Friday 30 June 2017

June 30th
It was very pleasant as we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour this morning. We saw 2 Kestrels, 8 Linnets, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Sandwich Terns, 3 Little Egrets, 13 Cormorants, 5 Turnstone, 1 Mallard, 6 Oystercatchers, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Ringed Plovers, 3 Whitethroats, 1 Curlew, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 immature male Eider, 1 first summer Mediterranean Gull, 10 Meadow Pipits, 1 Turtle Dove and 1 Blackcap.

Turnstone

Today, at Bishopstone, David Barnes photographed a Green-eyed Flower Bee on flowers by the cliff top.


Green-eyed Flower Bee

Thursday 29 June 2017

June 29th
On a cloudy morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then visited Reculver on the way home and saw 2 Green Woodpeckers, 35 Swifts feeding over fields at Chamber's Wall, 21 Whitethroats, 4 Turtle Doves, 19 Mallard, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Corn Bunting, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 immature male Eider, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Redshank, 4 Linnets, 1 Little Egret, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel and 1 Blackcap,

Summer plumaged Black-headed Gull

Wednesday 28 June 2017

June 28th
We arrived at Reculver just as the heavy overnight rain had cleared through and walked up to Coldharbour before walking inland at Reculver. We saw 4 Pied Wagtails, 11 Linnets, 9 Cormorants, 11 Oystercatchers, 4 Curlew W, 6 Little Egrets, 1 Turnstone, 1 Redshank, 20 Mallard, 14 Meadow Pipits, 4 Ringed Plovers, 2 Grey Partridges, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Little Owl, 4 Swifts, 4 Sand Martins, 1 Kestrel, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Whitethroats and 1 Common Buzzard.

Oystercatcher

Tuesday 27 June 2017

June 27th
It is still very quiet at Reculver so much so that I took photos of plants rather than birds! Birds we saw on our walk from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour included a family group of 4 Turtle Doves, 2 Goldfinches, 8 Whitethroats, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 18 Blue Tits, 7 Linnets, 7 Mallard, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Oystercatchers, 1 Swift, 2 Linnets, 1 immature male Eider, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Redshank, 1 Corn Bunting and 1 Green Woodpecker.

Tufted Vetch

Spiny Restharrow

Hog's Fennel

Monday 26 June 2017

June 26th
We spent the morning ringing at Reculver and saw 5 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 40 Mallard, 1 Corn Bunting, 7 Whitethroats, 4 Turtle Doves, 1 female Bullfinch, 1 Sparrowhawk,  3 Green Woodpeckers, 15 Reed Warblers, 4 Sedge Warblers, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Kestrels, 6 Swifts, 4 Jays, 30 Sand Martins and 1 Little Egret.

Birds ringed 27: Chiffchaff 1, Blue Tit 7, Bullfinch 1, Reed Warbler 6, Sedge Warbler 2, Blackcap 2, Whitethroat 3, Dunnock 1, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 1, Turtle Dove 2 pullus.

Sedge Warbler

Sunday 25 June 2017

June 25th
It remains very quiet and our walks at Shuart, Chamber's Wall, Coldharbour and Reculver this morning did not produce very much. Highlight was hearing 4 Turtle Doves "purring" at different sites across the Marsh. Other birds seen included 15 Whitethroats, 4 Mallard, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Shelduck, 2 Linnets, 1 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 3 Oystercatchers, 1 Eider, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 1 Swift W.

Hedge Bedstraw flowering in profusion across the Marsh

Saturday 24 June 2017

June 24th
It was cloudy and cooler with a moderate SW breeze blowing this morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm lagoons. We recorded 18 Swifts W, 2 Turtle Doves, 1 Blackcap, 5 Whitethroats, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Mallard, 6 Oystercatchers, 3 Eiders, 2 Linnets, 6 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 1 Chiffchaff.

Female Yellow Wagtail

Friday 23 June 2017

June 23rd
There was a more reasonable temperature this morning as we had a ringing session at Reculver. During the time we were there we saw 3 Cetti's Warblers, 34 Mallard, 3 Mute Swans, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 5 Jays, 3 Blackcaps, 4 Turtle Doves, 20 Sand Martins, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Siskins, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Shelduck, 1 Corn Bunting, 4 Teal, 1 Common Buzzard, 20 Reed Warblers, 2 Kestrels, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Grey Wagtail W, 6 Swifts W and 1 Greenshank.

