August 15th
On a sunny morning with a SE breeze blowing we had a ringing session at Shuart where we saw 37 Greylag Geese, 1 Tree Pipit W, 1 Kingfisher, 10 Reed Warbler, 6 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 6 Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Treecreeper and 2 Marsh Harriers.

Birds ringed 16: Treecreeper 1, Wren 2, Blackcap 4, Whitethroat 5, Sedge Warbler 2, Reed Warbler 2.

Juvenile Treecreeper

Derek Smith was also out this morning and walked from Shuart along the railway embankment and back via Coldharbour and Plumpudding. He counted 6 Sandwich Terns E, 1 juvenile Marsh Harrier, 1 Ruff E, 3 Common Sandpipers, 8 Dunlin, 1 Wheatear, 14 Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats and 1 Willow Warbler.
Bird of the day was found this morning by Tony Menning in the shape of a juvenile Purple Heron he photographed as it flew out of the reeds at the side of the River Wantsum. This was the fourteenth Purple Heron recorded in the area and the second this year following one seen in April.

Juvenile Purple Heron - Tony Menning

August 14th
This morning we completed our regular walk from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 1 Turtle Dove, 28 Linnets, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 12 Whitethroats, 5 Sedge Warblers, 4 Cormorants, 7 Redshank, 2 Little Egrets, 22 Goldfinches, 7 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plovers, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Turnstone, 1 Greenshank, 2 Sandwich Terns, 3 Gannets E, 1 Fulmar W, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Kestrel and 1 male Marsh Harrier.

Greenshank

August 13th
On a sunny but breezy morning we parked at Chamber's Wall and walked to Coldharbour. We counted 4 Goldfinches, 6 Chiffchaffs, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Little Egrets, 24 Linnets, 2 Marsh Harriers, 7 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Redshank, 12 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plovers, 6 Oystercatchers, 4 Turnstone, 6 Cormorants, 10 Swallow flying W, 1 Whitethroat and 8 Long-tailed Tits.

August 12th
On our regular walk from Chamber's Wall and around Coldharbour this morning we saw 36 House Sparrow, 35 Linnets, 3 Willow Warblers, 12 Goldfinches, 12 Whitethroats, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Skylarks, 1 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plovers, 5 Whimbrel W, 17 Oystercatchers, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls W, 2 Redshank, 11 Turnstone, 1 Sanderling, 1 Ruff W, 2 Avocets E, 5 Cormorants, 2 Kestrels and 1 juvenile Stonechat.

Willow Warbler catching insects in Hogweed

August 11th
Our walk from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour this morning began in unforecast rain which eventually petered out. We saw 6 Goldcrests, 3 Whitethroats, 11 Mallard, 5 Redshank, 4 Ringed Plovers, 8 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Turnstone, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Little Ringed Plover (168th) on the beach before flying W calling loudly, 2 Oystercatchers, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 7 Cormorants, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 2 Linnets.

Greenshank with 2 Redshank

August 10th
Although mainly sunny this morning was cool with a northerly breeze blowing as we ringed at Reculver. We saw 3 Jays, 1 Bullfinch, 4 Green Sandpipers, 2 Ringed Plovers flying S, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff, 10 Long-tailed Tits, 18 Goldfinches, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Treecreeper and 1 Garden Warbler.

Birds ringed 21: Sedge Warbler 1, Blackcap 2, Blue Tit 3, Reed Warbler 5, Goldfinch 1, Chaffinch 1, Bullfinch 1, Whitethroat 1, Robin 1, Garden Warbler 1, Dunnock 1, Song Thrush 3.

Male Bullfinch

August 9th
It felt very autumnal this morning as we began ringing at Reculver but it soon warmed up as the morning progressed. We saw 5 Willow Warblers, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Jays, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Whitethroat, 9 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Kestrel, 20 Reed Warblers and 1 Chiffchaff.

