March 15th
As we had to stay in this morning while our gas fire was replaced we didn't get to a very windy but surprisingly mild Reculver until after lunch. We walked from Reculver along the seawall in unpleasant conditions with few birds to be seen. All we counted was 10 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Mute Swans, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Mallard, 2 Ringed Plovers, 18 Cormorants, 1 Little Egret, 2 Tufted Duck and 1 Little Egret.

March 14th
The weather was marginally better this morning even though there was a strong westerly wind still blowing but the rain stopped for a while and sun even came out for five minutes. We walked inland from Reculver to find some shelter and recorded 4 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Mallard, 1 Moorhen, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 alba Wagtail flying W, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Jays, 14 Redwings W, 85 Fieldfares W, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Tufted Duck, 13 Teal, 2 Song Thrushes and 1 female Sparrowhawk.

March 13th
This morning we walked around Shuart in bright sunshine but still with a strong westerly wind blowing before visiting Reculver on the way home. There was not a great deal to see with birds mainly out of sight sheltering from the wind. We saw 2 Red-legged Partridges, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Marsh Harriers, 4 Mute Swans, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 10 Blackbirds, 4 Song Thrushes, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Teal and 2 Mallard.

Male and female Tufted Duck

March 12th
This morning the very strong and blustery wind had changed from NW to SW but still made birding very unpleasant. We visited sites at Reculver and Shuart and saw 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Mallard, 1 Jay, 24 Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Mute Swans, 60 Redwings, 9 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and the Black Redstart on the concrete apron below the Towers.
We also found the first frog spawn in our garden pond.

March 11th
The gale force NW wind continues and has blown down a number of trees in the area. It was also noticeably colder this morning as we walked at Reculver and Shuart.
At Reculver we counted 148 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls W, 8 Mallard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Teal and 1 Cetti's Warbler,
At Shuart we recorded 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Ravens, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Fieldfare, 9 Snipe, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Green Woodpecker and 42 Rooks at the rookery at Wade House.

The track down to Reculver bushes this morning

March 10th
As it was another stormy morning we birded at Reculver and then inland in order to find a little bit of shelter from the gale force westerly wind. We recorded 2 Greenfinches, 4 Goldfinches, 164 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying W, 14 Mute Swans, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 immature male Black Redstart singing below the Towers, 3 Tufted Duck, 14 Teal, 8 Mallard, 1 Coot and 1 Grey Heron.

March 9th
On another very windly morning we walked from Reculver to Chamber's Wall and also had a brief look in at Shuart. We saw 35 Redwings W, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Marsh Harriers, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Kestrels, 16 Goldfinches, 280 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 9 Oystercatchers, 2 alba Wagtails W, 2 Redshank, 15 Mallard, 5 Mute Swans, 1 Curlew, 1 Corn Bunting, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 34 Teal.

March 8th
It was cloudy and breezy this afternoon as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 62 Cormorants flying inland, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Skylarks, 1 Siskin W, 21 Mallard, 350 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 23 Mute Swans, 1 Little Egret, 2 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull W, 30 Chaffinches, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Coot and 8 Teal.

March 7th
Although it was sunny, a gale force south west wind made birding and walking difficult as we arrived at Chamber's Wall and walked up to the Wantsum outflow before having a look inland at Reculver on the way home. Birds we saw included 24 Mallard, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Merlin, 1 Little Egret, 4 Redshank, 429 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 18 Oystercatchers, 1 Stonechat, 4 Shelduck, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 14 Mute Swans, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Coot, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 22 Teal.

Male Teal

March 6th
On a blustery and showery afternoon we had a walk inland at Reculver and counted 16 Cormorants flying S, 1 Kestrel, 150 Woodpigeons, 2 Jays, 34 Teal, 5 Fieldfares, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mallard, 1 Coot and 2 Mute Swans.
Whilst working at Plumpudding lagoon today Terry Wilson saw 200 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Redshank, 2 Ringed Plovers and 1 female Black Redstart.

March 5th
In bright sunshine we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and recorded 282 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 27 Oystercatchers, 30 Mallard, 7 Shelduck, 1 Ringed Plover, 39 Turnstone, 21 Dunlin, 17 Grey Plover, 22 Mute Swans, 1 immature male Eider, 1 Kestrel, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Moorhen and 1 Green Sandpiper.

Turnstone

March 4th
The overnight rain had cleared by the time we began birding at Reculver this morning but there was a fresh and chilly W wind blowing. We had a seawatch and then walked up to Coldharbour and recorded 1 Green Woodpecker, 78 Gannets W, 7 Red-throated Divers, 1 Common Scoter, 1 large auk E, 2 Goosanders, a male and female W (117th), 6 Great Crested Grebes, 488 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 7 Sanderling, 2 Shelduck E, 6 Mute Swans, 29 Ringed Plovers, 6 Oystercatchers, 8 Mallard, 5 Turnstone, 1 immature male Eider, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull W, 3 Stonechats, 2 alba Wagtails W and 1 Redshank.
Inland at Reculver Matt found 33 Teal, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mallard, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Redwing.

March 3rd
With Storm Freya bringing storng wind and frequent rain we didn't venture out until after lunch when a walk at Reculver produced 36 Cormornts flying S, 29 Mute Swans, 2 Grey Partridges, 1 Coot, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Mallard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 16 Teal, 1 Moorhen, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.

March 2nd
On an overcast morning we walked from Shuart to Brooksend and on to Plumpudding and saw a good variety of species including 5 Goldcrests, 6 Green Woodpeckers, 4 singing Mistle Thrushes, 5 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Redwings, 17 Mute Swans, 2 Common Buzzards, 57 Linnets, 1 Red-legged Partridge, 8 Goldfinches and 1 Greenfinch. We also counted 3 Tufted Duck, 18 Mallard, 14 Coot, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Moorhens, 2 Teal, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Pochard, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 Eider, 11 Redshank, 105 Sanderling, 31 Tunstone, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 250 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 30 Common Scoter and 3 Long-tailed Tits.
Marc Heath cycled down to Reculver this morning and then walked along the seawall to Coldharbour. He recorded 480 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Pied Wagtails, 14 Oystercatchers, 1 Eider, 29 Gannets E, 3 Reed Buntings, 2 Shelduck, 5 Turnstone, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Curlew, 8 Redshank, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Mute Swans, 4 Skylarks, 1 Grey Heron and 2 Stonechats.

March 1st
After overnight rain it was cool and cloudy this morning with a chilly NW wind blowing as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. Birds we recorded included 1 Scandinavian Rock Pipit, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 92 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Gannets E, 12 Ringed Plovers, 14 Mute Swans, 5 Sanderling, 76 Oystercatchers, 1 Turnstone, 39 Mallard, 5 Shelduck, 1 immature male Eider (116th), 1 Little Egret, 3 Redshank, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Curlew, 1 Stonechat, 1 Snipe and 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull W.
Derek Smith walked around the Shuart area and found 7 Chiffchaffs and 3 singing Cetti's Warblers.

Coltsfoot - Derek Smith