August 31st
We spent a bright and sunny morning ringing at Reculver and saw 12 Willow Warblers, 4 Jays, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Bullfinch, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 10 Chiffchaffs, 1 Goldcrest, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 10 Reed Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers, 40 Sand Martins, 8 Mallard, 1 Coot, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Wheatear, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hobby, 1 Turtle Dove and 1 Whitethroat.

Birds ringed 47: Willow Warbler 8, Chiffchaff 5, Wren 3, Blue Tit 1, Robin 2, Reed Warbler 8, Cetti's Warbler 1, Blackcap 3, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Chaffinch 2, Whitethroat 1, Sedge Warbler 2, Dunnock 7, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 2.

An interesting adult Willow Warbler with a grey wash to its tail and wings.



Terry Wilson walked from Minnis Bay to Coldharbour and recorded 2 Greenshank, 6 Dunlin, 2 Redshank, lots of Sandwich Terns passing by and 3 Wheatears. In the cut field behind Coldharbour there were 20 Golden Plovers and at Grenham Bay high tide he found 35 Turnstone and 2 Redshank.

August 30th
With the Baird's Sandpiper departed we had the birding to ourselves at Reculver this morning. We walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and had a good range of species as well as some birds arriving and others migrating west. Birds we recorded included 132 Swallows W, 105 House Martins W, 6 Sand Martins W, 15 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat, 24 Yellow Wagtails, 27 Meadow Pipits, 8 Pied Wagtails, 11 Cormorants, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Common Sandpipers, 2 Kingfishers, 36 Linnets, 2 Greenshank, 9 Dunlin, 7 Redshank, 8 Little Egrets, 1 Green Sandpiper, 48 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Little Stints, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 8 Oystercatchers, 4 Sanderling, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Little Owl.

Little Stint

August 29th
An early morning text from Marc Heath informed us that the Baird's Sandpiper had departed nonetheless we decided to do our regular walk from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. We saw 1 Wheatear, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Goldfinches, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 5 Golden Plovers, 10 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 in Coldharbour and 8 flying from inland and then out to sea, 2 Redshank, 6 Dunlin, 2 Little Stints, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Whimbrel W, 3 Mallard, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 20 Swallows W and 6 Reed Warblers.

Curlew Sandpipers and Dunlin

Curlew Sandpiper

August 28th
With a moderate SW wind blowing and the weather feeling a bit cooler than of late we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and along the seawall before returning via the White Poplars. The adult Baird's Sandpiper was still in its usual place at Coldharbour and attracted a steady stream of admirers.

Baird's Sandpiper

Other birds we saw included 1 Grey Heron, 1 Willow Warbler, 18 Goldfinches, 3 Turtle Doves, 8 Linnets, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Teal, 1 Greenshank, 22 Ringed Plovers, 4 Redshank, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Little Stint, 1 Dunlin, 45 Oystercatchers, 1 Kestrel, 2 Sandwich Terns E, 68 Swallows W, 1 Common Sandpiper, 8 Turnstone, 6 Mallard, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Green Woodpecker.

August 27th
This morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour where we found the Baird's Sandpiper still present. Other birds we saw included 2 Linnets, 12 Goldfinches, 3 Turtle Doves, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Whitethroats, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Golden Plover, 3 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 8 Dunlin, 1 Little Stint, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 42 Ringed Plovers, 5 Turnstone, 5 Gannets, 1 Fulmar, 10 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron, 9 Teal and 1 Little Egret.

Curlew Sandpiper

Little Stint

 

Derek Smith was also out this morning from 0630 to 1030 and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and then along the railway embankment. He saw 6 Sandwich Terns E, 2 Whimbrel E, 48 Ringed Plovers E, 16 Dunlin E, 12 Sanderling E, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Hobby W, 4 Whinchats, 3 Willow Warblers, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 9 Whitethroats and 1 Lesser Whitethroat.

