March 6th

Derek Smith was out between 1200 and 1330 and walked from Shuart to the railway embankment and saw 5 Greylag Geese, 1 Mash Harrier, 1 Lapwing, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Cetti's Warblers and 5 Chiffchaffs.

March 5th

On a superb late winter morning we walked out onto the Marsh from Reculver. We counted 49 Mallard, 1 Chiffchaff, 68 Chaffinches, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Grey Herons, 14 Tufted Duck, 12 Gadwall, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Little Grebes, 2 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 16 Coot, 2 Water Rails calling, 6 Mute Swans, 2 Teal, 2 Grey Partridges, 1 Common Buzzard, 82 Linnets, 90 Corn Buntings, 1 Skylark, 1 Reed Bunting and 1 Kestrel.

A pair of Great Crested Grebes

March 4th

At last the fog had cleared away and after a heavy overnight frost this morning dawned sunny and increasingly less cold. On our walk to Coldharbour with the tide a long way out we counted 880 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Chiffchaff calling at Reculver, 4 Meadow Pipits,  50 Linnets, 5 Mallard, 2 Reed Buntings singing, 28 Oystercatchers, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 9 Ringed Plovers, 9 Redshank, 1 Golden Plover, 7 Wigeon, 1 male Snow Bunting and 1 Grey Heron.

Male Snow Bunting posing in the sunshine

This evening at 2235 we heard a Long-eared Owl calling frequently from our back garden at Bishopstone.

March 3rd

It was another cold and very foggy morning as we walked along the seawall at Reculver. We could not see a great deal but did manage to get close views of the male Snow Bunting and a Grey Seal that had hauled itself out below the Towers. Other birds recorded include 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Redshank, 8 Oystercatchers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 26 Linnets, 1 Corn Bunting singing, 2 Ringed Plovers, 120 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 1 Grey Heron.

 

Male Snow Bunting

Young Grey Seal

A foggy Towers

Matt was also out in the fog and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and back via Brooksend. His highlights were 2 Siskins flying W (119th), 1 Firecrest and 5 Cetti's Warblers.

March 2nd

It was foggy and cold this morning as we walked at Reculver having to to use our ears more than our eyes. We recorded 20 Chaffinches, 24 Mallard, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Water Rail, 6 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 16 Gadwall, 10 Tufted Duck and 8 Coots.

March 1st

The month began misty and cold at Bishopstone but as we drove down onto the Marsh the sun was  shining brightly. We counted 2 Little Egrets, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Grey Herons, 60 Chaffinches, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Teal, 150 Linnets, 16 Mallard, 2 Reed Buntings, 1 Kestrel, 4 Tufted Duck, 18 Gadwall, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 12 Coot, 1 Redshank, 4 Little Grebes and 1 Little Egret.

Grey Herons

Reculver Marshes - Anne Hindle

Matt was also out this morning and walked from Shuart to the embankment and on to the Green Wall and returned by way of Plumpudding. He recorded 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 14 Mallard,  1 Grey Herom, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Goldcrest, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Merlin, 7 Cetti's Warblers, 40 Lapwings, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Marsh Harriers, 9 Coot, 8 Gadwall, 2 Stonechats, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Shelduck, 2 Little Egrets, 1,000 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Snipe and 1 Firecrest.

 February 28th

On a dull and chilly morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver and saw  6 Mallard, 26 Linnets, 1 Curlew, 3 Meadow Pipits, 2 Goldfinches, 1,080 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Oystercatchers, 5 Turnstone, 3 Shelduck, 3 Redshank, 3 Skylarks and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls.

Norwegian colour ringed adult Great Black-backed Gull

 In the evening Matt heard a Tawny Owl calling at Shuart.

February 27th

With a cold NW wind blowing we spent nearly two hours seawatching at Reculver and counted 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls W, 18 Gannets E, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Grey Plover, 75 Red-throated Divers, 1 first winter Mediterranean Gull W and 4 Common Scoter W. 

February 26th

This morning we walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow and saw 1 Chiffchaff, 1,450 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale-belled Brent Goose,  12 Meadow Pipits, 10 Mallard, 20 Linnets, 3 Redshank, 11 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Stonechats, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 3 Turnstone, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Shelduck, 25 Carrion Crows, 2 Dunlin, 12 Wigeon, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Raven on the Towers.

