A total of 95 species for the month was well above the ten-year average of 84.6 species. The first time above the ten-year average since last July. Highlights of the month came towards the end with a Bullfinch on 22nd (first since January 2024), our first March Greenshank on 23rd, our earliest Redstart on 24th, with Yellowhammer (first since 2022) and the last date for the wintering Purple Sandpiper on that day.

A total of 112 species so far this year

104 species by this time last year

31st

Sunny with a light NE wind. A single Red-throated Diver and Great Crested Grebe were offshore, only seven Brent Geese remained on the beach and a pair of Shelducks, a drake Teal and a duck Shoveler were on the Marsh Pool. The diminished numbers of waders included two Oystercatchers, three Sanderlings, four Redshanks and seven Turnstones. Also noted were three Mediterranean Gulls east and two male Pied Wagtails on the football pitch.

A Comma butterfly was noted.

29th

There were 50+ Brent Geese on the beach. four Shelducks flew west and waders included a single Sanderling and Dunlin.

28th

A Marsh Harrier flew west, two Sand Martins flew west and a Willow Warbler, that showed well along the east bank, was another addition to the year list.

27th

Sunny, warm, light NW wind. There were two Red-throated Divers and two Great Crested Grebes offshore, two Canada Geese and two Shelducks flew west, a raft of 12 Shovelers was on the sea, and there were 54 Brent Geese on the beach. A female Teal, a Jack Snipe and 22 Common Snipe, and a Dunlin were on the Marsh Pool. Our first Green Woodpecker of the year was by the Obs and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was also seen. Other birds noted included our first Rook of the year on the shingle ridge, a Jay flying east over the estate and a Greenfinch trilling in the bushes opposite the Obs before flying off west.

26th

Sunny, warmer, light northerly wind. There were three Red-throated Divers and two Great Crested Grebes offshore, one adult Gannet and a Common Scoter flew east and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers flew west. Five Canada Geese were with the flock of 120 Brent Geese on the beach. A drake Teal and a showy Jack Snipe were on the Marsh Pool. Also noted were a single Sandwich Tern east, three Buzzards soaring to the south, and a Blackcap singing along the east bank.

24th

Cloudy, cooler, light northerly wind. One Great Crested Grebe was offshore whilst an adult Gannet, flying east low over the church pursued by gulls, was an unusual sight. 67 Brent Geese on the beach were joined by two Canada Geese, which flew off east. Waders included a single Sanderling and the Purple Sandpiper. Highlights of the day came early with a Yellowhammer in the scrub, our first for two years, and a female Common Redstart, near the entrance to the sewage works, which was our earliest ever and first March record. Also noted was a Stock Dove and seven Linnets on the coastal path.

23rd

A Greenshank, and a Swallow flying over the scrub, were two additions to the year list.

22nd

Cloudy and calm. There were ten Red-throated Divers, three Great Crested Grebes and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. The Shag was again on and around the red buoy. A drake Teal and a drake Shoveler were on the Marsh Pool. Waders included three Sanderlings and the Purple Sandpiper. Other birds noted included a displaying Meadow Pipit and six Chiffchaffs but the bird of the day was a Bullfinch, calling by the Obs, which flew across to the bushes opposite and disappeared. Our first here since January 2024.

A Red Admiral along the east bank was our fourth butterfly species of the year.

21st

There were 11 Canada Geese on the beach with the Brents. Waders included the Grey Plover and the Purple Sandpiper and two Jack Snipes were visible on the Marsh Pool, where there was also a drake Teal. A Sand Martin and a Siskin were new for the year, and a Skylark also flew west over the Obs.

20th

Sunny, warm, light NE wind. There were four Red-throated Divers, a Great Crested Grebe and a drake Red-breasted Merganser offshore, a Fulmar flew east, a Shag was resting on the red buoy and 130 Brent Geese were on the beach. Unusually, a Greylag Goose was briefly on the Marsh Pool where there were also a single drake Teal and Shoveler. Waders included the Grey Plover, the Purple Sandpiper and three Sanderlings on the beach. A Red Kite flew west low over the football pitch at 10.50 am. Also noted were two adult Mediterranean Gulls west, a Grey Wagtail in the brook by the sewage works entrance, four Chiffchaffs and a Long-tailed Tit carrying feathers into the Scout Wood.

19th

Cloudy, warmer, light SE wind. There were three Red-throated Divers and a Great Crested Grebe offshore, a high count of 270 Brent Geese on the beach whilst a Velvet Scoter heading west at 6.50 am was a new bird for the year. A pair of Teal and a pair of Shovelers were on the Marsh Pool. Numbers of waders have declined but included the regular Grey Plover and six Sanderlings along the shoreline. Also noted were three Buzzards, a Meadow Pipit in display flight, four Chiffchaffs and a male Reed Bunting.

The warmer weather brought out some butterflies for the first time in ten days. There were several Brimstones, a Peacock and our first Comma of the year.