August 26th
The overnight thunderstorms had cleared by the time we arrived early at Reculver for a morning's ringing. During six hours we saw 8 Jays, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 7 Chiffchaffs, 5 Mute Swans, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 14 Willow Warblers, 6 Blackcaps, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Whimbrel W, 3 Golden Plovers N, 6 Goldfinches, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Goldcrests, 30 Reed Warblers, 1 Sedge Warbler, 7 Mallard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels, 32 Swallows, 1 Grey Heron and 3 Common Buzzards.

Birds ringed 64: Chiffchaff 4, Willow Warbler 9, Blackcap 4, Reed Warbler 17, Cetti's Warbler 1, Robin 1, Blue Tit 4, Whitethroat 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Garden Warbler 1, Chaffinch 10, Song Thrush 2, Blackbird 8, Mute Swan 1.


 

Garden Warbler

 

This morning Terry Wilson was at Grenham Bay and saw 40 Ringed Plovers, 10 Dunlin, 25 Oystercatchers, 1 Fulmar, 5 Swallows, 4 Meadow Pipits, 3 Pied Wagtails and 1 Kestrel.

Below are photos of the adult Baird's Sandpiper (172nd) Matt found and identified at Coldharbour this evening. This is the 302nd species to be seen in the area and only the 8th for Kent. Other birds seen with it were 1 Curlew Sandpiper (171st), 1 Little Stint, 7 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank and 1 Black-tailed Godwit.

Adult Baird's Sandpiper

 

August 25th
Although there was a pleasant cooling NW breeze when we arrived at Reculver this morning it soon died down to give another scorcher. We walked up to Coldharbour and saw a good range of species including 5 Pied Wagtails, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Little Owl, 11 Cormorants, 8 Swallows W, 31 Linnets, 8 Redshank, 9 Little Egrets, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Grey Herons, 32 Oystercatchers, 58 Ringed Plovers, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Kestrel, 3 Wheatears, 2 Greenshanks, 24 Sanderling, 2 Turnstone, 5 Teal, 1 Black-tailed Godwit (170th) initially seen flying E over the Oyster Farm lagoons and then feeding in Coldharbour, 1 Dunlin, 9 Mallard, 3 Sandwich Terns, 1 Fulmar W and 1 Green Sandpiper. We also found 1 Wall Brown butterfly in the usual place at Reculver.
Matt saw the Black-tailed Godwit still in Coldharbour this evening and also found a Spotted Flycatcher.

Black-tailed Godwit

August 24th
On another very hot morning with the temperature 20C at 0700 and 28C by the time we left we walked from Chamber's Wall and around Coldharbour. Birds we saw included 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldfinches, 5 Whitethroats, 14 Linnets, 5 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Curlew, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Dunlin, 1 Yellow Wagtail, a flock of 12 Common Sandpipers, 12 Ringed Plovers, 3 Mallard, 7 Cormorants, 10 Oystercatchers, 3 Willow Warblers and 1 Lesser Whitethroat.

Redshank and Greenshank

Dave Smith was also out and walked from Reculver returning along the railway embankment and recorded 1 Mediterranean Gull, 20 Yellow Wagtails, 6+ Wheatears, 3 Whinchats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Sandwich Terns and 1 Kingfisher.
At Grenham Bay Terry Wilson found 16 Dunlin, 14 Ringed Plovers, 3 Redshank, 22 Oystercatchers, 2 Sandwich Terns and 2 Wheatears.

August 23rd
On a fantastic late summer morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and recorded 10 Oystercatchers, 7 Little Egrets, 2 Goldfinches, 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Greenshank, 2 Kingfishers, 8 Cormorants, 1 Little Owl, 3 Grey Herons, 9 Mute Swans, 22 Linnets, 18 Ringed Plovers, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Wheatears, 10 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 17 Swallows W, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Dunlin and 4 Mallard.

Dunlin

August 22nd
After a few early showers it was mainly sunny with a blustery SW wind blowing as we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm lagoons. We saw 8 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Turtle Doves looking as if they are nesting again, 1 Whitethroat, 6 Linnets, 2 Goldfinches, 2 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 12 Oystercatchers, 21 Mallard, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Cormorants, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel and 1 Wheatear.
On a hot, sunny and breezy afternoon we walked inland at Reculver and found 26 Collared Doves feeding on spilt grain, 2 Jays, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Mallard, 8 Teal and 2 Coot.
We also saw 3 Common Buzzards circling together near the Chez Laurie.

