November 30th
With no rain this morning and the sun shining we walked from a very muddy Chamber's Wall to the White Poplars and then on to Coldharbour. Birds we saw included 1 Grey Heron, 4 Mute Swans, 16 Chaffinches, 3 Redwings, 9 Fieldfares, 101 Cormnorants flying to the Stour Valley, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Little Grebes, 7 Redshank, 8 Skylarks, 46 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Mallard, 2 Shelduck, 18 Meadow Pipits, 1 Red-breasted Merganser W, 15 Reed Buntings, 3 Coot, 8 Corn Buntings, 8 Robins and 1 Chiffchaff.
Mike Roser and Dave Perrin walked from Reculver to Coldharbour today and their highlight was 6 Pink-footed Geese initially on the sea then on one of the fields before flying SW having been disturbed by a passing helicopter. They also saw 12 female/immature Common Scoter and 1 immature male Eider.
At Grenham Bay Terry Wilson recorded 4 Eiders, 2 males and 2 females, 6 Curlew, 4 Grey Herons, 6 Turnstone, 3 Sanderling, 12 Dark-bellied brent Geese, 6 Great Crested Grebes and 120 Seals on Margate Hook sand bank.

Little Egret - Terry Wilson

November 29th
It was another wet and windy morning but although the wind strengthened at least the rain had ceased in the afternoon so we walked along below the cliffs at Minnis and Grenham Bays. We counted 88 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 77 Oystercatchers, 7 Curlew, 7 Little Egrets, 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Dunlin, 22 Redshank, 1 wintering Whimbrel and 2 Pied Wagtails.

Whimbrel

November 28th
This morning was a washout with continuous rain so we ventured out after lunch even though there was a southerly gale blowing.We walked at Shuart and recorded 86 Fieldfares, 11 Redwings, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kestrel, 35 Cormorants, 6 Dark-bellied Brent Geese out by the seawall, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Common Buzzards and 1 Chiffchaff.

November 27th - 306th species for the Reculver area
We spent an overcast morning ringing at Shuart where we ringed 66 birds but more surprisingly saw our third new species for Reculver during this month a long overdue Cattle Egret (197th).
Other birds seen included 1 Kestrel, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 99 Redwings, 60 Blackbirds, 163 Fieldfares, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Red Kite, 2 Common Buzzards, 3 Mallard, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 30 Reed Buntings and 12 Meadow Pipits.

Birds ringed 66: Blue Tit 1, Reed Bunting 19, Meadow Pipit 4, Robin 5, Cetti's Warbler 1, Song Thrush 4, Redwing 3, Blackbird 28, Green Woodpecker 1.

Female Green Woodpecker

This afternoon we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back via the Green Wall and saw 112 Fieldfares, 30 Redwings, 9 Corn Buntings, 1 Stonechat, 1 Little Egret, 2 Coot, 16 Curlew, 80 Oystercatchers, 2 Eiders, 12 Mallard, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Turnstone, 1 Redshank and 27 Mute Swans.

November 26th
Matt was out this morning in the pouring rain at Shuart and saw 800 Fieldfares, 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Marsh Harrier, 40 Blackbirds, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Goldcrest and 10 Redwings.
We walked along the seawall at Reculver this afternoon and recorded 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Pied Wagtails, 27 Mute Swans, 2 immature male Eiders, 15 Cormorants, 1 Redshank, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Short-eared Owl, 4 Turnstone and 1 Peregrine.

November 25th
Marc Heath was out early this morning and walked from Reculver recording 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 1 Kittiwake, 130 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Marsh Harriers, 9 Red-throated Divers, 3 Snow Buntings and 2 Eiders.

November 24th
It was damp and overcast this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 2 immature male Eiders, 1 Kestrel, 9 Red-throated Divers E, 242 Cormorants flying inland, 15 Redshank, 5 Mute Swans, 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Plovers, 1 Grey Heron, 1 female Red-breasted Merganser W, 8 Ringed Plovers, 87 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Shelduck, 24 Mallard, 29 Oystercatchers, 2 Turnstone, 2 Gadwall, 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Jay.

