August 15th
There was a fresh WSW wind blowing this morning as we walked along the seawall to Coldharbour. We counted 13 Cormorants, 7 Redshank, 15 Sandwich Terns, 2 Grey Herons, 3 Wheatears, 14 Turnstone, 2 Common Sandpipers, 8 Little Egrets, 11 Yellow Wagtails, 18 Sand Martins, 4 Oystercatchers, 41 Linnets, 1 Grey Plover, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Kestrel, 1 Mediterranean Gull and 1 Hobby.

Painted Lady on the Roman wall

Marc Heath was out for six hours today from 1000 and walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and Shuart and back again. He recorded 5 Redshank, 8 Little Egrets, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Tufted Duck, 6 Sand Martins, 14 Ringed Plovers, 4 Wheatears, 56 Sandwich Terns, 6 Whimbrel, 50 Oystercatchers, 2 Dunlin, 23 Sanderling, 2 Common Terns, 10 Turnstone, 1 Knot, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Curlew, 1 Kestrel, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Shelduck, 2 Whinchats and 1 Common Buzzard.
He also saw 1 Southern Migrant Hawker, 25 Migrant Hawkers, 3 Emperor Dragonflies, 5 Wall Browns and 20 Painted Ladies.

 

Knot - Marc Heath

Sanderling - Marc Heath

August 14th
After a sunny start it soon clouded over this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. Birds we saw included 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Partridge calling, 9 Reed Warblers, 18 Cormorants, 1 Kestrel, 11 Whitethroats, 19 Mallard, 5 Coot, 3 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 12 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Dunlin, 2 Sedge Warblers, 4 Common Sandpipers, 18 Meadow Pipits, 1 juvenile Mediterranean Gull W, 6 Oystercatchers, 21 Turnstone, 20 Linnets, 8 Swallows and 2 Blackcaps.

August 13th
On a quieter and chillier morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 1 Little Owl, 75 Linnets, 1 Pied Wagtail, 5 Redshank, 2 Wheatears, 4 Little Egrets, 7 Yellow Wagtails, 11 Cormorants, 2 Dunlin, 1 Grey Heron, 16 Knot W, 4 Whitethroats, 15 Ringed Plovers, 9 Turnstone, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Mediterranean Gull W and 23 Swifts W.
We also found 7 Wall Browns and 4 Painted Ladies on the Roman walls.

Northern Wheatear

Wall Brown

Marc Heath was out early again this morning and walked from Reculver to Chamber's Wall recording 1 Willow Warbler, 7 Common Sandpipers, 3 Little Owls, 4 Redshank, 4 Little Egrets, 50 Linnets, 3 Grey Herons, 4 Sand Martins, 1 Swallow, 23 Ringed Plovers, 11 Yellow Wagtails, 18 Turnstone, 3 Oystercatchers, 3 Green Sandpipers, 4 Mediterranean Gulls W, 1 Kestrel, 2 Corn Buntings, 14 Whitethroats, 1 Stonechat, 2 Whimbrel, 3 Reed Buntings, 6 Sandwich Terns, 7 Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Hobby, 10 Mute Swans, 9 Common Terns, 2 Shelduck, 1 Wheatear, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Dunlin and 16 Knot W.
He also saw 5 Wall Browns and 8 Painted Ladies.

Last evening I received an email from Antonio Fernandez Cordeiro of Ringing Group ANDURINA in Spain telling me about the colour ringed Golden Plover I saw on the beach at Reculver on July 21st. It had been picked up with an injured wing at Monte Coirego, Carballedo, Cerdedo-Cotobade, Pontevedra, SPAIN on 8th May 2019 and was taken into care where it had four stitches put in its wing. It recovered well and was colour ringed before being released on May 22nd when it flew away strongly. Reculver is 1,228 km NE of Monte Coirego.

August 12th
This morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 40 House Sparrows, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 24 Whitethroats, 3 Greenfinches, 2 Sedge Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Reed Warblers, 3 Goldfinches, 4 Linnets, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Coot, 133 Common Terns, 16 Sandwich Terns, 1 Black Tern (168th), 1 Redshank, 4 Common Sandpipers, 16 Knot W then back E, 17 Turnstone, 10 Sanderling, 4 Ringed Plovers, 2 Shelduck, 4 Dunlin and 1 Willow Warbler.

