August 16th
We spent the morning ringing at Reculver during which time we saw 1 Treecreeper, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Kingfisher, 8 Chiffchaffs, 7 Whitethroats, 11 Blackcaps, 10 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Little Owl, 42 Sand Martins, 1 Hobby unsuccessfully chasing a Linnet, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebes, 4 Coot, 9 Mallard, 2 Tree Pipits W, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Mute Swans, 2 Kestrels, 1 Jay, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Golden Plover.

Female Bullfinch

During the morning Micky Baldock saw a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (175th) flying S from the trees at the top of Brook Lane. This is the first area record of this species since 2005.
Derek Smith was also out this morning between 0630 and 1100 birding from Shuart to Plumpudding and the railway embankment and then Chambers Wall to Potten Street. He saw 14 Willow Warblers, 22 Reed Warblers, 14 Blackcap, 78+ Whitethroats, 21 Sedge Warblers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 7 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Greenshank, 5 Green Sandpipers and 35 Reed Buntings. The bushes at the west end of the embankment where it meets the Green Wall were crawling with warblers, particularly Whitethroats.
This evening Matt walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and the Green Wall and counted 14 Dunlin, 1 Sanderling, 6 Turnstone, 11 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Kingfishers and 1 Little Egret.

August 15th
We arrived at Reculver at 0730 on an overcast morning and spent two and a half hours walking up to Coldharbour and then inland. We had a good morning seeing 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 Black Redstarts, 9 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 1 Wheatear, 1 juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 2 Little Owls. 5 Mute Swans, 3 Whitethroats, 8 Cormorants, 10 Redshank, 4 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 29 Ringed Plovers, 8 Common Sandpipers, 9 Yellow Wagtails, 7 Shelduck, 49 Oystercatchers, 24 Linnets, 9 Teal, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Greenshank, 1 Wood Sandpiper (174th), 9 Green Sandpipers, 2 Turnstone, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 dark phase Arctic Skua, 6 Golden Plover, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Peregrine, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Jay, 1 Turtle Dove, 8 Mallard and 4 Little Grebes.
Derek Smith birded at Shuart, Plumpudding and Brooksend this morning and recorded 60 Swallows, 4 Willow Warblers, 6 Blackcaps, 19 Whitethroats, 7 Wheatears on a ploughed field at Brooksend, 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Common Buzzards, 35 Lapwings W and 1 Swift W.

August 14th
We spent an increasingly breezy morning ringing at Shuart and saw 6 Common Buzzards, 4 Kestrels, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 6 Sedge Warblers, 7 Whitethroats, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 58 Linnets, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Willow Warblers, 22 Swallows, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Blackcaps, 24 Reed Warblers, 2 Turtle Doves, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Lapwings, 1 Hobby, 1 Golden Plover and 1 Green Sandpiper.

Juvenile Sedge Warbler

August 13th
Matt arrived at Reculver at 0700 and walked up to Coldharbour before returning along the railway embankment and the Oyster Farm. He counted 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Common Scoter, 8 Little Egrets, 4 Common Sandpipers, 57 Oystercatchers, 1 Kestrel, 22 Golden Plovers, 22 Ringed Plovers, 12 Redshank, 9 Turnstone, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Knot, 7 Shelduck, 3 Sparrowhawks, 1 Chiffchaff, 10 Goldfinches, 7 Green Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Grey Herons and 16 Dunlin.
We then drove over to Shuart seeing 1 Whinchat and 1 Wheatear by Brook windmill. At Shuart we recorded 4 Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats, 5 Red-legged Partridges, 2 Kestrels, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Jay, 10 Swallows, 15 House Martins and 1 Common Buzzard.
This afternoon we had a look from Reculver car park where we met Micky Baldock who had seen 1 dark phase Arctic Skua (173rd) flying E, 12 Gannets, 1 Common Tern, 2 Whimbrel and 1 Common Scoter. All we added was 1 juvenile Mediterranean Gull.

August 12th
There was a moderate NE wind blowing in rain off the sea this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 4 Cormorants, 1 Turtle Dove singing, 4 Whitethroats, 7 Goldfinches, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Redshank, 7 Shelduck, 8 Oystercatchers, 2 Turnstone, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Ringed Plover and 8 Mallard.

August 11th
On a still and overcast morning with spits and spots of rain falling we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. Birds we saw included 2 Black Redstarts at the Towers, 5 Pied Wagtails, 30 Linnets, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 33 Swallows W, 31 Sand Martins W, 7 Little Egrets, 7 Cormorants, 1 Little Owl, 1 Common Sandpiper, 10 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Grey Herons, 7 Redshank, 20 Turnstone, 88 Ringed Plovers, 26 Sanderling, 14 Dunlin, 12 Oystercatchers and 7 Shelduck.
Marc Heath was also out this morning and in addition to what we saw recorded 2 Whinchats, 2 Wheatears and 1 juvenile Mediterranean Gull.

Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Dunlin

Matt walked around the Oyster Farm this evening and saw 1 Greenshank, 4 Green Sandpipers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 16 Dunlin, 10 Redshank, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron and 6 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls.

August 10th
This morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then inland at Reculver. We saw 8 Goldfinches, 1 Chiffchaff, 7 Whitethroats, 1 Greenshank, 1 Willow Warbler, 7 Shelduck, 31 Linnets, 8 Cormorants, 33 Oystercatchers, 5 Sandwich Terns, 1 Redshank, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 78 Ringed Plovers, 7 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 6 Common Terns W, 12 Swallows W, 2 Wheatears, 3 Sanderling, 15 Turnstone, 1 Little Egret, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrels, 5 Mute Swans, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Coot, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Green Sandpiper and 10 Sand Martins.

