August 31st
We spent another morning ringing, this time at Shuart, where we saw 3 Green Woodpeckers, 12 Red-legged Partridges, 11 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Green Sandpiper, 11 Mallard, 4 Willow Warblers, 17 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Marsh Harrrier, 1 Grey Heron, 10 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Sparrowhawk, 35 Linnets, 27 Goldfinches, 18 Reed Warblers, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Kestrels, 1 Whinchat, 25 Swallows, 6 Sedge Warblers and 20 House Martins.

Birds ringed 39: Wren 1, Willow Warbler 2, Whitethroat 6, Sedge Warbler 4, Reed Warbler 18, Blue Tit 1, Robin 1, Chaffinch 2, Blackcap 2, Blackbird 2
  
This afternoon we walked from Chamber's Wall and sat on the beach at Coldharbour for a while. Birds we saw included 150 Linnets, 1 Little Egret, 14 Sandwich Terns, 7 Yellow Wagtails, 15 Common Sandpipers and 1 Grey Heron.
Derek Smith walked from Shuart to Brooksend this afternoon between 1500 and 1800 and recorded 5 Whinchats, 9 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 male Common Redstart, 2 Whitethroats and 1 Willow Warbler. He also found 26 Willow Emerald Damselflies.
Chris Tedder was at Bishopstone Glen this afternoon and recorded 36 Common Sandpipers flying E in 3 groups. Other birds she saw included 4 Sandwich Terns E and 1 Grey Heron W.

Common Sandpipers

August 30th
After yesterday's washout we had an excellent morning ringing at Reculver south of the railway. We saw 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Whinchat, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Kestrel, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 1 male Common Redstart, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 5 Willow Warblers, 20 Whitethroats, 10 Reed Warblers, 5 Sedge Warblers, 1 Turtle Dove, 2 Marsh Harriers, 9 Linnets and 7 Swallows.

Birds ringed 36: Wren 1, Willow Warbler 4, Whitethroat 10, Sedge Warbler 4, Linnet 1, Reed Bunting 3, Common Redstart 1, Lesser Whitethroat 2, Yellow Wagtail 1, Reed Warbler 6, Dunnock 1, Corn Bunting 1, Blackbird 1

First year male Common Redstart

First year Yellow Wagtail

Moulting female Corn Bunting

This afternoon Matt walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back along the railway embankment and counted 5 Teal, 1 Shoveler, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Reed Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers, 1 Willow Warbler, 6 Whitethroats, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Shelduck, 2 Wheatears, 1 Little Egret, 5 Sandwich Terns, 3 Whinchats, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Common Buzzard and 6 Grey Partridges.

August 29th
We managed an hour's ringing at Shuart before the rain arrived and we had to pack up. We didn't see a great deal just 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Mallard, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Willow Warblers, 45 Lapwings, 6 Blackcaps and 10 Whitethroats.

Birds ringed 18: Willow Warbler 1, Whitethroat 6, Reed Warbler 5, Sedge Warbler 1, Blackcap 4, Blue Tit 1

Derek Smith was out this morning walking from Shuart along the railway embankment to Chamber's Wall and Plumpudding in the pouring rain. In four hours he recorded 82 Lapwings, 5 Wheatears, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 7 Blackcaps, 16 Reed Warblers, 6 Sedge Warblers, 2 Willow Warblers, 7 Whitethroats and 1 Lesser Whitethroat.
During the afternoon, after the rain,  Matt walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and recorded 3 Wheatears, 1 Fulmar, 6 Sandwich Terns, 10 Green Sandpipers, 3 Dunlin, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Gannets, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Little Egrets and 1 Kingfisher.
Chris Tedder was also out this afternoon and recorded 1 Kingfisher, 2 Wheatears, 1 Snipe W, 4 Gannets E, 7 Sandwich Terns W, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 140 Linnets, 15 Goldfinches, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers and 1 Grey Partridge.

Common Seal - Chris Tedder

August 28th
It was overcast and calm with the tide out this morning as we completed our regular walk from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm. We saw 1 Chiffchaff, 7 Reed Warblers, 53 Linnets, 5 Sedge Warblers, 71 Mallard, 3 Whitethroats, 17 Redshank, 2 Tufted Duck, 8 Ringed Plovers, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, 12 Oystercatchers, 9 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Snipe, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Common Buzzard, 65 Carrion Crows, 1 Curlew, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Turnstone, 6 Goldfinches, 5 Swallows W, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker and 76 Golden Plovers.
At Reculver this afternoon Chris Tedder recorded 4 Whinchats, 5 Stonechats, 2 Wheatears, 1 Corn Bunting, 8 Little Egrets, 6 Grey Herons, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Green Sandpipers, 47 Mallard, 7 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Sandwich Tern and 3 Ruff at the outflow at Reculver.

