June 15th
With a blustery wind blowing we walked from Chamber's Wall along the seawall and then inland at Reculver. Birds we saw included 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Common Tern, 9 Whitethroats, 2 Cuckoos, 1 Turtle Dove, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Linnets, 9 Oystercatchers, 9 Mallard, 6 Ringed Plovers, 4 Shelduck, 1 Mute Swan, 5 Cormorants, 1 Grey Partridge, 2 Goldfinches, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 1 Little Grebe, 4 Coot and 20 Sand Martins.

Singing Dunnock

June 14th
On a cloudy morning we walked at Shuart where we recorded 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Green Woodpecker, 7 Whitethroats, 3 Blackcaps, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Mute Swan, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Jay.

Common Broomrape

June 13th
It was a cooler morning with a fresh SW wind blowing as we walked from Chamber's Wall and round Coldharbour before visiting Reculver on the way home. It was still relatively quiet, as is to be expected at this time of year, but we saw 1 Marsh Harrier, 6 Linnets, 9 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 11 Mute Swans, 2 Cuckoos, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Lapwings W, 107 Swifts W, 6 Mallard, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 Ringed Plovers, 5 Cormorants, 6 Oystercatchers, 1 Common Tern, 2 Shelduck, 1 Grey Herom, 1 House Martin W, 1 Turtle Dove, 2 Little Grebes, 1 male Pochard, 4 Coot and 1 Little Egret.

Black-headed Gull

June 12th
We started our walk at Chamber's Wall this morning with light rain falling and finished in bright humid sunshine. We saw 10 Whitethroats, 1 Turtle Dove, 3 Cormorants, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Cuckoos, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Linnets, 9 Mallard, 4 Swifts, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Shelduck, 6 Ringed Plovers, 5 Oystercatchers, 1 Turnstone, 6 Sandwich Terns, 1 Common Tern, 1 Mute Swan, 1 Blackcap and 1 Green Woodpecker.

A late Turnstone moulting into breeding plumage

While we did this Matt visited Shuart and saw 3 Turtle Doves, 1 Cuckoo and 1 Little Owl.
At Grenham Bay Terry Wilson counted 11 Gannets, 3 Common Terns and 1 Sandwich Tern this morning.

June 11th
We had a change of scenery and visited Marquenterre and Crecy Forest in Northern France on a breezy but warm day. Highlights of our trip were 4 Cattle Egrets, 3 Black-winged Stilts, 40 White Storks, 135 Spoonbills, 6 Black-necked Grebes, 4 Crested Tits, 2 juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons, 1 Great White Egret, 2 Serins, 6 Melodious Warblers and 2 Short-toed Treecreepers. We also saw good numbers of dragonflies including 2 Scarlet Darters and 1 Scarce Chaser.

Spoonbill

White Stork

Black-necked Grebe

Scarlet Darter

Scarce Chaser

While we were in France Julian Perry was at Shuart where he counted 5 Cuckoos and 1 Grasshopper Warbler.

June 10th
With no change in the weather from yesterday we didn't expect much as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Reculver but we were very pleased to see a Roseate Tern (166th) flying E between Reculver and Coldharbour. Other birds we saw included 7 Whitethroats, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Common Terns, 6 Mallard, 4 Linnets, 11 Ringed Plovers, 8 Oystercatchers, 5 Mute Swans, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Shelduck, 3 Tufted Ducks, 3 Cormorants, 1 Little Owl, 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 Gannets E, 4 Goldfinches, 1 Jay, 1 Little Grebe, 20 Sand Martins and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Gannets

June 9th
There was a strong and cool NE wind blowing in off the sea this morning making conditions unpleasant as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. We saw 2 Green Woodpeckers, 9 Whitethroats, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Corn Bunting, 4 Linnets, 4 Shelduck, 4 Cormorants, 3 Common Terns, 5 Oystercatchers, 2 Gannets E, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Mallard and 7 Mute Swans.

June 8th
Its was an uneventful morning as I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then inland. I saw 7 Whitethroats,  Cormorants, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Common Tern, 6 Linnets, 5 Shelduck, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Gadwall, 7 Oystercatchers, 6 Mallard, 7 Mute Swans, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Coot,  Tufted Duck and 1 Chiffchaff. I also saw a few Red-eyed Damselflies.

