February 15th

On a bright but misty and dewy morning we walked inland at Reculver and down the West Brook Valley before visiting Shuart on the way home. We recorded 95 Chaffinches, 22 Yellowhammers, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Partridges, 38 Rooks, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 65 Linnets, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 male Pochard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Coot, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Mallard, 3 Wigeon, 2 Redshank, 22 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 8 Teal and Little Grebes.

At Shuart we saw 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 7 Goldfinches, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Barn Owl, 3 Little Grebes, 10 Teal, 2 Mallard, 1 Canada Goose (119th) and 1 Greylag Goose.

Canada Goose and Greylag

Male Pied Wagtail

Little Grebe

 February 14th

This morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and recorded 1 Tufted Duck on the sea at Reculver, 1 female/immature male Black Redstart, 4 Redshank, 9 Oystercatchers, 17 Mallard, 112 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Grey Heron, 14 Carrion Crows, 1 male Peregrine, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Little Egret, 1 Turnstone, 6 Ringed Plovers and two Stonechats. On the way home we saw 1 Common Buzzard, 18 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 48 Linnets and 80 Chaffinches.

Male Stonechat on the seawall

Today I received information about an adult female Blackbird we ringed on the Marsh south of the railway on 18th November 2021. It was controlled by the Northants Ringing Group on 23rd January 2023 at Overstone Park, Northampton which is 173 km NW of Reculver.

February 13th

On another calm morning that gradually brightened up we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and saw 2 Common Buzzards, 245 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Green Woodpecker, 8 Linnets, 1 Pied Wagtail, 7 Redshank, 11 Great Crested Grebes, 18 Mallard, 5 Meadow Pipits, 9 Oystercatchers, 8 Snow Buntings, 4 Ringed Plovers, 2 Sanderling, 4 Turnstone, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron and 80 Chaffinches feeding on spilled grain on the road.

It was a beautiful, sunny, winter's afternoon as we walked inland at Reculver and saw 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Snipe, 4 Moorhen, 3 Redwing, 8 Coot, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Mallard, 13 Teal, 7 Wigeon, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Lapwings, 30 Linnets, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan and 19 Mute Swans.

February 12th

It was overcast and calm this morning as we first birded at Reculver and then drove over to Shuart. Birds we saw included 5 Goldfinches, 3 Green Sandpipers, 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Song Thrushes, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Moorhens, 1 Great Crested Grebes, 11 Mallard, 8 Coot, 1 Redshank, 1 Shoveler, 1 Little Grebe, 84 Chaffinches, 2 Redwings, 21 Yellowhammers, 4 Reed Buntings, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 15 Mute Swans, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Gadwall, 1 Tufted Duck and 22 Teal.

February 11th

On an increasingly dull morning and with an ebbing tide we walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow and then inland. We saw 130 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Corn Buntings, 7 Snow Buntings, 33 Ringed Plovers, 4 Redshank, 6 Mallard, 1 Curlew, 11 Oystercatchers, 2 Kestrels, 40 Common Scoter, 2 Turnstone, 1 Stonechat, 1 female/immature male Black Redstart, 23 Mute Swans and 1 first winter Bewick's Swan.

Snow Bunting

Derek Smith walked from Shuart along the embankment and back by way of Plumpudding between 1400 and 1745. He counted 26 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 8 Grey Herons, 1 Little Egret, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrels, 2 Gadwall, 12 Golden Plovers, 1 Barn Owl at dusk, 9 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Firecrests, 6 Yellowhammers and 54 Corn Buntings. He also found the Bewick's Swan in its usual field.

February 10th

We walked inland at Reculver on a sunny afternoon and recorded 1 Grey Wagtail, 38 Linnets, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Redwings, 6 Yellowhammers, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Coot, 1 male Pochard (118th), 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 28 Teal, 3 Wigeon, 18 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 140 Stock Doves, 1 Kestrel and 1 Chiffchaff.

Male Pochard

February 9th

The tide was out this morning as we walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour. We saw 431 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 female/immature male Black Redstart at the Oyster Farm, 15 Redshank, 14 Oystercatchers, 6 Sanderling, 35 Mallard, 8 Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Curlew, 2 Goldfinches, 5 Turnstone, 1 Shelduck, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Stonechat and 1 Bewick's Swan and 24 Mute Swans in the usual field.

Female/immature male Black Redstart

This morning Matt birded the western part of Reculver Marshes and recorded 7 Yellowhammers, 1 Redwing, 6 Coot, 14 Teal, 2 Wigeon, 3 Redshank, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Kestrels, 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 female/immature male Black Redstart, 8 Snow Buntings, 1 Shelduck, 19 Ringed Plovers, 1 Snipe, 34 Golden Plovers, 1 Dunlin, 25 Mute Swans, 1 Bewick's Swan, 140 Stock Doves, 20 Reed Buntings, 40 Chaffinches, 1 Little Egret and 1 Jay.

