February 15th

This morning at 0540 we heard a Little Owl calling outside our bedroom window. This is the 144 species we have recorded from our garden in the 50 years we've lived here.

Later, on an increasingly cloudy and windy morning, I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and on to the Oyster Farm lagoons. I saw 13 Mute Swans, 2 Common Buzzards hovering in the wind, 18 Chaffinches, 13 Blackbirds, 4 Song Thrushes and 1 Merlin flying E over Chamber's Wall car park (123rd). In addition I counted 1 Tufted Duck, 9 Coot, 13 Reed Bunting, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Mallard, 1 Stonechat, 4 Redshank, 4 Oystercatchers, 5 Ringed Plovers, 40 House Sparrows, 1 adult Peregrine, 16 Corn Buntings and 10 Meadow Pipits.

February 14th

It was sunny and breezy this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. We saw 263 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 10 Mallard, 3 Stonechats, 6 Redshank, 3 Oystercatchers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Great Northern Diver, 40 Ringed Plovers, 4 Coot, 1 Dunlin, 150 Sanderling, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Goldfinches, 60 House Sparrows, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Grey Plover, 6 Linnets and 1 Dartford Warbler in the usual place beside the seawall.

February 13th

With an increasingly strong south wind blowing we visited Shuart and Reculver this morning. At Shuart we counted 1 Kestrel, 2 Jays, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Mallard, 28 Goldfinches, 12 Mute Swans and 2 Ring-necked Parakeets and at Reculver we saw 2 Kestrels, 200 Woodpigeons, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Mallard, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Green Sandpiper, 16 Teal, 3 Mute Swans and 160 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

Drake Teal

 Alex Lipczynski was on the second day of the NE Kent Co-ordinated Wader Count Survey and walked from the eastern end of Minnis Bay to Cold Harbour and back between 0900 and 1130. His total counts were 190 Sanderling, 63 Turnstone, 27 Redshank, 53 Grey Plover, 22 Dunlin, 24 Ringed Plovers, 20 Curlew and 81-121 very mobile Oystercatchers. At Plumpudding there was the usual large flock of Dark-belllied Brent Geese which settled on the sea just offshore and which then flew inland onto the field opposite. From photographs he counted 1,141 including 2 Black Brants. Steffan Walton also saw the Dartford Warbler near the Oyster Farm.

Both Black Brants - Alex Lipczynski

 

February 12th

The overnight frost cleared quite quickly this morning as the SW wind increased. On my walk from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour I counted 7 Chaffinches, 16 Golden Plovers, 12 Coot, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 13 Reed Buntings, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 11 Redshank, 7 Blackbirds, 17 Turnstone, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 14 Grey Plovers, 166 Sanderling, 58 Dunlin, 52 Ringed Plovers, 120 Oystercatchers, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Roosting Dunlin and Sanderling

February 11th

On a beautiful winter's morning I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and the Wantsum outflow. I counted 15 Mute Swans, 10 Chaffinches, 11 Blackbirds, 12 Coot, 1 Tufted Duck, 42 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 18 Reed Buntings, 4 Mallard, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Redshank, 120 House Sparrows, 16 Corn Buntings, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Shelduck, 6 Tree Sparrows in blackthorn bushes beside the Wantsum, 3 Song Thrushes, 1 Golden Plover, 5 Skylarks, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.

Grey Plover

February 10th

This morning I had walks at Shuart and Reculver. At Shuart I recorded 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Common Buzzard, 17 Mallard, 1 Gadwall, 22 Teal, 4 Coot, 14 Mute Swans and 2 Kestrels whilst at Reculver I saw 1 Black Redstart, 8 Goldfinches, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 350 Woodpigeons feeding on an oil seed rape field, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Mallard, 1 Coot, 11 Chaffinches, 4 Skylarks, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret and 1 Jay.

February 9th

This morning I walked from Chamber's Wall to the Wantsum outflow. Birds I saw included 1 Common Buzzard, 13 Mute Swans, 5 Goldfinches, 5 Song Thrushes, 14 Coot, 1 Kestrel, 11 Chaffinches, 12 Blackbirds, 2 Marsh Harriers, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 7 Reed Buntings, 11 Redshank, 2 Teal, 5 Shelduck, 70 House Sparrows, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Turnstone, 1 Grey Plover, 6 Skylarks and 1 Golden Plover.

Male Chaffinch

February 8th

On a springlike morning we walked at Reculver and recorded 2 Stonechats, 15 Ringed Plovers, 53 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 11 Mallard, 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Jays, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 12 Blackbirds, 2 Coot, 3 Moorhens, 2 Common Buzzards, 7 Teal, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Black Redstart and 300+ Woodpigeons.

Great Crested Grebes

Matt was also out this morning and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and back via Brooksend and Netherhale. He counted 53 Teal, 20 Mallard, 27 Coot, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 214 Lapwings, 140 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 8 Grey Herons, 51 Greylag Geese, 1 female/immature Goldeneye, 28 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Wigeon, 5 Gadwall, 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk and 2 Kestrels.

February 7th

On a cold and sunny morning we walked along the seawall at Reculver and then inland and saw 2 Common Buzzards, 60 Cormorants flying out to sea, 9 Goldfinches, 21 Mallard, 2 Redshank, 2 Stonechats, 1 Great Northern Diver, 85 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Tufted Duck, 3 Teal, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Kestrel, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Chiffchaff.

Male Stonechat

Matt was also out this morning and walked at Shuart where he saw 15 Teal, 1 Gadwall, 1 female/immature Goldeneye (122nd), 850 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Stonechats, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 1 Curlew.

Female/immature Goldeneye - Matt Hindle

February 6th

With a WNW gale blowing in showers and the tide going out we spent an hour at Reculver and saw very little except for a smart male Velvet Scoter flying E. The only other birds of note were 244 Dark-bellied Brent Geese feeding on the shore.

February 5th

This morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 180 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Shelduck, 9 Turnstone, 11 Redshank, 14 Ringed Plovers, 9 Goldfinches, 8 Oystercatchers, 39 Mallard, 1 adult Peregrine hunting along the beach, 32 Golden Plovers, 6 Coot, 2 Lapwings, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Stonechats, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Kestrel, 50 House Sparrows and 1 Sparrowhawk.

February 4th

After morning rain, the temperature dropped and there was a chilly NW wind blowing this afternoon as we made brief visits to Minnis Bay and Reculver. All we saw was 16 Great Crested Grebes, 12 Red-throated Divers, 2 Jays, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Coot and 2 Grey Herons.

February 3rd

This morning I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back by way of the Green Wall and the railway embankment. Birds I saw included 20 Mute Swans, 14 Golden Plovers, 8 Coot, 18 Blackbirds, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 18 Reed Buntings, 224 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrels, 1 Tufted Duck, 10 Linnets, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Song Trushes and 1 Common Buzzards.

February 2nd

On a bright and breezy morning we walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow and saw 450 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 9 Goldfinches, 3 Oystercatchers, 40 Mallard, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Redshank, 52 Ringed Plovers, 13 Turnstone, 50 House Sparrows, 15 Linnets and 2 Stonechats.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese at the Wantsum outflow

February 1st

This morning I walked inland from Reculver and recorded 2 Kestrels, 8 Goldfinches, 42 Linnets, 27 Chaffinches, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Water Rail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Little Egret and 2 Jays.