November 30th
On a cold and showery morning we walked at Reculver and saw 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 24 Coot, 9 Mallard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Mute Swans, 1 Redshank, 1 Little Grebe, 12 Chaffinches, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, 60 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Shelduck W, 1 Curlew and 1 Chiffchaff.
November 29th
On a sunny and cold morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and saw 1 Corn Bunting, 2 Stonechats, 19 Blackbirds, 34 Redwings, 14 Fieldfares, 13 Chaffinches, 75 Lapwings, 675 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 24 Mallard, 2 Little Grebes, 31 Linnets, 11 Oystercatchers, 87 Carrion Crows, 2 Shelduck, 6 Turnstone, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Curlew, 1 Rock Pipit, 7 Bearded Tits and 2 Cetti's Warblers.
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| Fieldfare |
November 28th
There was a cold north westerly wind blowing this morning as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 355 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 adult male Peregrine, 17 Mute Swans, 3 Corn Buntings, 3 Pintail flying W, 68 Mallard, 8 Great Black-backed Gulls, 47 Carrion Crows, 34 Ringed Plovers, 86 Dunlin, 3 Stonechats, 2 Shelduck, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Sanderling, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 14 Goldfinches, 1 Curlew, 1 Redshank and 1 Pied Wagtail.
This evening I received information about a first year Sedge Warbler we ringed at Reculver on the 19th August. It was controlled at Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France on the 7th September and had flown 508 km SSW.
November 26th
It was cold, overcast but calm this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and on to Plumpudding lagoon. We counted 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Kestrel, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 23 Blackbirds, 17 Redwings, 25 Mallard, 775 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Fieldfares, 4 Little Grebes, 4 Bearded Tits, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Curlew, 156 Oystercatchers, 68 Carrion Crows, 1 Snow Bunting on the beach near Plumpudding lagoon, 3 Grey Plovers, 20 Ringed Plovers, 1 male Red-breasted Merganser in Coldharbour, 1 Little Egret, 6 Corn Buntings, 1 Stonechat and 1 Peregrine.
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| Male Red-breasted Merganser in Coldharbour lagoon |
Matt was also out earlier than us and walked at Chamber's Wall and Coldharbour where he saw 8 Lesser Redpoll, 40 Fieldfares, 3 Goldcrests, 62 Redwings, 1 Marsh Harrier, 10 Cetti's Warblers, 16 Song Thrushes, 47 Mallard, 4 Little Grebes, 2 Lapwings, 4 Bearded Tits, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Gannets, 534 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 90 Carrion Crows, 26 Golden Plovers, 1 Grey Heron, 31 Mute Swans, 1 Water Rail, 1 Sparrowhawk and 16 Skylarks.
Derek Smith was also out this morning and walked from Minnis Bay to Coldharbour and back along the embankment to Plumpudding. He recorded 4 Little Grebes, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 600 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 female Common Scoter at Plumpudding lagoon, 1 male Red-breasted Merganser flying into Coldharbour lagoon, 2 Marsh Harriers, 35 Grey Plovers, 12 Dunlin, 130 Sanderling, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 28 Curlew, 2 Snipe, 10 Stonechats, 2 Rock Pipits, 13 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Firecrest, 1 Snow Bunting and 21 Corn Buntings.
November 25th
We spent another couple of hours seawatching at a cold and windy but sunny Reculver this morning. We counted 293 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 840 Cormorants, 30 Common Scoter, 31 Red-throated Divers, 10 Kittiwakes W, 1 Tufted Duck W, 16 Shelduck W, 12 Razorbills, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 98 Sanderling, 10 Gannets, 43 Common Gulls W, 10 Dunlin W, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls W, 20 Turnstone, 3 Knot, 1 Shoveler, 1 adult Peregrine and 14 Grey Plovers E.
We then had a chilly walk inland at Reculver where we saw 1 Chiffchaff, 17 Coot, 14 Mallard, 2 Shoveler, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Mute Swans, 1 Redshank, 2 Little Grebes, 16 Goldfinches, 2 Teal, 1 Little Egret, 2 Ravens and 8 Long-tailed Tits.
Dave Smith walked along the seawall from Reculver between 0900 and 1130. He counted 1,000 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler, 30 Mallard, 1 Common Scoter, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Little Grebes, 250 Oystercatchers, 60 Grey Plovers, 50 Ringed Plovers, 1 Lapwing, 20 Curlew, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Redshank, 40 Turnstone, 150 Sanderling, 30 Dunlin, 1 Mediterranean Gull and 5 Stonechats.
November 24th
On a cold, sunny morning with a strong NW wind blowing we spent four hours seawatching at Reculver. Most birds were flying west and we counted 380 Cormorants, 212 Common Scoter, 204 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 66 Gannets, 38 Grey Plovers, 10 Razorbills, 1 Curlew, 2 Great Northern Divers, 2 Shelduck, 6 Pintails, 14 Red-throated Divers, 6 Kittiwakes, 2 Knot, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Eiders flying E, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 3 Little Gulls, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Purple Sandpiper (194th), 1 Stonechat, 2 Skylarks W, 7 Golden Plovers, 6 Dunlin, 90 Sanderling and 1 Sandwich Tern.
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| Reculver |
Later in the morning Dave Smith found a Grey Phalarope (195th) on the sea at Plumpudding lagoon before it flew W.
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| Grey Phalarope - Dave Smith |
November 23rd
This morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and saw 160 Dark-bellied Geese, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Stonechat, 19 Mute Swans, 9 Meadow Pipits, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Wigeon, 33 Mallard, 58 Carrion Crows, 11 Skylarks W, 112 Oystercatchers, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Lapwing, 3 Shelduck, 6 Redshank, 4 Little Grebe, 24 Turnstone, 9 Linnets, 11 Curlew, 1 Little Egret, 22 Sanderling, 1 male Merlin and 3 Corn Buntings.