Mainly Common Terns

Adult Black Tern

Sandwich Tern

Marc Heath was out early and walked from the Towers to Chamber's Wall and along the embankment and saw 4 Common Sandpipers, 30 Sandwich Terns, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 16 Swifts W, 60 Linnets, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Little Owl, 61 Common Terns, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Little Egrets, 3 Redshank, 16 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Oystercatchers, 42 Ringed Plovers, 6 Dunlin, 1 Green Sandpiper, 17 Turnstone, 15 Knot W, 1 Stonechat, 6 Whitethroats, 4 Sedge Warblers, 1 Peregrine, 6 Reed Buntings, 4 Wheatears, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Sanderling and 1 Marsh Harrier.
He also found 8 Wall Browns, 12 Painted Ladies, 1 Hummingbird Hawk Moth and 4 Migrant Hawkers at the Roman walls.

August 11th
After yesterday's gales today dawned bright and breezy as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. There were quite a few terns moving back E out of the Swale or roosting on the beach and  we counted 147 Sandwich Terns and 155 Common Terns. Other birds we saw included 4 Goldfinches, 33 Sand Martins, 43 Linnets, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Pied Wagtails, 3 Common Sandpipers, 6 Turnstone, 5 Redshank, 9 Ringed Plovers, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 12 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Shelduck, 8 Cormorants, 5 Swifts W, 1 Fulmar W, 1 Common Gull and 1 Kestrel.

Adult Common Gull

August 10th
With a SW gale blowing in showers this morning I decided to have a seawatch in the shelter of the Towers. Birds recorded in the hour between 0800 and 0900 were 2 Mediterranean Gulls W, 117 Sandwich Terns mainly W, 22 Common Terns W, 82 Swifts SW in off the sea, 2 House Martins W, 3 Gannets W and 1 Little Egret. We also saw 3 Grey Partridges fly up from the path by Reculver bushes.

Turnstone - Terry Wilson

August 9th
With heavy thundery showers about we managed to get soaked as we walked along the seawall from Reculver. Birds we saw included 3 Little Egrets, 1 Blackcap, 9 Cormorants, 8 Goldfinches, 2 Pied Wagtails, 13 Sandwich Terns E, 10 Ringed Plovers, 4 Common Sandpipers, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Turnstone, 1 Shelduck W, 3 Sanderling, 2 Swallows W, 1 Redshank, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 18 Mediterranean Gulls E and 1 Fulmar W.

August 8th
The lull before the storm! With thunder, lightning and gales forecast for the next couple of days this morning was warm and sunny as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and along the railway embankment. We recorded 11 Goldfinches, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 13 Whitethroats, 19 Reed Warblers, 8 Linnets, 1 Kestrel, 3 Sedge Warblers, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 12 Common Terns, 5 Sandwich Terns, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Common Sandpiper, 18 Meadow Pipits, 21 Swifts feeding over the fields, 1 Oystercatcher, 15 Ringed Plovers, 21 Turnstone, 1 Dunlin and 1 Green Woodpecker.

Speckled Wood at Chamber's Wall

August 7th
It was bright and breezy this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour. It is still a quiet time of year but we did manage to see 25 Sand Martins, 6 Goldfinches, 27 Linnets, 2 Mediterrnaean Gulls, 18 Ringed Plovers, 12 Cormorants, 1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 19 Turnstone, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin, 3 Sandwich Terns, 2 Wheatears, 1 female Sparrowhawk and 1 Redshank.
There were also 3 Wall Brown butterflies at the Roman walls.

Juvenile Mediterranean Gulls beginning to moult into first winter plumage

Marc Heath was out early again and walked from Reculver to Chamber's Wall. He counted 3 Common Sandpipers, 10 Little Egrets, 4 Swifts, 1 Little Owl, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 Sand Martins, 20 Meadow Pipits, 1 Green Sandpiper, 21 Turnstone, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 7 Whitethroats, 4 Redshank, 13 Ringed Plovers, 5 Sedge Warblers, 3 Stonechats, 3 Wheatears, 1 Sanderling, 1 Dunlin, 2 Hobbies, 3 Skylarks, 1 Marsh Harrier, 8 Reed Warblers, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Corn Bunting, 3 Swallows, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Common Terns, 3 Reed Buntings, 9 Oystercatchers, 1 Grey Heron and 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls.
At the Towers he saw 3 Wall Browns and 3 Migrant Hawkers.

