January 31st

There was a strong WNW wind blowing this morning so we spent a couple of hours seawatching at the Towers from 0720 but didn't see a great deal. We counted 510 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Eider (121st), 16 Red-throated Divers E, 1 Fulmar W, 1 Peregrine, 14 Turnstone, 1,000+ Herring Gulls W with good numbers of "argentatus" birds amongst them, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls W, 2 Gannets W, 24 Common Gulls W and 1 Great Northern Diver sitting on the sea off the Towers.

Third winter "argentatus" Herring Gull

January 30th

We spent a glorious, sunny, winter's morning ringing on the Marsh south of the railway line where we saw 336 Cormorants flying out to sea, 15 Blackbirds, 43 Linnets, 6 Tree Sparrows, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Snipe, 3 Stonechats, 150 Corn Buntings, 1 Peregrine, 12 Song Thrushes, 2 Yellowhammers, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Golden Plover and 1 Kestrel.

Birds ringed 9: Reed Bunting 3, Robin 1, Yellowhammer 1, Song Thrush 2, Blackbird 2.

Male Yellowhammer

January 29th

On a blustery morning we walked inland at Reculver and counted 180 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Kestrel, 1 Jay, 2 Common Buzzards, 13 Goldfinches, 2 Chiffchaffs, 24 Mute Swans, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Black Redstart.

Matt was also out this morning and walked at Brooksend where he counted 18 Tufted Duck, 5 Gadwall, 20 Mallard, 2 Little Grebes, 40 Greylag Geese and 1 Raven. At Chamber's Wall he saw 120 Corn Buntings and 18 Yellowhammers (120th).

A colour ringed Redshank that we recorded at Minnis Bay on December 5th was seen there again on January 5th. It had been ringed at Harty by the Swale Wader Group on 2nd November 2021.

January 28th

This morning we had our first ringing session of the year at Reculver during which time we saw 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Redwings, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaffs, 14 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Jays, 3 Moorhens, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 22 Mute Swans, 30 Linnets, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Stonechat, 1 Shoveler, 1 Coot, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Little Egret, 34 Goldfinches, 1 Black Redstart and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Birds ringed 17: Wren 2, Long-tailed Tit 9, Chiffchaff 1, Chaffinch 1, Blackbird 1, Jay 2, Green Woodpecker 1.

Male Green Woodpecker

January 27th

On the first breezy morning for while we walked from Reculver and along the seawall but only recorded 56 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 32 Oystercatchers E, 1 Redshank, 2 Stonechats, 9 Goldfinches, 18 Golden Plover, 1 Curlew and 9 Mute Swans.

Golden Plover on the beach

January 26th

We had a change of scenery this morning and had a walk at Netherhale where we saw 12 Chaffinches, 1 Chiffchaff, 12 Tufted Ducks, 10 Goldfinches, 2 drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Kestrels, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Jay, 1 Grey Heron, 32 Mallard, 50 Linnets and 1 Marsh Harrier.

This afternoon we had a walk at Shuart and recorded 8 Goldfinches, 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Tufted Ducks, 1 Gadwall, 16 Mallard, 6 Mute Swans, 2 Kestrels, 1 Grey Heron and 2 Coot.

Tufted Duck

January 25th

On another calm and dreary morning there was not a great deal be seen as we walked along the seawall up to Coldharbour. We counted 71 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Kestrel, 9 Redshank, 1 Sheduck W, 2 Marsh Harriers, 22 Reed Buntings, 5 Turnstones, 4 Oystercatchers, 5 Goldfinches, 2 Coot, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Mallard and 2 Stonechats.

I have just received the ringing information of a Dutch ringed adult male Blackbird we controlled at Shuart on 19th November 2021. It had been ringed at Vlieland, Friesland, The Netherlands on 6th November 2021 and had flown 327 km SW to reach Shuart.

January 24th

It was overcast and very quiet this morning at Reculver as we walked along the seawall. We recorded 39 Dark-bellied Brent Geese,  1 Kestrel, 12 Redshank, 10 Turnstone, 7 Oystercatchers, 8 Mallard, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 34 Ringed Plovers, 3 Shelduck, 1 Curlew, 3 Corn Buntings, 1 Stonechat and 14 Meadow Pipits.

