July 15th

On a warm morning we had a ringing session at Reculver where we also saw 6 Blackcaps, 150 Sand Martins, 10 Tufted Duck, 13 Coot, 1 Common Sandpiper, 10 Chiffchaffs, 1 Lapwing, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Whitethroats, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Common Buzzards, 8 Goldfinches, 1 Great White Egret flying W, 1 Mallard, 1 Greenfinch, 3 Grey Herons flying W and 1 Willow Warbler.

Birds ringed 26: Wren 2, Chiffchaff 7, Long-tailed Tit 1, Blackcap 4, Robin 1, Blue Tit 1, Whitethroat 1, Reed Warbler 6, Cetti's Warbler 1, Song Thrush 2.

July 14th

We spent a sunny morning ringing at Shuart where we saw 4 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs, 20 Linnets, 4 Goldfinches, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 20 Whitethroats, 25 Reed Warblers, 1 Barn Owl, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Reed Buntings, 2 Grey Herons, 3 Sedge Warblers and 3 Skylarks.

Birds ringed 59: Wren 2, Chiffchaff 5, Robin 2, Whitethroat 15, Reed Warbler 21, Goldfinch 2, Cetti's Warbler 4, Sedge Warbler 2, Linnet 1, Reed Bunting 1, Dunnock 2, Blackbird 2.

Derek Smith was also out this morning and between 0530 and 0930 walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and Chamber's Wall. He counted 2 Little Egrets, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 8 Ringed Plovers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Turnstone, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Redshank, 10 Avocets, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 11 Sand Martins and 1 Corn Bunting.

First summer Mediterranean Gull - Derek Smith

 

July 13th

On a cool and breezy morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. We recorded 42 Sand Martins, 4 Pied Wagtails, 8 Linnets, 10 Mediterranean Gulls flying W, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 female Stonechat, 2 Grey Herons, 5 Whitethroats, 5 Little Egrets, 183 Swifts flying low W in ten minutes, 2 Ringed Plovers, 8 Oystercatchers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Common Terns, 7 Avocets, 1 Redshank, 1 female Goosander still roosting in Coldharbour, 4 Coot, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Skylarks, 1 Whimbrel flying W and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Female Stonechat taking food back to its young in the nest

July 12th

We had a three hour seawatch from 0630 at Reculver on a wet morning with a fresh NNE wind blowing and most birds flying E. We counted 7 Curlews, 19 Sandwich Terns, 2 adult Kittiwakes, 1 Common Tern, 11 Gannets, 3 Whimbrel, 6 Mediterranean Gulls, 8 Oystercatchers, 32 Common Scoter (10W and 22E), 72 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Great White Egret flying W, 1 Swift, 1 Avocet flying W, 5 Sand Martins, 1 Great Black-backed Gull and 1 Fulmar.

July 11th

On a warm and sunny morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and counted 11 Skylarks, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 8 Whitethroats, 6 Chaffinches, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Linnets, 2 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Egrets, 6 Oystercatchers, 8 Avocets, 1 Redshank, 4 Swallows W, 3 Swifts W, 6 Common Terns, 2+ Bearded Tits calling in reed bed behind Coldharbour and 1 Sand Martin.

Drake Tufted Duck in the Wantsum

Dave Smith was also out, earlier than us, and between 0500 and 0800 walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and Coldharbour. His highlights were 2 Shoveler W, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 70 Swifts W, 11 Avocets, 12 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Little Terns, 3 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Marsh Harrier, 7 Sand Martins, 5 Swallows and 3 Corn Buntings.

July 10th

It was a showery and breezy morning as we walked to Coldharbour and back and managing to get soaked. Birds we saw included 4 Pied Wagtails, 37 Linnets, 5 Whitethroats, 5 Swifts W, 64 Sand Martins feeding along the beach, 5 Little Egrets, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Kestrel, 2 Marsh Harriers and 10 Common Terns from Stodmarsh including 4 newly fledged young. We also recorded 6 Skylarks, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Shelduck, 5 Oystercatchers, 5 Avocets, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Stonechat, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Chiffchaff.

Juvenile Common Terns

 Matt also found our first migrant Willow Warbler of the autumn in bushes south of the railway.

