March 14th
The wind had dropped and the sun was shining this morning as I walked along the seawall from Reculver. I saw 46 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 male White Wagtail on the apron at the Towers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 16 Meadow Pipits, 8 Linnets, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank, 5 Mallard, 30 Corn Buntings, 1 Little Egret, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Ringed Plovers and 2 Great Crested Grebes.
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| Meadow Pipit |
March 13th
There was a blustery SE wind blowing but the threatened showers did not materialise as I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour this morning. I counted 1 Common Buzzard, 9 Mallard, 3 Chiffchaffs, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 8 Mute Swans, 11 Chaffinches, 9 Skylarks, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret, 49 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Shelduck, 7 Redshank, 4 Red-throated Divers E, 4 Gannets, 2 Coot, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 88 Oystercatchers, 5 Grey Plovers, 3 Dunlin, 140 Sanderling, 4 Turnstone, 5 Ringed Plovers and 3 littoralis Rock Pipits.
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| Shelduck in Coldharbour |
March 12th
It was very blustery this morning as we walked from Reculver to Minnis Bay. Birds we saw included 1 Chiffchaff, 25 Red-throated Divers, 189 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Gannets, 1 Fulmar, 4 Rock Pipits, 1 newly arrived Black Redstart at the Towers, 2 Stonechats, 9 Oystercatchers, 5 Mallard, 15 Meadow Pipits, 2 Coot, 11 Redshank, 1 Little Egret and 1 adult Mediterranean Gull.
March 11th
Matt arrived at Reculver at 0630 and walked to Plumpudding before returning along the railway embankment where I met him. After this we walked back to Reculver via Coldharbour and then inland. Together we saw 5 Rock Pipits, 1 Little Egret, 5 Stonechats and 2 Woodlarks (126th), 1 flying west at Towers at 0645 and 1 flying east at the embankment at 0800. Other birds seen included 1 Peregrine, 1 female Merlin, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Marsh Harrier, 10 Curlew, 3 Grey Plovers, 6 Redwings, 2 Gadwall, 3 Bearded Tits, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 32 Sanderling, 5 Shelduck W, 1 Mediterranean Gull E, 1 Red Kite E (127th), 24 Pied Wagtails, 2 Greenfinches, 40 Linnets, 15 Magpies E, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Chiffchaffs, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 11 Chaffinches E, 15 Blackbirds, 1 Kestrel, 2 Little Grebes, 8 Dunlin, 1 Black Redstart, 3 Siskins, 1 Green Sandpiper, 58 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Mute Swans and 2 Common Buzzards.
March 10th
On a much milder morning Matt and I walked from Shuart to Plumpudding lagoon and then along the railway embankment and saw a good range of species. We saw 2 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Green Woodpecker, 8 Redwings, 3 Siskins W, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 16 Tufted Ducks, 7 Greenfinches, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 15 Goldfinches, 6 Chiffchaffs, 1 Kestrel, 12 Mallard, 2 Bramblings W, 24 Mute Swans, 15 Chaffinches, 18 Linnets, 67 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 16 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 littoralis Rock Pipits moving W along the beach, 13 Pied Wagtails, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Stonechats, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 3 Red-legged Partridges, 1 Firecrest, 3 Coot and 30 Blackbirds.
March 9th
This morning Matt arrived at Reculver at dawn and walked up to Plumpudding and came back via the railway embankment where I met him and we then walked up to Coldharbour and the seawall before I returned along the Green Wall to Chamber's Wall. Between us we recorded 2 singing Firecrests, 130 Golden Plovers, 2 Stonechats, 4 Rock Pipits,10 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Shelduck, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Greylag Goose, 2 Siskins flying W, 2 Greenfinches, 5 singing Chiffchaffs, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 2 Little Grebes, 6 Coot, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 20 Song Thrushes, 38 Blackbirds, 12 Robins, 47 Corn Buntings, 35 Linnets, 1 male Brambling flying W, 2 Kestrels, 16 Chaffinches, 48 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Mallard, 1 Little Egret, 22 Yellowhammers, 15 Tree Sparrows, 6 Redwings, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wigeon and 4 Teal.
