January 15th
After a gale force NW wind and near freezing temperatures overnight we arrived at Reculver just as it was getting light for an hour long seawatch. In the event there wasn't a great deal to see just the usual 450 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 481 Cormorants as well as 2 Great Skuas E, 2 Red-throated Divers, 4 Gannets W and 1 Kittiwake.
After this we had a walk along West Brook Valley and saw 1 Common Buzzard, 1 female Bullfinch (110th), 8 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests and 2 Redwings.
Half an hour at the Towers after lunch produced 13 Little Gulls W, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 large auk E, 7 Red-throated Divers E and 3 Sanderling.

Today I received ringing details of the colour ringed juvenile Great Black-backed Gull I saw at Reculver on 21st December 2015. It had been ringed as a pullus at Gylteskjaer, Tvedestrand, Aust-Agder, NORWAY on 3rd July 2015. This means that it had flown 942 km SSW.
A significant proportion of Great Black-backed Gulls seen in Kent in the winter originate from Norway.

Great Black-backed Gull (JZ738)

January 14th
This morning with the tide low we completed the Non-Estuarine Waterbird Survey (NEWS) between Reculver and Herne Bay. Matt counted the section from Reculver to Bishopstone and saw 3 Oystercatchers, 17 Ringed Plovers, 1 Curlew, 4 Turnstone, 77 Sanderling, 9 Redshank, 10 Grey Plovers, 289 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 39 Cormorants, 251 Black-headed Gulls, 5 Common Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 119 Herring Gulls, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Kittiwakes, 86 Carrion Crows, 1 Skylark, 1 Pied Wagtail, 5 Meadow Pipits, 6 House Sparrows and 1 Peregrine (109th).

January 13th
We had an away day today at Dungeness where it was sunny if a bit chilly. We saw some nice birds including a smart and tame first winter Caspian Gull and also found a Dartford Warbler with 2 Stonechats in the scrub behind a house called "Pluto" near the road entrance to Dungeness Estate.

January 12th
On a bright and breezy morning we completed our regular walk from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 820 Cormorants, 7 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Gannets, 1 Kittiwake, 630 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 20 Sanderling, 9 Mute Swans, 16 Redshank, 19 Ringed Plovers, 6 Grey Plovers, 54 Oystercatchers, 3 Curlews, 34 Linnets, 2 Ravens on the seawall and then flying out to the Wantsum mussel bed, 22 Carrion Crows, 11 Shelduck, 22 Mallard, 1 Little Egret, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Lapwing, 4 Stonechats, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Chiffchaff.

Ravens

  

January 11th
We got soaked this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 598 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Mute Swans, 181 Cormorants, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Little Grebes, 11 Grey Plovers, 14 Ringed Plovers, 22 Redshank, 4 Sanderling, 81 Oystercatchers, 11 Shelduck, 2 Curlews, 21 Turnstone, 7 Mallard, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Egret and 2 Goldfinches.

January 10th
After overnight rain it was a chilly morning as we walked along the promenade from Minnis Bay. We counted 85 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Curlews, 63 Oystercatchers, 33 Grey Plovers, 19 Turnstone, 1 Little Egret, 23 Redshank, 14 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Gannets E, 4 Ringed Plovers, 55 Dunlin, 1 Grey Wagtail and 5 Sanderling.

Little Egret

This afternoon we walked at Reculver and found 4 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 4 Chiffchaffs, 13 Tufted Ducks, 6 Coot, 4 Mute Swans, 7 Pochard, 16 Gadwall, 550 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 1 Stonechat.
During the day Dave Smith had a Mediterranean Gull (108th) fly over his garden at Bishopstone.

January 9th
This morning we walked round Shuart and then dropped in at Reculver on the way home. We saw 1 Green Woodpecker, 27 Mute Swans, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 220 Fieldfares, 48 Redwings, 2 Grey Herons, 18 Goldfinches, 10 Long-tailed Tits, 105 Greylag Geese, 8 Lesser Redpolls, 28 Chaffinches, 26 Blackbirds, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Green Sandpiper, 13 Tufted Duck, 7 Pochard, 4 Coot, 8 Gadwall and 1 Chiffchaff.

January 8th
On a wonderful winter's morning with the sun shining brightly we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and counted 544 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Shelduck, 23 Redshank, 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 Turnstone, 1 Raven flying E (107th), 179 Cormorants, 3 Stonechats, 12 Goldfinches, 18 Reed Buntings, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Short-eared Owls, 1 Grey Plover, 43 Carrion Crows, 22 Mallard, 12 Ringed Plovers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 15 Linnets, 12 Chaffinches, 1 Little Owl, 5 Mute Swans and 6 Sanderling.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese

January 7th
With more torrential rain falling this morning we decided to have a seawatch from Minnis Bay. The weather cleared after about an hour and in two hours we managed to see 84 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 16 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Goldeneye (102nd), 5 Gannets, 158 Cormorants, 11 Common Scoters, 1 Fulmar (103rd), 20 Red-throated Divers, 1 Red-breasted Merganser (104th), 1 Great Skua 1 Shoveler (105th), 2 Kittiwakes, 1 Black-throated Diver (106th) and 5 large auks.

