November 15th
It was overcast and still this morning as we walked from a very muddy Chamber's Wall up to Coldharbour and recorded 54 Chaffinches, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Redwings, 1 Firecrest, 8 Blackbirds, 4 Mute Swans, 1 Little Egret, 1 Stonechat, 15 Reed Buntings, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Short-eared Owl, 4 Mallard, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew, 1 Redshank, 2 Coot, 1 Snipe, 1 Corn Bunting and 1 Golden Plover.
This afternoon Chris Tedder walked along the seawall and saw 1 Black Redstart, 8 Pied Wagtails, 12 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Stonechats, 25 Ringed Plovers, 121 Oystercatchers, 1 Curlew, 15 Goldfinches, 12 Meadow Pipits, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Little Owl and 1 Common Gull.

Black Redstart - Chris Tedder

November 14th
On another quiet morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour in bright sunshine and with the tide going out. We saw 175 Cormorants, 17 Redshank, 29 Ringed Plovers, 1 Lapwing in off the sea, 2 Grey Herons, 14 Oustercatchers, 5 Turnstone, 4 Mute Swans, 2 Little Egrets, 4 Mallard, 42 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Pied Wagtails and 1 Common Buzzard.

First winter Grey Heron

November 13th
After yesterday's excitement today was a normal mid November morning. With the sun shining we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 7 Pied Wagtails, 1 Kingfisher, 46 Goldfinches, 27 Ringed Plovers, 12 Redshank, 28 Meadow Pipits, 22 Oystercatchers, 2 Turnstone, 3 Curlew, 1 Grey Heron, 14 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 61 Cormorants, 4 Mallard, 1 Little Egret, 1 Stonechat and 1 Black Redstart on the fence by the sluice at Reculver.

Juvenile Herring Gull killing and eating a fish

November 12th - Species number 305 for Reculver Area
On a showery and overcast morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. There has been major engineering works on the railway at Chamber's Wall over the weekend and all the lorries and machinery used have made the car park and track leading up to the railway into a quagmire.
It is still pretty quiet but we managed to see 4 Goldfinches, 16 Chaffinches, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Coot, 7 Fieldfares, 10 Reed Buntings, 7 Oystercatchers, 1 Curlew, 7 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 15 Turnstone, 17 Ringed Plovers, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Golden Plover and 1 Kestrel.
I received a call from Matt at about 1315 to say that he had found a Pallid Swift (190th) flying about over Reculver. I drove down as quickly as I could to find it still performing over an area from the Towers to the caravan park and the Blue Dolphin pub. It remained in this area until dusk and may very well have roosted on the Towers or a nearby building. This is the 305th species to be recorded in the Reculver area.

Pallid Swift

November 11th
We didn't venture out until after lunch when most of the heavy rain had moved through. On our walk from Reculver to Coldharbour there were more dogs and people than birds! All we saw were 2 Goldcrests, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 3 Blackbirds.

Pied Wagtail

November 10th
After heavy overnight rain we walked from Chamber's Wall, along the seawall and on to Shuart. We saw 2 Marsh Harriers, 3 Fieldfares, 13 Blackbirds, 5 Goldcrests, 1 female Merlin, 45 Cormorants, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Stonechat, 3 Mallard, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 40 Reed Buntings, 18 Meadow Pipits, 4 Dunlin, 8 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Curlew, 32 Mute Swans, 1 Sparrowhawk, 14 Skylarks, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

November 9th
It was relatively quiet this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to the railway embankment and on to the Green Wall and Coldharbour. We saw 13 Blackbirds, 23 Chaffinches, 3 Redwings, 256 Cormorants, 13 Goldfinches, 1 Golden Plover, 42 Mallard, 7 Redshank, 33 Oystercatchers, 1 Dunlin, 2 Curlews, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Coot, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Jay, 4 Pied Wagtails and 1 Kestrel.

First winter Goldfinch feeding on Smooth Sow-thistle seeds

Matt walked from Reculver along the seawall and saw 1 Black Redstart, 1 Merlin, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Kingfiaher, 2 Rock Pipits and 5 Goldcrests.

November 8th
It was a beautiful sunny morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then along the seawall. Almost the first bird we saw was a Great White Egret that flew south along the River Wantsum. Other birds recorded included 2 Little Egrets, 420 Cormorants flying south to the Stour Valley, 12 Redwings, 12 Skylarks, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 25 Chaffinches, 3 Redshank, 1 Little Grebe, 38 Mallard, 5 Coot, 17 Oystercatchers, 1 Curlew, 9 Goldfinches, 21 Ringed Plovers, 6 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Bearded Tits and 10 Blackbirds.

Great White Egret

Derek Smith was also out this morning walking from Shuart to Plumpudding between 0745 and 1000. He counted 28 Mute Swans, 1 Sparrowhawk, 42 Sanderling, 3 Grey Plovers, 45 Redwings, 1 Chiffchaff, 37 Chaffinches W, 3 Greenfinches W, 22 Goldfinches W, 1 Brambling W and 6 Siskins W.
Chris Tedder had a walk along the seawall this afternoon and saw 7 Pied Wagtails, 130 Linnets, 3 Corn Buntings, 3 Stonechats, 1 Grey Plover, 25 Redshank, 36 Mallard, 2 Short-eared Owls and 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier.