June 7th
On a beautiful early summer morning we walked around Shuart before dropping in at Reculver on the way home. Birds we saw included 2 Common Buzzards, 8 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Cuckoos, 13 Whitethroats, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Grasshopper Warbler still reeling near the railway crossing, 3 Goldfinches, 2 Mallard, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 12 Swifts, 2 Grey Partridges, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Jay, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Turtle Dove, 11 Mute Swans and 2 Little Grebes.
On the insect front we saw 4 Painted Ladies, 4 Small Heaths, 1 Brown Argus and 2 Hairy Dragonflies.

Grasshopper Warbler

Brown Argus

June 6th
Although it was sunny this morning it was 10°C cooler than yesterday with a cool SW wind blowing as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then inland. We saw 11 Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Kestrel, 1 Turtle Dove, 6 Linnets, 3 Swifts W, 1 Marsh Harrier, 9 Mallard, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 House Martins W, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Common Terns, 1 Garden Warbler, 31 Mute Swans, 2 Tufted Duck and 4 Coot.
We also saw a Weasel whilst the hot southerly airflow yesterday had produced a large influx of Painted Lady butterflies with at least 30 on the grass below the seawall at Coldharbour.

Painted Lady

June 5th
We managed a walk between two thunderstorms on a muggy morning at Reculver. We walked along the seawall from Reculver through a swarm of Pollen Beetles and recorded 1 Blackcap, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 1 White Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtails, 3 Shelduck, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Little Owl, 5 Cormorants, 4 Mallard, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 female Wheatear, 5 Oystercatchers, 2 Linnets, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron and 30 Sand Martins. We also saw 2 Painted Ladies.

A late spring migrant - female Wheatear

Later Matt walked round Shuart and saw 3 Hobbies, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Cuckoo and 20 Swifts. He also counted 40 Common Blue Damselflies, 1 Hairy and 1 Emperor Dragonfly.



June 4th
We spent a sunny, warm morning at Reculver ringing and saw 9 Blackcaps, including our first juvenile of the year, 40 Sand Martins, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Mallard, 1 Mute Swan, 4 Coot, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Swifts, 1 Hobby, 1 Jay and 1 Turtle Dove. We also saw 3 species of dragonfly; Broad-bodied Chaser, Hairy Dragonfly and Banded Demoiselle.

Adult male Kingfisher

June 3rd
On a bright morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then inland and counted 11 Whitethroats, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 7 Linnets, 10 Cormorants, 1 Turtle Dove, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Shelduck, 4 Ringed Plovers, 6 Little Egrets, 4 Mallard, 6 Oystercatchers, 15 Mute Swans, 1 Gadwall, 15 Swifts, 1 Common Tern, 8 House Martins W, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Blackcap, 4 Tufted Duck and 1 Grey Heron.

Male Gadwall

June 2nd
With a southerly gale blowing we walked around various sheltered spots at Reculver and Shuart and recorded 2 Grey Herons, 10 Swifts, 15 Swallows, 20 Sand Martins, 10 House Martins, 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Turtle Dove, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Coot, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Wheatear, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker. At sea there were 14 Sandwich Terns, 4 Shelduck and 1 Common Tern.

June 1st
June dawned sunny if a bit windy as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. Highlight of the morning was finding 2 Spoonbills (164th), an adult and an immature,  in Coldharbour. They seemed settled but flew a couple of times as cyclist and dog walkers walked along the seawall, but eventually were put up by a runner and flew E and then S over Shuart.
Other birds seen during our walk included 1 Blackcap, 3 Linnets, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Goldfinches, 3 Whitethroats, 3 Redshank, 1 Wheatear, 4 Shelduck, 9 Cormorants, 3 Swifts W, 16 Swallows W, 14 Oystercatchers, 5 Little Egrets, 9 Mallard, 1 Pied Wagtail, 8 Ringed Plovers, 2 Sandwich Terns E, 2 Grey Partridges, 2 Gadwall, 8 Mute Swans, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 1 Little Owl, 3 Common Terns and 1 Turtle Dove.

Adult and immature Spoonbill

Later Matt saw 10 Gannets and 3 Guillemots (165th) fly E at Reculver and this afternoon there was a Spotted Flycatcher in the dead trees near the cafe.