Sunday, 31 August 2014

August 31st
This morning we had a short walk from Reculver and saw 1 Tufted Duck, 8 Coot, 1 Common Sandpiper, 12 Swallows, 6 Pied Wagtails, 200 Starlings, 15 Blue Tits, 5 Great Tits, 1 Whinchat, 6 Reed Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff and 4 Goldfinches.

Whinchat

Saturday, 30 August 2014

August 30th
This morning we had a wander round various sites on the Marsh and saw 4 Little Grebes, 1 Sparrowhawk, 11 Coot, 200 Black-headed Gulls NW at Reculver, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Barn Owl, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Jays, 18 Swallows W, 9 Pied Wagtails, 15 Blue Tits, 1 Common Redstart at Shuart, 1 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Willow Warblers and 3 Chiffchaffs.

Pied Wagtail

This evening Matt walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and refound the Wryneck. Other birds he recorded included 1 Grey Heron, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel, 200 Swallows, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Reed Warbler and 1 Sedge Warbler.



Friday, 29 August 2014

August 29th
We spent an increasingly breezy morning ringing at Shuart where we saw 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Marsh Harriers, 3 Kestrels, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Turtle Doves, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 96 Swallows, 26 House Martins, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Tree Pipits W, 1 Common Redstart, 4 Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 5 Blackcaps, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 32 Linnets and 1 Corn Bunting.
Derek Smith was also out in the Shuart area and recorded 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 Grey Wagtails W, 14 Reed Warblers, 15 Whitethroats, 3 Blackcaps, 12 Willow Warblers, 1 Pied Flycatcher and 3 Corn Buntings.
Marc Heath was also birding and saw 2 Grey Herons, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Kestrels, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Wheatears, a few Reed and Sedge Warblers, 2 Blackcaps and 1 Pied Flycatcher.

First winter male Common Redsatart

Thursday, 28 August 2014

August 28th
Matt was out early again this morning and birded from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and round the Green Wall. His highlight was finding a Wryneck (168th) beside the Wantsum in the "Olive-backed Pipit bush". Other birds he saw included 53 Mallard, 1 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrels, 6 Oystercatchers, 1 Golden Plover, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 9 Redshank, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Sandwich Terns, 9 Swifts, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Green Woodpecker, 24 Swallows, 23 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat, 4 Robins, 3 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Whitethroats, 2 Willow Warblers and 1 Pied Flycatcher.
Later he walked at Reculver and recorded 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Ruff (169th), 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Little Owl, 8 Pied Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 3 Reed Warblers, 2 Willow Warblers, 3 Pied Flycatchers and 50 Linnets. He then walked from Bishopstone and found another rarity in the form of a first winter Ortolan Bunting (170th) in the newly ploughed fields at the cliff top. Other birds seen included 1 Sparrowhawk, 11 Grey Partridges, 10 Sand Martins, 25 Yellow Wagtails, 300 Starlings, 11 Wheatears, 5 Whinchats, 1 Grasshopper Warbler and 1 Blackcap.

Wednesday, 27 August 2014

August 27th
We spent the morning ringing at Shuart where we saw 2 Greylag Geese, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Hobby, 4 Kestrels, 4 Red-legged Partridges, 1 Golden Plover, 4 Green Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank, 1 Snipe, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 20 Swallows, 9 Yellow Wagtails, 12 Reed Warblers, 4 Sedge Warblers, 10 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 24 Linnets.
This afternoon Matt walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 15 Common Scoter E, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Kestrel, 29 Ringed Plovers, 4 Turnstone, 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Common Terns, 60 Sand Martins, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat, 2 Sedge Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroats, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Pied Flycatcher (167th).
Micky Baldock also found a Pied Flycatcher this afternoon in Bishopstone Glen.

Tuesday, 26 August 2014

August 26th
Matt was out early and covered most of the western half of the Marsh. He saw a good range of species including 14 Mallard, 3 Teal, 4 Little Egrets, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrels, 10 Oystercatchers, 40 Ringed Plovers, 1 Golden Plover, 2 Grey Plovers, 12 Turnstone, 10 Whimbrel, 2 Curlews, 1 Greenshank, 7 Redshank, 4 Common Sandpipers, 9 Snipe, 4 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, 12 Common Terns, 3 Sandwich Terns, 1 Little Owl, 3 Kingfishers, 4 Swifts, 143 Swallows, 100 House Martins, 25 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Pied Wagtails, 8 Robins, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 7 Reed Warblers, 7 Sedge Warblers, 23 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs and 30 Linnets.
Later, as the wind increased from the east and it started raining, a number of us seawatched from the Towers for most of the rest of the day. We counted 20 Teal, 35 Common Scoter E, 7 Gannets, 1 Fulmar, 20 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 1 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Sanderling, 9 Great Skuas, 15 Arctic Skuas (166th), 1 juvenile Long-tailed Skua, 2 adult Little Gulls E, 1 Kittiwake E, 120 Common Terns E, 19 Sandwich Terns E, 2 Black Terns E, 1 Little Tern E, 5 swifts and 1 Wheatear in off the sea.