February 8th

After the morning's fog and frost we walked out onto the Marsh in bright sunshine after lunch. We saw 40 Chaffinches, 26 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 160 Linnets, 5 Mallard, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Pied Wagtail, 80 Rooks, 30 Jackdaws, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Coot and 1 Great Crested Grebe.

First winter Bewick's Swan

Matt was also out and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and back via Brooksend and Netherhale. He counted 4 Stonechats, 32 Red-throated Divers, 84 Great Crested Grebes, 60 Sanderling, 400 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 18 Tufted Duck, 20 Teal, 20 Coot, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Ring-necked Parakeets.

February 7th

It was a foggy and frosty morning at Reculver this morning and therefore a bit of a struggle to see anything. We did however record 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Green Sandpipers, 6 Coot, 2 Mute Swans, 2 Redshank, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Redwings.

Today I received the ringing data of the colour ringed Rock Pipit  we saw on the rocks at Reculver on January 15th. It had been ringed by Marton Bernsten of the Lista Ringing Group on 30th September 2022 at Farsund, Vest-Agder, NORWAY and had flown 826 km SSW to reach Reculver. 

Rock Pipit - Chris Dighton

February 6th

The early sunshine soon gave way to dull, calm and misty conditions as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. We saw 570 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 39 Mallard, 4 Red-throated Divers, 8 Redshank, 6 Meadow Pipits, 14 Oystercatchers, 9 Corn Buntings, 1 Common Buzzard, 35 Common Scoter, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Curlew, 8 Snow Buntings, 4 Shelduck, 46 Ringed Plovers, 9 Turnstone, 6 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Little Egret and 2 Stonechats.

February 5th

On a bright and breezy morning we walked inland from Reculver and along the West Brook Valley. Birds we saw included 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 2 Grey Wagtails, 38 Rooks at the rookery, 17 Yellowhammers, 18 Chaffinches, 2 Grey Partridges, 22 Linnets, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Grey Herons, 5 Coot, 6 Mallard, 3 Moorhens, 1 Teal and 1 Chiffchaff.

Yellowhammers

February 4th

With limited time this morning we walked inland from Reculver and counted 40 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Red-throated Diver flying E, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Redwings, 16 Chaffinches, 5 Coot, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Mallard, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Greylag Goose and 6 Goldfinches.

Dave Smith was out early and spent three hours walked from Shuart to Minnis Bay and Plumpudding. He counted 74 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Gadwall, 47 Common Scoter, 1 Goosander flying E, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Curlew, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Dunlin, 1 Snipe, 11 Redshank, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 5 Red-throated Divers, 1 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Firecrests, 2 Tree Sparrows and 30 Yellowhammers.

Derek Smith was also out this morning from 0900 to 1315 and walked from Shuart to Minnis Bay, Plumudding, the Green Wall and back via Brooksend. He saw 350 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 22 Greylag Geese, 26 Common Scoter, 1 Red-throated Diver, 8 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Gadwall, 4 Common Buzzards, 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Kestrels, 1 Sparrowhawk, 48 Redshank, 32 Sanderling, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets and 26 Stock Doves, 4 Tree Sparrows and 18 Yellowhammers at the White Poplars.

Snow Bunting - David Elliott

Black Redstart - David Elliott

February 3rd

This morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and recorded 1 Pied Wagtail, 8 Snow Buntings, 1 Redshank, 7 Corn Buntings, 53 Mallard, 11 Turnstone, 251 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Kestrel, 1 second winter Yellow-legged Gull flying W and 1 Stonechat.

Snow Buntings

This afternoon Matt walked inland at Reculver and down West Brook Valley and saw 5 Chiffchaffs, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Grey Wagtail, 6 Yellowhammers, 2 Stonechats, 8 Redwings, 2 Grey Partridges, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Snipe, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Coot, 1 Redshank, 33 Mute Swans and 1 first year Bewick's Swan.

February 2nd

On a beautiful winter's morning we began by having a walk at Shuart where we saw 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Ring-necked Parakeets, 11 Greylag Geese, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Kestrel, 2 Skylarks, 9 Goldfinches, 10 Greenfinches, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Redwings, 15 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Meadow Pipits, 2 Jays, 14 Chaffinches, 2 Little Grebes and 5 Mallard.

Ring-necked Parakeet

Later at Reculver we recorded 1 Great Crested Grebe, 30 Mute Swans, 6 Coot, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 5 Moorhens, 1 Golden Plover, 8 Goldfinches and 1 Woodcock.

Earlier, at Minnis Bay, Matt counted 194 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 76 Red-throated Divers, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Gannets and 200 Black-headed Gulls.

February 1st

We walked at various sites at Reculver this morning and saw 76 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Meadow Pipits, 5 Corn Buntings, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Oystercatcher, 4 Red-throated Divers, 24 Mallard, 1 Pied Wagtail, 20 Chaffinches, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Coot, 45 Linnets, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Moorhens and 1 Chiffchaff.

This afternoon Matt walked from Shuart to Netherhale and Brooksend and recorded 500 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 31 Greylag Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, 26 Coot, 2 Goldcrests, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, 4 Grey Herons, 6 Greenfinches and 9 Ring-necked Parakeets.