Birds ringed 22: Chiffchaff 3, Wren 1, Reed Warbler 9, Blue Tit 1, Cetti's Warbler 1, Blackcap 1, Reed Bunting 1, Whitethroat 1, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 3.

Adult Reed Warbler

Comma

Thursday 22 June 2017

June 22nd
With the hot weather continuing we walked along the seawall from Reculver to Coldharbour and managed to find a cooling westerly breeze. Birds we saw were 7 Goldfinches, 1 juvenile Black Redstart on the rocks by the Towers, 1 Little Owl, 8 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Turnstone, 4 Whitethroats, 2 Lapwings, 6 Ringed Plovers, 7 Linnets, 2 Shelduck, 1 Swift W, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls W, 9 Mallard, 7 Cormorants and 2 Pied Wagtails.

Juvenile Black Redstart

Wednesday 21 June 2017

June 21st
Yet another hot and humid morning as we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and then at Reculver. Birding is a bit of a struggle at the moment with few changes over the last few days. We saw 13 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 3 Linnets, 2 Turtle Doves, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Corn Buntings, 54 Mallard, 3 Mute Swans, 20 Sand Martins, 2 Teal, 2 Jays and 1 Green Woodpecker.

Tuesday 20 June 2017

June 20th
Although it was still very humid this morning some thin cloud and light breeze off the sea made it bearable. We walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back before walking inland and saw 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Little Owl, 10 Whitethroats, 5 Little Egrets, 6 Linnets, 3 Turnstone, 10 Ringed Plovers, 14 Mallard, 9 Oystercatchers, 2 Swifts, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Redshank, 1 Fulmar, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Kestrel, 1 Blackcap, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 1 Grey Heron. We also found 2 Marbled Whites.

Turnstone

Monday 19 June 2017

June 19th
On another hot and humid morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and the Oyster Farm before walking inland. We saw 12 Whitethroats, 1 Turtle Dove, 2 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Heron, 7 Oystercatchers, 8 Ringed Plovers, 4 Little Egrets, 6 Shelduck, 6 Linnets, 24 Mallard, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Little Terns W, 3 Mute Swans, 1 Coot, 1 Corn Bunting and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Little Egret

Sunday 18 June 2017

June 18th
On another steamy morning we started early and ringed on the Marsh south of the railway line. We saw 1 Cuckoo, 11 Whitethroats, 5 Goldfinches, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Marsh Harrier, 6 Sedge Warblers, 20 Reed Warblers including one ringed in Belgium and 2 Yellow Wagtails.

Birds ringed 32: Wren 6, Chiffchaff 1, Reed Warbler 11, Blue Tit 1, Sedge Warbler 3, Whitethroat 7, Great Tit 1, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 1.

Saturday 17 June 2017

June 17th
We had an early start on a very warm morning and ringed at Reculver where there were many juvenile birds to be seen. We counted 8 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs, 49 Mallard, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 1 eclipse male Garganey, 1 Little Egret, 2 Jays, 1 male Bullfinch, 2 Turtle Doves, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 14 Whitethroats, 1 Siskin, 150 Sand Martins, 1 Kestrel, 3 Mute Swans, 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Grey Heron. We also saw 10 Black-tailed Skimmers.

Birds ringed 40: Great Tit 8, Bullfinch 1, Whitethroat 5, Cetti's Warbler 2, Blue Tit 10, Reed Warbler 1, Blackcap 3, Robin 1, Dunnock 6, Song Thrush 2, Mallard 1.

Male Bullfinch

Friday 16 June 2017

June 16th
Although it was sunny this morning there was still a fresh west wind blowing as we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm and recorded 19 Whitethroats, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Swifts W, 1 second summer Mediterranean Gull, 4 Common Terns, 6 Oystercatchers, 9 Linnets, 6 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Cuckoos, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Chiffchaff.

Second summer Mediterranean Gull 


Cinnabar Moth

This afternoon we travelled two miles south of our recording area to East Blean Woods where we counted 21 Heath Fritillaries, 31 Meadow Browns, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 White Admiral, 1 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Comma and 2 Ringlets.
Birds we saw included 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 3 Jays and 1 Bullfinch.


