April 20th
The fabulous weather continued this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and the Oyster Farm and we counted 9 Whitethroats, 11 Sedge Warblers, 9 Goldfinches, 6 Blackcaps, 1 Ring Ouzel, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 9 Mallard, 1 Greenshank, 2 Reed Warblers, 1 Grey Heron, 7 Turnstone, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank, 3 Shelduck, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Wheatears, 1 Red Kite W, 2 Ringed Plovers, 8 Skylarks, 2 Grasshopper Warblers reeling at Coldharbour, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Common Buzzard, 16 Mute Swans and 1 Swallow.
We also met Bob Hinge who had just seen a Hobby (151st).

Wheatear

April 19th
On another glorious spring morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then along the seawall to the Oyster Farm before visiting Reculver. Birds we saw included 2 Song Thrushes, 8 Sedge Warblers, 1 Redpoll, 6 Whitethroats, 2 Goldfinches, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 17 Linnets, 3 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 9 Shelduck, 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 8 Mallard, 9 Oystercatchers, 2 Greenshank (150th), 2 Redshank, 1 Mediterranaean Gull, 8 Skylarks, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Shoveler, 1 Turnstone, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 14 Mute Swans, 4 Tufted Duck and 1 Common Buzzard.


Sedge Warbler

April 18th
Before he met us at Reculver Matt dropped into Shuart where he found 2 Ring Ouzels and 1 Lesser Whitethroat. At Reculver we walked to Coldharbour and then back along the railway embankment and Oyster Farm. We counted 3 Pied Wagtails, 24 Linnets, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Greylag Geese, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 8 Chiffchaffs, 1 very pale and white looking Common Redpoll (147th) flying E along the seawall, 12 Redshank, 2 Little Egrets, 11 Oystercatchers, 4 Whitethroats, 12 Sedge Warblers, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Tufted Duck, 8 Mallard, 1 Swallow, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Reed Warbler (148th), 1 Grasshopper Warbler (149th), 5 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Shelduck, 4 Whimbrel E, 1 Goldcrest, 12 Mute Swans and 2 Coot.

April 17th
Matt had a brief walk at Shuart before he met us at Chamber's Wall and saw 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Hawfinches W (146th), 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Common Buzzard.
From Chamber's Wall we then walked along the railway embankment to Plumpudding before returning along the seawall and then visiting Reculver on the way home. We saw 7 Goldfinches, 4 Blackcaps, 51 Linnets, 14 Chiffchaffs, 9 Sedge Warblers, 7 Whitethroats, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 1 alba Wagtails W, 2 Marsh Harriers, 7 Mallard, 16 Mute Swans, 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Grey Herons, 5 Swallows, 4 Red Kites W, 32 Oystercatchers, 2 Sandwich Terns, 6 Ringed Plovers, 12 Meadow Pipits W, 3 Sand Martins, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 13 Skylarks, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Coot, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Kestrel.
During the morning other Red Kites flew W at Hillborough and Bishopstone.

April 16th
Matt was out early at Shuart where he saw 8 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 2 Common Buzzards.
We then met him at Reculver and we walked up to Coldharbour and back around the railway embankment and Green Wall before walking inland. Birds we saw included 4 Pied Wagtails, 7 Shelduck, 25 Linnets, 3 Little Egrets, 20 Goldfinches W, 4 Mediterranean Gulls E, 2 Redshank, 5 Whitethroats, 4 Mallards, 4 Oystercatchers, 5 Sedge Warblers, 11 Turnstone, 1 Whimbrel (144th), 1 Curlew, 2 Ringed Plovers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Rock Pipit, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers, 23 Mute Swans, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Redpoll W and 1 Coot.
We also found at least 20 Black Oil Beetles along the embankment behind the Oyster Farm.

Black Oil Beetle

This afternoon we spent an hour at the Towers and counted 120 Sanderling roosting on one of the groynes, 9 Sandwich Terns, 20 Swallows W, 6 Meadow Pipits W, 12 Common Scoter, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Red-throated Divers, 4 Mediterranean Gulls W, 1 Rook and 3 Carrion Crows in off and 6 House Martins W (145th).
Marc Heath had a Red Kite flying W over Reculver School at 1325.

April 15th
Matt was out this morning and walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back along the Green Wall and saw 7 Sedge Warblers, 2 Cettis Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Fieldfare, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Firecrest, 1 Willow Warbler, 45 Common Scoter, 1 Curlew, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Gannet, 6 Turnstone, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Sandwich Tern, 3 White Wagtails, 4 Shelduck, 1 Shoveler, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Chiffchaff and 6 Corn Buntings.
We completed a similar walk this afternoon and recorded 6 Mallard, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Linnets, 1 male Yellow Wagtail, 1 Little Egret, 13 Turnstone, 1 Redshank, 2 Shelduck, 1 Curlew, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Sedge Warblers and 1 Cetti's Warbler.

Turnstone

April 7th-14th   Poland and Slovakia
Matt and Marion and Anne and I have just spent a week birding and sightseeing in Poland and Slovakia. The weather was excellent with sunshine and warm temperatures and migration had just begun. We saw a good range of species including Black Storks, Lesser Spotted Eagles, Eastern Imperial Eagle, lots of Caspian Gulls along the rivers, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Grey-headed, Black and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, Collared Flycatchers and Penduline Tits.

