December 15th
This morning Matt walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and then back via Brooksend and Netherhale. His highlights were a Great White Egret on the fields at Netherhale and a Red Kite that flew slowly west over Brooksend. Other birds seen included 34 Blackbirds, 1 Green Woodpecker, 9 Goldcrests, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Firecrest, 3 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Chiffchaffs, 118 Mallard, 3 Gadwall, 2 Common Buzzards, 9 Corn Buntings, 8 Greenfinches, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrels, 72 Brent Geese, 70 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Egret, 11 Skylarks, 1 Grey Heron, 15 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 4 Ring-necked Parakeets.
As Anne and I drove along the Thanet Way, just as the sun was rising, a Woodcock flew across the road and landed behind the old Chez Laurie site. We continued on to Chamber's Wall where we walked up to Coldharbour and the Oyster Farm. We recorded 19 Mute Swans, 18 Blackbirds, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Common Buzzard, 10 Chaffinches, 12 Coot, 82 Mallard, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Kestrel, 14 Corn Buntings, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 286 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Shelduck, 10 Oystercatchers, 5 Redshank and 3 Redwings.

December 14th
This morning there was a fresh westerly wind blowing as we spent thirty minutes at Minnis Bay at low tide and counted 17 Red-throated Divers W, 5 Gannets, 4 Pintail W, 2 Curlew, 44 Grey Plovers and 5 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.
We then drove to Reculver where we walked inland and recorded 2 Kestrels, 40 Stock Doves, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Moorhen, 6 Mute Swans, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Teal, 30 Linnets, 1 Chiffchaff and 3 Pied Wagtails.
Marc Heath visited Minnis Bay later, between 1000 and 1200, as the tide was coming in and counted 140 Sanderling, 87 Redshank, 2 Pied Wagtails, 170 Oystercatchers, 3 Red-throated Divers E, 14 Curlew, 10 Ringed Plovers, 62 Grey Plovers, 1 Little Egret, 25 Turnstones, 2 Purple Sandpipers and 1 Dunlin.

December 13th
After foul weather this morning we didn't venture out until after lunch when we walked from Minnis Bay to Plumpudding with a cold and blustery west wind blowing. Birds we saw included 1 Rock Pipit. 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Peregrine hunting along the promenade looking for unsuspecting waders, 42 Turnstone, 29 Redshank, 23 Sanderling, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 130 Oystercatchers, 55 Ringed Plovers, 52 Lapwings and 2 Stonechats.

Two Purple Sandpipers roosting with Redshank

December 12th
On a cold morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and recorded 387 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Redshank, 6 Shelduck, 2 Goldfinches, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Grey Plover, 49 Sanderling, 5 Oystercatchers, 2 Coot, 8 Mallard, 45 Ringed Plover, 16 Mute Swans and 4 Robins.

December 11th
It was pretty quiet this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour although 539 Dark-bellied Brent Geese was the highest number I've counted since the beginning of the year. Other birds  seen included 3 Redshank, 2 Goldfinches, 11 Reed Buntings, 5 Shelduck, 77 Sanderling, 8 Turnstone, 46 Ringed Plovers, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 Grey Plovers, 4 Mallard, 3 Mute Swans, 1 Little Egret, 2 Red-throated Divers, 1 Kestrel and 1 Pied Wagtail.

December 10th
On an increasingly windy morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and recorded 71 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Redshank, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 25 Turnstone, 11 Mute Swans, 50 House Sparrows, 2 Little Egret, 38 Sanderling, 55 Ringed Plovers, 1 Kestrel, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 5 Shelduck, 22 Mallard, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Oystercatchers, 8 Meadow Pipits and 2 Linnets.

Purple Sandpiper

December 9th
Matt and I arrived at Reculver at 0730 and spent two hours having a seawatch. The WNW wind increased throughout our stay and by the time we left it must having been gusting at 40mph or more. It was not a particularly awe inspiring seawatch but we did count 232 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 145 Cormorants, 2 Guillemots E, 14 Gannets, 161 Red-throated Divers E, 2 Purple Sandpipers W, 14 Grey Plovers W, 6 large auks E, 11 Common Scoter E, 2 Great Crested Grebes W, 1 Great Skua E, 3 Shelduck W and 80 Herring Gulls W.

Third winter Herring Gull

December 8th
Marc Heath arrived at Shuart early this morning and found 1 Woodcock. He then drove to Reculver and walked up to Coldharbour in a strong SW wind. He recorded 210 Cormorants, 203 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Redshank, 20 Turnstone, 32 Golden Plover on the beach, 11 Oystercatchers, 2 Reed Buntings, 9 Meadow Pipits, 74 Ringed Plovers, 5 Dunlin, 38 Corn Buntings, 6 Mute Swans, 2 Grey Plovers, 5 Sanderling, 3 Shelduck, 1 Stonechat, 1 Little Egret, 1 Lapwing, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Gannets E, 9 Red-throated Divers E and 1 large auk E.