Short-eared Owl - Chris Tedder

November 7th
With a strong southerly wind blowing in rain we decided to walk along the promenade in the shelter of the cliffs at Minnis Bay in the hope of finding the White-billed Diver again. We didn't see it but we counted 13 Redshank, 13 Little Egrets, 4 Cormorants, 1 Dunlin, 1 Curlew, 3 Rock Pipits, 4 Meadow Pipits and 5 Pied Wagtails.

Little Egret

November 6th  -  Species number 304 for Reculver Area

Adult summer plumaged White-billed Diver - Alex Perry

Just as we got home from our regular birding walk this morning I received a message from Terry Wilson to say that the adult summer plumaged White-billed Diver (189th) previously seen further east on Thanet was close inshore at Minnis Bay. We immediately drove over and were able to see the bird now about 400 metres offshore by the red buoy drifting west and frequently diving. A superb new species and 304th for the area.
Our previous walk from Reculver to Coldharbour had been uneventful and we saw 234 Cormorants, 1 Peregrine, 6 Pied Wagtails, 26 Meadow Pipits, 4 Redshank, 1 Kingfisher, 36 Ringed Plovers, 3 Turnstone, 16 Goldfinches, 2 Dunlin, 3 Oystercatchers, 6 Little Egrets, 2 Stonechats, 1 Snow Bunting W, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Snipe, 1 Curlew, 1 Rick Pipit and 1 Teal.
During the afternoon Dudley Cox saw a ring-tailed Hen Harrier twice at the Oyster Farm lagoons.

November 5th
It wasn't as cold this morning when we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm lagoons. We managed to see 11 Skylarks, 7 Redwings, 18 Chaffinches, 17 Blackbirds, 7 Song Thryshes, 6 Fieldfares, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Grey Partridges, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Corn Buntings, 2 Gadwall, 9 Mallard, 4 Mute Swans, 2 Stonechats, 5 Teal, 11 Meadow Pipits, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Peregrines, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Grebe and 16 Goldfinches.

Male Stonechat

November 4th
On another bright morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then visted Reculver on the way home and recorded 24 Cormorants, 26 Goldfinches, 2 Goldcrests, 19 Blackbirds, 38 Redwings, 22 Chaffinches, 13 Fieldfares, 1 Brambling, 29 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 1 Water Rail, 1 Coot, 6 Skylarks, 6 Stonechats, 12 Reed Buntings, 18 Oystercatchers, 3 Turnstone, 6 Mallard, 1 Redshak, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Common Buzzard.

Winter plumaged Oystercatchers

Marc Heath walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back around the railway embankment and counted 640 Cormorants, 1 Red-legged Partridge, 20 Meadow Pipits, 11 Oystercatchers, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Redshank, 7 Turnstone, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 27 Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Rock Pipits, 1 Little Egret, 20 Reed Buntings, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Curlew, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Stonechats, 20 Fieldfares, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Kestrel, 3 Sparrowhawks, 1 Firecrest and 1 Redpoll.

November 3rd
Our walk at Reculver was cut short this morning as news of a summer plumaged White-billed Diver at Foreness was announced. We returned to our car as quickly as possible and drove to Foreness where this superb bird was still showing really well just off shore and in excellent conditions.
Reculver had been pretty quiet and all we saw in an hour were 15 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 32 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Redshank, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Egrets, 12 Meadow Pipits, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Stonechat, 3 Mallard, 15 Oystercatchers and 28 Goldfinches.

November 2nd
After yesterday's washout today dawned sunny and cool so we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then on to the Oyster Farm. We recorded 1 Green Woodpecker, 21 Goldfinches, 59 Chaffinches, 62 Redwings, 16 Blackbirds, 42 Fieldfares, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier, 14 Skylarks, 5 Linnets, 5 Mute Swans, 27 Cormorants, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Turnstone, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Ringed Plovers, a family party of 4 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 adults and 2 juveniles, 9 Mallard, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Redshank, 2 Stonechats and 2 Jays.

Fieldfares

Derek Smith walked from Shuart and along the railway embankment between 0730 and 1000. Birds he saw included 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Water Rail, 1 Kingfisher, 80 Blackbirds, 5 Crossbills W, 11 Siskins W, 3 Redpolls W, 35 Chaffinches W, 1 Chiffchaff, 30 Goldcrests, 3 Yellowhammers W and 4 Firecrests, 2 along the embankment and 2 near Shuart Farm.

Firecrest - Derek Smith

At Grenham and Minnis Bays this morning Terry Wilson recorded 35 Grey Plovers, 5 Dunlin, 8 Turnstones, 14 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 20 Redshank, 5 Curlew, 36 Sanderling, 2 Kestrels, 1 Stonechat and 8 Lapwings. There were also 35 seals resting on Margate Hook sandbank.
In addition Marc Heath had a Merlin fly over at Hillborough.

November 1st
Another miserable day with virtually non stop rain. We didn't venture out until the afternoon walking along the seawall from Reculver to the Green Wall and only recording 6 Mute Swans, 1 male Common Scoter, 2 Little Egrets, 15 Linnets, 1 Turnstone, 85 Mallard, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Redshank and 1 Common Buzzard.