Raven on the Towers

 

Dark-bellied Brent Geese at the Wantsum outflow

February 25th

On an overcast morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow where it appears that the Environment Agency are just about to complete there beach restoration work. We counted 4 Cetti's Warblers, 737 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Mallard, 20 Meadow Pipits, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Linnets, 3 Redshank, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Snow Buntings, a male and female, 3 Corn Buntings, 4 Goldfinches 5 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Oystercatchers, 5 Mute Swans, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Little Egret, 1 male Stonechat and 2 Shelduck.

Matt was out later and walked at Netherhale and saw 1 Firecrest, 3 Chiffchaffs, one with a pollen horn suggesting it had arrived from further south, 200 Chaffinches, 3 Common Buzzards, 34 Goldfinches, 3 Stonechats, 14 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Goldcrests.

A walk inland at Reculver this afternoon produced 18 Mallard, 30 Chaffinches, 34 Gadwall, 1 Common Buzzard, 27 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 42 Coot, 8 Little Grebes, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 4 Teal.

 February 24th

This morning was very wet and windy but we were greeted first thing by a Chiffchaff calling frequently in our garden at Bishopstone for about five minutes before it moved on. At this time of year it is difficult to pick out migrants from wintering birds but we have not seen or heard a Chiffchaff in our garden since November and our garden is only one road away from the coast. It therefore seems probable that this bird was a very early migrant.

 February 23rd

It was mild, bright and increasingly windy this morning as we walked along the seawall to the Wantsum outflow. Birds we saw included 12 Linnets, 6 Skylarks, 3 Gannets E, 4 Redshank, 6 Meadow Pipits, 360 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Reed Buntings, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Mallard, 2 Oystercatchers, 14 Wigeon, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Shelduck W, 1 Water Rail, 1 alba Wagtail, 2 Snow Buntings and 2 Goldfinches.

Winter plumage Oystercatcher

 

Female Snow Bunting

February 22nd

On a thoroughly wet morning we spent two hours seawatching and Minnis Bay where we recorded 61 Great Crested Grebes, 14 Red-throated Divers, 20 Shelduck, 27 Grey Plovers, 10 Dunlin, 30 Turnstone, 92 Oystercatchers, 600 Cormorants, 12 Curlew and 300 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

This afternoon Derek Smith walked from Shuart to Brooksend and on to Plumpudding. He saw 44 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 49 Tufted Duck,  9 Grey Heron, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Red Kite W, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls (118th), 130 Lapwings, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff and 4 Corn Buntings.

Red Kite - Derek Smith

 

Adult Mediterranean Gull - Derek Smith

February 21st

On a mild and breezy morning Matt walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and back via Brooksend and we walked in from Minnis Bay and met him at the riding stables. Between us we saw 1 Red Kite at Wade and 1 at Netherhale, 1 Stonechat, 7 Corn Buntings, 360 Lapwings, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Curlews, 63 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 40 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall, 20 Coot, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 second winter Caspian Gull flying W along the beach at Minnis Bay (117th), 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 1 Firecrest,  2 Pied Wagtails, 21 Oystercatchers, 11 Redshank, 2 Mallard, 14 Turnstone, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 293 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Little Egret, 10 Sanderling, 4 Ringed Plovers, a group of 21 Common Gulls flying W along the shore and 48 Great Crested Grebes.

This afternoon a Red Kite flew W near the Roman Galley. 

 February 19th

This morning we walked inland at Reculver and saw 22 Gadwall, 100 Woodpigeons, 1 Kestrel, 45 Mallard, 44 Coot, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 22 Teal, 2 Grey Herons, 21 Tufted Duck, 1 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Little Grebes, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 18 Meadow Pipits and 700 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

This afternoon I received information about a juvenile Blackcap we ringed at Reculver on 22nd July 2024. It was controlled at South Foreland as a female on 4th September 2024 and had flown 29 kilometres SSE.

 February 18th

This morning there was a female Blackcap (116th) feeding on the fat balls in our garden at Bishopstone. 

For  a change of scenery today we visited Abberton Reservoir in Essex and saw a good range of species in cold but sunny conditions. Highlights were 13 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Slavonian Grebes, 34 Goosanders, 12 Great White Egrets, 3 Egyptian Geese, 20 Goldeneye, 30 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Red Kites, 1 Ruff, 30 Pintails and 1 Black-throated Diver.