Prolonged simultaneous ringing sessions at East Dunes and Aylmer Avenue were productive, with 146 birds processed. Notable new birds included 2 Jays, a Tree Sparrow, a Redwing and numerous Goldcrests and Goldfinches.
October 9th: On Tennyson Sands were 15 Avocets. At least 72 Jays either eventually moved off inland or stayed in the Plantation and elsewhere. Around were a Merlin, 38 Redwings, 15 Goldcrests and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Offshore were 500 Little Gulls.
Ringing sessions on East Dunes and Aylmer Avenue were reasonably productive, with 13 Goldcrests, a Jay and 4 Redwings being the best new birds ringed.
October 8th: The 2 Bearded Tits and 2 Water Rails were still on the Mere, and 12 Avocets, a Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank on Tennyson Sands. At sea were a Sooty Shearwater, a Little Auk, 2 Velvet Scoters, 100 Little Gulls and 200 Gannets. Going south were 21 Jays, a Hawfinch, 63 Redwings, 18 Brent Geese and 2 Bramblings, while 400 Pink-footed Geese headed in various directions. Around were a Ring Ouzel and 7 Crossbills.
Simultaneous morning ringing sessions at East Dunes and Aylmer Avenue yielded 87 new birds ringed, including 22 Long-tailed Tits and the usual Goldcrests, finches and others.
October 7th: On the Mere were 2 Bearded Tits, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Water Rail, on Croftmarsh 529 Golden Plovers, and on Tennyson Sands 3 Spotted Redshanks and 12 Avocets. Around were a Green Woodpecker, a Marsh Harrier, a Mediterranean Gull, 103 Brent Geese including 1 Pale-bellied, a Short-eared Owl, a Redstart, 2 Bramblings and reduced numbers of Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, Goldfinches and other species compared to yesterday. Presumably most birds had left during the mainly clear night. Flying south were 2 Buzzards, 2 Swallows, 49 Tree Sparrows and 160 Pink-footed Geese, east 4 Whooper Swans, and west 40 more Pink-footed Geese and 17 Jays. Dropping out of the sky were 2 Ring Ouzels, 3 Redwings and 12 Blackbirds. At sea 103 Common Scoters and a Kittiwake went north, and offshore were 50 Sandwich Terns, a Great Skua, an Arctic Skua, a Razorbill, 100 Gannets, 15 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great Crested Grebes and a Garganey.
Ringing sessions at East Dunes and Aylmer Avenue were reasonably productive, with a Redstart, a Siskin, several Lesser Redpolls, Long-tailed Tits and Blackbirds being the most prominent new birds ringed. A British-ringed Lesser Redpoll was controlled.
October 6th: Tennyson Sands held 12 Avocets, and the Mere a Jack Snipe and 2 Water Rails. Around were a Green Woodpecker, 2 Marsh Harriers, 7 Buzzards, a Willow Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, a Brambling and numerous Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, Lesser Redpolls and Goldfinches. South went 8 Whooper Swans. Redwings arrived in good numbers (200+) as did smaller numbers of Blackbirds (50+) and a single Ring Ouzel from 9am onwards until just after 1pm, plummeting out of the clear blue sky and calling loudly, having just arrived in a head wind from the continent.
Prolonged simultaneous ringing sessions at East Dunes and Aylmer Avenue together resulted in 467 new birds ringed, 303 at Aylmer Avenue and 164 at East Dunes, mostly Goldfinches, with considerable numbers of Goldcrests and Greenfinches, along with Chiffchaffs, Lesser Redpolls and Blackcaps, amongst others. A Dutch-ringed Blackcap and a British-ringed Goldcrest were controlled at Aylmer Avenue, whilst a Reed Warbler and a Brambling were also ringed there.
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| Over 250 Goldfinch were ringed on the 6th Oct 2012, normally, a healthy number for a whole year! Photo - Mick Briggs |
October 5th: The Spoonbill lingered on Jackson's Marsh, and 13 Avocets, a Ruff, 2 Greenshanks and a Spotted Redshank on Tennyson Sands. Around were a Hen Harrier, a Merlin, a Marsh Harrier, a Short-eared Owl, 6 Jays, a Redstart, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Stonechats, a Whinchat and 50 Goldcrests. At sea a Long-tailed Skua, a Purple Sandpiper, 250 Gannets, 50 Auk Spp and a Great Skua flew south. South over land went 10 Rooks, 1051 Goldfinches, a Yellow Wagtail, 2 Bramblings, 13 Whooper Swans, a Hobby and 2 Swallows, amongst other species.
A morning ringing session on East Dunes was again productive, with 70 birds processed again. These included a Ring Ouzel, a Sparrowhawk, 41 Goldfinches, 13 Goldcrests, 5 Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, a Siskin and the expected other species.
October 4th: The Spoonbill remained on Jackson's Marsh, and 12 Avocets, 5 Spotted Redshanks and a Ruff on Tennyson Sands. Around were 4 Mediterranean Gulls, a Pied Flycatcher, 70 Chiffchaffs and a Redstart. Southward passage included 5 Jays (possibly the beginning of an irruption), 14 Rooks, 2 Crossbills, a Brambling, 900 Goldfinches, and numerous Reed Buntings and other species.
A morning ringing session on East Dunes was productive, providing 70 birds processed, including a Jay, a Coal Tit, 14 Goldcrests, 16 Chiffchaffs, 5 Song Thrushes, 10 Goldfinches, 7 Reed Buntings, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and the usual other species.
October 3rd: On Jackson's Marsh were a Spoonbill, 6 Greenshanks, 6 Spotted Redshanks and a Black-tailed Godwit, and on Tennyson Sands 12 Avocets. Around were 25 Goldcrests, 12 Chiffchaffs, a Pied Flycatcher, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Stonechat, 2 Jays, 4 Crossbills, 2 Merlins, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzards, a Short-eared Owl and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. About 100 Pink-footed Geese flew southeast. Going south were 6 Whooper Swans, 1365 Goldfinches, 420 House Martins, 109 Swallows, a Sand Martin and 48 Siskins.
A morning ringing session on East Dunes resulted in a Sparrowhawk, and moderate numbers of Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and others being ringed.
1CY male Sparrowhawk (George Gregory)
October 2nd: Jackson's Marsh held 4 Greenshanks, and Tennyson Sands 6 Spotted Redshanks, 3 Greenshanks, 13 Avocets, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Black-tailed Godwit. Around were a Ring Ouzel, a Hen Harrier, a Pied Flycatcher, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Wheatear, 2 Stonechats, 2 Redstarts, 5 Coal Tits and a Buzzard. Birds flying south included a Hawfinch and a Brambling, while 55 Pink-footed Geese headed northwest and 36 more east. Over 1000 Goldfinches either passed south or were on site.
Ringing on East Dunes provided 10 Goldcrests, 8 Chiffchaffs and the usual other species, while another Moorhen was ringed on Croftmarsh.
October 1st: A Yellow-browed Warbler was in the Plantation. On Jackson's Marsh were a Spoonbill and a Black-tailed Godwit, and on Tennyson Sands 17 Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Ruff. Around were a Merlin, a Peregrine, a Short-eared Owl, a Green Sandpiper, a Crossbill, 20 Goldcrests, a Jay, 2 Redstarts, 12 Chiffchaffs and 3 Stonechats. South went a Lapland Bunting, a Brambling, 2 Tree Pipits and a Pink-footed Goose, as well as numerous Redpolls, Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches, Reed Buntings and others.
A morning ringing session on East Dunes produced a new Chiffchaff as well as the usual Blackcaps, Dunnocks, Robins and Reed Buntings, amongst others.
