I arrived at the quite early time of 04:50 on Saturday morning where I parked up in the layby and listened into the quickly growing light. I was hoping to hear a Bittern booming from the Stour Valley but with a northerly wind, I couldn't pick anything up. I then had a walk around some of the area for a couple of hours where I noted 40 Mute Swan, 1 Black Swan, 9 Mallard, 2 Pheasant, 4 Stock Dove, 12 Woodpigeon, 8 Moorhen, 16 Herring Gull, 29 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, 2 Magpie, 4 Jackdaw, 10 Rook, 3 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing, 2 Stonechat, 3 Linnet and 1 Reed Bunting. Nocmig recording on the night of the 28th produced 1 Coot, a flock of Wigeon (90) over just 6 minutes after I put the recorder out and a flock of distant Common Scoter (91) over during the night. 

Wigeon

Common Scoter

A visit Sunday afternoon to primarily look for dragonfly nymphs was quite productive but the highlight were 2 Red Kite (92) flying north. Also 6 Common Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Kestrel. 

An adult Mediterranean Gull (88) was seen on the 8th March flying south with Black Headed Gulls. Birds noted Saturday in a brief walk around the Chislet Marshes area included 150 Mute Swan, c70 Golden Plover, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, 2 Raven, 10 Skylark, 2 Lesser Black Backed Gull (89), 1 Fieldfare, 13 Meadow Pipit, c82 Chaffinch, 1 Yellowhammer and 5 Reed Bunting. A walk around the whole area Sunday morning produced 1 Greylag Goose in with c116 Mute Swan, 1 Black Swan, 2 Teal, 13 Moorhen, 121 Black headed Gull, 3 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 23 Cormorant, 3 Marsh Harrier, 4 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Green Woodpecker, 3 Kestrel, 1 Jay, 47 Jackdaw, 1 Raven, 6 Skylark, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Treecreeper, 12 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Stonechat, 1 Pied Wagtail, 5 Meadow Pipit, 21 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 12 Linnet, 5 Goldfinch, 4 Corn Bunting, 5 Yellowhammer and 8 Reed Bunting. 

Yellowhammer

Black Swan

Corn Bunting

A new month and hopefully one that will see the return of the migrants to the area. Saturday morning from 05:34 produced of note: 100 Mute Swan,  2 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 2 Coot, 1 Lapwing, 169 Herring Gull, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 3 Common Buzzard, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Little Owl, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, 5 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 2 Ring necked Parakeet, 1 Raven, 8 Skylark, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Mistle Thrush, 11 Meadow Pipit, 16 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Linnet and 8 Reed Bunting. Sunday morning from 05:44 walking the circuit produced 2 White fronted Geese towards Grove Ferry calling, then back towards Reculver, 2 Teal, 2 Water Rail, 1 Coot, 1 Golden Plover, 40 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, 3 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 1 Jay, 4 Skylark, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Fieldfare, 1 Stonechat, 24 Meadow Pipit, 1 Hawfinch still residing in the churchyard, 3 Bullfinch, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Linnet, 2 Yellowhammer (87) and 11 Reed Bunting. 'Nocmig' recording later in the week produced Little Owl, Tawny Owl, Coot, Golden Plover and Grey Partridge. 

Yellowhammer

Treecreeper