August 6th
We walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and counted 2 Willow Warblers, 4 Whitethroats, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldfinches, 5 Reed Warblers, 1 Little Egret, 1 Sedge Warbler, 4 Dunlin, 27 Linnets, 4 Common Sandpipers, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 11 Turnstone, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 12 Meadow Pipits, 1 Oystercatchers, 7 Swifts W, 23 Ringed Plovers, 1 Kestrel, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 juvenile Cuckoo.

Turnstone

Marc Heath was out early and walked from Reculver to Chamber's Wall and back and recorded 1 Mediterranean Gull E, 1 Green Woodpecker, 22 Sand Martins, 5 Common Sandpipers, 3 Pied Wagtails, 3 Redshank, 8 Little Egrets, 21 Turnstone, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Grey Herons, 16 Whitethroats, 20 Meadow Pipits, 3 Stonechats, 9 Sedge Warblers, 1 Golden Plover, 28 Ringed Plovers, 3 Oystercatchers, 1 Wheatear, 5 Sanderling, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Reed Warblers, 3 Dunlin, 66 Swifts W, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 1 Tufted Duck and 6 Swallows. He also saw 4 Wall Browns and 1 Hummingbird Hawk Moth.

August 5th
On a breezy morning there wasn't a great deal to see as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour just 5 Pied Wagtails, 6 Common Sandpipers, 2 Redshank, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 28 Linnets, 4 Oystercatchers, 8 Ringed Plovers, 1 Golden Plover, 9 Cormorants, 7 Coot, 3 Turnstone and 1 Kingfisher.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Today I received information concerning a female Reed Warbler we controlled at Reculver on July 23rd. It had originally been ringed as a first year bird at Hollesley Heath, Suffolk on 9th August 2017. This site is 78 km NNW of Reculver.

August 4th
This morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm and recorded 53 House Sparrow, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 juvenile Cuckoo, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 15 Whitethroats, 12 Reed Warblers, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 13 Goldfinches, 2 Sedge Warblers, 1 Dunlin, 37 Linnets, 4 Oystercatchers, 3 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Redshank, 7 Coot, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Lesser Whitethroat.

August 3rd
On another relatively quiet morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 4 Common Sandpipers, 13 Redshank, 4 Little Egrets, 4 Dunlin, 7 Turnstone, 11 Mallard, 7 Ringed Plovers, 3 Oystercatchers, 6 Swallows W, 55 Linnets, 9 Cormorants, 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Sedge Warblers, 9 Reed Warblers, 1 Wheatear and 3 Pied Wagtails.

Wheatear

This morning between 0600 and 1000 Derek Smith walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and Coldharbour and back along the railway embankment. He saw 1 Peregrine hunting along the beach. 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Yellow Wagtails and 2 Willow Warblers.

August 2nd
On a quiet morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm lagoons and recorded 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Goldfinches, 8 Whitethroats, 4 Dunlin, 3 Common Sandpipers, 41 Linnets, 3 Oystercatchers, 3 Coot, 13 Ringed Plovers, 6 Little Egrets, 3 Redshank, 1 Turnstone, 4 Sanderling, 8 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Willow Warbler.

Black-headed Gulls

Marc Heath was also out and walked from Reculver to Coldharbour recording 7 Stock Doves, 2 Sand Martins, 2 Pied Wagtails, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Marsh Harrier, 25 Mallard, 1 Mediterranean Gull W, 2 Grey Herons, 3 Common Sandpipers, 11 Redshank, 12 Oystercatchers, 1 Kestrel, 3 Green Sandpipers, 7 Ringed Plovers, 3 Stonechats, 11 Whitethroats, 1 Whimbrel, 8 Turnstone, 12 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Dunlin, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warblers, 1 Corn Bunting, 12 Swallows and 1 Curlew.

August 1st
On a mainly cloudy morning with the tide coming in we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. We recorded 8 Sandwich Terns, 100 Sand Martins, 1 Wheatear at the Towers, 210 Linnets, 10 Little Egrets, 35 Lapwings, 9 Oystercatchers, 14 Cormorants, 5 Dunlin, 5 Redshank, 5 Common Sandpipers, 8 Ringed Plovers, 14 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Pied Wagtails, 19 Turnstone, 3 Coot, 2 Wood Sandpipers, 2 Common Terns and 1 Little Tern (167th).
We also saw 1 Clouded Yellow and 2 Wall Browns.

Wood Sandpipers

Little Tern

This morning Dave Smith found an early Pied Flycatcher in his garden near Bishopstone.