares, 2 Sparrowhawks, 22 Yellowhammers, 20 Tree Sparrows, 250 Reed Buntings and 80 Stock Doves.

Male Reed Bunting

Female Reed Bunting

Female Yellowhammer

Fieldfare

This afternoon Terry Wilson found a Short-eared Owl at the Oyster Farm.

February 9th
On an overcast morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 490 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 31 Redshank, 1 Kestrel, 13 Mute Swans, 7 Sanderling, 7 Grey Plovers, 26 Linnets, 2 Curlew, 4 Ringed Plovers, 26 Oystercatchers, 1 Turnstone, 28 Mallard, 3 Shleduck, 1 Little Egret, 8 Snow Buntings, 13 Dunlin, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Golden Plovers, 2 Kingfishers, 1 Stonechat, 1 Chiffchaff, 1Water Rail, 2 Gadwall, 9 Tufted Duck, 2 Coot and 1 Common Buzzard.

Male Snow Bunting

February 8th
On a beautiful sunny morning with a chilly N wind blowing we completed the Chamber's Wall/Coldharbour/Green Wall loop and recorded 1 Jay, 1 Kestrel, 16 Reed Buntings, 2 Little Grebes, 16 Oystercatchers, 7 Grey Plovers, 6 Redshank, 142 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 28 Mallard, 18 Carrion Crows, 1 Curlew, 2 Dunlin, 1 Marsh Harrier, 15 Lapwings, 13 Mute Swans, 3 Shelduck, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Kingfishers, 8 Corn Buntings, 10 Magpies 6 Tufted Duck and 2 Sparrowhawks.
This morning Julian Perry spent an hour along the West Brook Valley where he recorded 1 Common Buzzard, 300+ Woodpigeons, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Jay, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 7 Skylarks, 20+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Grey Wagtail and 11 Meadow Pipits.

February 7th
Thankfully the strong E wind had subsided overnight as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour with Julian and Alex Perry this morning. We saw 1 Kestrel, 887 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 22 Redshank, 3 Stonechats, 22 Oystercatchers, 9 Grey Plovers, 13 Mute Swans, 2 Shelduck, 9 Mallard, 5 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlin, 18 Corn Buntings, 1 Little Egret, 1 Snipe, 2 Sanderling, 70 Rooks, 12 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall and 2 Coot.

February 6th
A wander around at Reculver this morning only produced 150 Cormorants, 650 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Jay, 14 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Egret, 1 Mute Swan, 3 Mallard and 1 Teal.
In lovely sunshine but a biting NE wind Julian Perry visited Minnis Bay at lunchtime for a walk and some seawatching. Birds seen included 2 Brent Geese, 2 Common Scoters, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Fulmar, 50+ Oystercatchers, 12 Grey Plovers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 2 Curlews, 15 Redshanks, 5 Turnstones, 10 Sanderlings, 10 Dunlins and 2 Great Skuas harassing the gulls.

February 5th
We visited various sites at Reculver and Brooksend this morning successfully dodging the wintry showers that were being blown in on a cold N wind. We saw 8 Tufted Ducks, 1 Mute Swan, 2 Coot, 1 Jay, 60 Corn Buntings, 85 Stock Doves, 150 Reed Buntings, 1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Teal, 8 Gadwall and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
This afternoon we had a 40 minute seawatch at Minnis Bay and saw 66 Red-throated Divers E, 1 Great Northern Diver E (110th) with 5 Red-throated Divers, 180 Cormorants and 1 Fulmar.

February 4th
This morning we completed the Chamber's Wall/Coldharbour/Green Wall loop and recorded 1 Grey Heron, 42 Corn Buntings, 680 Brent Geese, 1 Peregrine, 1 Yellowhammer, 3 Stonechats, 16 Redshank, 8 Shelduck, 11Mallard, 10 Oystercatchers, 9 Snow Buntings, 16 Carrion Crows, 12 Sanderling, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 12 Magpies, 7 Skylarks and 2 Kestrels.
This is the time of year when there is little work on the farms and workers are sent out to what is euphemistically called "tidy" the dykes, hedges and brambles. We watched a good deal of good winter cover and breeding sites destroyed this morning.

February 3rd
On the Marsh this morning we counted 2 Common Buzzards, 162 Cormorants flying S, 8 Yellowhammers, 110 Corn Buntings, 20 Tree Sparrows, 250 Reed Buntings, 1 Kestrel, 104 Stock Doves, 14 Golden Plovers, 1 Marsh Harrier and 15 Fieldfares.

Male Yellowhammer

This afternoon, as wintry showers swept across in front of us, we had a 40 minute seawatch at Minnis Bay and saw 400 Cormorants, 15 Kittiwakes, 2 Red-throated Divers, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 42 Grey Plovers, 25 Dunlin, 251 Oystercatchers, 66 Turnstone, 5 Curlew and 120 Sanderling.



February 2nd
On a sunny but freezing morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 678 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Mistle Thrush, 9 Shelduck, 3 Stonechats, 12 Mute Swans, 2 Peregrines, 200 Cormorants, 3 Turnstone, 9 Snow Buntings, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Sanderling, 1 Redshank and 1 Kestrel.

February 1st
In unpleasant conditions with a cold and strong NW wind blowing we spent half an hour at Minnis Bay this morning and did not see a great deal, just 11 Great Crested Grebes, 279 Cormorants, 2 Red-throated Divers and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
This morning Alex and Julian Perry braved the NW wind at Reculver and spent an hour and a half seawatching at the Towers seeing 52 Brent Geese, 2 Red-throated Divers, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Gannet and 3 Great Skuas, two of which showed very well as they passed by close in below the Towers. They then moved on to Minnis Bay for another half an hour and saw 3 Shelducks, 11 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Gannet and a huge stream of 1000+ Cormorants moving W.