A ringing session was attempted on East Dunes, using the sheltered nets, but it was entirely unsuccessful, there being a definite lack of landbirds there.
September 9th: On Jackson's Marsh were 5 Spoonbills, 5 Pink-footed Geese, 5 Spotted Redshanks and a Black-tailed Godwit, and on Tennyson Sands 74 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Greenshanks, a Green Sandpiper and 2 Ruffs. The Osprey flew north from Croftmarsh mid morning. Flying south were 24 more Pink-footed Geese. Around were a Marsh Harrier, a Merlin and a Hobby.
A morning ringing session on East Dunes produced a new Barred Warbler, a Pied Flycatcher and the usual other warblers. A simultaneous session at Aylmer Avenue provided the usual finches and other species. A roost catch at the Mere resulted in just 15 Swallows and Sand Martins, significantly down on that of the previous evening.
September 8th: The 5 Spoonbills were on Jackson's Marsh and the Osprey on Croftmarsh. Other birds on Jackson's Marsh included 4 Spotted Redshanks, 2 Common Sandpipers and 7 Greenshanks, and on Tennyson Sands 82 Black-tailed Godwits and 9 Greenshanks. Around were 2 Buzzards and 2 Whimbrels.
A morning ringing session on East Dunes produced modest results but a Moorhen was trapped and ringed on Cowbank. An evening hirundine roost session at the Mere provided 149 new Swallows and Sand Martins, plus 2 retraps and a control.
September 7th: A total of 5 Spoonbills were present on the reserve. An Osprey lingered on Croftmarsh. On Tennyson Sands were 70 Black-tailed Godwits and 17 Avocets, and on Jackson's Marsh 7 Greenshanks and a Green Sandpiper. Around were 3 more Greenshanks and a Marsh Harrier.
Ringing sessions at Aylmer Avenue and East Dunes revealed increased numbers of Goldcrests, plus the usual warblers and finches, amongst others. A late Swallow tape-luring session was productive.
September 6th: On the water bodies were 5 Spoonbills, 5 Spotted Redshanks, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper. Around were 6 Marsh Harriers, 2 Buzzards, a Hobby, a Peregrine, a Merlin, 2 Whimbrels, a Wheatear and 3 Tree Sparrows. Flying south were 2 Siskins, 9 Yellow Wagtails and 17 Meadow Pipits, and north a Fulmar. Offshore were 400 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua.
Ringing sessions at Aylmer Avenue and East Dunes were moderately successful, involving mostly the usual warblers, hirundines and finches.
September 5th: The Pectoral Sandpiper was on Tennyson Sands this morning. On Jackson's Marsh were 6 Spoonbills, 64 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Ruffs and a Green Sandpiper. Heading south were a Hobby, 7 Yellow Wagtails, 22 Meadow Pipits and a Lesser Redpoll. Around were a 3 Siskins, a Redstart, a Buzzard, a Marsh Harrier, a Whimbrel and 4 Spotted Redshanks.
A ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced the first Lesser Redpoll ringed this autumn. The catch on East Dunes included a hybrid Tree Sparrow x House Sparrow.
September 4th: Once more the Pectoral Sandpiper reappeared on Tennyson Sands in the afternoon. Other birds there were 70 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Ruffs and a Wood Sandpiper. On Jackson's Marsh were 5 Spoonbills, 26 Greenshanks, 6 Spotted Redshanks, a Green Sandpiper and a Ruff. The Barred Warbler was seen in East Dunes. Another Spotted Redshank, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Hobbys, 4 Buzzards and the escaped Crimson Rosella were around. About 1500 Swallows and another Hobby flew south.
Ringing was productive both at East Dunes and Aylmer Avenue. A Redstart, a Pied Flycatcher and the usual warblers, hirundines and finches were caught. One retrapped Swallow was ringed here last year.
September 3rd: The Pectoral Sandpiper reappeared on Tennyson Sands in the afternoon. Around were 4 Spoonbills, 2 Spotted Redshanks, 4 Whimbrels, 2 Peregrines, a Mediterranean Gull, 4 Marsh Harriers, 5 Buzzards, 16 Tree Sparrows, 3 Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper and 132 Redshanks. A Tree Pipit, 11 Sand Martins and 8 Yellow Wagtails went south. In the evening a presumed hybrid Sand Martin x House Martin was seen over Aylmer Avenue. There was a big Swallow roost on the Mere.
The sunny conditions greatly reduced the ringing catch, but on East Dunes it included a Red-backed Shrike, a Barred Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler.
September 2nd: The Pectoral Sandpiper was still on Tennyson Sands. Other good birds present were 5 Spoonbills, a Cuckoo, a Kingfisher, 2 Marsh Harriers, a ringtail Hen Harrier, 16 Golden Plovers, 2 Siskins, a Peregrine and the escaped Crimson Rosella. Flying south were 1500 Swallows, 128 Sand Martins, a Swift, 3 Hobbys and 4 Crossbills. Offshore were 15 Brent Geese and a Guillemot. Several thousand Swallows roosted on New Saltmarsh.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue resulted in 48 captures, including the first Little Owl ringed here since 1982, a Redstart and 2 Goldcrests. A morning and an evening ringing sessions on East Dunes were much more productive, providing the usual warblers and a big catch of hirundines, totalling 285 birds processed. These included 2 Swallow controls.
September 1st: The Pectoral Sandpiper remained on Tennyson Sands. Other birds on the water bodies included 6 Spoonbills, a Water Rail, 2 Spotted Redshanks, 15 Ruffs and a Little Ringed Plover. Around were a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Merlin, a Short-eared Owl, a Wheatear, a Redstart, 15 Crossbills and 2 Wigeons. Heading south over land were 650 Swallows, 67 House Martins and 62 Sand Martins. A seawatch produced a Peregrine in off the sea, a Red-throated Diver and 25 Common Scoters south, a Fulmar north, and 7 Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, 40 Gannets and a Guillemot offshore.
The twelth and final CES session was done this morning, resulting in 9 new birds ringed and 3 retraps. Simultaneous ringing sessions elsewhere around Aylmer Avenue and East Dunes were, in contrast, very productive, and in all 162 birds were processed, ranging from finches on the feeders, to tape-lured hirundines, to 7 Goldcrests, various warblers and a flock of Long-tailed Tits.