Immature male Eiders

November 23rd
This afternoon we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and recorded 8 Blackbirds, 13 Redwings, 2 Song Thrushes, 13 Redshank, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Coot, 18 Turnstone, 10 Oystercatchers, 16 Mallard, 4 Snow Buntings, 3 Corn Buntings and 2 Fieldfares.

Male Snow Bunting

November 22nd
On a dull, chilly and overcast morning we walked from Chamber's Wall and round Coldharbour and saw 32 Blackbirds, 4 Redwings, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Snipe, 1 Redpoll, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Long-eared Owl (196th) being mobbed by Blackbirds, Wrens and Blue Tits, 1 Chiffchaff, 412 Cormorants, 2 Little Egrets, 44 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 19 Mallard, 66 Oystercatchers, 1 Kingfisher, 12 Redshank, 2 Grey Plovers, 5 Turnstone, 5 Coot, 2 Mute Swans, 12 Chaffinches and 11 Corn Buntings.

Long-eared Owl

This afternoon, between 1330 and 1600, Derek Smith walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and recorded 2 Little Egrets, 5 Grey Herons, 176 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 46 Pink-footed Geese south of the Shuart Crossing, 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier, 1 Barn Owl, 4 Snipe, 180 Lapwings, 22 Sanderling, 60 Redwings, 7 Skylarks and 2 Cetti's Warblers.

Pink-footed Geese - Derek Smith

We often have Green Woodpeckers flying over our garden but we seldom have them feeding on the lawn.

Green Woodpecker

Today I received information concerning a juvenile Sedge Warbler we ringed on Reculver Marshes on 5th July 2018 and was controlled at Trunvel, Treogat, Finistere, France on 26th July. It had flown 557 km SW.

November 21st
After the last four days of easterly wind with lots of birds moving at sea it was a return to the more usual November fare as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour this morning. We saw 297 Cormorants, 12 Redshank, 1 Kestrel, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Plovers, 7 Mute Swans, 3 Turnstone, 33 Ringed Plovers, 16 Mallard, 1 Stonechat, 33 Oystercatchers and 24 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

Second winter Herring Gull

This morning Terry Wilson walked west along the seawall from Grenham Bay and counted 4 Lapwings, 28 Redshank, 11 Turnstones, 50 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kingfisher, 12 Common Scoter, 6 Stonechats, 60 Sanderling, 9 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Little Egret and 4 Pied Wagtails.

November 20th
Another cold morning with a strong easterly wind and another chilly seawatch. We arrived at Reculver just as it was getting light and remained there until 0930. Most of the birds we counted were flying east and included 25 Common Scoter, 18 Oystercatchers, 28 Red-throated Divers, 1,080 Cormorants, 1 adult White-fronted Goose, 6 Kittiwakes, 28 Little Gulls, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 43 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 7 Razorbills, 57 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Velvet Scoter, 1 red-head Goosander W, 5 Gannets, 1 female/immature Goldeneye, 2 Dunlin, 1 Great Skua, 1 Eider W, 1 Curlew and 130 Carrion Crows.

November 19th
We spent another chilly morning seawatching at Reculver between 0645 and 1000. We saw a good range of species with most birds flying E. We counted 86 Common Scoter, 117 Brent Geese, 63 Oystercatchers, 3 Curlew, 42 Gannets, 101 Red-throated Divers, 36 Wigeon, 10 Kittiwakes, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, 812 Cormorants, 3 Great Skuas W, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Velvet Scoter, 1 Long-tailed Duck W (194th), 1 Little Egret, 10 Eider, 47 Teal, 2 Goldeneye (195th) including an adult male, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 1 large auk, 1 Razorbill and 8 Tufted Duck.