Monday, 25 August 2014

August 25th
It gradually got wetter as we walked along the seawall this morning and there were very few birds to be seen. All we saw were 3 Teal, 11 Cormorants, 7 Oystercatchers, 1 Turnstone, 2 Redshank, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Wheatears and 32 Linnets.
Derek Smith had more luck inland birding from 0600-1000 walking from Chamber's Wall to Shuart. He counted 11 Reed Warblers, 6 Sedge Warblers, 32 Whitethroats, 11 Lesser Whitethroats, 6 Willow Warblers and a trickle of Swallows flying SW.
Earlier, at about 0630, Anne was looking out of the bedroom window and saw the telephone wires shaking and was surprised to see 2 Carrion Crows hanging upside down on the wires like fruit bats. They stayed doing this for about 5 minutes until a car drove by and disturbed them and they flew away. Luckily Anne managed to get a record shot through the window of one of the birds.

Carrion Crow hanging upside down

Sunday, 24 August 2014

August 24th
It was very quiet this morning as we walked along the seawall from Reculver and then inland. We saw 1 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebes, 9 Cormorants, 3 Little Egrets, 8 Coot, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 14 Redshank, 2 Little Owls, 2 Kingfishers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 15 Swallows W, 6 Pied Wagtails,  3 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Wheatear, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Willow Warbler and 2 Chiffchaffs.
At about 1045 I received a call from Micky Baldock to say he had a Honey Buzzard (165) circling over Old Barns. Unfortunately by the time we got there it had flown south.

Saturday, 23 August 2014


August 23rd
We spent a sunny morning birding the seawall and then walking inland at Reculver. We saw 1 Pochard, 4 Tufted Ducks, 4 Cormorants, 2 Grey Herons, 19 Little Egrets, 1 Kestrel, 8 Coot, 8 Redshank, 2 Whimbrel E, 1 Curlew, 1 Little Owl, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Green Woodpecker, 8 Swallows W, 9 Pied Wagtails, 2 Yellow Wagtails 200 Starlings, 3 Wheatears and 1 Spotted Flycatcher.

Spotted Flycatcher

Friday, 22 August 2014

August 22nd
With a cool breeze blowing from the west, this morning we walked along the seawall at Reculver. Birds we saw included 13 Cormorants, 10 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron W at sea, 57 Ringed Plovers roosting on the beach, 4 Turnstone, 2 Common Sandpipers, 10 Redshank, 1 Whimbrel W, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Kingfishers, 12 Swallows W, 6 House Martins W, 4 Sand Martins W, 9 Pied Wagtails, 2 Wheatears, 2 Whinchats (164) and 4 Linnets.
Derek Smith was also out and birded Chamber's Wall where he saw 2 Common Buzzards, 25 Swallows, 30 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps and 3 Willow Warblers.

Thursday, 21 August 2014

August 21st
This morning whilst ringing at Reculver we saw 3 Mallard, 4 Gadwall, 1 Pochard, 5 Tufted Ducks, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Hobbies, 2 Kestrels, 1 Whimbrel, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Turtle Dove, 21 Swallows, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Jay, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps, 4 Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs and 4 Goldfinches.

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

August 20th
We spent the morning ringing at Shuart and saw 23 Mallard, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Kestrels, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank, 2 Ring-necked |Parakeets, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Jay, 12 Swallows, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Tree Pipit W, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 20 Reed Warblers, 15 Sedge Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 24 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff and 62 Linnets.

Lesser Whitethroat

Terry Wilson walked along the railway embankment and recorded 1 Hobby, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Whitethroats and 40 House Sparrows.
This evening Matt walked at Chamber's Wall and Reculver and recorded 1 Whimbrel, 1 Water Rail, 2 Turtle Doves, 400 Black-headed Gulls, 53 Yellow Wagtails and 1 Wheatear.

Tuesday, 19 August 2014

August 19th
On a sunny and windy morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and also had  a seawatch from the Towers. We saw 10 Little Egrets, 1 Kestrel, 29 Oystercatchers, 40 Ringed Plovers, 3 Turnstone, 3 Grey Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 19 Redshank, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Dunlin, 1 Great Skua W, 59 Black-headed Gulls W, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Little Owl, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Robins, 2 Wheatears, 5 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 16 Whitethroats.

Monday, 18 August 2014

August 18th
On another cool and blustery morning we covered the western end of the Marsh. Birds we saw included 2 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Little Egrets, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels, 9 Oystercatchers, 7 Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Turnstone, 7 Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 9 Redshank, 1 Whimbrel, 4 Dunlin, 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Turtle Dove, 2 Little Owls, 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Swallows, 4 Sand Martins, 11 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Tree Pipit W, 5 Wheatears, 8 Reed Warblers, 4 Whitethroats and 100 Linnets.
This evening Matt walked around Shuart and recorded 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Marsh Harriers, 2 Kestrels, 1 Whimbrel, 39 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Jay, 80 Swallows, 10 House Martins, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Spotted Flycatcher.

Sunday, 17 August 2014

August 17th
On a morning that felt more like autumn than summer with a fresh W wind blowing we walked along the seawall from Reculver and then inland. We saw 9 Teal, 6 Gadwall, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Little Egrets, 6 Coot, 1 Perergrine, 1 Kestrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Kingfisher, 1Wheatear, 14 Swallows, 15 Sand Martins and 7 Linnets.