August 9th
On a wonderful late summer Sunday morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour avoiding most of the cyclists, runners and holidaymakers. We saw 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Little Owl, 1 Greenshank, 8 Little Egrets, 53 Linnets, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Redshank, 8 Cormorants, 1 Wheatear, 7 Turnstone, 51 Ringed Plovers, 4 Dunlin, 7 Shelduck, 3 Oystercatchers, 3 Mallard, 3 Sanderling, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 9 Sandwich Terns W, 2 Goldfinches, 1 juvenile Black Redstart flycatching at the Towers, 3 Mute Swans, 2 Jays, 1 singing Turtle Dove, 2 Tufted Duck and 2 Little Grebes.

Curlew Sandpiper and Ringed Plover

Juvenile Black Redstart

This evening Matt walked to Plumpudding and counted 16 Whimbrel, 40 Ringed Plovers, 30 Turnstone,  8 Sanderling, 2 Dunlin and 1 Green Sandpiper.

August 8th
We spent this morning ringing at our regular Reculver ringing site and saw 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 4 Turtle Doves, 6 Chiffchaffs, 4 Coot, 3 Tufted Duck, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Jays, 6 Mallard, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Kingfisher, 10 Blackcaps, 12 Chaffinches, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Hobby, 4 Whitethroats and 1 Sparrowhawk, We also counted 25 Migrant Hawkers, 1 Brown Hawker, 1 Emperor Dragonfly, 1 Banded Demoiselle and good numbers of Common Darters and Common Blue Damselflies.

Juvenile Kingfisher

Derek Smith walked round Shuart, Plumpudding and Coldharbour this morning from 0600 to 0930. The highlight of his visit was a Bittern (172nd) flying S over the embankment at 0815, then a little later back N over to the reedbed at the Swan's Neck. Other birds he saw included 4 Kestrels, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Oystercatchers, 12 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, 1 Whimbrel E, 3 Common Sandpipers, 180 Black-headed Gulls in ploughed field at Plumpudding, 18 Sedge Warblers, 14 Reed Warblers, 32 Whitethroats, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warblers and 8 Yellow Wagtails.

 

Bittern

 

August 7th
We spent another sunny morning ringing, this time at Shuart. During our time there we saw 3 Kestrels, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Common Buzzards, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Garden Warblers, 56 Linnets, 1 Raven landing in the sheep fields at Netherhale, 15 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Hobby feeding on dragonflies, 5 Blackcaps, 5 Whitethroats, 30 Reed Warblers, 10 Sedge Warblers, including a leucistic bird, 1 Siskin, 8 Greenfinches, 1 Sparrowhawk, 12 Greylag Geese, 1 Grey Heron and 4 Mallard.

Leucistic Sedge Warbler

This evening Matt walked around the Oyster Farm and saw 10 Redshank, 5 Dunlin, 7 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank, 5 Grey Herons, 8 Little Egrets and 1 Little Owl.



August 6th
On an increasingly blustery morning we ringed out on the Marsh and saw 8 Willow Warblers, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Ringed Plovers S, 3 Kestrels, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Turtle Dove, 4 Sedge Warblers, 12 Reed Warblers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Mallard, 1 Marsh Harrier and 2 Jays.

August 5th
We spent a pleasant morning ringing at Shuart where we saw 4 Common Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 17 Mallard, 6 Linnets, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 15 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Red-legged Partridge, 7 Goldfinches, 10 Corn Buntings, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Greenfinches, 45 Reed Warblers, 4 Sedge Warblers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Siskin, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Turtle Dove. We also found 2 Migrant Hawkers.

Willow Warbler

Lesser Whitethroat

On a very warm afternoon we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour where we sat on the beach for a while. We saw 1 Common Buzzard, 5 Whitethroats, 7 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret, 23 Turnstone, 10 Oystercatchers, 4 Common Terns, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 6 Ringed Plovers, 8 Sanderling, 1 Whimbrel, 60 Sandwich Terns W, 4 Yellow Wagtails and 1 Dunlin.

August 4th
On another warm and breezy morning we walked along the seawall to Coldharbour and recorded 4 Pied Wagtails, 20 Sand Martins, 15 Linnets, 11 Cormorants, 1 Kingfisher, 18 Little Egrets roosting in the conifers by the Oyster Farm buildings, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Oystercatchers, 7 Redshank, 11 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Plover, 5 Shelduck, 5 Turnstone, 1 Dunlin, 1 Wheatear, 1 Sanderling, 1 Little Owl and 2 Goldfinches. On the Roman walls at Reculver there were 4 Hummingbird Hawk Moths and 2 Wall Browns.

Sea Holly

Derek Smith was also out this morning at 0630 and walked from Shuart along the railway embankment to the Green Wall and back along the seawall. He counted 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Grey Herons, 1 Little Egret, 23 Ringed Plovers, 7 Turnstone, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Whimbrel, 8 Redshank, 12 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 38 Whitethroats, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Willow Warblers and 1 Chiffchaff.



August 3rd
We visited a breezy but warm Reculver this morning and walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour before walking inland at Reculver. We saw 2 Turtle Doves, 4 Willow Warblers, 4 Whitethroats, 8 Cormorants, 6 Goldfinches, 1 Lapwing, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 1 juvenile Cuckoo, 5 Shelduck, 2 Whimbrel, 3 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Egret, 28 Redshank, 1 Kestrel, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Mute Swans, 2 Tufted Duck, 4 Coot, 2 Little Grebes, 6 Gadwall, 1 female and 5 young, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Grey Heron.

July 27th - August 2nd
We have spent the last few days visiting and birding in Scotland.