January 6th
At last a calm dry morning that allowed us to have our first ringing session of 2016 at Reculver. During the morning we saw or heard 2 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 13 Goldfinches, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 3 Water Rails, 21 Stock Doves, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 12 Tufted Ducks, 8 Pochard, 4 Coot, 22 Gadwall, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 45 Golden Plovers, 11 Redwings, 1 Siskin, 2 Goldcrests and 1 Kingfisher.

Birds ringed 13: Wren 2, Great Tit 2, Robin 1, Blue Tit 1, Dunnock 3, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 3.

Robin

January 5th
With frequent torrential rain falling we decided to have a seawatch at Minnis Bay where there is some shelter. In about an hour we saw 17 Red-throated Divers, 31 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Kittiwakes (98th), 12 Gannets, 3 Guillemots, 1 Razorbill (99th), 7 Common Scoter (100th), 40 Great Black-backed Gulls and 1 Shelduck.
This afternoon we walked inland at Reculver and saw 1 Grey Wagtail, 5 Pochard, 14 Tufted Duck, 61 Gadwall, 1 Little Grebe, 4 Coot, 2 Mallard, 1 Teal, 35 Cormorants, 28 Mute Swans, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Snipe, 1 Stonechat, 1 Common Buzzard, 400 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 15 Redwing, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (101st), 40 Lapwings and 1 Goldcrest.

January 4th
With threatening clouds passing to the south of us this morning we walked from Reculver to Coldhabour. Birds we saw included 160 Cormorants, 2 Pied Wagtails, 502 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Green Woodpeckers, 7 Mute Swans, 33 Meadow Pipits, 1 Kingfisher, 40 Fieldfares, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Grey Wagtail, 8 Redshank, 1 Great Skua W (97th), 3 Oystercatchers, 15 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 Sanderling, 12 Reed Buntings, 44 Carrion Crows, 2 Ringed Plovers, 21 Golden Plovers, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Stonechats, 17 Mallard, 6 Shelduck, 2 Curlew, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Gannet, 45 Linnets, 14 Goldfinches and 2 Chiffchaffs.

January 3rd
With the weather deteriorating quickly this morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 580 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 16 Great Black-backed Gulls, 8 Redshank, 27 Cormorants, 14 Mute Swans, 1 Short-eared Owl, 2 Stonechats, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 15 Mallard, 2 Curlew, 7 Goldfinches, 15 Linnets, 33 Carrion Crows, 14 Oystercatchers, 6 Chaffinches, 8 Shelduck, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Turnstone and 2 Pied Wagtails.

January 2nd
This morning there was a fresh SW wind blowing as we walked around the Shuart area and saw 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 17 Goldfinches, 33 Lapwings, 1 Golden Plover, 6 Corn Buntings, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Common Buzzards, 24 Fieldfares, 5 Redwings and 20 Blackbirds.
Later at Reculver we had a group of 6 Green Sandpipers, 2 Stonechats, 4 Tufted Duck, 5 Pochard, 59 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Teal and 4 Coot.

Male Stonechat

January 1st  -  Happy New Year
As usual Matt and I set out on New Year's Day to see how many species we could find in the Reculver Marshes recording area. We began in the dark at 0700 and were rewarded by hearing 7 calling Grey Partridges and 1 Little Owl. Other birds seen and heard in the area included 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Snipe, 2 Water Rails, 4 Pochard, 62 Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 30 Brent Geese, 12 Sanderling, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Siskin and 1 Cetti's Warbler.
As we walked inland we recorded 1 Short-eared Owl at the Oyster Farm, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Siskins, 200 Fieldfares, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Kingfishers, 6 Yellowhammers, 3 Corn Buntings, 5 Redwings and 15 Golden Plovers.
Next we moved on to Shuart where we found 5 Ring-necked Parakeets, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Lesser Redpolls, 3 Fieldfares, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Siskin, 1 Grey Heron, 10 Redwings, 18 Fieldfares, 2 Common Buzzards, 34 Mute Swans, 1 Greylag Goose, 2 Bearded Tits and 1 Water Rail.
We drove back home for lunch and met at Minnis Bay at 1400 where we had an excellent hour seeing 110 Oystercatchers, 6 Curlew, 10 Redshank, 4 Red-throated Divers, 64 Turnstone, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 58 Grey Plovers, 9 Gannets E, 1 Little Egret, 15 Ringed Plovers, 53 Dunlin, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 14 Little Gulls E and 1 Guillemot E.
On our way home we managed to find 15 Tree Sparrows at Bishopstone and finished the day on 88 species.
Julian and Alex Perry and Marc Heath were also out all day and saw 8 species we didn't: Lapwing, Woodcock, Barn Owl, Jay, Rock Pipit, Stonechat, Black Redstart and Greenfinch. This takes the total for the area to 96 species.