August 27th
There was little to be seen on a blustery morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm lagoons. All we counted was 1 Kestrel, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroats, 15 Linnets, 8 Goldfinches, 9 Little Egrets, 13 Sandwich Terns, 14 Oystercatchers, 4 Mute Swans, 6 Ringed Plovers, 1 Wheatear, 12 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron, 43 Carrion Crows and 1 Willow Warbler.
During the afternoon Chris Tedder saw 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Snipe W, 27 Golden Plovers, 36 Mallard, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpipers, 1 Sandwich Tern and 3 Yellow Wagtails.

August 26th
With an increasingly blustery south wind blowing this morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and the Oyster Farm lagoons. We counted 65 House Sparrows, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Whitethroats, 7 Goldfinches, 69 Linnets, 1 Reed Warbler, 4 Mute Swans, 1 Gadwall, 21 Oystercatchers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 3 Little Egrets, 11 Swallows SW, 6 Redshank, 32 Carrion Crows, 1 Kestrel, 1 Wheatear, 1 male Ruff at the Wantsum ouflow before it flew W, 9 Cormorants, 1 Curlew and 1 Grey Heron.
Dave Smith also had a Swift fly past the Towers this morning and saw 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Male Ruff

Derek Smith was also birding this morning and between 0600 and 1000 walked from Shuart along the embankment and on to Plumpudding. It was particularly good before 0800 by which time most birds had moved through. He saw 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Turtle Doves, 14 Dunlin, 3 Golden Plovers, 5 Sandwich Terns, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 12 Sand Martins W, 18 Blackcaps, 14 Reed Warblers, 6 Sedge Warblers, 41 Whitethroats, 9 Lesser Whitethroats, 16 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Common Redstart and 6 Corn Buntings.

Recently fledged juvenile Blackcap - Derek Smith

August 25th
This morning there was a chilly and blustery WNW blowing as we had a half hour look from the Towers before walking from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. We saw 8 Sandwich Terns, 3 Common Terns, 10 Oystercatchers, 47 Redshank, including a tight flock of 40 flying W, 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Kestrel, 1 Reed Warbler, 87 Linnets, 8 Mute Swans, 3 Little Egrets, 6 Goldfinches, 1 Whitethroat, 3 Dunlin, 7 Sanderling, 1 Swallow W, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Grey Heron.
Derek Smith was also out at Shuart and recorded 65 Lapwings, 7 Blackcaps, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Whitethroats, 1 Willow Warbler and 4 Chiffchaffs.

August 24th
We didn't get out until the afternoon as this morning we drove to Gatwick to collect Matt and Marion who had just returned from an eighteen day birding and wildlife trip to Namibia.
It was very quiet at Reculver this afternoon as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back along the Green Wall. All we saw was 1 Redshank, 3 Turnstone, 13 Ringed Plovers, 2 Goldfinches, 6 Linnets, 1 Kestrel, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 juvenile Cuckoo flying E over the sea.
We also met Chris Tedder at Coldharbour and she saw some of the birds we saw and in addition 12 Sandwich Terns W, 5 Whimbrel, 2 Curlews W and 67 Golden Plovers.

Ringed Sandwich Tern - Chris Tedder

At Plumpudding lagoon Terry Wilson counted 40 Oystercatchers, 3 Whimbrel, 12 Ringed Plovers, 1 Wheatear, 6 Sandwich Terns, 1 Common Sandpiper, 12 Sanderling and 1 Peregrine.

August 23rd
It was breezy and mainly overcast this morning as we walked alond the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour. We saw 8 Swallows W, 2 Common Sandpipers, 8 Little Egrets, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Sanderling, 2 Little Grebes, 8 Redshank, 24 Linnets, 12 Turnstone, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Grey Herons, 8 Ringed Plovers, 5 Wheatears, 14 Cormorants, 41 Carrion Crows, 2 Mallard, 1 Oystercatchers, 2 Dunlin, 1 Snipe, 1 Whithteroat, 4 Mute Swans, 2 Sandwich Terns E, 2 Whimbrel W, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Kingfisher.

Linnet

 This afternoon Chris Tedder walked along the seawall at Reculver and recorded 2 Whinchats, 2 Stonechats, 71 Golden Plover, 1 Peregrine, 26 Whimbrel flying W and 1 Wheatear.

Whinchat - Chris Tedder

This morning I received information about a male Reed Warbler we ringed at Shuart on 13th June 2018 and was controlled at Icklesham, East Sussex on 12th August which is 66 km SW.

August 22nd
This morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 3 Mallard, 1 Whimbrel, 250 Linnets, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Whitethroats, 2 Sedge Warblers, 4 Mute Swans, 12 Reed Warblers, 4 Redshank, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Common Sandpiper, 54 Oystercatchers, 8 Ringed Plovers, 8 Turnstone, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Teal, 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Dunlin, 11 Swallows W and 1 Lapwing.
Chris Tedder visited Bishopstone Glen this afternoon and saw a Pied Flycatcher briefly as well as 4 Willow Warblers and 2 Chiffchaffs. Later at Reculver she recorded 10 Wheatears, 3 Yellow Wagtails and a covey of 14 Grey Partridges.