Heath Fritillary

White Admiral
 
June 15th
With birding very quiet at Reculver we had an early start this morning and spent the day in the New Forest visiting Latchmore Brook, Avon Heath and Ober Water. Birds we saw included 2 Red Kites, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Woodlarks, 3 Stonechats, 1 nesting female Mandarin Duck, 1 male Nightjar disturbed from its daytime roost, 4 Kingfishers, 6 Common Redstarts, 1 Hobby, 2 Tree Pipits, 2 Nuthatches and 1 Grey Wagtail.
Our main aim, however, was to look for dragonflies and damselflies and although it was very blustery we managed to identify twelve species: Small Red Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, Southern Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Beautiful Demoiselle, Keeled Skimmer, Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser, Emperor Dragonfly and Black-tailed Skimmer.
We also found 4 Silver-studded Blue butterflies.

The New Forest

Wednesday 14 June 2017

June 14th
This morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm in very warm conditions and saw 22 Whitethroats, including many juveniles, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Mallard, 2 Lapwings, 6 Linnets, 2 Shelduck, 2 Gannets E, 8 Oystercatchers, 22 Carrion Crows, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Common Terns, 4 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Redshank, 4 Grey Herons and 1 Marsh Harrier. We also found 12 Red-eyed Damselflies on the lily pads on the River Wantsum.

Juvenile Whitethroat

Moulting adult Little Egret

Red-eyed Damselfly

This morning, in their garden at Bishopstone, Julian and Alex Perry had a Coal Tit (169th) visiting their bird feeders.

Tuesday 13 June 2017

June 13th
On a beautiful sunny morning we walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and saw 5 Blackcaps, 16 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Kestrel, 10 Whitethroats, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Turtle Dove, 18 Lapwings, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Linnets and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker. Butterflies we saw included 2 Commas, 15 Small Tortoiseshells, 3 Small Whites, 1 Speckled Wood, 6 Holly Blues and 7 Small Heaths. We also found 6 Southern Marsh Orchids near the stables.


Comma

Later we walked inland at Reculver and recorded 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps, 100 Sand Martins catching insects over a grass field, 3 Whitethroats, 7 Mute Swans, 5 Mallard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 1 Grey Heron. Insects included 8 Black-tailed Skimmers and 10 Small Tortoiseshells.

Monday 12 June 2017

June 12th
On a bright and mainly cloudy morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and back and recorded 1 Blackcap, 13 Swifts in off the sea, 3 Pied Wagtails, 6 Oystercatchers, 6 Little Egrets, 40 Sand Martins, 1 Kestrel, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Turnstone, 7 Linnets, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Whitethroats and 1 immature male Eider. There was also a Hummingbird Hawk Moth on the Roman walls.

Sea Holly

After winter storms there were a lot of cliff falls at Reculver and hence the Sand Martins have reverted to their original colony at Bishopstone. This morning we counted 112 holes.

Three juvenile Sand Martins

Sunday 11 June 2017

June 11th
This morning we walked from Shuart and along the railway embankment and recorded 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Blackcaps, 2 singing male Turtle Doves, 2 Cuckoos, 2 Kestrels, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Red-legged Partridges, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 11 Whitethroats, 4 Mute Swans, 2 Lapwings, 2 Oystercatchers, 6 Linnets, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Green Woodpecker.
Butterflies we saw included 1 Small White, 30 Small Tortoiseshells, 3 Red Admirals, 3 Painted Ladies, 2 Holly Blues, 1 Common Blue and 1 Small Heath. We also saw a Hummingbird Hawk Moth.
The railway embankment was very colourful and covered in Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea and we also found 6 Pyramidal Orchids and 1 Southern Marsh Orchid.

Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea

Pyramidal Orchid

At around midday I found an interesting bee visiting the Purple Toadflax in my garden at Bishopstone. I'm pretty certain it's a male Long-horned Bee which according to the literature I've got is not very common.


Male Long-horned Bee

 

Saturday 10 June 2017

June 10th
The morning began cloudy with a few drops of rain but later the clouds disappeared to the east and the sun came out. It was quiet at Reculver with most resident birds breeding and migration virtually finished so we saw similar species to yesterday. We walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm and counted 11 Whitethroats, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 9 Linnets, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Mallard, 8 Ringed Plovers, 1 immature male Eider, 5 Little Egrets, 8 Sand Martins, 3 Oystercatchers, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Cuckoos, 3 Turnstone, 2 Swifts, 2 Shelduck and 1 Kestrel.