March 8th
On a sunny and frosty morning I walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back again. I saw 109 Dark-belllied Brent Goose, 10 Oystercatchers, 3 Shelduck, 2 Teal, 5 Redshank, 3 Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Plover, 61 Golden Plovers, 11 Linnets, 13 Goldfinches, 48 Golden Plovers, 21 Reed Buntings, 6 Stonechats moving W below the seawall made up of 4 male rubicola and 2 females, 1 Kestrel and Pied Wagtail.
March 7th
This afternoon I walked at Reculver and Shuart and recorded 70 Rooks, 30 Goldfinches, 13 Chaffinches, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Coot, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Mallard, 1 Green Woodpeckers, 46 Lapwings, 2 Gadwall, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Ravens flying up from Wade Marsh and 2 Red-legged Partridges.
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| Coltsfoot in flower |
March 6th
On an unpleasant morning with a strong, cold and blustery north east wind blowing and the tide a long way out I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. Birds I saw included 30 Cormorants, 85 Stock Doves, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Song Thrush, 3 Moorhens, 11 Mallard, 1 Tufted Duck, 47 Corn Buntings, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Redshank, 64 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Oystercatchers and 1 Grey Heron.
March 5th
I managed a half hour walk at Reculver this morning in pouring rain and with a chilly, northerly breeze blowing. I saw 1 Black Redstart, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Coot, 2 Mallard, 15 Chaffinches, 3 Moorhens and 20 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.
At dusk this evening there was a murmuration of 5,000+ Starlings over our garden at Bishopstone. The birds spent 30 minutes flying about over Glenbervie and Gainsborough Drives before finally spending the night in the big bushes and trees behind Gainsborough Drive.
March 4th
This morning we had a muddy two hour walk from Shuart to the sea and back via Brooksend. We counted 7 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Marsh Harrier, 6 Teal, 12 Grey Herons, 1 Jay, 7 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 19 Mute Swans, 14 Mallard, 1 Pied Wagtail, 100 Oystercatchers, 9 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Grey Plover, 700 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 14 Linnets, 2 Corn Buntings, 14 Skylarks, 19 Greylag Geese, 20 Tufted Duck, 17 Coot, 1 singing Chiffchaff at Brooksend, 1 Greenfinch, 15 Goldfinches and 4 Red-legged Partridges.
March 3rd
Matt and I walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and recorded 744 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 10 Oystercatchers, 13 Redshank, 20 Ringed Plovers, 66 Corn Buntings, 8 Mallard, 4 Grey Plovers, 4 Dunlin, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 10 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Curlew, 1 Shoveler, 1 Wigeon, 2 Gannets E, 8 Goldfinches, 3 Rock Pipits, 4 Coot, 16 Red-throated Divers, 2 Pied Wagtails, 18 Turnstone, 1 Shelduck and 1 Kestrel. Later, Matt had a Siskin (125th) inland at Reculver.
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| Corn Bunting |
March 2nd
On a rainy but still morning Matt and I walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. We saw 2 Pied Wagtails, 227 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Tufted Duck E, 14 Great Crested Grebes, 23 Red-throated Divers flying out of the Swale, 11 Meadow Pipits, 6 Redshank, 6 Mallard and 1 Canada Goose (124th) and 1 Greylag Goose flying in off the sea. Other birds seen included 7 Oystercatchers, 19 Turnstone, 6 Coot, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Stonechat, 23 Golden Plovers and 3 Grey Plovers.
February 28th
On a sunny morning I walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and saw 1 Common Buzzard, 80 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 22 Linnets, 1 third winter Yellow-legged Gull flying E, 13 Mallard, 8 Turnstone, 2 Shelduck, 58 Corn Buntings, 17 Grey Plovers, 7 Oystercatchers, 130 Golden Plovers, 3 Dunlin, 36 Ringed Plovers, 55 House Sparrows, 4 Coot, 3 Redshank, 12 Reed Buntings, 9 Goldfinches and 1 Pied Wagtail.
During the afternoon a walk inland at Reculver produced 300 Woodpigeons, 1 Jay, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Coot, 2 Gadwall, 1 Green Woodpecker. 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Teal and 1 Chiffchaff.
