April 20th. Cold, misty start.
Birds around, including those trapped, were a Cuckoo singing, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff and 3 Sedge Warbler. On Tennyson's Sands were 19 Avocet; on Croftmarsh 2 Avocet and 2 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Seacroft Fields a Little Gull.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue resulted in 10 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 3 Sedge Warbler, 4 Goldfinch and 2 Linnet; and 11 retraps: a Chiffchaff, a Wren, 2 Great Tit, 2 Dunnock, 2 Robin, 2 Cetti's Warbler and a Goldfinch.
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| Cetti's Warbler, retrapped 20 April 2021. Photo - George Gregory |
April 19th. Around, including birds trapped, were 137 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, an Egyptian Goose, a Sparrowhawk, a Hen Harrier, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Willow Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, a Whitethroat, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Goldcrest, a Stonechat, a Yellow Wagtail and a White Wagtail. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Great Crested Grebe, 24 Avocet and 4 Sedge Warbler; on Croftmarsh 4 Avocet, a Little Ringed Plover and 2 Black-tailed Godwit; on Fenland Lagoon a Spotted Redshank; and on Seacroft Fields 2 Little Gull and a Redwing. Going north were a Marsh Harrier, 13 Golden Plover and a Swallow; and south a Whimbrel, 2 Swallow, a Yellow Wagtail and a Siskin.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 6 new birds: a Goldcrest, 3 Willow Warbler. a Whitethroat and a Blackcap; and 5 retraps: 2 Blue Tit, a Great Tit, a Blackbird and a Reed Bunting.
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| Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 19 April 2021. Photo - Nige Lound |
April 18th. Frosty start then sunny.
Birds around included 7 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Snipe, 2 Chiffchaff, 9 Sedge Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Mute Swan and 25 Avocet; and on Croftmarsh an Avocet. Flying north were 3 Sandwich Tern; and south 4 Buzzard.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by James Siddle produced a new Chiffchaff; and a retrap Chiffchaff.
April 17th. Frosty start then sunny.
Around, including birds trapped, were 122 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Snipe, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Short-eared Owl, a Swallow, a Black Redstart, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, a Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Blackcap and a Redwing. On Tennyson's Sands were 21 Mute Swan, a Water Rail, 25 Avocet and a Marsh Harrier; on Croftmarsh an Avocet, 2 Little Ringed Plover and 2 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Jackson's Marsh a Ruff.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 3 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff and a Robin; and a retrap Robin.
April 16th. Cold start.
Birds around included 60 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 35 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Sparrowhawk, a Short-eared Owl, a Redstart, a Cetti's Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, a Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler and a Goldcrest. Offshore were 3 Sandwich Tern. On Tennyson's Sands were 10 Mute Swan, a Water Rail and 10 Avocet; and on Croftmarsh a Mute Swan, 2 Avocet, a Little Ringed Plover and 2 Black-tailed Godwit. Going south were 21 Common Scoter, a Marsh Harrier and 5 Buzzard.
Butterflies included the first Speckled Wood of the year.
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| Speckled Wood, 16 April 2021. Photo - Jack Wilson |
April 15th. Frosty start.
Around, including birds trapped, were 84 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 9 Avocet, 6 Snipe, a Green Sandpiper, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, 2 Short-eared Owl, 4 Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Redstart, a White Wagtail, a Brambling and a Corn Bunting. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Great Crested Grebe, 20 Avocet and a Cetti's Warbler; on Fenland Lagoon 2 Little Ringed Plover; on Jackson's Marsh a Ruff; and on Croftmarsh 2 Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and a Ruff.
A brief morning ringing session in East Dunes provided a new Dunnock; and 2 retraps: a Blue Tit and a Dunnock.
A longer morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenur by Mike Polling provided 16 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Reed Bunting, 8 Goldfinch, a Blue Tit, a Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chaffinch, a Greenfinch and a Great Tit; and 12 retraps: 4 Goldfinch, a Chiffchaff, a Cetti's Warbler, a Brambling, a Dunnock, a Wren, 2 Great Tit and a Blue Tit.
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| Redstart, 15 April 2021. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
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| Redstart, 15 April 2021. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
April 14th. Frosty start.
Birds around, including those trapped, were 5 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Short-eared Owl and a Chiffchaff. On Tennyson's Sands were 11 Avocet; and on Croftmarsh 3 Avocet.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 3 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Linnet and a Blackbird; and 3 retraps: a Dunnock, a Great Tit and a Wren.
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| Little Grebe, 14 April 2021. Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
April 13th. Frozen start, then thawed out fairly quickly.
Around, including birds trapped, were 47 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Cetti's Warbler, a Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Sedge Warbler, 3 Blackcap, a Goldcrest and a Brambling. On Tennyson's Sands were 8 Pink-footed Goose, 17 Mute Swan, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 24 Avocet, 13 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff and a Cetti's Warbler; on Croftmarsh 2 Mute Swan, 58 Golden Plover, 2 Buzzard over and a Peregrine south over; and on Fenland Lagoon 2 Little Ringed Plover. Going north was a Swallow; and south were 2 Buzzard..
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 6 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Cetti's Warbler, a Blackcap, a Brambling, a Goldfinch and a Greenfinch; and 9 retraps: a Goldfinch, 2 Blue Tit, a Dunnock, 3 Great Tit, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Wren.
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| Cetti's Warbler, ringed 13 April 2021. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Brambling, ringed 13 April 2021. Photo - George Gregory |
April 12th. Frozen start.
On the beach, then briefly on the water bodies, was an Iceland Gull. Birds around included 22 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Avocet, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Spotted Redshank, 12 Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Cetti's Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and 3 Corn Bunting. On Tennyson's Sands were 8 Pink-footed Goose, 14 Mute Swan, 21 Avocet, a Cetti's Warbler and a Sedge Warbler; on Jackson's Marsh a Ruff; and on Croftmarsh 2 Avocet, a Little Ringed Plover and a Snipe. Flying south was a Great Northern Diver.
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| Iceland Gull, 12 April 2021. Photo - James Siddle |
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| Iceland Gull, 12 April 2021. Photo - James Siddle |
April 11th. Around were 35 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Whimbrel, a Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and a Treecreeper. On Tennyson's Sands were 8 Pink-footed Goose and 32 Avocet; and on Croftmarsh 2 Avocet, 4 Little Ringed Plover and a Snipe.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 2 new Reed Bunting; and 3 retraps: a Great Tit, a Dunnock and a Blue Tit.
