Reculver and Minnis Bay Site Details

The recording area for Reculver and Minnis Bay covers the land and sea from the cliffs just below the Miramar Nursing Home in the west (TR195687) to Grenham Bay in the east (TR290700) and south to the A299 Thanet Way. The western border is formed by May Street and Reculver Road and the eastern border is the division between the houses at Minnis Bay and the farmland.  

The bulk of the Reculver/Minnis Bay area comprises intensively farmed arable fields dissected by numerous dykes, most of which are reed-filled. The area is geographically well-situated to receive migrants, and its chief interest is both onshore and offshore migration, particularly in the autumn, when large numbers of migrant landbirds and seabirds can be seen. Visible migration, usually in a westerly direction, can be heavy, most often in April, and September to November.

At the western end of the area the coastline becomes low clay and sand cliffs between Reculver and Bishopstone. At Bishopstone a small stream has cut through the cliffs to form Bishopstone Glen, a magnet for migrants in both spring and autumn.

The area holds very large breeding numbers of a few species, including Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Reed Buntings, Whitethroats, Skylarks and Yellow Wagtails, with lesser numbers of such species as Grey Partridge, Cuckoo, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Turtle Dove and Stock Dove.