February 28th

It was cold, windy and muddy this morning as we walked at Reculver and then Shuart. We saw 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Coot, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Mallard, 20 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 5 Ring-necked Parakeets, 8 Goldfinches, 1 Kestrel, 2 Jays and 1 Green Woodpecker.

February 27th

On a cold and showery morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Wantsum ouflow and did not see a great deal, just 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Mallard, 6 Linnets, 77 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Stonechats, 90 Common Scoter off Coldharbour, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 18 Mute Swans and 1 first winter Bewick's Swan still near the Roman Galley.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese

Matt was also out this morning and walked from Shuart to Brooksend and back via Plumpudding. He saw 2 Mistle Thrushes, 19 Blackbirds, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Firecrests, 4 Grey Herons, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 16 Greylag Geese, 200 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 160 Jackdaws, 120 Rooks, 4 Common Buzzards, 22 Coot, 22 Tufted Duck, 2 Teal, 1 Shoveler, 2 Wigeon, 1 Stonechats, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Kestrels.

February 26th

Although it was sunny this morning the cold north easterly wind was blowing in the occasional sleety shower as we walked at Reculver and then Shuart. At Reculver we recorded 1 Raven, 2 Pied Wagtails, 16 Teal, 1 Golden Plover, 2 Chiffchaffs, 5 Mallard, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Coot, 2 Yellowhammers, 1 Redshank, 5 Moorhens, 2 Kestrels, 1 Stonechat, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan and 24 Mute Swans.

Great Crested Grebe

At Shuart we saw 5 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Green Woodpecker,1 Barn Owl distantly sittting in a hedge sheltering from the weather, 1 Firecrest, 9 Goldfinches, 2 Jays, 9 Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 11 Corn Buntings, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Red-legged Partridge.

February 25th

With a bitter north westerly wind blowing we visited Reculver and Shuart and saw 150 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Sanderling, 2 Kestrels, 4 Chiffchaffs, 4 Mallard, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 6 Coot, 32 Teal, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 19 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 2 Firecrests, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Goldcrest and 8 Goldfinches.

Before he met us Matt walked down West Brook Valley and counted 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Common Buzzard, 12 Yellowhammers, 1 male Brambling, 30 Chaffinches, 10 Chiffchaffs, 7 Goldcrests, 1 Jay, 1 Firecrest, 2 Grey Wagtails, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Greenfinches, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Ravens, 1 Redwing and 8 Song Thrushes.

February 24th

On an overcast and breezy morning with the tide a long way out we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and then inland. We counted 2 Common Buzzards, 227 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 18 Mute Swans, 350+ Common Scoter off Coldharbour with 2 Velvet Scoters, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Redshank, 2 Curlews, 27 Mallard, 2 Dunlin, 7 Ringed Plovers, 1 Stonechat, 6 Oystercatchers, 8 Linnets, 1 Grey Heron, 18 Golden Plovers and 3 Rock Pipits. We also recorded 6 Sanderling, 10 Coot, 2 Kestrels, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Shelduck, 1 Yellowhammer, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Wigeon, 2 Red-throated Divers, 1 female/immature male Black Redstart, 1 Jay, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Green Sandpiper, 6 Moorhens, 14 Teal and 1 first winter Bewick's Swan.

February 23rd

We had our first rain of the month overnight and the wind had changed to a chilly northerly as we walked at Shuart and then Reculver this morning. We counted 1 Corn Bunting, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Marsh Harrier. 8 Goldfinches, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Red-legged Partrdges, 65 Chaffinches, 22 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 230 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 1 Redshank.

February 22nd

This morning we visited Reculver and Shuart and recorded 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Stonechats, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 13 Mallard, 1 Kestrel, 10 Coot, 5 Moorhens, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Yellowhammers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 11 Teal, 1 Redwing, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Jays, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 18 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Green Woodpeckers and 6 Goldfinches.

February 21st

On a cloudy and calm morning we walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow totalling the Dark-bellied Brent Geese as we went and ended with a count of 638. Other birds we saw included 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 female/immature male Black Redstart, 2 Stonechats, 6 Mallard, 16 Linnets, 6 Meadow Pipits, 8 Redshank, 6 Oystercatchers, 1 Shelduck and 60 Common Scoter offshore at Coldharbour. We also recorded 2 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Goldfinches, 4 Snow Buntings by the Wantsum outflow, 1 Curlew, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Turnstone, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Wigeon, 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtails, 65 Chaffinches and 1 first winter Bewick's Swan and 21 Mutes Swans in the field by the Roman Galley cycle track.