Birds ringed 37: Willow Warbler 3,Wren 2, Long-tailed Tit 3, Chiffchaff 1, Blackcap 2, Reed Warbler 8, Cetti's Warbler 3, Blue Tit 2, Chaffinch 1, Goldfinch 1, Dunnock 2, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 8.

Willow Warbler

August 8th
Although it was sunny this morning there was a cool and blustery W wind blowing as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 9 Cormorants, 1 Little Owl, 3 Kestrels, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Chiffchaff, 26 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Redshank, 15 Ringed Plovers, 5 Whitethroats, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Whinchat, 8 Oystercatchers, 3 Turnstone, 1 Mallard and 4 Linnets.
We also found 4 Wall Browns and 1 Hummingbird Hawk Moth in the shelter of the Roman walls.

Wall Brown

August 7th
We had intended to go ringing at Reculver this morning but woke to find that the wind was too strong so instead we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and visited Reculver later. We saw 2 Green Woodpeckers, 22 Goldfinches, 2 Turtle Doves, 10 Whitethroats, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Dunlin, 3 Little Egrets, 5 Ringed Plovers, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Linnets, 2 Teal, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Marsh Harrier and 2 Jays.

August 6th
We decided to walk around the Oyster Farm lagoons this morning only to find that most of the pools had dried up. We managed to see 12 Cormorants, 1 Pied Wagtail, 9 Linnets, 2 Kingfishers, 7 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Partridge calling, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Common Sandpipers, 7 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 1 Turtle Dove purring, 4 Mallard and 4 Goldfinches.

Linnet

August 5th
On another pleasant morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then along the seawall. It was relatively quiet but we did see 1 Kestrel, 9 Goldfinches, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Whitethroats, 4 Dunlin, 6 Redshank, 8 Ringed Plovers, including 4 young, 28 Linnets, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Turnstone, 1 Pied Wagtail and 10 Skylarks.

One of four young Ringed Plovers

August 4th
This morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour with a moderate SW wind blowing, the tide out and vast amounts of seaweed on the shore. We saw 4 Pied Wagtails, 1 Green Woodpecker, 18 Linnets, 1 Little Owl, 1 Kingfisher, 5 Cormorants, 1 Hobby, 3 Redshank, 11 Whimbrel, 1 Sandwich Tern, 8 Little Egrets, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Oystercatchers, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Mallard and our first returning Wheatear.

Whimbrel

August 3rd
It was humid and breezy this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 4 Goldfinches, 1 Willow Warbler, 56 Swifts flying W, 14 Linnets, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Kestrel, 2 Marsh Harriers, 6 Cormorants, 2 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Little Egrets, 3 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 7 Ringed Plovers, including 3 almost fledged young, 2 Common Terns, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Mute Swans, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Sanderling and 2 Common Buzzards. We also saw 1 Painted Lady.

August 2nd
We had more rain here at Bishopstone overnight than we did in the whole of July with eight millimetres compared to five.
It was still overcast and drizzly this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 2 Pied Wagtails, 3 Green Sandpipers, 4 Kingfishers, 1 Gannet, 18 Yellow Wagtails, 6 Sedge Warblers,  Redshank, 3 Common Sandpipers, 6 Cormorants, 4 Oystercatchers, 39 Turnstone, 4 Ringed Plovers, 7 Dunlin, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Whinchat, our first of the autumn, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Mallard, 1 Golden Plover, 12 Bar-tailed Godwits W, 5 Whimbrel W and 1 Lapwing.

August 1st
We began August by ringing at Shuart and saw 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Willow Warblers, 7 Whitethroats, 11 Sedge Warblers, 35 Reed Warblers, 12 Greylag Geese, 18 Goldfinches, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 44 Linnets, 1 Marsh Harrier and 2 Kestrels.

Birds ringed 57: Wren 2, Willow Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 9, Reed Warbler 23, Goldfinch 5, Linnet 2, Whitethroat 4, Great Tit 1, Reed Bunting 5, Blue Tit 2, Greenfinch 1, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 1.

Juvenile Reed Bunting