17th

Sunny, cold, light NE wind. There were 80 Brent Geese on the beach and three Teal and two Shovelers on the Marsh Pool.

15th

Cloudy, cold, fresh NE wind. There were two Red-throated Divers offshore, four Great Crested Grebes and two Common Scoters flew east and there were 146 Brent Geese on the beach. One drake Teal and four Shovelers (three drakes and a duck) were on the Marsh Pool.

14th

Two Gadwall flew east, a new bird for the year, and a Lapwing flew west. There were still four Shovelers on the Marsh Pool where a Jack Snipe was seen amongst the Common Snipe. The Purple Sandpiper was still present and also noted was a Grey Wagtail and a pair of Reed Buntings.

13th

Sunny periods, cold, moderate northerly wind. A Red-throated Diver and two Great Crested Grebes wewre offshore, an immature Gannet and three Shelducks flew west and there were 67 Brent Geese on the beach. There was a pair of Teal and four Shovelers on the Marsh Pool. Waders numbers have declined but included six Sanderlings, and eight Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. Also noted were a second-winter Mediterranean Gull, a Grey Wagtail along the middle brook and a male Reed Bunting in the scrub.

12th

Sunny periods, cold, light northerly wind. There was one Red-throated Diver, three Great Crested Grebes and two Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, and 42 Brent Geese on the beach. A Little Egret, a Teal and three Shovelers were on the Marsh Pool together with an elusive Water Rail. The Purple Sandpiper was still present. Also noted was a Red Kite, our first of the year, heading west over the car park, a Grey Wagtail by the sluice and two male Pied Wagtails on the football pitch.

10th

Light cloud, misty offshore, cooler, light NE wind. There were four Great Crested Grebes and five Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, two Canada Geese circled the area, settled on the sea before flying off west, two Shelducks flew west and there were 65 Brent Geese on the beach. Two more Shelducks were on the Marsh Pool where there was one drake Teal and a record count, in recent times, of 56 Snipe. 106 Herring Gulls were counted on the beach. also noted was a female Reed Bunting on the Marsh Pool.

A first-winter gull, present for some time, was thought to be either a Lesser Black-backed Gull or a Yellow-legged Gull. Flight views confirmed that it was the former (thanks go to Jamie Partridge for his advice).

9th

Two Canada Geese offshore flew east and two Barnacle Geese flew NW at 7.50 am. Both additions to the year list.

8th

Sunny, warm (up to 17 C), light southerly wind. There were two Red-throated Divers and four Red-breasted |Mergansers offshore, a Fulmar and two Shelducks flew east and there were c80 Brent Geese on the beach. Waders included 20 Sanderlings, the Purple Sandpiper and a Jack Snipe on the edge of the Marsh Pool. A Kingfisher, by the sluice before flying downstream, was new for the year. The state of the brook, with muddy run-off from building work upstream. has not been conducive to fishing in the brook. A Greenfinch flew east over the Obs. Another addition to the year list. An adult Peregrine was resting on the shingle at the back of the tidal ponds.

A single Brimstone butterfly was noted.

6th

Sunny, mild, light southerly wind. There was one Red-throated Diver and 12 Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, a Greylag Goose, heading east high over the sea, was new for the year, there were 93 Brent Geese on the beach and a Little Egret was roosting behind the Obs. There was one drake Teal and a pair of Shovelers on the Marsh Pool where 36 Snipe were counted. Also noted were the Grey Plover, two Chiffchaffs and a Reed Bunting.

The warm weather brought out our first butterflies with several sightings of Brimstones, between the sewage works entrance and the Obs, and a single Peacock at the Obs.

4th

A flock of ten Egyptian Geese flew west and there was a Chiffchaff, the first this year, and two Firecrests near the sewage works entrance.

3rd

Sunny with mist over the sea, hard frost, light northerly wind. There were four Great Crested Grebes and six Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, one Shelduck flew west and there were 34 Brent Geese on the beach. Waders included 17 Sanderlings along the shoreline off the Obs, there was a drake Teal and three Shovelers on the Marsh Pool. A Buzzard soaring to the south of the church was new for the year. Also noted was a Grey Wagtail at the head of the brook.

2nd

A Water Rail was glimpsed briefly on the bend of the brook below the sewage works entrance.

1st

Foggy, especially over the sea, until 11am. Cold with a light NW wind. There was one Red-throated Diver and two Great Crested Grebes offshore, two Common Scoters flew east and there were 55 Brent Geese on the beach. Waders included a flock of 11 Golden Plovers, new for the year, which appeared on the shoreline off the Obs, resting there before flying off west. The Purple Sandpiper and a Grey Plover were also present. A Shag landed Closde inshore off the Obs, four adult Mediterranean Gulls flew west and a first-winter Iceland Gull, presumably yesterday’s bird, flew east over the beach at 12.23 pm. A Little Egret, a drake Teal and three Shovelers were on the Marsh Pool. Also noted was a Firecrest in the Elm Wood. A good start to the month despite the weather conditions.