A total of 135 species so far this year

132 species by this time last year

A total of 88 species was well above the ten-year average of 82.5. Bird of the month was the Black Kite on 25th (only the second record, after another in May in 2003). A Manx Shearwater on 4th was an unusual Spring record. Interesting to note that there was only one record of Turtle Dove and Cuckoo, Garden Warbler and possibly two Spotted Flycatchers. They scraped onto the year list but, as yet, no sign of Little Tern or Sedge Warbler.

31st

Sunny with a light NE wind. One Fulmar, 15 Gannets, 20 Oystercatchers and two Mediterranean Gulls flew east. A Redshank on the Marsh Pool was unusual at this time of the year and there were 14 Turnstones amongst the groynes. Three Swallows flew west.

There were many Small White and Holly Blue butterflies noted and a single Peacock.

29th

Cloudy with a cooling NE wind. A Fulmar and seven Shelducks flew west, five Oystercatchers, eight Mediterranean Gulls, a Sandwich Tern and four Common Terns flew east and a very late drake Red-breasted Merganser and two Common Scoters were also noted.

27th

Sunny and calm. There was one Great Crested Grebe on the sea, a Fulmar flew west but was then chased by a Herring Gull, three Gannets and a Whimbrel flew west and six Mediterranean Gulls flew east. A Buzzard and eight Red Kites were seen late morning. Vis mig included 11 Swifts, eight Swallows, four House Martins and three Yellow Wagtails west. Two Reed Warblers, singing along the east bank and at the Obs, were new for the year.

26th

Cloudy, still cool, light NW wind. A Great Crested Grebe flew west, a Fulmar flew east low over the Obs and three Gannets flew east. There was a Ringed Plover and three Turnstones on the beach and amongst four Lesser Black-backed Gulls was an old immature (unusual here at this time of the year). There were three Sandwich Terns hanging around the red buoy and two Razorbills flew west. A trickle of late vis mig with two Swifts, 20 Swallows, a House Martin and a Yellow Wagtail flying west.

25th

A Black Kite came in off the sea at 6.45 am and flew south inland. Only the second record for the site after one, similarly coming in off the sea, in May 2003.

24th

Sunny, warmer, light SW wind. There was one Great Crested Grebe on the sea, two Gannets and a Shelduck flew west, two Greylag Geese flew SE and there were c30 Common Scoters offshore. Six Oystercatchers and two Ringed Plovers and there were 11 Turnstones were on the groynes. Other birds included a Hobby, four Swifts and four Swallows. Two Crossbills that flew west was an addition to the year list.

Butterflies recorded were Small White, Holly Blue and Orange-tip.

22nd

Cloudy, rain at first, moderate NW wind. A Great Crested Grebe, a Fulmar, two Tufted Ducks, 11 Common Scoters and a Razorbill flew west and 50+ Gannets were offshore. Two Ringed Plovers were casing each other over the shingle ridge and nine Turnstones were roosting between the groynes. A total of 60 Kittiwakes included flocks of 18 and 17 west and 15 east. Three Sandwich Terns were noted offshore. 106 Swifts flew west (mostly early morning) and three Swallows and two House Martins also flew west. Other birds included a Hobby flying low over the area and a Meadow Pipit in display flight over the shingle ridge.

21st

18 Swifts were noted flying west over the caravan park.

20th

Cloudy with a light SW wind. Two Great Crested Grebes were on the sea, two Fulmars flew west together, a Grey Heron and two Shelduck flew west and c15 Common Scoters flew east. Two Oystercatchers flew east and there was a Ringed Plover and seven Turnstones roosting between the groynes. An adult Kittiwake flew west and three Sandwich Terns were offshore. A Sand Martin and four House Martins, and three Redpolls flew west. Between 10.30 and 11.10 am, three Red Kites flew west all bearing the wing moult of immature birds.

19th

Heavy rain for an hour then sunny with a light westerly wind. There were four Great Crested Grebes on the sea, five Gannets on the sea flew off west and two Shelducks flew west. Two Oystercatchers and a Turnstone were the only waders and one Sandwich Tern was seen. Vis mig included 16 Swifts and ten Swallows west. Other migrants included single Wheatear and Willow Warbler whilst a Corn Bunting appeared on the bushes opposite the Obs after the rain. After a period of preening and shaking itself dry, it flew off west over the Obs.

18th

Two Common Sandpipers on the shingle ridge were chased off by two Ringed Plovers. A few Swifts and all three hirundines were noted.

17th

Cloudy, cool with a moderate westerly wind. There were two Great Crested Grebes on the sea, a Fulmar and two large Auk sp flew west and three Common Scoters flew east. A pair of Shelducks were on the Marsh Pool and another flew west. An Oystercatcher and Turnstone on the beach were the only waders recorded. With the westerly winds, 50 Swifts, ten Swallows and a Yellow Wagtail flew west.