December 7th
This morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and saw 1 Grey Partridge, 60 House Sparrows, 47 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 87 Oystercatchers, 2 Gannets W, 10 Mute Swans, 3 Redshank, 1 Kestrel, 2 Grey Plovers, 86 Corn Buntings, 1 Stonechat, 12 Reed Buntings, 81 Ringed Plovers, 14 Turnstone, 26 Sanderling, 4 Dunlin, 1 Red-throated Diver, 10 Mallard, 1 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret, 135 Cormorants, 16 Linnets and 1 Kingfisher.

Corn Buntings

Derek Smith was also out this morning and between 0800 and 1030 walked from Shuart, along the railway embankment and back via Coldharbour and Plumpudding. He recorded 180 Cormorants flying S, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrels, 26 Fieldfares, 8 Redwings, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Snow Bunting calling and flying E and 22 Corn Buntings.

December 6th
There had been a significant change in the weather overnight and today dawned mild and damp with a blustery SW wind blowing. We walked inland from Reculver and managed to see 7 Goldfinches, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Common Buzzard, 8 Mute Swans, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher and 1 Chiffchaff.

December 5th
After a very heavy overnight frost we arrived at a sunny Reculver at 0800 and walked along the seawall up to Coldharbour. We recorded 5 Redshank, 2 Little Owls, 550 Cormorants flying out to sea, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 24 Turnstone, 17 Mute Swans, 10 Sanderling, 1 Lapwing, 1 Shelduck, 16 Mallard, 1 Gadwall, 2 Kestrels, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Stonechats, 4 Grey Partridges, 10 Skylarks, 174 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 1 Black Redstart commuting between the Towers and the Oyster Farm buildings.

Turnstone

December 4th
On the third frosty and sunny morning in a row we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then along the seawall to the Oyster Farm. We counted 1 Kestrel, 23 Blackbirds, 13 Redwings, 19 Fieldfares, 18 Chaffinches, 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier, 10 Mute Swans, 5 Coot, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 11 Skylarks, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Stonechats, 10 Mallard, 13 Oystercatchers, 23 Redshank, 15 Turnstone, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 53 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Shelduck, 1 Little Grebe, 5 Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Chiffchaff.

Purple Sandpiper

December 3rd
On a wonderful crisp and sunny winter's morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw a good variety of species. Birds recorded included 350 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Marsh Harriers, 59 Ringed Plovers, 9 Goldfinches, 10 Oystercatchers, 23 Redshank, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Snow Buntings, 160 House Sparrows, 10 Turnstone, 3 Curlew, 2 Shelduck, 16 Mallard, 1 Little Egret, 1 Little Grebe, 72 Corn Buntings, 2 Pied Wagtails, 8 Skylarks, 1 Bearded Tit, 5 Sanderling, 15 Reed Buntings 1 Grey Wagtail, 96 Lapwings and 2 Ravens flying W over the Towers.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese

December 2nd
It was cold and sunny this morning as we walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour. We recorded 1 Common Buzzard, 337 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 14 Redshank, 2 Curlew, 13 Oystercatchers, 30 Carrion Crows, 9 Mute Swans, 2 Stonechats, 25 Ringed Plovers, 37 Turnstone, 40 Corn Buntings, 5 Goldfinches, 6 Sanderling, 3 Skylarks, 8 Mallard, 1 Shelduck, 1 Little Grebe, 1 adult Peregrine, 21 Cormorants and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Stonechat

December 1st
With a moderate NE wind blowing we arrived at the Towers at about 0710 and spent two hours seawatching. Virtually all the birds we saw were flying E and included 1 male Red-breasted Merganser, 124 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Oystercatchers, 108 Red-throated Divers, 20 Common Scoter, 1,235 Cormorants flying out from the Stour Valley, 2 Kittiwakes, 1 Curlew, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Plover, 20 Great Black-backed Gulls and 4 Gannets including one with a broken wing swimmimg off the Towers that had probably collided with one of the wind turbines.
Whilst we were doing this Marc Heath walked up to Coldharbour having first visted Shuart where he recorded 2 Barn Owls, 1 Woodcock, 1 Red-legged Partridge and 1 Buzzard. On his walk up to Coldharbour he counted 18 Oystercatchers, 16 Redshank, 139 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Black Redstart on the seawall, 854 Cormorants, 7 Mute Swans, 2 Snow Buntings, 21 Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Plover, 4 Shelduck, 38 Mallard, 30 Turnstone, 6 Golden Plovers, 1 Little Egret, 3 Reed Buntings, 14 Red-throated Divers, 2 Common Scoter, 1 Sanderling, 1 Curlew, 30 Corn Buntings, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Wigeon and 6 Eiders E.