Reculver Sightings - February

Barn Owl - Matt Hindle

February 28th

After heavy overnight snow there were a few Snipe, Fieldfare and Redwings moving about in the area, and Barry Matlock had a Green Sandpiper in a dyke inland from Reculver.

After work this evening we walked along the seawall to the Green Wall and back. There were the regular 4 Snow Buntings feeding with House Sparrows at the car park and other birds seen were 29 Cormorants, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Red-throated Diver, 4 Shelduck, 1 Stonechat and 1 Kingfisher, a very pale and washed out looking bird that has been around all winter at the sluice near the gate on to the seawall.

For me the bird of the evening was a superb Merlin accelerating out on to the marsh to try to catch Skylarks and Meadow Pipits - a good end to the month.

February 27th

With snow showers being driven on by a blustery NE wind, it was not ideal conditions for birding this morning, but we found the following birds in about an hour and a half. 6 Little Grebes, 6 Fulmars, 1 Little Egret, 31 Mute Swans, 300 Brent Geese, 44 Mallard, 5 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 18 Gadwall, 3 Pochard, 23 Tufted Duck, 31 Coot and a Sparrowhawk. Very few passerines wanted to show themselves although there seem to be good numbers of Robins and Blackbirds still.

We met a very hardy seawatcher at the Towers, who had been there for nearly 3 hours. He said he had seen at least 40 Red-throated Divers, a number of Fulmars and Kittiwakes and a Slavonian Grebe and a Purple Sandpiper flying past.

February 26th

A walk at Reculver and up to Cold Harbour and Chamber's Wall produced the following sightings. 2 Little Grebes, 2 Cormorants, 1 Teal, 27 Mute Swans, 370 Brent Geese, 9 Shelduck, 3 Gadwall, 4 Pochard, 20 Tufted Ducks and 36 Coot. At the high tide roost on the beach near to Cold Harbour there were 279 Oystercatchers, 46 Turnstone, 97 Ringed Plovers, 112 Grey Plover, 7 Redshank, 71 Sanderling and 124 Dunlin. Also at Cold Harbour off shore there was a live oiled Guillemot and a dead one washed up on the beach. More surprisingly on the beach there was also a long dead Little Auk. Also seen this afternoon was a female Marsh Harrier, a pair of Stonechats and a lone Snow Bunting on the shingle bank at Cold Harbour.

February 25th

Anne had a wander through Bishopstone Glen and down on to the beach this morning. On the cliffs she had 3 pairs of Fulmars, near to Reculver, and a pair of Kestrels displaying and looking for a nest site. On the beach were 30+ Ringed Plovers, 3 Grey Plovers, 2 Curlews and an oiled Guillemot. Most surprisingly she heard an unfamiliar call whilst in the Glen and found an African Grey Parrot sitting in a tree! Later she saw it and heard it again in Glenbervie Drive.

February 20th

During a walk from Reculver to Cold Harbour this morning in very cold blustery conditions, the following birds were seen. 76 Cormorants, 2 Little Egrets, 261 Brent Geese, 31 Mute Swans, 31 Ringed Plovers, 1 Stonechat and 7 Snow Buntings. Gulls moving west along the shore included 16 Great Black-backs, 52 Lesser Black-backs, 100 Herring Gulls, 2 adult Kittiwakes and an adult Mediterranean Gull seen by Barry Matlock at the car park.

February 19th

A morning walk from the car park at Shuart to the sea produced a Heron in the paddock, obviously hunting rodents, a large female Peregrine, 156 Oystercatchers, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and good views of a hunting Stoat.

Inland at Reculver there were 7 Little Grebes, 2 Little Egrets, 30 Mallard, 13 Teal, 46 Gadwall, 5 Shoveler, 21 Tufted Duck, 5 Pochard and 34 Coot.

February 15th

A walk from Reculver to Cold Harbour in a cold northerly wind and with the tide about half way out produced the following birds.1 Cormorant, 2 Little Egrets, 34 Mute Swans, 295 Brent Geese, 9 Shelduck, 1 Kestrel, 32 Oystercatchers, 3 Grey Plovers, 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Stonechats and 7 Snow Buntings.

This afternoon a Peregrine flew north across the Thanet Way near The Roman Galley.

February 14th

An hour spent at Reculver this morning produced 115 Brent Geese, 361 Herring and 29 Lesser Black-backed Gulls coasting west and the 4 Snow Buntings on the concrete and rocks in front of the car park. They seem to range about 400 metres either side of the Towers. There are 2 males and 2 females, and one of the males has a ring on its left leg - it would be very interesting to know where it had been ringed.

Inland from Reculver there was little to be seen except the usual wildfowl. 5 Little, Grebes, 9 Shelduck, 30 Mallard, 14 Teal, 7 Shoveler, 31 Gadwall, 18 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard and 28 Coot.

At Shuart there were 11 Goldfinches feeding on a burdock plant.

February 13th

An hour spent around the Towers and nearby seawall this morning produced 1 Fulmar, 7 Cormorants, 19 Mute Swans, 53 Brent Geese, 495 Herring Gulls and 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying west and 4 Snow Buntings on the rocks 200 metres east of the Towers (they subsequently flew back west past the car park at 0930)

Further inland there were 3 Little Grebes, 4 Shelduck, 25 Mallard, 2 Teal, 38 Gadwall, 21 Tufted Duck, 5 Pochard and 26 Coot.

February 12th

A quick walk this morning in blustery condition produced the first Chichaff of the year for me. Otherwise not a lot of changa from yesterday, with 5 Little Grebes, 5 Shelduck, 55 Mallard, 12 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 25 Gadwall, 19 Tufted Duck, 8 Pochard and 32 Coot.

4 Snow Buntings were reported on the beach east of the Towers this afternoon.

February 11th

At Bishopstone this morning there were 6 Fulmars, 200 Brent Geese and 60 Cormorants feeding off shore on a shoal of fish. At Reculver there were 6 Little Grebes, 39 Mute Swans, 5 Shelduck, 50 Mallard, 6 Shoveler, 16 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, 19 Tufted Duck, 6 Pochard and 32 Coots.

February 8th

A quick walk at the Reculver end this evening produced the following:

5 Little Grebes, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Shelduck, 24 Mallard, 6 Teal, 32 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler,13 Tufted Duck, 17 Pochard and a hunting adult female Marsh Harrier.

February 6th

A morning spent at Shuart did not produce anything out of the ordinary. 2 Mallard, 41 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 9 Grey Partridges, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Goldcrest and 3 Corn Buntings.

2 Snow Buntings were reported on rocks just east of the Towers in the afternoon.

February 5th

A look at Reculver this morning and a walk from Chamber's Wall to Cold Harbour this afternoon produced the following. 4 Little Grebes, 3 Little Egrets, 40 Mute Swans, 443 Brent Geese, 2 Shelduck, 57 Mallard, 5 Teal, 31 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, 26 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard, 47 Coot, 1 Water Rail, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 large female Sparrowhawk, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 12 Long-tailed Tits and 1 Goldcrest.

February 3rd

A brief walk around at the Reculver end at dusk this evening produced 6 Little Grebes, 47 Coot, 2 Shelduck, 61 Mallard, 2 Shoveler, 18 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 14 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard and a Water Rail.