The High Tatras

Spis Castle



Auschwitz

Lesser Spotted Eagle

Penduline Tit

Willow Tit

Black Stork

Hoopoe

 

April 10th
Derek Smith spent all day birding the eastern half of the Marsh and recorded 1 Great Skua W, 4 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common Buzzards, 4 Marsh Harriers, 1 Little Ringed Plover (142nd), 24 Redwings N, 16 Fieldfares N, 3 Shoveler, 23 Swallows W, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 12 Blackcaps, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (143rd), 6 Sedge Warblers, 16 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler and 2 Firecrests at Plumpudding Stables.
Marc Heath arrived at a misty Reculver this morning at 0630 and he then wandered down to Coldharbour and inland to Chambers Wall car park before checking the bushes along the embankment and then returning the way he had come. Birds he noted until 1000 included 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Shelduck, 4 Pied Wagtails, 16 Meadow Pipits, 4 Oystercatchers, 8 Mute Swans, 3 Pheasants, 2 Gadwall, 2 Turnstone, 6 Redshank, 12 Reed Buntings, 26 Linnets, 5 Sedge Warblers, 6 Common Scoter E, 1 Red breasted Merganser E, 6 Skylarks and 2 Ringed Plovesr. There were also 3 Shoveler, 1 Little Egret, 1 Yellow Wagtail flew W calling, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Blackcap, 10 Goldfinches, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Long tailed Tits nest building, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Whitethroat singing at Chambers Wall car park area, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Fieldfares, 6 Swallows, 10 Sandwich Terns E, 1 Fulmar W, 2 Red-throated Divers E, 2 Black Redstarts in the Oyster Farm chasing each other, 3 Gannet E and 1 Shag offshore from the Towers.

April 8th
This morning between 0630 and 1030 Derek Smith walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and along the railway embankment in pouring rain. He found 19 Chiffchaffs, 16 Blackcaps, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 7 Sedge Warblers (138th), 7 Sandwich Terns W, 16 Swallows W, 2 Yellow Wagtails (139th), 1 Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warblers (140th), 3 Grey Partridges, 1 Ring Ouzel (141st), 3 Shoveler, 7 Golden Plover W and 11 Goldcrests.

April 6th
On a sunny morning with a surprisingly chilly SE wind we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back along the Green Wall before visiting Reculver. We saw 8 Mallard, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Lapwings, 7 Jackdaws E, 5 Magpies E, 3 Redshank, 4 Oystercatchers, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, 6 Linnets, 1 Red-throated Diver, 4 Shelduck, 1 Grey Plover, 28 Carrion Crows, 3 Song Thrushes, 1 Kestrel, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps, 7 Mute Swans, 1 Swallow, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Green Woodpecker.
Also this morning at Chamber's Wall and Coldharbour, Anthea Skiffington and Bob Dewire saw 84 Common Scoter, 1 Corn Bunting and 1 Common Whitethroat (137th).

April 5th
It was quite chilly this morning with an eye watering NW wind blowing. We walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow before returning to Reculver and birding inland. We counted 23 Mute Swans, 3 Oystercatchers, 4 Redshank, 1 adult male Peregrine, 2 Gadwall, 7 Shelduck, 11 Linnets W, 1 Fulmar E, 1 Red-necked Grebe sitting on the sea off the Oyster Farm, 1 Little Owl, 1 Sparrowhawks, 4 adult Mediterranean Gulls calling high above Reculver, 7 Goldfinches, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Tufted Ducks, 2 Coots, 5 Mallard, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Chiffchaff and 300 Woodpigeons.
Derek Smith was out for four hours and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding, the Embankment, Chamber's Wall and Netherhale. He counted 4 singing Blackcaps, 6 singing Chiffchaffs, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 pairs of Shoveler, 2 pairs of Lapwings, 18 Sanderling at Plumpudding, 4 Siskins E, at least 8 Common Buzzards and 1 Red Kite W.
This afternoon a Brimstone butterfly flew through our garden at Bishopstone.

Peacock - Derek Smith

Dark-edged Bee-fly - Derek Smith

April 4th
Although it was milder and the sun was shining this morning there was a very blustery southerly wind as we walked from Chamber's Wall and along the seawall before visiting Reculver. We counted 2 Greylag Geese, 1 Kestrel, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Mallard, 11 Chaffinches, 1 Little Grebe, 10 Redshank, 40 Carrion Crows, 6 Shelduck, 6 Oystercatchers, 14 Linnets W, 1 White Wagtail, 2 Gadwall, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Copmmon Buzzard, 2 Mute Swans, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Coot, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Siskin.

Little Egret - Terry Wilson

April 3rd
It was milder this morning but still relatively quiet as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then inland at Reculver. We saw 2 singing Chiffchaffs, 8 Linnets W, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Marsh Harriers, 6 singing Skylarks, 10 Mallard, 6 White Wagtails W, 1 Redshank, 20 Shelduck, 10 Oystercatchers, 2 Coot, 24 Mute Swans, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Kestrel and 1 Swallow W (136th).

April 2nd

The heavy rain forecast for this morning did not materialise as we only had to put up with a few drops although a chilly SE breeze was blowing. Our walk from Reculver to Coldharbour produced 6 Goldfinches, 21 Mute Swans, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Canada Geese W, 1 Common Redpoll W, 2 Red-throated Divers, 8 alba Wagtails W, 16 Meadow Pipits W, 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 16 Redshank, 11 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret, 7 Mallard, 2 Curlew, 8 Ringed Plovers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 31 Linnets W, 1 male Wheatear, 4 Turnstone and 8 Chaffinches W.

Redshank

April 1st
On an overcast and cool morning we parked one car at Shuart and then drove to Reculver before walking back to Shuart. Birds we saw included 1 Little Owl, 3 Sparrowhawks, 1 Kestrel, 1 Canada Goose E, 51 Mute Swans, 11 Shelduck, 3 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Mallard, 1 Redshank, 1 Curlew, 6 Dunlin, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 12 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Jay and 1 Common Buzzard.