Pied Flycatcher - Chris Tedder

Wheatear - Chris Tedder

August 21st
This morning was calm, humid and mainly cloudy as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 1 Fulmar E, 5 Sandwich Terns, 19 Golden Plovers, 5 Whimbrel, 1 Kingfisher, 6 Redshank, 2 Grey Herons, 16 Little Egrets, 6 Turnstone, 3 Green Sandpipers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 5 Whitethroats, 5 Common Sandpipers, 12 Cormorants, 7 Linnets, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Dunlin, 9 Swallows, 2 Little Terns flying E, 4 Reed Warblers, 2 Mallard, 3 Teal, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Oystercatcher and 5 Snipe.
This afternoon after collecting my car from its first service we drove over to Chamber's Wall. On the way, at St Nicholas-at-Wade, there were 60 Swallows gathered in a tight group on telephone wire whilst at Chamber's Wall we saw 1 Spotted Flycatcher (172nd), 1 Hobby, 4 Swallows W and 1 Grey Heron.

Spotted Flycatcher

This morning at Grenham Bay Terry Wilson counted 20 Oystercatchers, 6 Little Egrets, 6 Dunlin, 3 Whimbrel, 35 Ringed Plovers and 3 Sandwich Terns.

Dunlin - Terry Wilson

This afternoon just  before the end of the path from Chambers Wall and the start of the sea wall by Coldharbour Chris Tedder found 2 Pied Flycatchers and also had a couple of Hobbies. Migrant Hawkers seemed to be everywhere and she also had a Common Darter, a couple of Ruddy Darters, Emperor Dragonfly, a Willow Emerald Damselfly, and a Clouded Yellow butterfly.

Pied Flycatcher - Chris Tedder

August 20th
It was overcast and virtually windless this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then on to the Oyster Farm. We counted 21 Reed Warblers, 5 Sedge Warblers, 7 Whitethroats, 7 Redshank, 5 Dunlin, 4 Mute Swans, 2 Coot, 10 Little Egrets, 45 Linnets, 12 Turnstone, 9 Ringed Plovers, 8 Cormorants, 17 Mallard, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Kestrel, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Sandwich Terns, 2 Common Terns, 15 Goldfinches, 1 Snipe, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Willow Warbler.

Dunlin

August 19th
On a bright and breezy morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and sat on the beach for half an hour. Birds we saw included 1 Common Buzzard, 35 House Sparrows, 16 House Martins W, 66 Linnets, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Reed Warblers, 1 Mallard, 1 Tufted Duck, 7 Swallows W, 6 Little Egrets, 5 Dunlin, 4 Redshank, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Whitethroat, 4 Ringed Plovers, 11 Swifts W, 11 Turnstone, 15 Sanderling, 33 Oystercatchers, 2 Sandwich Terns E, 1 Kestrel, 1 Coot and 4 Goldfinches.
This evening Derek Smith sat on the beach at Plumpudding for an hour and recorded 2 Common Sandpipers, 10 Whimbrel flying S, 6 Sandwich Terns E and 3 Yellow Wagtails feeding on insects on the seaweed.

Sanderling moulting into winter plumage

Juvenile Tufted Duck

August 18th
The bushes and the reeds were very quiet this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall and at Reculver. We did manage to see 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 39 Linnets, 2 Whitethroats, 4 Sedge Warblers, 14 Mute Swans, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Redshank, 4 Ringed Plovers, 9 Turnstone, 8 Oystercatchers, 2 Reed Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 juvenile Cuckoo.
Derek Smith was out at 0630 and spent the next three hours birding as far as Brooksend. He recorded 4 Common Buzzards, 1 juvenile Marsh Harrier, 1 Hobby, 8 Ring-necked Parakeets, 35 Swallows, 13 House Martins, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 11 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps. He also found 2 Willow Emerlad Damselflies and 2 male Ruddy Darters.

August 17th
This morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour and saw 1 Pied Wagtail, 8 Little Egrets, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 25 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 17 Oystercatchers, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Snipe, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Wheatear, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Kestrel, 1 Golden Plover, 45 Carrion Crows, 3 Common Terns W, 1 Whimbrel W, 20 Linnets, 4 Mute Swans, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Ringed Plovers, 3 Reed Warblers, 1 Turnstone, 2 Sandwich Terns and 1 Yellow Wagtail. We also saw 1 Wall Brown.

Wall Brown

Derek Smith was also out this morning and between 0630 and 0930 he walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and along the embankment. He counted 5 Whimbrel, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, 18 Whitethroats, 4 Sedge Warblers, 15 Reed Warblers, 4 Willow Warblers and 1 Yellow Wagtail.