A total of 82 species for the month, aided by an additional four species on the last day, was still below the ten-year average of 83.5 species. A quiet month generally, the Purple Sandpiper remained all month but the Long-tailed Duck preferred the Tankerton slopes to the west before disappearing with the cold spell early in the month, and wasn’t seen on site. A Hen Harrier west on 27th (mot recorded last year) and a Red-necked Grebe on 31st (only one last year) were probably the birds of the month.

A total of 82 species so far this year

86 species by this time last year

31st

Cloudy, light westerly wind. It was a surprisingly good last day of the month. A flock of 23 White-fronted Geese flew east early morning, and another three flew east with a flock of c30 Greylag Geese. A Redwing was seen flying around the pigloos. A Red-necked Grebe, seen off the Obs from 10 am onwards was bird of the day, two adult Mute Swans flew east and, finally, three Gadwall were on the sea off the skate park at about midday. A haul of five new species for the year! In addition, there was one Great Northern Diver offshore, three Shelducks and a drake Pintail flew west and there were five Red-breasted Mergansers offshore.

30th

A Tufted Duck flew east at 7.48 am. Our first of the year.

29th

Cloudy, light southerly wind. Seven Shelducks and a pair of Pintails flew west and ten Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea included two redheads. Waders included the Grey Plover and Purple Sandpiper on the beach and a Knot which circled over the beach. There were also seven Great Black-backed Gulls on the beach.

27th

Sunny, light SW wind. A ringtail Hen Harrier flew high over the sea towards Sheppey at 10.20 am. New for the year and our first since November 2022. There were 20+ Red-throated Divers, four Great Crested Grebes and eight Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. An adult Gannet flew east and c250 Brent Geese were along the shoreline. Waders included the “resident” limping Grey Plover. Other birds noted included two Grey Wagtails, the female Stonechat and six Long-tailed Tits.

26th

Eight Teal flew west and Kestrel and Peregrine were also noted.

25th

Cloudy, light southerly wind. Eight Common Scoters flew east and one drake Red-breasted Merganser was offshore. Waders included 36 Oystercatchers, one Grey Plover, ten Lapwing west low over the sea and 13 Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. Other birds noted included the pair of Stonechats, a Jay in flight between the Elm Wood and the churchyard and nine Linnets along the coastal path.

24th

Sunny, milder, moderate westerly wind. There were three drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. Waders included 35 Oystercatchers on the shingle ridge at high tide, three Golden Plovers west close inshore, 41 Sanderlings in the bay and ten Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. An adult Mediterranean Gull was on the sea.

22nd

Sunny, mild, strong SW wind. There were 24 Red-throated Divers, a Great Northern Diver, three Great Crested Grebes and a Red-breasted Merganser offshore. Waders included 77 Golden Plovers, 46 Sanderlings and the Purple Sandpiper. Other birds noted included one Little Grebe, a Grey Wagtail and 11 Goldfinches.

20th

Sunny, frost, light SW wind. Two Great Crested Grebes flew west, a Gannet flew east and there was one drake Red-breasted Merganser offshore. Waders included six Lapwings west low over the sea and the Purple Sandpiper in the bay. A Rock Pipit on the beach by the skate park was new for the year. Other birds noted included a Song Thrush in the scrub and ten Goldfinches by the changing rooms.

19th

A Ruff flew west over the Obs and the sewage works. New for the year and unusual here in winter.

18th

Sunny, cold, light NW wind. A Great Northern Diver flew east, three Shelducks flew west and there were three drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. Waders included c30 Golden Plovers west and the Grey Plover and Purple Sandpiper on the beach. A Guillemot flew west close inshore. Other birds noted included a Skylark over the area and a Grey Wagtail.

17th

A Song Thrush in the bushes opposite the Obs was our first of the year.

16th

A Marsh Harrier flew west at 8.45 am.

15th

Sunny, cold, moderate NE wind. One Great Northern Diver flew west and there were four Great Crested Grebes and three Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. Waders included one Grey Plover west, the Purple Sandpiper, c40 Snipe and 22 Redshanks in the marsh. Also noted was a Grey Wagtail by the sluice and 15 Goldfinches.

14th

Three Golden Plovers flew west over the tidal ponds and 11 flew NW over the caravan park and marsh. Our first of the year.

13th

Cloudy, cold, light NW wind. There were six Great Crested Grebes, four Teal and three Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. The Grey Plover was on the beach. A female Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Elm Wood was new for the year and the pair of Stonechats were still present.

12th

A flock of ten Shovelers were on the sea off the coastal path and seven drake Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore. There were two Grey Herons and the Purple Sandpiper was also seen.

11th

Sunny, light NE wind. A Great Northern Diver flew east, a Shelduck and a Common Scoter flew west and a single drake Red-breasted Merganser was offshore. Waders included 64 Dunlin betwewn the groynes and the Purple Sandpiper. Three Kittiwakes flew east and a first-winter lingered close inshore. Three unidentified large auks flew east. Other birds noted included the male Stonechat, our first Goldcrest of the year, a Jay sunning and preening itself on the edge of the Scout Wood and a party of 12 Magpies along the east bank.

10th

Sunny, cold with some frost, fresh NE wind. 103 Red-throated Divers, a Great Northern Diver and five Great Crested Grebes flew east. There were six drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. Waders included the Purple Sandpiper, an adult Little Gull and a Kittiwake flew west. Two Long-tailed Tits by the scout hut were new for the year.

9th

There were three Teal on the Marsh Pool and a Knot flew east. Both additions to the year list.

8th

Cloudy, cold with a little snow, fresh NE wind. A Gannet and an adult Little Gull flew east, there were four drake Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea offshore and six Shelducks were in flight offshore.

6th

Sunny, cold, moderate northerly wind. Four Gannets flew east and two Kittiwakes flew west. Only one drake Red-breasted Merganser was seen offshore. Waders on the beach included 50 Sanderlings and the Purple Sandpiper. A Grey Wagtail by the sluice was our first of the year.

4th

Sunny, moderate to light SW wind. A Great Northern Diver flew west, there were 11 Great Crested Grebes and seven drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore and a Common Scoter flew east. Unusually, a Greylag Goose lingered on the beach all morning. The Purple Sandpiper was present and an adult Mediterranean Gull was on the beach. Other birds noted included the pair of Stonechats and a Chiffchaff calling by the Obs.

3rd

Sunny with a light SW wind. A Great Northern Diver fishing offshore was tracked closely by an adult Great Black-backed Gull. There were also seven Great Crested Grebes and nine drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore and a single Gannet flew east. A Kestrel was the first seen here since November 25th and a Stock Dove, which flew west, was also our first since November 9th.

1st

Cloudy, mild with a moderate SW wind. Six Red-throated Divers flew west, two Great Norther Divers, 17 Great Crested Grebes and four drake Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore. There were three Little Egrets, a Grey Heron and c50 Brent Geese on the beach and flocks of eight Pintail and 17 Common Scoters flew west. Waders included 72 Ringed Plovers roosting between the groynes, the limping Grey Plover and the Purple Sandpiper. One Mediterranean Gull flew south over the area. Other birds noted included the pair of Stonechats, a Chiffchaff and a Jay.

A modest total of 52 species recorded on the first day of the year.