Eider

November 18th
We arrived at Reculver just as the sun came up on a bright and breezy morning. We had a 75 minute seawatch with most birds flying east and counted 75 Gannets, 11 Shelduck, 22 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 20 Common Scoter, 1,345 Cormorants flying out to sea from the Stour Valley, 1 Little Egret, 7 Kittiwakes, 1 Rock Pipit, 11 Eiders, 3 White-fronted Geese, 1 Black-throated Diver, 9 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 10 Teal, 1 large auk, 2 Wigeon, 2 Great Skuas W, 2 Razorbills and 1 Red-breasted Merganser.
After this we drove one car to Chamber's Wall and walked back along the seawall to Reculver and recorded 60 Lapwings, 4 Mute Swans, 1 Goldcrest, 15 Redwings, 12 Fieldfares, 6 Corn Buntins, 2 Mallard, 6 Coot, 4 Teal, 2 Moorhens, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Redshank, 13 Gannets E, 1 Razorbill E, 9 Red-throated Divers E, 5 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Turnstone, 1 Marsh Harrier, 78 Oystercatchers E, 1 Stonechat, 28 Ringed Plovers, 6 Dunlin, 1 Grey Plover, 1 large auk, 4 Eiders E and 1 Great Skua E.
This afternoon we walked inland at Reculver and recorded 1 Little Owl, 3 Kestrels, 2 Kingfishers, 2 Jays, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Green Sandpiper, 9 Teal and 21 Lapwings.
Derek Smith had a long walk today from Shuart to Bishopstone with his highlights being 3 Avocets landing on the sea at Plumpudding and 1 Red-breasted Merganser flying E.

Avocets - Derek Smith

November 17th
It was bright and sunny this morning as we walked from Minnis Bay to Reculver along the seawall. We saw a lot of birds mainly flying east. These included 8 Little Egrets, 67 Lapwings, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 30 Red-throated Divers, 189 Oystercatchers, 4 Mallard, 8 Red-breasted Mergansers, 35 Gannets, 61 Turnstone, 38 Shelduck W, 186 Dark-bellied Brent Geese W, 3 Kittiwakes, 111 large auks, 20 Grey Plovers, 1 Whimbrel, the latest winter record for the area, 144 Common Scoter, 48 Teal, 22 Wigeon, 18 Redshank, 9 Curlew, 29 Sanderling, 5 Razorbills (191st), 14 Ringed Plovers, 10 Pied Wagtails and 8 Pink-footed Geese (192nd) flying E close inshore at Plumpudding. We also recorded 14 Goldfinches, 4 Stonechats, 1 Golden Plover, 12 Skylarks, 10 Gadwall, 5 Dunlin, 3 Goldcrests, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Black Redstart by the car park at Reculver.
Later Gary Howard had a White-fronted Goose flying E (193rd) .

November 16th
On a very misty and murky morning we walked from Reculver to Coldhabour and back and counted 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Common Scoter E, 4 Redshank, 18 Knot W, 2 Golden Plovers, 250 Cormorants, 2 Little Egrets, 8 Turnstone, 5 Mallard, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Sanderling, 62 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Coot, 1 Curlew, 1 Stonechat, 4 Goldfinches, 26 Teal W, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Black Redstart and 1 Grey Plover.
Derek Smith spent most of a very misty day walking from Shuart to Coldharbour and back along the railway embankment and on to |Brooksend. Birds he saw included 2 Little Egrets, 2 Common Buzzards, 7 Wigeon, 42 Lapwings, 1 Snipe, 120 Golden Plovers W, 6 Grey Plovers, 28 Dunlin, 1 Curlew, 35 Blackbirds, 60 Redwings, 15 Fieldfares, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 34 Goldcrests, 2 Stonechats and 13 Corn Buntings.

Female Stonechat - Derek Smith

Male Stonechat - Derek Smith