June 16th

It was a beautiful, early, summer morning as I walked along the seawall from Reculver to the Wantsum outflow. Birds I recorded included 4 Goldfinches, 14 Linnets, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Little Egrets, 4 Skylarks, 11 Oystercatchers, 6 Meadow Pipits, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Reed Warblers, 12 Sedge Warblers, 2 Stonechats, 9 Mallard, 1 Reed Bunting, 27 Swifts feeding over wheat fields and continuing W, 2 Ringed Plovers,1 Common Tern, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Pied Wagtails and 1 Swallows W. I also found 5 Bee Orchids at Reculver.

Bee Orchid

 

Male Stonechat

June 15th

On another sunny morning we walked inland at Reculver and recorded 2 Kestrels, 9 Whitethroats, 5 Chiffchaffs, 4 Sand Martins, 6 Mute Swans, 2 Shelduck, 21 Coot, 5 Tufted Duck, 9 Greylag Geese, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Pied Wagtails, 3 Blackcaps, 2 Marsh Harriers, 8 Reed Warblers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 11 Mallard, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 1 Common Buzzard. 

6 Red Kites drifted W over my garden at Bishoptone at 1045. 

During the afternoon found 2 Clouded Yellow butterflies by the Green Wall. 

June 14th

After a night of violent thunderstorms and rain this morning dawned bright and mild. Matt spent the first part of the morning ringing on the Marsh south of the railway where he saw 1 Yellow Wagtail 8 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 6 Sedge Warblers, 8 Reed Warblers, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Tufted Duck and 1 Cuckoo.

Birds ringed 14: Whitethroat 4, Sedge Warbler 2, Reed Warbler 4, Cetti's Warbler 3, Dunnock 1

 June 13th

On a hot and humid morning I walked inland at Reculver and saw 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Kestrels, 10 Reed Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Green Woodpecker, 24 Mallard, 12 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebes, 24 Coot, 2 Gadwall, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Cuckoos, 2 Shelduck, 9 Greylag Geese, 6 Mute Swans, 1 Common Tern, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Mediterranean Gull and 1 Little Egret.

Derek Smith was out at 0430 and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and the embankment. He recorded 6 Little Egrets, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Curlew flying S, 2 Redshank, 2 Turnstone, 2 Mediterranean Gulls flying S, 2 Cuckoos, 1 Barn Owl, 1 singing Marsh Warbler and 2 Lesser Whitethroats. He also found a Bee Orchid at Shuart.

June 12th 

On a warm and sunny morning with a south-east breeze blowing I walked along the seawall as far as the Wantsum outflow. I counted 2 Blackcaps, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Common Tern, 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Heron, 4 Whitethroats, 1 Kestrel, 15 Linnets, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Little Egrets, 5 Sedge Warblers, 5 Stonechats, 5 Reed Warblers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Oystercatcher and 1 Yellow Wagtail.

Breeding male Stonechat

 

Ringed Plover

June 11th

I had the same walk as yesterday with similar results. I saw 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Kestrel, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Cuckoo, 9 Mallard, 1 Shelduck, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 20 Coot, 2 Whitethroats, 14 Tufted Duck, 6 Mute Swans, 3 Corn Buntings, 12 Reed Warblers, 3 Corn Buntings, 12 Reed Warblers, 9 Greylag Goose, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Little Grebe.

June 10th

It was windy this morning as I walked at Reculver and saw or heard 5 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Cuckoo, 24 Coot, 1 Shelduck, 6 Mute Swans, 18 Tufted Duck, 9 Greylag Geese, 15 Sand Martins, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Corn Bunting, 12 Mallard, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Swifts W, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Sedge Warbler, 7 Reed Warblers, 1 Gadwall, 4 Goldfinches and 1 Common Tern. 

June 9th

On an increasingly sunny and warm morning I walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour. I recorded 22 singing Reed Warblers, 10 singing Skylarks, 13 Linnets, 3 Mallard, 4 Whitethroats, 5 Goldfinches, 1 singing Lesser Whitethroat, 5 singing Cetti's Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, a flock of 15 juvenile Blue Tits, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 1 Cuckoo, 6 singing Sedge Warblers, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Egret, 1 Redshank, 1 Common Tern, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Chaffinches and 3 Swallows. I also counted about 65 Pyramidal Orchids at Coldharbour.