Female/first winter Black Redstart by the Towers

February 20th

On a relatively quiet morning we visited Reculver and Shuart. We saw 335 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 second winter Yellow-legged Gull flying W, 2 Redshank, 1 Kestrel, 20 Teal, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 6 Moorhens, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Coot, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Mallard, 1 Wigeon, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Grey Heron, 23 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Tufted Ducks, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 2 Ring-necked Parakeet.

February 19th

It was still quite blustery at Reculver this morning as we walked along the seawall to Coldharbour. Birds we saw included 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Little Egret, 21 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 2 Stonechats, 3 Redshank, 23 Meadow Pipits, 300 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Wigeon, 3 Mallard, 8 Ringed Plovers, 2 Oystercatchers, 45 Common Scoter on the sea off Coldharbour, 16 Turnstone, 7 Dunlin, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Curlew and 10 Sanderling.

Winter plumaged Dunlin

Matt spent the morning birding most of the Marsh and recorded 17 Yellowhammers, 11 Moorhens, 7 Coot, 2 Little Grebes, 20 Teal, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Mediterranean Gull (120th), 2 Common Buzzards, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 28 Mute Swans, 1 Brambling, 45 Linnets, 70 Stock Doves, 6 Tree Sparrows, 1 Kestrel, 1 Stonechat, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 8 Redshank, 40 Common Scoter, 2 Wigeon, 55 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 40 Turnstones, 19 Ringed Plovers, 20 Dunlin, 30 Sanderling, 1 Little Egret and 4 Barnacle Geese flying E (121st).

February 18th

This morning we walked at both Reculver and Shuart and saw 2 Pied Wagtails, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Goldfinches, 4 Redwing, 13 Mallard, 8 Coot, 4 Tufted Duck, 7 Moorhens, 23 Teal, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wigeon, 1 Yellowhammer, 1 male Peregrine, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 21 Mute Swans, 400 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 3 Greylag Geese, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Jays, 2 Kestrels, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 15 Gadwall, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Firecrest.

February 17th

On a blustery but mild afternoon we walked at Reculver and then Shuart. We counted 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 19 Mute Swans, 110 Stock Doves, 1 Kestrel, 1 male Pochard, 7 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Coot, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Redshank, 3 Wigeon, 1 Gadwall, 43 Teal, 2 Green Sandpipers, 4 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Water Rail, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 6 Goldfinches, 15 Blackbirds and 1 Redwing.

Male Pochard and Tufted Ducks

February 16th

With limited time this morning we had a thirty minute walk at Reculver and then drove inland to the Roman Galley. We saw 250 Dark-bellied Brent Geese,1 Pale -bellied Brent Goose, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Redshank, 1 female/immature male Black Redstart, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Meadow Pipits, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Common Buzzard, 19 Mute Swans and 1 first winter Bewick's Swan.

Matt had a walk from Reculver to Coldharbour after us and recorded 1 Shelduck, 3 Stonechats, 1 Little Egret, 4 newly arrived Rock Pipits, 1 Peregrine, 6 Snow Buntings, 14 Ringed Plovers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Red-throated Divers, 45 Common Scoter, 1 Curlew, 2 Wigeon and 1 Cetti's Warbler.

February 15th

On a bright but misty and dewy morning we walked inland at Reculver and down the West Brook Valley before visiting Shuart on the way home. We recorded 95 Chaffinches, 22 Yellowhammers, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Partridges, 38 Rooks, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 65 Linnets, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 male Pochard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Coot, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Mallard, 3 Wigeon, 2 Redshank, 22 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 8 Teal and Little Grebes.

At Shuart we saw 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 7 Goldfinches, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Barn Owl, 3 Little Grebes, 10 Teal, 2 Mallard, 1 Canada Goose (119th) and 1 Greylag Goose.

Canada Goose and Greylag

Male Pied Wagtail

Little Grebe

 February 14th

This morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and recorded 1 Tufted Duck on the sea at Reculver, 1 female/immature male Black Redstart, 4 Redshank, 9 Oystercatchers, 17 Mallard, 112 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Grey Heron, 14 Carrion Crows, 1 male Peregrine, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Little Egret, 1 Turnstone, 6 Ringed Plovers and two Stonechats. On the way home we saw 1 Common Buzzard, 18 Mute Swans, 1 first winter Bewick's Swan, 48 Linnets and 80 Chaffinches.

Male Stonechat on the seawall

Today I received information about an adult female Blackbird we ringed on the Marsh south of the railway on 18th November 2021. It was controlled by the Northants Ringing Group on 23rd January 2023 at Overstone Park, Northampton which is 173 km NW of Reculver.