November 29th: Flying south were a Lapland Bunting, 6 Siskins, 65 Common Scoters and 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, north 11 Snow Buntings, and east 51 Pink-footed Geese. Around were 2 Bullfinches and 2 Fieldfares. On the Mere were 2 Water Rails.
November 28th: Quite windy, with intermittent rain. On the Mere was a Water Rail. Other birds present included a Hen Harrier, a Merlin, a Woodcock and 5 Corn Buntings. Flying east were 25 Pink-footed Geese and south 2 Little Auks.
November 27th: Windy, with rain in morning. Around were 7 Redwings. At sea 7 Little Auks went north and 2 Little Gulls south, while 3 Great Northern Divers were recorded.
November 26th: Rainy morning, then mild. South went 7 Siskins. The best other birds recorded were a Water Pipit, a Bullfinch, 2 Goldcrests, a Corn Bunting, a Hen Harrier, a Peregrine, 600 Pink-footed Geese and 2 Water Rails.
November 25th: Very windy but decreasing, with rain early morning. On Tennyson Sands was a Pochard. Around were 9 Waxwings, a male Hen Harrier, a Merlin and 1200 Pink-footed Geese.
November 24th: Near the Hump were 21 Waxwings and a Corn Bunting, on the Mere were a Water Rail and 11 Snipes, on Tennyson Sands a Pochard, and at Oval Pond a Cetti's Warbler. Around Measures were 5 Waxwings for much of the day, whilst 2 more flew south over Aylmer Avenue during the day.
A ringing session at Aylmer Avenue was reasonably successful, with 48 new birds ringed. Only the usual finches and other species were processed, although there was a partially leucistic Lesser Redpoll, with a strange state of moult in progress as well. Annoyingly, in between closing the nets at 2pm and leaving the site at 2.15pm, around 270 finches had moved into the feeding station: apparently they know when the nets are open! This flock held around 40 Siskins, 70 Goldfinches, 30 Chaffinches and 130 Greenfinches.
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| Partially leucistic Lesser Redpoll ringed on the 24th November 2012. The defective pigmentation was present in just the right wing and the end of the tale feathers. Photo - Mick Briggs |
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| Partially leucistic Lesser Redpoll ringed on the 24th November 2012. The bird only showed signs of leucism in the right wing, the left wing appearing completely normal. Note the two secondaries in moult (although only on the right wing), with the inner secondaries showing considerable leucism along with three greater coverts. Photo - Mick Briggs |
November 23rd: Mild and sunny. Landed birds included 10 Waxwings, a Woodcock, a Water Pipit, a Snow Bunting and 5000 Golden Plovers. Southward movers included 20 Siskins and 8 Bewick's Swans.
November 22nd: Windy. The best birds around were 9 Waxwings, 5 Snow Buntings, a Lapland Bunting, a Water Pipit and 4 Redwings. Flying south were 50 Siskins.
November 21st: Rain all day, so reduced coverage. The only notables were 3 Waxwings, 2 Water Pipits, 4 Fieldfares and 2 Bramblings.