This afternoon I walked inland at Reculver and saw 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Jays and 1 Black Redstart.

Janaury 23rd

On a dull but still morning with the tide out we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. We saw 220 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 14 Mallard, 1 Kestrel, 19 Redshank, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Raven flying W and then back E, 8 Oystercatchers, 10 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 150 House Sparrows, 24 Corn Buntings, 2 Curlews, 13 Reed Buntings, 1 Stonechat and 1 Common Buzzard.

Derek Smith was also out this morning and between 1030 and 1200 walked from Shuart to Brooksend and recorded 19 Mute Swans, 74 Greylag Geese, 9 Tufted Duck, 14 Grey Herons, 45 Chaffinches feeding in a stubble field, 1 Goldcrest and 6 Corn Buntings.

January 22nd

This morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver and Matt walked in from Shuart and we met at Coldharbour. Between us we recorded 1 Kestrel, 131 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 23 Redshank, 14 Oystercatchers, 28 Ringed Plovers, 1 Turnstone and 2 Black Brants, one flying W at Reculver and the other at the Wantsum outflow. Other birds we saw were 22 Mallard, 1 Curlew, 4 Shelduck, 1 Golden Plover, 12 Corn Buntings, 1 Water Rail, 1 Snipe, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Red-throated Divers, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Wigeon, 15 Reed Buntings, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Stonechat, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Jays.

January 21st

It was another bright but cold morning as we walked from Reculver and back along the railway embankment and Green Wall. We saw 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 Red-throated Divers, 1 Raven, 19 Redshank, 1 Dartford Warbler, 2 Common Buzzards, 3 Corn Buntings, 96 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Oystercatchers, 5 Shelduck, 38 Mallard, 20 Reed Buntings, 42 Ringed Plovers, 9 Goldfinches, 2 Stonechats, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Kingfisher, 50 Golden Plovers, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Female Stonechat

Later this morning Matt walked along West Brook Valley and saw 1 Siberian Chiffchaff, 6 Common Chiffchaffs, 2 Firecrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Redwings and 4 Long-tailed Tits.

January 20th

On a sunny morning with a cold and fresh NW wind blowing we spent an hour at the Towers before walking inland. Birds we saw included 452 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Fulmar E, 27 Red-throated Divers, 3 Wigeon W, 1 Kittiwake W (118th), 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Gannaet E, 300 Herring Gulls W, 1 Stonechat, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Jay, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 19 Mute Swans, 1 Redwing and 1 Black Redstart (119th).

January 19th

The fog had cleared overnight and we walked from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow with the sun shining now and then. We counted 808 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 adult Black Brant, 4 Stonechats, 1 Pied Wagtail, 12 Redshank, 2 Curlew, 5 Turnstone, 1 Corn Bunting, 2 Oystercatchers, 52 Ringed Plovers, 1 Common Buzzard and 2 Mallards.

Adult Black Brant at the Wantsum outflow

 January 18th

I left my house this morning with the sun shining and a heavy frost but by the time I reached Chamber's Wall the fog had arrived and visibility was down to less than 100 metres. It was a struggle to see anything as I walked up to the Oyster Farm but I did manage to record 3 Coot, 5 Moorhens, 16 Corn Buntings, 1 Skylark, 9 Redshank, 230 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 10 Ringed Plovers, 8 Blackbirds, 166 House Sparrows and 7 Oystercatchers.

The track beside the Wantsum

January 17th

On a bright and cold morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver and saw 1 Kestrel, 1 Goldfinch, 17 Mute Swans, 24 Corn Buntings, 162 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 28 Ringed Plovers, 1 Turnstone, 1 Dartford Warbler, 44 Golden Plover and 2 Stonechats.

A visit to a sunny Shuart this afternoon produced 1 Sparrowhawk, 12 Goldfinches, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Jay, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, 31 Mallard, 36 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Coot, 4 Tufted Ducks, 19 Mute Swans and 34 Greylag Geese.

I have just received information about a Long-tailed Tit we ringed at Reculver on 17th October 2021 that was controlled at Stonelees Golf Club on 12th January and had moved 12 km ESE.