Matt was out earlier than us and walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the railway embankment. He saw 594 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Grey Herons, 21 Mute Swans, 220 Cormorants, 23 Sanderling, 1 Rock Pipit, 6 Gannets, 4 Wigeon, 40 Mallard, 12 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebes, 3 Shelduck, 8 Lapwings, 69 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 6 Bearded Tits, 5 Stonechats, 150 Carrion Crows, 25 Grey Plover, 3 Corn Buntings, 1 Water Rail, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 20 Blackbirds, 9 Song Thrushes, 1 Yellowhammer, 1 Marsh Harrier, 14 Golden Plovers, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Peregrine.
November 22nd
This morning dawned calm and bright as we walked inland at Reculver and recorded 1 Cetti's Warblers, a flock of 145 Lapwings flying NW, 180 Cormorants flying N out to sea, 1 Water Rail, 3 Chiffchaffs, 21 Coot, 1 Kestrel, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Mute Swans, 2 Pied Wagtails, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Grey Wagtail, 14 Goldfinches, 1 Little Egret, 4 Mallard, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Goldcrests, 11 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Redwings. A twenty minute look at the sea at Reculver produced 70 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 8 Gannets, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 male Tufted Duck flying W, 1 Little Egret and 1 Curlew.
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| Autumn leaves |
November 21st
With a fresh NW wind blowing Matt arrived at Reculver for a seawatch at 0700 and remained there until 1530. Anne and I joined him for three hours this morning and one and a half hours this afternoon. Matt's final totals were 3 Redwings, 125 Gannets W and a feeding flock of 100 off Minnis Bay, 248 Common Scoter mainly in a flock sitting on the sea, 222 Kittiwakes (211W and 11 E), 376 Dark -bellied Brent Geese, 410 Cormorants, 41 Little Gulls W, 34 Red-throated Divers and 5 Great Northern Divers (2 single birds flying high E over the Oyster Farm and 3 on the sea that flew east). Other birds included 6 Red-breasted Mergansers W (1 male and 5 red-heads), 2 Curlews, 81 Razorbills mainly W, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 12 Sandwich Terns W, 1 Eider E, 80+large auks, 15 Mediterranean Gulls E, 1 Little Egret, 4 Shelduck W, 1 Black-throated Diver E (192nd), 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls W, 6 Pintail W, 1 Teal W, 99 Starlings W, 1 Sooty Shearwater E at 1110 (193rd), 1 female/immature Goldeneye W, 1 male Goosander W, 3 Skylarks W, 23 Lapwings W, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Great Skuas (1W and 3E) and 2 Wigeon W.
November 20th
With rain threatened we walked inland at Reculver before having a look at the sea. We recorded 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Jay, 22 Coot, 5 Mallard, 4 Goldfinches, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Mute Swans, 4 Little Grebes, 3 Tufted Duck, 11 Linnets, 1 Stonechat, 1 Water Rail, 8 Blackbirds, 1 Green Woodpecker, 7 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Bullfinch, 116 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 44 Common Scoter, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Curlew.
November 19th
It was bright and blustery this morning with the tide going out as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. We saw 1 Jay, 242 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pied Wagtail, 24 Mute Swans, 1 Kestrel, 26 Oystercatchers, 6 Corn Buntings, 62 Carrion Crows, 73 Mallard, 10 Skylarks, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Golden Plover, 2 Redshank, 2 Shelduck, 1 Turnstone, 1 Curlew, 1 Little Grebe and 1 Chiffchaff hopping about below the seawall.
Between 1200 and 1430 Drek Smith walked from Shuart and along the railway embankment returning via Coldharbour and Plumpudding. He saw 420 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 20 Gannets, 2 Shelduck flying S, 14 Grey Plovers, 48 Redshank, 9 Curlew, 4 Stonechats and 8 Cetti's Warblers.
November 18th
We spent two and a half hours at a drizzly and windy Minnis Bay this morning and counted 294 Gannets flying W, 16 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Little Egret, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 13 Common Scoter, 7 Teal, 4 Razorbills, 4 Curlew, 21 Little Gulls flying W, 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Lapwings flying W, 5 Sandwich Terns, 1 Great Skua flying W (191st), 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Goldcrest, 30 Great Black-backed Gulls, 4 Shoveler and 2 Snipe flying in off the sea.
November 17th
On a sunny but chilly morning with the tide out we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back. Birds we saw included 628 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Pied Wagtails, 31 Shelduck flying W, 76 Lapwings flying W, 15 Goldfinches, 32 Ringed Plovers, 4 Turnstone, 88 Carrion Crows, 8 Sanderling, 2 Corn Buntings, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 8 Lesser Redpoll flying W, 65 Mallard, 42 Linnets, 1 Marsh Harrier, 20 Oystercatchers, 8 Wigeon, 4 Little Egrets, 10 Redshank, 2 Grey Herons, 20 Skylarks, 1 Golden Plover, 3 adult Little Gulls flying S and inland at Coldharbour and 2 Stonechats.
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| Shelduck and Wigeon |
November 16th
We spent about two and a half hour seawatching at Minnis Bay this morning and counted 3 Great Northern Divers, 8 Sandwich Terns, 77 Common Scoter, 10 Wigeon W, 10 Teal W, 6 Razorbills, 14 Red-throated Divers, 280 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 15 Gannets, 550 Cormorants, 3 Little Egrets, 15 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Swallow, 1 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull E and 4 Bar-tailed Godwits.
