December 31st
On a thoroughly unpleasant morning with a SW gale blowing in showers and trying to blow us off the seawall we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. It was a bit of a struggle but we managed to find 13 Fieldfares, 404 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Gadwall, 25 Chaffinches, 18 Reed Buntings, 12 Corn Buntings, 55 House Sparrows, 1 Little Egret, 58 Carrion Crows, 2 Redshank, 61 Mallard, 17 Shelduck, 24 Wigeon, 27 Oystercatchers, 3 Goldfinches, 10 Snow Buntings and 4 Redwings.

We finished 2017 having seen 206 species in the area. 

December 30th
On a blustery morning we walked from Minnis Bay to Plumpudding lagoon and counted 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 Rock Pipits, 153 Oystercatchers, 202 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 52 Redshank, 26 Turnstones, 36 Golden Plovers W, 111 Sanderling, 75 Grey Plovers, 90 Dunlin and 2 Stonechats.

Sanderling

December 28th
It was cold and sunny as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour this morning. We saw 15 Blackbirds, 1 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 25 Gadwall, 2 Yellowhammers, 55 Chaffinches, 42 Corn Buntings, 1 Water Rail, 34 Golden Plovers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 38 Reed Buntings, 110 Carrion Crows, 4 Redshank, 47 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Stonechat, 1 Sanderling, 38 Mallard, 57 Grey Plovers, 32 Linnets, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kittiwake W, 12 Goldfinches, 15 Shelduck, 16 Wigeon, 8 Mute Swans, 1 Coot and 1 Green Woodpecker.

Female Reed Bunting

December 27th
With foul weather and only limited time this morning we had a quick wander in the rain at Reculver. All we heard was a Chiffchaff, a Cetti's Warbler and a singing Mistle Thrush.

December 26th
After yesterday's unpleasant conditions today dawned bright and breezy so we walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour. We saw 1 Kestrel, 275 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Redshank, 16 Linnets, 2 Curlews, 20 Corn Buntings, 1 Peregrine, 16 Oystercatchers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 15 Shelduck, 130 Carrion Crows, 16 Wigeon, 22 Mallard, 36 Golden Plovers, 1 Turnstone, 4 Ringed Plovers and 2 Stonechats.
During the afternoon Mark Chidwick found 8 Snow Buntings at Coldharbour.

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY CHRISTMAS

December 25th

On a drizzly Christmas morning I had a brief wander around at Reculver and saw a singing Mistle Thrush, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Mute Swans, 10 Chaffinches, 260 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 13 Sanderling.

December 24th
This morning Anne and I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and Matt walked from Shuart to Chamber's Wall. Between us we found 7 Gadwall, 45 Chaffinches, 45 House Sparrows, 24 Corn Buntings, 12 Goldfinches, 11 Redwings, 32 Linnets, 44 Mallard, 1 Little Egret, 6 Redshank, 25 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 26 Oystercatchers, 2 Mute Swans, 16 Shelduck, 25 Wigeon, 85 Carrion Crows, 2 Snow Buntings, 20 Reed Buntings, 8 Yellowhammers, 1 Lapwing, 1 Firecrest, 2 Goldcrests, 10 Fieldfares, 30 Golden Plovers, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Marsh Harriers and 1 Green Woodpecker.

Male and female Snow Buntings

December 23rd
On an overcast morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 1 Kestrel, 12 Blackbirds, 12 Fieldfares, 2 Redwings, 4 Mute Swans, 31 Gadwall, 1 Lapwing, 48 Corn Buntings, 45 House Sparrows, 6 Redshank, 5 Grey Plovers, 17 Shelduck, 52 Mallard, 6 Wigeon, 2 Curlew, 35 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Egrets, 10 Dark-belled Brent Geese, 55 Carrion Crows, 20 Reed Buntings, 15 Chaffinches, 3 Skylarks and 1 Cetti's Warbler.

December 22nd
It was a bit brighter this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and we even got a brief glimpse of the sun. We recorded 334 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Sparrowhawk, 28 Redshank, 22 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Grebe, 13 Linnets, 4 Stonechats, 550 Cormorants flying out to sea, 6 Grey Plovers, 49 Oystercatchers, 2 Corn Buntings 23 Shelduck, 3 Curlews, 22 Lapwings W, 54 Mallard, 6 Wigeon, 3 Goldfinches, 5 Mute Swans, 1 Snow Bunting, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Snipe, 84 Carrion Crows and 1 Kestrel.