Ringed Plover

We also stumbled across a yellow plant which appears to be Dyer's Greenwood. As its name suggests used in the past for dying and when mixed with woad and indigo making Kendal Green.

Dyer's Greenwood

This afternoon we had a Brimstone butterfly in our garden. This is not a common butterfly in the area.

Brimstone



Friday 9 June 2017

June 9th
On a sunny but breezy morning we walked from Reculver to Coldharbour and then inland. We recorded 4 Blackcaps, 19 Linnets, 1 Curlew, 7 Oystercatchers, 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 9 Mallard, 6 Ringed Plovers, 13 Swifts W, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Redshank, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Little Egrets, 2 first summer Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Kestrels, 5 Whitethroats, 8 Shelduck, 29 Turnstone, 1 immature male Eider, 1 House Martin W, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Jay, 2 Chiffchaffs, 14 Mute Swans, 1 Tufted Duck and 1 Grey Heron.

Turnstone

Thursday 8 June 2017

June 8th
A Hobby dashed over our garden as we were eating our breakfast on its way to the Sand Martin colony on the cliffs.
After this we drove to Chamber's Wall and walked up to Coldharbour and the Oyster Farm with a blustery S wind still blowing. We saw 7 Whitethroats, 35 Swifts W, 7 Little Egrets, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Mute Swans, 4 Shelduck, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaffs, 7 Mallard, 4 Sandwich Terns, 1 Kestrel, 7 Linnets, 16 Turnstone, 20 Sand Martins feeding in the lee of the seawall, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Heron, 1 House Martin W, 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Lapwings, 1 Cuckoo and 1 Turtle Dove.


Goatsbeard x Salsify hybrids between Chambers Wall crossing and Coldharbour

Wednesday 7 June 2017

June 7th
With a strong and unpleasant westerly wind still blowing we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and back around the Green Wall. After this we had a look from Minns Bay and Reculver in the hope that some of the Storm Petrels seen at Sandwich Bay and Deal might have sneaked round Thanet but to no avail. What we did see this morning included 32 Mallard, 8 Whitethroats, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Shelduck, 3 Little Egrets, 3 Cuckoos, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Swift W, 2 Sand Martins, 1 male Yellow Wagtail, 2 Sandwich Terns W, 2 Linnets, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Common Scoter and 1 Little Tern W.

Male Yellow Wagtail

Tuesday 6 June 2017

June 6th
It felt more like autumn than summer this morning with torrential rain and SW gale blowing so we decided to do our weekly shopping at Sainsbury's instead and did not get out birding until after lunch. Even then we only managed a short walk along the seawall trying to avoid the heavy showers. All we saw was 1 Kestrel, 1 Little Egret, 1 Lesser Black-backs Gull, 1 immature male Eider, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 8 Long-tailed Tits.

Monday 5 June 2017

June 5th
With the sun shining and a fresh SW breeze blowing we walked around Shuart and then along the railway embankment. We saw 6 Blackcaps, 1 Kestrel, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Raven, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Green Woodpecker, 7 Whitethroats, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Lapwings, 8 Linnets, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 1 Cuckoo and 1 male Tufted Duck.
Butterflies we saw included 13 Small Tortoiseshells, 1 Common Blue, 2 Small Heaths, 4 Red Admirals, 2 Painted Ladies, 3 Holly Blues and 1 Speckled Wood. We also saw our first Pyramidal Orchid of the year.

Painted Lady

Sunday 4 June 2017

June 4th
We were back at a quiet Reculver this morning and walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm. We counted 9 Whitethroats, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 9 Linnets, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Marsh Harriers, 18 Mallard, 2 Shelduck, 10 Ringed Plovers, 6 Oystercatchers, 4 Little Egrets, 2 Redshank, 1 Sandwich Tern and 1 Grey Plover.

Yellow Horned Poppy
May 26th-June 3rd    Isle of Skye and Outer Hebrides
We've spent the last week birding on the Western Isles seeing Corncrakes, seabirds, White-tailed Eagles and Twite amongst other excellent species.


Corncrake
 
Black Guillemot

Immature White-tailed Eagle pursued by Hooded Crow