August 21st
On another blustery morning with the tide a long way out there wasn't a great deal to see as we walked from Chamber's Wall and round Coldharbour and then along the seawall. We managed to count 2 Turtle Doves, 10 Linnets, 4 Whitethroats, 5 Goldfinches, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Redshank, 16 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 16 Mallard, 1 Greenshank, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Green Woodpecker and 8 Chaffinches. As we drove home we had 2 Hobbies fly across the road at Brook.

Chaffinch

August 20th
There was an increasingly strong SW wind blowing this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour where the tide was a long way out. We didn't see much that was new just 6 Goldfinches, 3 Whitethroats, 1 Turtle Dove carrying nesting material, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 12 Linnets, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Pied Wagtails, 4 Ringed Plovers, 14 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank, 3 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 22 Mallard, 1 Little Egret and 1 Marsh Harrier. We also saw 2 Weasels running along the track in front of us.

August 19th
On an overcast morning with the occasional rain drop in the air we walked from Chamber's Wall and up to Oyster Farm lagoons. We saw 8 Linnets, 3 Turtle Doves, 1 Golden Plover, 7 Whitethroats, 20 Goldfinches, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Little Egrets, 1 Greenshank, 11 Dunlin, 4 Sandwich Terns, 19 Ringed Plovers, 15 Oystercatchers, 6 Redshank, 1 Tufted Duck, 28 Mallard, 7 Teal, 1 Grey Plover, 4 Turnstone, 4 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Willow Warbler and 2 Kestrels. We also saw 1 Painted Lady.
This morning at Grenham Bay Terry Wilson counted 40 Ringed Plovers, 25 Dunlin and 20 Turnstone.

August 18th
An early morning text from Derek Smith alerted us to a Little Stint (169th) in Coldharbour. This is not a particularly common species at Reculver and is the first one to be recorded since 2013. We drove to Chamber's Wall and walked out to Coldharbour and luckily the bird was still there feeding with 16 Dunlin. Other birds we saw included 1 Grey Heron, 5 Mallard, 8 Linnets, 1 Greenshank, 2 Redshank, 7 Ringed Plovers, 26 Oystercatchers, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Fulmar W, 16 Golden Plovers still in summer plumage standing on the mussel bed and then flying inland, 6 Turnstone, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Kestrel.
We then visited Reculver and added 2 Whimbrel W, 1 Redshank, 3 Gannets E, 1 Sandwich Tern E, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Little Owl.

Little Stint

As already mentioned Derek Smith was also out this morning between 0530 and 0930 and he walked from Shuart to Coldharbour and back. He counted 6 Grey Herons, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Sparrowhawk in from the north, 1 Grey Plover, 7 Greenshank, 9 Dunlin, 1 Little Stint, 5 Common Sandpipers, 1 Snipe, 6 Sand Martins E, 2 Yellow Wagtails E, 6 Willow Warblers, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 24 Whitethroats, 28 Reed Warblers and 26 Sedge Warblers.

Little Stint

This evening I received details of a Great Spotted Woodpecker we controlled at Reculver on 30th July. It had been ringed as a female 9 km to the east at Quex Park on 11th January 2015.



Female Great Spotted Woodpecker

August 17th
It was a pleasant sunny morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then visited Reculver. Birds we saw included 1 Turtle Dove purring at Chamber's Wall car park, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 5 Goldfinches, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Grey Herons, 5 Ringed Plovers, 1 Willow Warbler, 7 Dunlin, 1 Little Egret, 6 Redshank, 5 Oystercatchers, 9 Linnets, 2 Kingfishers, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Kestrel, 1 Little Owl and 1 Cetti's Warbler.

Greenshank

Terry Wilson was also out this morning and walked from Minnis Bay to Coldharbour and saw 1 Greenshank, 2 Redshank, 5 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plovers, 25 Turnstone, 1 Wheatear and best of all 1 Ruff.