Snow Bunting

December 21st
What with it being the shortest day and the dull, drizzly and overcast conditions it was still pretty dark when we arrived at Chamber's Wall at 0800. We walked out to Coldharbour before visiting Reculver on the way home and managed to see 13 Blackbirds, 25 Redwings, 15 Gadwall, 47 Mallard, 110 Greylag Geese, 5 Grey Partridges, 28 Corn Buntings, 82 Carrion Crows, 1 Curlew, 16 Wigeon S, 9 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 22 Oystercatchers, 6 Snow Buntings, 11 Goldfinches, 2 Grey Plovers, 1 Grey Heron, 29 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 400 Cormorants, 6 Shelduck, 7 Fieldfares, 1 Jay, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Kingfisher.

December 20th
It was milder but overcast and drizzly this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 441 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Mute Swans, 11 Redshank, 4 Grey Plovers, 3 Sanderling, 4 Turnstone, 4 Ringed Plovers, 4 Stonechats, 22 Oystercatchers, 22 Shelduck, 1 Merlin, 45 Linnets, 110 Greylag Goose, 2 Corn Buntings, 450 Cormorants, 26 Mallard, 1 Curlew, 27 Wigeon, 2 Teal and 15 Common Scoter E.

December 19th
Luckily the forecast fog did not materialise here although there was a heavy frost so we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back via the Green Wall. We recorded 1 Kestrel, 26 Blackbirds, 25 Redwings, 22 Chaffinches, 5 Fielfares, 5 Grey Partridges, 1 female Peregrine, 12 Gadwall, 36 Mallard, 65 Greylag Geese S, 42 Corn Buntings, 25 Reed Buntings, 60 House Sparrows, 1 Little Egret, 36 Oystercatchers, 127 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Shelduck, 1,800 Cormorants S to the Stour Valley, 1 Curlew, 4 Grey Plover, 5 Redshank, 4 Sanderling, 2 Turnstone, 6 Snow Buntings, 5 Goldfinches, 3 Stonechats, 23 Mute Swans and 1 Grey Wagtail.
Anthea Skiffington also found a Black Redstart at the Oyster Farm.

December 18th
It was another sunny but chilly morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 4 Redshanks, 132 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Red-throated Diver, 12 Turnstone, 3 Stonechats, 17 Shelduck, 6 Lapwings, 38 Corn Buntings, 5 Snow Buntings, 24 Wigeon, 1 Rock Pipit, 40 Mallard, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 57 Ringed Plovers, 14 Sanderling, 1 Snipe and 5 Grey Plovers.

Male Snow Bunting

December 17th
We arrived at Chamber's Wall just as the sun was rising on a freezing but sunny morning. We walked out to Coldharbour and then along the seawall towards Reculver and recorded 22 Blackbirds, 64 Greylag Geese, 1 Marsh Harrier, 7 Fielfares, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Goldcrests, 4 Redwings, 1 Little Egret, 38 Chaffinches, 11 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Curlew, 12 Oystercatchers, 12 Redshank, 10 Grey Plovers, 17 Shelduck, 45 Carrion Crows, 69 Mallard, 11 Goldfinches, 1 Turnstone, 1 Stonechat, 25 Reed Buntings, 34 Corn Buntings, 2 Grey Herons and 5 Red-legged Partridges.

Red-legged Partridge

December 16th
On a bright and sunny morning with a chilly NW wind blowing we walked from Reculver along the seawall to Plumpudding and inland to Shuart. We counted 2 Goldcrests, 2 Firecrests, 40 House Sparrows, 1 Rock Pipit, 432 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 95 Linnets, 247 Oystercatchers, 1 Curlew, 6 Goldfinches, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Little Egrets, 30 Golden Plovers, 15 Wigeon, 91 Sanderling, 51 Redshank, 39 Mallard, 1 Guillemot W,, 12 Corn Buntings, 2 Snow Buntings E, 16 Lapwings, 10 Common Scoter, 78 Grey Plovers, 18 Turnstone, 103 Dunlin, 54 Ringed Plovers, 13 Curlews, 2 Stonechats, 1 Redpoll, 13 Redwings, 1 Chiffchaff, 20 Blackbirds and 1 Siskin.

Redshank