Reculver Sightings - March

Last 10 days of March

In this period up to 11 Firecrests and 3 Black Redstarts were seen in the Bishopstone/Reculver area, on 30th the first Willow Warbler was seen and on 31st the first 10 Sandwich Terns were recorded.

March 19th

This morning at Shuart there were 3 Gadwall, 1 Woodcock, 2 Green and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Chiffchaff and 2 Bramblings. At Chamber's Wall there was a male Wheatear and in the Reculver/Bishopstone area there is still a Black Redstart, 2 Sand Martins, 6 Chiffchaffs and in the bushes at the top of the cliffs at Bishopstone, 1 Firecrest.

A walk at Reculver and on to Cold Harbour this afternoon produced the following records. 2 Little Egrets, 58 Brent Geese, 5 Shelduck,7 Mallard, 22 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 25 Coot, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 "ringtail" Hen Harrier, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Curlew, 55 Oystercatchers, 2 Chiffchaffs and 1 Snow Bunting. The Snow Bunting was on the beach near Cold Harbour and was a different bird to the regular ones as it was colour ringed. It had a yellow colour ring on its right leg and a normal metal ring on its left. I have emailed the B.T.O. Ringing Office and maybe they will be able to find out where it was ringed.

March 18th

Today at Reculver there was an arrival of Chichaffs, with over 20 recorded. Also the first Blackcap of the year was seen in the corner of the Caravan Park this evening.

Other birds seen in the Reculver area were as follows. 5 Little Grebes, 80 Brent Geese, 2 Shelducks, 22 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard, 22 Coot, 8 Wheatears, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 6 Goldfinches.

A very early Hummingbird Hawk Moth was seen on the wall of the Roman Fort this morning and this evening I had a medium sized bat flying around the railway bridge at Brook Farm.

March 17th

The highlights for today were two summer visitors recorded for the first time, namely 2 Sand Martins flying west at Reculver and 1 Black Redstart just east of the Towers and still there this evening.

Other birds seen in the Reculver/Bishopstone area today included 4 Little Grebes, 1 Little Egret, 4 Mute Swans, 100 Brent Geese, 5 Mallard, 1 Shoveler, 17 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard, 13 Coot, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 first summer Mediterranean Gull, 64 Redwing in a tight flock flying low over the fields at Oar Windmill, 4 Wheatears, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 22 Meadow Pipits, 1 "Scandinavian" Rock Pipit, 8 alba Wagtails and 3 Snow Buntings.

In my garden at Bishopstone up to 20 frogs have begun to lay spawn in my pond.

March 16th

Highlight for the day were the first 3 Wheatears for the year, 1 in the early morning on the seawall east of the Towers and 2 this evening on the promenade just west of the Visitors' Centre. Other birds recorded today included 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Heron, 1 Little Egret, 3 Cormorants, 26 Mute Swans, 120 Brent Geese, 3 Shelduck, 14 Grey Plovers, 55 Turnstone, 14 Redshank, 50 Meadow Pipits flying west, 4 "Scandinavian" Rock Pipits and 3 Snow Buntings.

With the dramatic increase in temperature, butterflies have started to appear: 1 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 3 Commas were seen during the day.

March 15th

Early this morning there was an adult Shag fishing off Bishopstone and 2 Canada Geese with the remaining 30 or so Brents.

A walk inland from Reculver this evening produced 2 Little Grebes, 1 Little Egret, 12 Mallard, 27 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 22 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard and 29 Coot.

March 14th

There were only 23 Brent Geese at Bishopstone this morning. This evening a walk along the seawall and on to the Caravan Park bushes did not produce very much.

1 Red-throated Diver flying east, 2 Little Grebes, 5 Ringed Plovers, 5 Redshank, 1 male Stonechat, 7 Pied Wagtails and 5 Goldfinches.

As I got home, one of the local Sparrowhawks drifted over my house being mobbed by Starlings.

March 13th

At Reculver this morning birds seen included 2 Little Grebes, 5 Mallard, 8 Gadwall, 29 Tufted Duck, 30 Coot, 1 Sparrowhawk and a "ringtail" Hen Harrier.

A walk this afternoon from Shuart to the sea produced 1 Little Egret, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 Goldcrest, 5 Corn Buntings and the 2 Short-eared Owls still present near the railway crossing.

March 12th

At Reculver this morning there were 2 Little Grebes, 32 Mute Swans, 1 Brent Goose, 10 Mallard, 12 Teal, 21 Wigeon, 7 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 12 Tufted Duck, 5 Pochard and 10 Coot. On the seawall by the oyster farm there were 4 Scandinavian Rock Pipits and an apparent increase in alba Wagtails although none could be positively identified as White Wagtails.

March 11th

Barry Matlock recorded a Scandinavian Rock Pipit at the mouth of Bishopstone Glen.

March 10th

Inland from Reculver today there were 7 Little Grebes, 4 Wigeon, 4 Pochard, 29 Tufted Ducks and 34 Coot.

March 9th

Barry Matlock had 3 male Goldeneye fly past Reculver.

March 6th

An hour birding at both Reculver and Shuart this morning produced the following. 8 Little Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 3 Mallard, 6 Gadwall, 4 Wigeon, 17 Tufted Duck, 7 Pochard, 29 Coot, 4 Grey Partridges, 1 Woodcock, 2 Redwing, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Goldcrest and 2 Goldfinches.

I had a call from Barry Matlock to say that there were large numbers of gulls feeding on the remains of dead Velvet Swimming Crabs that had been washed up on the beach at Bishopstone. This phenomenon has already been reported from Thanet on the Planet Thanet web page. Barry said that amongst the more common gulls he had managed to pick out a first winter Yellow-legged Gull.

March 5th

A walk this morning from Reculver to Cold Harbour and back in unpleasant conditions did not produce very much. 26 Mute Swans, 92 Brent Geese, 11 Shelduck, 20 Turnstone, 6 Grey Plovers and 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying west with about 150 Herring Gulls. However when we returned to the car park, 3 of the usual 4 Snow Buntings were sitting on the sea wall.

March 4th

A walk a little way along the sea wall this evening turned up 17 Lapwings trying to feed on the grass near the Towers, a flock of 10 Golden Plovers flying over, and in a rape field behind the oyster farm another 2 Golden Plovers, 35 Lapwings and about 20 Moorhens. There had also been 22 Lapwings on the sand at low tide earlier in the day. On the seawall there was a male and female Stonechat, and when I returned to the car park the 4 Snow Buntings flew up to the rocks from the grass by the visitors' centre.

March 3rd

A quick walk inland from Reculver this evening in cold, blustery and snowy conditions produced only the usual waterbirds but in lower than usual numbers.

2 Little Grebes, 6 Mallard, 5 Shoveler, 7 Gadwall, 18 Tufted Duck and 5 Pochard.

March 2nd

No one has told the weather it's spring! Having been sent home from work because of the weather we walked along the beach to the headland at Bishopstone in heavy snow and poor visibility. There were few birds to be seen, but 5 Meadow Pipits were trying to find something to eat at the base of the cliffs and a few waders waited on the beach for the tide to go out. 40 Ringed Plovers, 5 Grey Plovers, 1 Curlew, 12 Dunlin and 8 Sanderling.