Due to sunny conditions the catch on East Dunes was reduced, but a reasonable number of Swallows, a Song Thrush, a few warblers and other birds were trapped.
August 9th: Waders on New Saltmarsh were 5 Greenshanks and 2 Whimbrels. The escaped Crimson Rosella, a Rook and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were around. Tennyson Sands held 10 Black-tailed Godwits and a Ruff, and Jackson's Marsh a Spoonbill, 19 Greenshanks and 12 Black-tailed Godwits. Offshore were 5 Common Scoters and a Fulmar.
Trapping in East Dunes resulted in 74 Swallows, including 2 more controls, the second spotty juvenile Redstart of the autumn, 5 Willow Warblers and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, amongst other birds. The 4 recent Swallow controls had different serial numbers, so probably came from different sites.
August 8th: On Jackson's Marsh was a Common Sandpiper, and on Tennyson Sands 43 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Ruffs, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover and a Curlew Sandpiper. Around were a Marsh Harrier and a Wheatear.
Birds trapped in a morning ringing session in East Dunes included 6 Willow Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers and 70 Swallows. Of the latter 2 were controls.
August 7th: Good birds on Tennyson Sands included 4 Ruffs, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, 52 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 5 Greenshanks, a Knot and a Mediterranean Gull, and on Jackson's Marsh 7 Greenshanks and 2 Green Sandpipers. Around were 4 Whimbrels, a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Redstart, a Wheatear and a Crossbill. An early Brambling flew south.
The tenth CES session was done this morning, resulting in 36 new birds ringed and 9 retraps. The new birds included 11 Willow Warblers, a Goldcrest in post-juvenile moult and a first-year Tree Pipit.
1CY Tree Pipit (George Gregory)
August 6th: On the water bodies were 25 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Ruffs, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, a Little Ringed Plover and 100 Lapwings. Offshore were 25000 Knots, 10000 Sanderlings and an adult Mediterranean Gull. Around were 2 Wheatears and a Hobby.
A ringing session in East Dunes produced evidence that autumn passage was getting going, with new birds ringed including 11 Willow Warblers and 121 Swallows. The escaped Crimson Rosella was apparently attracted to the Swallow tape-lure but was not netted.
August 5th: On Jackson's Marsh were 32 Black-tailed Godwits, a Green Sandpiper, 5 Greenshanks and a Sandwich Tern, and on Tennyson Sands a Ruff, a Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper. Around were a Peregrine, 2 Wheatears, a Crossbill, 9 Whimbrels and the escaped Crimson Rosella. South went 7 Greenshanks. Offshore were 2 Arctic Skuas.
A ringing session produced more tape-lured Swallows, including a control, and another Pied Wagtail.
August 4th: Tennyson Sands held a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, a Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Little Ringed Plovers, a Snipe, a Curlew Sandpiper and a Ruff, and Jackson's Marsh 5 Black-tailed Godwits. The Wheatear remained on Rock Ridge, while in East Dunes were 3 Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff. Marsh Harriers increased to 3, and the ringtail Montagu's Harrier reappeared. The Crimson Rosella lingered around the Field Station. Another tape-luring session resulted in 2 House Martins and a Sand Martin being netted in addition to almost 50 Swallows.
August 3rd: Raptors over the saltmarsh included a ringtail Montagu's Harrier, 2 Marsh Harriers and a Short-eared Owl. Offshore Knots increased to 20000 and Oystercatchers to 4000. A Wheatear, 22 Crossbills and 4 Willow Warblers were around. On Tennyson Sands were a Greenshank, a Little Ringed Plover, a Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Ruffs, a Green Sandpiper and a Black-tailed Godwit, and on Jackson's Marsh 19 Greenshanks, 2 Spoonbills and a Black-tailed Godwit. Tape-luring Swallows continued to be successful, with the occasional Sand Martin also netted.
August 2nd: On Jackson's Marsh again were the 2 Spoonbills. Waders on the water bodies featured 24 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Ruffs, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, a Snipe and a Little Ringed Plover. Birds around included a Crossbill, a Wheatear, a Redstart, 6 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and 3 Whimbrels. Offshore were an Arctic Tern, 15000 Knots and 30 Common Scoters. Little Egrets increased to 15.
August 1st: The 2 Spoonbills remained on Jackson's Marsh, where were also 23 Black-tailed Godwits and a Little Ringed Plover. In East Dunes was a Cuckoo. Over New Saltmarsh flew a Merlin, a Hobby and a Marsh Harrier. Good waders were 4 Whimbrels, 2 Green Sandpipers, a Ruff, 21 Golden Plovers and 2 Greenshanks. Around were a Crossbill, a Willow Warbler, a Sparrowhawk and the escaped Crimson Rosella.
