April 15th
After an early frost there was bright sunshine this morning and it soon warmed up. There had been a small arrival of birds overnight and our walk produced 4 Chaffinches, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 4 Whitethroats, 6 Blackcaps, 3 Willow Warblers, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Tufted Duck, 17 Mute Swans, 2 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 3 Skylarks, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 60 Sand Martins, 2 Meadow Pipits, 21 Linnets, 1 Sedge Warbler, 7 Mallard, 2 Reed Buntings, 8 Goldfinches, 4 Shelduck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Greylag Geese, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Sandwich Terns flying E, 1 Kestrel, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Wheatears, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Jays, 1 Greenfinch and 1 Mistle Thrush.

Male Wheatear

April 14th
Although yesterday's wind had abated this morning it was still chilly as we completed our regular walk. We recorded 4 Chiffchaffs, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Mistle Thrush, 5 Blackcaps, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 14 Mute Swans, 4 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Coot, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Skylarks, 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Willow Warblers, 5 Goldfinches, 9 Linnets, 1 Little Egret, 2 Shelduck, 1 Redshank, 1 Kestrel, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (143rd ) and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Little Egret

April 13th
The threatened NE gale arrived overnight and our walk this morning was a bit of a struggle. We managed to see 7 Chaffinches, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Song Thrush, 4 Mute Swans, 2 Mallard, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Coot, 12 Cormorants, 1 Blackcap, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Sandwich Terns E (142nd), 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gulls E and 2 Oystercatchers.

April 12th
It soon warmed up during our walk this morning and we saw 6 Cetti's Warblers, 7 Mallard, 2 Willow Warblers, 5 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs, 6 Sedge Warblers, 1 Reed Warbler, 24 Mute Swans, 17 Skylarks, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Coot, 5 Linnets, 3 Grey Partridges, 1 Moorhen, 7 Reed Buntings, 1 Whitethroat, 5 Goldfinches, 1 Greenfinch, 4 Chaffinches, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Mistle Thrush.
This morning we had 6 adult Mediterranean Gulls fly E over our garden at Bishopstone calling frequently and this afternoon a Red Kite flew W.

April 11th
The fine weather continues but I think we're in for a shock on Monday when the weather is forecast to change to a strong, cold, north easterly wind. This morning we recorded 1 Tree Pipit, 2 Swallows, 30 Sand Martins, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 15 Shelduck, 3 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 2 Stonechats, 19 Sedge Warblers, 1 Whimbrel flying W (141st), 1 Short-eared Owl, 2 Greylag Geese, 2 Willow Warblers, 6 Whitethroats, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 7 Grey Partridges, 8 Blackcaps, 7 Chiffchaffs, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 8 Mallard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Moorhens, 13 Mute Swans, 3 Gadwall, 2 Coot, 6 Skylarks, 1 Common Buzzard, 84 Carrion Crows, 8 Linnets, 6 adult Mediterranean Gulls flying E and calling repeatedly, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 12 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank and 1 Reed Bunting.

Corn Bunting

Male Reed Bunting

Male and female Tufted Duck

April 10th
We completed our walk this morning on another fantastic spring day. There didn't seem to be a lot new in but we still ended up with some good sightings. Birds we recorded included 8 Chaffinches, 7 Blackcaps, 6 Chiffchaffs, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 19 Mute Swans, 2 Coot, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Mallard, 5 Skylarks, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 22 Linnets, 1 Peregrine, 2 Goldfinches, 1 singing Corn Bunting, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Kestrel, 1 Greylag Goose, 2 Ring Ouzels, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Grey Partridges, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Marsh Harrier, 6 adult Mediterranean Gulls flying E, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Jay.
We also saw our first Speckled Wood butterfly of the year.

Male and female Ring Ouzel

Male Ring Ouzel

Bob and Tessa Hinge were also out this morning and recorded 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Swallows and 3 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

April 9th
On another beatuiful spring morning our walk produced 15 Blackcaps, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Willow Warblers, 7 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Gadwall, 2 Greylag Geese, 3 Gannets W, 1 Stonechat, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Snipe, 1 Lesser Redpoll W (140th), 30 Sand Martins, 1 Swallow, 11 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Common Scoter, 12 Sedge Warblers, 1 Reed Warbler, 7 Chiffchaffs, 2 Chaffinches, 1 Jay, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Coot, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Skylarks, 5 Mute Swans, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Mallard, 42 Stock Doves, 2 Reed Buntings, 14 Linnets, 14 Corn Buntings, 9 Goldfinches, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Song Thrushes.

Linnet

April 8th
This morning on our walk we recorded 10 Skylarks, 2 Yellowhammers, 12 Goldfinches, 2 Chaffinches, 1 Sand Martin, 1 male Eider W, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Whitethroat, 4 Sedge Warblers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 White Wagtail, 2 Swallows, 1 Little Grebe, 5 Linnets, 1 Green Woodpecker, 6 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Reed Bunting, 7 Mallard, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Mute Swans, 2 Coot, 1 Peregrine, 1 Shoveler, 1 Jay, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Kestrel and 1 Pied Wagtail.