Pyramidal Orchids

 June 8th

On a thoroughly unpleasant morning with a strong, blustery and chilly WNW wind blowing I walked along the seawall to the Green Wall and then back along the track below the seawall. I managed to see 3 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Fulmar flying W, 1 Kestrel, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Mallard, 1 Little Egret, 7 Linnets, 4 Cormorants, 3 Reed Warblers, 4 Sedge Warblers, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Tufted Ducks, 7 Stonechats, consisting of 2 family groups and 2 Pied Wagtails. 

Female Stonechat

 Matt was also out this morning and walked inland where he recorded 13 Tufted Duck, 9 Greylag Geese, 3 adults and 6 young, 2 Shelduck, 22 Coot, 16 Mallard, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Hobby, 1 juvenile Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 6 Mute Swans, 2 adults and 4 cygnets, 5 Blackcaps, 18 Long-tailed Tits and 1 Chiffchaff.

 June 6th

On a blustery morning that threatened thundery showers I had a walk at Reculver where I recorded 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Goldfinches, 9 Greylag Geese, 20 Sand Martin, 11 Reed Warblers, 16 Mallard, 18 Tufted Duck, 20 Coot, 2 Grey Partridges, 1 Shelduck, 7 Mute Swans, 3 Gadwall, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Pied Wagtails, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Kestrel and 1 Cuckoo. 

 June 5th

It was breezy with the odd drop of rain falling this morning as Matt walked from Reculver to Plumpudding and back along the embankment. He saw 1 Blackcap, 8 Little Egrets, 5 Swifts, 6 House Martins, 18 Sand Martins, 10 Swallows, 8 Stonechats, 5 Yellow Wagtails,  7 Common Terns, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Cuckoos, 12 Sandwich Terns, 8 Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshank, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Chiffchaffs and 1 Marsh Harrier. He also counted 4 Southern Marsh Orchids, 50+ Pyramidal Orchids and 6 Bee Orchids.

Bee Orchid - Matt Hindle

 

Southern Marsh Orchid - Matt Hindle

 June 4th

On another blustery morning we walked at Reculver and saw 4 Cetti's Warblers, 25 Sand Martins, 8 Greylag Geese, 3 Pied Wagtails, 13 Reed Warblers, 18 Mallard, 18 Coot, 1 Little Egrets, 4 Gadwall, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcap, 1 Little Grebe, 12 Tufted Duck, 1 Shelduck, 8 Mute Swans, 2 Grey Herons and 1 Corn Bunting.

June 2nd

On a sunny but breezy morning I walked along the seawall from Reculver and recorded 1 Little Egret, 7 Whitethroats, 12 Linnets, 2 Reed Warblers, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Mute Swans, 8 Sedge Warblers, 2 Stonechats, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Swifts flying W, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Mallard, 2 Common Terns, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 7 Swallows flying W, 1 Fulmar flying W and 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls flying W. 

This morning Derek Smith found a Marsh Warbler (167th) singing on the Marsh. 

June 1st

At 0345 there was a Long-eared Owl calling near our garden in Bishopstone. 

I completed the same walk as yesterday with similar results and recorded 3 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Kestrel, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap, 14 Sand Martins, 8 Mute Swans, 12 Reed Warblers, 7 Whitethroats, 12 Tufted Duck, 24 Mallard, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Gadwall, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 10 Coot, 9 Greylag Geese, 2 Shelduck, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Pied Wagtail.

May 31st

A very dry May ended warm and sunny as I completed my morning walk at Reculver. I counted 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 12 Reed Warblers, 3 Whitethroats, 24 Sand Martins, 18 Tufted Duck, 22 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Little Grebes, 4 Grey Herons, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Shelduck, 7 Mute Swans, 10 Coot, 9 Greylag Geese, 2 Grey Partridges and 1 Jay.

Derek Smith was out this morning at 0545 and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and Coldharbour and back by way of Brooksend. He saw 7 Little Egrets, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Duck, 1 Lapwing, 4 Turnstone, 4 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo, 5 Swifts W, 1 male Yellow Wagtail, 1 male Stonechat with 3 young, 1 singing Firecrest and 3 Corn Buntings.