Birding visit to Reculver in Kent on 29th November 2025

I joined a local birdwatching group on a coach trip from London to Reculver at the end of November

View of Reculver Towers during an overcast morning

View along the beach at Reculver with Herne Bay in the distance

Little Egret, Ringed Plover and a couple of well-disguised Sanderlings on the beach

Ringed Plover and five well-disguised Sanderlings on the beach

Three Sanderlings at water's edge

Cormorant resting on a pole

Group of Cormorants flying high in the sky

Some of the birdwatchers walking along the coastal path from Reculver

Female Stonechat on the top of a rock

Reculver Towers in the distance

Distant male Stonechat

Group of Wigeon on a shingle spit

The Wigeon flew off when the group got nearer

Oystercatcher searching for food in the sand

Redshank in the distance

Female Reed Bunting blending in with the branches at the top of the shrub

We wandered off the coastal path and past some fields where we came across a flock of Golden Plovers - it had started to rain, so visibility wasn't all that great!

Reculver Towers in the rain

The rain came on quite heavily, so we turned round and had a long wet and windy walk back to the cafe and coach.  After warming up with a cup of coffee, the leader decided to cut the trip short and head back to London at 14.30.  There is no shelter and no bird hides along the coast in either direction at Reculver, apart from the cafe and a pub, and it was pointless walking around any more in the heavy rain.

Very wet visit to RSPB Titchwell Marsh, North Norfolk, on 22nd November 2025

I went on a coach trip from London to Titchwell Marsh towards the end of November.  

It was raining when we arrived and it stayed like that all day!

The first port of call was the nearest bird hide where I saw a group of Northern Shovelers swimming across the lagoon and a few Shelduck standing on a small island.  It was raining quite heavily!

After a very soggy walk to the Parrinder hide, I ate my lunch and took a few photographs

Eurasian Teal in the rain

Male Norther Shoveler in the rain

View across the lagoon from the Parrinder hide

Meadow Pipit in the rain

Almost bird-less view across the reserve - though there is a very distant Marsh Harrier on the left

and, finally, an Avocet in the rain

Unfortunately I was now very wet as my waterproof jacket had proved not to be waterproof any more, so I had to spend the rest of the afternoon in the cafe and shop while most of the others in the group went off for a wet walk on the beach and saw a lot more birds there than were actually on the reserve that day.  You win some, you lose some!  It was just one of those days!