15th

Cloudy, rain at first, light SE wind. Two Gannets flew west and two Shelducks flew east. There were two Grey Plovers on the mudflats by the tidal ponds. These were the first here since 19th February.

14th

A Willow Warbler was noted.

13th

Cloudy with light rain and a light southerly wind. There was one Great Crested Grebe on the sea, about ten Gannets offshore, three adult Kittiwakes, three Sandwich Terns and two Common Terns flew west and a party of seven Razorbills flew east.

12th

Sunny, turning cloudy, with a light SW wind. There were two Great Crested Grebes on the sea, three Gannets flew east and six Shelducks flew west. There were five Ringed Plovers on the beach on the incoming tide and 17 Turnstones. Birds of the day were a Turtle Dove which flew west at 6.15 am (new for the year after our first gap year in 2020), and a Cuckoo west at 7.15 am. Other birds included six Swallows west and a Jay which flew low over the changing rooms.

Butterflies included out first Holly Blue of the year, Painted Lady and Red Admiral.

11th

There were three Common Sandpipers on the Marsh Pool.

10th

Sunny with a light SW wind. There was one Great Crested Grebe on the sea, eight Gannets offshore and two Shelducks and 21 Common Scoters flew west. Waders included eight Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin on the beach and a Common Sandpiper dropped in and then flew west. Two Kittiwakes, three Sandwich Terns and a Common Tern flew east. Three Swifts, a House Martin and two Yellow Wagtails flew west. A Spotted Flycatcher along the east bank was considered to be a different bird to yesterdays, and two Willow Warblers were singing in the churchyard and by the Obs. Two Long-tailed Tits flew from a patch of brambles along the east bank, where they were thought to be nesting, across to the churchyard.

A Painted Lady and a Green-veined White butterfly were seen at the Obs.

9th

A Spotted Flycatcher, in dead trees by the sewage works entrance, was a welcome addition to the year list. There was also a Hobby, two Wheatears on the shingle ridge, and a cock Yellowhammer was the second record this year of this declining species.

8th

Cloudy, rain, milder, light SE wind. There were two Great Crested Grebes on the sea, a drake Shelduck on the Marsh Pool and waders included an Oystercatcher and four Ringed Plovers. Other birds included one Sandwich Tern, a female Wheatear on the beach and a Greenfinch along the east bank.

7th

The heaviest movement of Swifts this year so far with 340+ between 5.30 and 8 am. A Wheatear was on the shingle ridge and a Garden Warbler, again silent, was along the east bank.

6th

Sunny, cool with a light SW wind. There were five Gannets offshore, a Grey Heron flew NW over the Obs, a flock of ten Mute Swans, a pair of Tufted Ducks flew west at 7.15 am (new for the year) and six Common Scoters flew east. Waders included 12 Oystercatchers west, a Dunlin, three Common Sandpipers (new for the year) and 45 Turnstones roosting at high tide. Vis mig included all three species of hirundines and three Yellow Wagtails west. A silent Garden Warbler at the Obs completed a trio of year ticks.

5th

Sunny with a light westerly wind. There were five Gannets offshore, a flock of nine Mute Swans flew west inland, a Greylag Goose flew west and three Common Scoters flew east. Waders included two Oystercatchers, two Dunlin, a Whimbrel and a Curlew west. Vis mig included 53 Swifts, 36 Swallows, eight House Martins and 12 Yellow Wagtails west.

A Speckled Wood and a Red Admiral butterfly were seen at the Obs.

4th

A Manx Shearwater flying east was a good Spring record for the north coast but there were also two further east at Minnis Bay and at Dungeness, 56 birds flew west. 20+ Swifts flying west were also new for the year (a late first record) and all three hirundines were seen. There were “good numbers” of Sandwich Terns offshore for the first time this Spring, a few Yellow Wagtails, a Wheatear was present for the fourth day and three summer plumage Dunlin flew west.

3rd

Sunny with a moderate westerly wind. Two Egyptian Geese flew west and were new for the year. A Mute Swan and 12 Common Scoters flew east, a Greylag Goose 12 Shelduck were also noted and there were three Great Crested Grebes on the sea. Waders included four transitional plumage Sanderlings on the beach and a Curlew flying east. Away from the coast, two House Martins, six Yellow Wagtails and a Redpoll flew west, a female Wheatear was in the scrub, a Ring Ousel flying west appeared to drop into the sewage works and a Willow Warbler was along the east bank.

2nd

The Wheatear was seen again.

1st

Sunny, cool with a light NNW wind. There was a group of four Great Crested Grebes on the sea, a Fulmar flew east over the Obs and five Greylag Geese, two Canada Geese and five Shelducks flew east. Waders included three Sanderlings on the beach and three Whimbrel west. Four Mediterranean Gulls and a Sandwich Tern flew east. Vis mig included 25 Sand Martins, two House Martins and four Yellow Wagtails flew west. A female Wheatear was on the beach.