July 9th

On a still but damp morning we walked at various sites at Reculver and counted 5 Whitethroats, 2 Linnets, 4 Skylarks, 2 Blackcaps, 25 Mallard, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Egrets, 12 Coot, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 13 Tufted Duck, 1 Kestrel, 4 Greylag Geese, 2 Sand Martins, 1 Little Egret and 2 Common Terns.

Matt was also out and walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and Plumpudding and recorded 2 Redshank, 1 female Goosander, 9 Avocets, 1 Shelduck, 4 Curlew, 8 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Little Egrets, Common Terns, 1 Lapwing, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Ringed Plovers, 7 Oystercatchers, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Sandwich Terns and 1 Marsh Harrier.

During the afternoon a flock of 14 adult Mediterranean Gulls flew W over our garden at Bishopstone.

July 8th

We spent the morning ringing at Reculver where we saw 2 Cetti's Warblers, 12 Blackcaps, 140 Sand Martins, 2 Greenshank, 3 Shoveler, 28 Mallard, 13 Coot, 11 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Greylag Geese, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Goldfinches, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 6 Chiffchaffs, 1,100 Swifts moving W, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Mistle Thrush, 3 Sparrowhawks, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Common Tern, 1 Hobby, 2 Kestrels, 1 Little Ringed Plover W and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Birds ringed 34: Wren 1, Chiffchaff 2, Cetti's Warbler 1, Blackcap 9, Robin 4, Reed Warbler 2, Great Tit 2, Blue Tit 1, Whitethroat 1, Chaffinch 1, Dunnock 3, Song Thrush 4, Blackbird 3.

July 7th

This morning we managed to avoid the heavy showers, that were passing to the south of us, as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back. The bird of the morning was a totally unexpected, July female Goosander roosting at the edge of  Coldharbour lagoon (167th). We wondered whether it was ill or injured but Matt later saw it swimming strongly in the lagoon after we had left.

Female Goosander

Other birds we saw included 2 Swallows, 9 Skylarks, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Goldfinches, 5 Whitethroats, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 8 Avocets, 2 Coot, 3 Common Terns, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull W, 2 Shelduck, 3 Linnets, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 168 Swift flying W and 2 Tufted Duck.

Avocet brooding young

July 6th

It was a another showery and blustery morning with winds forecast to reach 40 mph at 1100. We only walked along the seawall up to the Green Wall and then battled back against the wind. All we counted was 32 Swifts W, 8 Linnets, 5 Little Egrets, 6 Whitethroats, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Mallard, 1 Sand Martin, 8 Meadow Pipits, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull E, 1 Stonechats and 2 Sandwich Terns.

Reculver Towers

July 5th

We spent 40 minutes at Reculver this morning in pouring rain but only saw 2 Mediterranean Gulls W, 2 Sandwich Terns W and 2 Oystercatchers.

July 4th

After voting we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour on a bright but very breezy morning. We saw 1 Curlew, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Pied Wagtail, 5 Whitethroats, 6 Little Egrets, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 15 Linnets, 1 Reed Bunting, 3 Mediterranean Gulls W, 2 Mallard, 15 Sand Martins, 2 Swifts W, 9 Meadow Pipits, 2 Coot, 8 Avocets, 5 Oystercatchers, 1 Shelduck, 2 Common Terns, 7 Skylarks and 1 Grey Heron.

 July 3rd

This morning at Reculver we saw a Hobby fly high out to sea and then return low to hunt Sand Martins at the colony at Bishopstone.

July 2nd

It was chilly this morning with a north westerly wind blowing as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. We recorded 2 Pied Wagtails, 6 Whitethroats, 15 Linnets, 3 Stonechats, 1 Mallard, 2 Reed Buntings, 4 Ringed Plovers, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Common Tern, 4 Skylarks, 7 Meadow Pipits, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull flying W, 3 Coot, 8 Avocets, 4 Shelduck, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Oystercatcher and 1 male Marsh Harrier.

Juvenile Black-headed Gull

 We have received the ringing details of a male Sedge Warbler we controlled on the Marsh on June 29th. It had been ringed as a juvenile by Jan Pritchard at Waterham on the 8th July 2023.

July 1st

Dave Smith was our from 0445 and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and Coldharbour. His highlights included 5 Shelduck, 6 Mallard, 4 Turtle Doves together in bushes at Coldharbour, 314 Swifts flying W, 6 Avocets, 12 Oystercatchers, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Lapwing, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Kestrel, 6 Swallows, 3 House Martins and 2 Corn Buntings.