April 7th
On a stunning spring morning we completed our regular walk and recorded 7 Chaffinches, 8 Goldfinches, 1 Jay, 6 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Common Buzzard, 7 Mute Swans, 2 Coot, 4 Mallard, 5 Skylarks, 4 Reed Buntings, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Reed Warbler, newly arrived and singing from an Alexander patch, (139th), 3 Song Thrushes, 1 Pied Wagtail, 5 White Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagail, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 27 Sand Martins, 2 Swallows, 2 Wheatears, 3 Willow Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Stonechats, 4 Grey Partridges and 2 Mistle Thrushes.

Sunrise at Reculver

April 6th
The threatened rain did not really materialise this morning as we completed our now regular exercise walk. We saw 10 Chaffinches, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 8 Skylarks, 7 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Jays, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Mute Swans, 6 Mallard, 3 Kestrels, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Coot, 1 Barn Owl, 5 Sedge Warblers, 1 Whitethroat (136th), 1 Swallow W, 2 Yellow Wagtails (137th), 2 Willow Warblers,4 Greylag Geese, 5 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 3 Linnets, 1 Reed Bunting, 44 Corn Buntings, 3 Meadow Pipits, 4 Song Thrushes, 6 Goldfinches, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Grey Heron.
Mike Longdon found a male Common Redstart (138th) on the track between Netherhale and Shuart this afternoon.

April 5th
One of the advantages of doing a regular walk over the same area is that it becomes quickly apparent if there has been an overnight arrival. This morning there were a number of new birds to be seen including 1 Tree Pipit W (130th), 2 male Ring Ouzels (131st), 2 Willow Warblers (132nd), 3 Sand Martins (133rd) and 1 Sedge Warbler (134th). Other birds recorded included 6 Goldfinches, 5 Chaffinches, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 4 Blackcaps, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 5 Mallard, 3 Song Thrushes, 5 Mute Swans, 6 Skylarks, 1 Grey Heron, 35 Corn Buntings, 1 Reed Bunting, 3 Redwings, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 16 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Wheatear, 3 Jays, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Mistle Thrush and 1 Pied Wagtail.
We also saw a couple of Peacock butterflies.

Male Ring Ouzels

Peacock

Alex Perry saw 2 Swallows (135th) at Bishopstone this morning.
On his cycle ride from Minnis Bay to Reculver Bob Hinge recorded 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Swallows at the Towers, 1 Sedge Warbler, 200 Sanderling on the beach west of Coldharbour, 5 Curlew and 2 Oystercatchers.

April 4th
On our walk this morning early mist cleared soon to leave it sunny and mild. Birds we saw included 6 Chaffinches, 7 Goldfinches, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Fieldfare, 12 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 4 Greylag Geese, 30 Magpies, 2 Pied Wagtails, 3 Blackcaps, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Mute Swans, 15 Skylarks, 9 Cormorants, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 5 Meadow Pipits, 4 Linnets, 2 Little Egrets, 1 migrant Long-eared Owl in a bush before being flushed by the local Magpies (129th), 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Kestrel.
Today from our garden at Bishopstone we counted 5 Common Buzzards, 3 Sparrowhawks, 2 singing male Blackcaps moving W along the back hedge and 3 Peacock, 1 Comma and 1 Brimstone butterfly.

April 3rd
On our early morning, local walk we recorded 9 Chaffinches, 10 Goldfinches, 6 Chiffchaffs, 62 Black-headed Gulls in two flocks, 46N and 16E, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Mute Swans, 1 Coot, 8 Cormorants, 9 Greylag Geese W, 2 Mallard, 3 Skylarks, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Meadow Pipits, 2 Grey Partridges, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Kestrel, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Song Thrushes, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Red Kite flying NW, 1 Jay and 2 Sparrowhawks.

Marsh Marigold

April 2nd
This morning our walk produced 14 Chaffinches, 34 Carrion Crows, 4 Chiffchaffs, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Song Thrushes, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Blackcap, 5 Mute Swans, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Ravens, 1 Coot, 5 Skylarks, 1 Moorhen, 2 Goldfinches, 44 Corn Buntings, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Kestrel, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Jay, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Linnets and 1 Mistle Thrush.
A Red Kite flew W over my garden at Bishopstone at 1225.
We spent most of the day in the garden but the White-tailed Eagle seems to have drifted past south of us.

Red Kite

April 1st
On a sunny morning we completed our walk and saw 2 Blackcaps, 9 Chiffchaffs, 7 Skylarks, 7 Goldfinches, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 9 Chaffinches, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Jays, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Mute Swan, 4 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Reed Buntings, 7 Cormorants, 2 Shelduck, 2 Linnets, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Pied Wagtails amd 3 Yellowhammers.