November 30th: Decreasing north-westerly wind, mostly cloudy, rainy morning.
Birds around included a Merlin, a Green Woodpecker, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Corn Buntings, 3 Woodcock and a Lapland Bunting. On the Mere were 2 Water Rails, and on Tennyson Sands a Pintail. At sea 37 Gannets, 10 Red-throated Divers, a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Eider, a Guillemot and 3 Mallard flew north, and 4 Gannets, 7 Red-throated Divers, a Great Crested Grebe and a Great Skua south, while offshore were 2 Red-throated Divers and 2 Great Crested Grebes. South down the beach went 3 Snow Buntings.
November 29th: Quite strong north-westerly wind, mostly cloudy.
On the Mere were 5 Black-tailed Godwits and a Jack Snipe, on Fenland Lagoon 4 Redshanks, and on Tennyson Sands 50 Black-tailed Godwits and a Pintail.
November 28th: Light north-westerly wind, cloudy, mild.
Around were a Short-eared Owl, a Green Woodpecker, a Snow Bunting and a Fieldfare. On Tennyson Sands were 800 Brent Geese, on Croftmarsh 400 Lapwings, on Fenland Lagoon 4 Redshanks, and on the Mere 43 Black-tailed Godwits and a Water Rail. Flying south were 29 Black-tailed Godwits.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling yielded 15 new birds: a Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, 12 Greenfinches and a Blackbird; and 33 retraps, including 2 Goldcrests, but otherwise the usual common species.
Trapped moths new for the year were Red Sword-Grass (rare in Lincolnshire) and Winter Moth.
November 27th: Moderate north-westerly wind, mostly cloudy, damp start but mild.
Birds around, including those trapped, were 2 Goldcrests, a Yellowhammer, 3 Fieldfares and 7 Redwings. On Tennyson Sands were 1000 Brent Geese, on Croftmarsh another 50 Brent Geese, and on the Mere 50 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Common Snipes.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue was quite productive. The 31 new birds were a Goldcrest, 4 Chaffinches, 6 Goldfinches, a Blue Tit, a Yellowhammer, 17 Greenfinches and a Blackbird. The 25 retraps included a Goldcrest, but otherwise were the usual tits, finches and others.
November 26th; Moderate westerly wind, freezing start, mostly cloudy.
Around were 4 Fieldfares, a Merlin and a Woodcock. On the Mere was a Water Rail, and on Tennyson Sands a Pintail.
November 25th: Moderate north-westerly wind, cloudy.
Birds around included a Hen Harrier, a Peregrine, 2 Snow Buntings, 6 Fieldfares and a Woodcock. On the Mere were 49 Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Snipe, a Jack Snipe and a Water Rail, on Fenland Lagoon 7 Redshanks and a Black-tailed Godwit, on Croftmarsh 2000 Golden Plovers and 5 Whooper Swans, and on Tennyson Sands a Pintail. Offshore were 200 Common Scoter, 40 Eider, 2 Red-throated Divers and 200+ Cormorants. Across the River Steeping were 1250 Pink-footed Geese.
November 24th: Increasing north-westerly then northeasterly wind, cloudy, drizzly start.
Around were a Marsh Harrier, a Merlin and a Common Buzzard. On the Mere were 2 Jack Snipe and a Water Rail, on Tennyson Sands a Redshank, a Dunlin, a Pintail and a Pochard, and on Croftmarsh 3000 Golden Plovers and 10 Whooper Swans. At sea 10 Common Scoter, 2 Gannets, a Red-throated Diver, a Razorbill, 5 Guillemots and a Sooty Shearwater flew north, and a Gannet south, while a Great Crested Grebe and 2 Red-throated Divers were offshore.
A ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent resulted in 21 new birds and 31 retraps. The new birds were 12 Greenfinches, 6 Goldfinches, 2 Blackbirds and a Chaffinch. The retraps were 9 Greenfinches, 7 Blue Tits, 5 Great Tits, 2 Robins, 2 Dunnocks, 2 Goldfinches and singles of Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Blackbird and Chaffinch.
November 23rd: Moderate north-westerly wind, mostly cloudy, intermittent rain.
Birds around were 2 Lapland Buntings, 24 Snow Buntings, a Green Woodpecker, a Woodcock, 44 Black-tailed Godwits, a Brambling and 3000 Golden Plovers. On the Mere were a Water Rail and a Jack Snipe, and on Tennyson Sands another Water Rail. At sea a Long-tailed Duck headed north and a juvenile Pomarine Skua south, while offshore were 3 Red-breasted Mergansers.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue was quite productive. The 38 new birds were a Wren, 7 Goldfinches, 5 Chaffinches, a Blackcap, 17 Greenfinches and 7 Blackbirds. The 28 retraps were the usual tits, finches and others.
November 22nd: Decreasing north-easterly wind, mostly cloudy.
Around were a male Hen Harrier, 3000 Golden Plovers, a Water Pipit, 2 Woodcock, a Fieldfare, a Green Woodpecker, a Merlin, 24 Snow Buntings, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose and 28 Black-tailed Godwits. At sea a Leach's Petrel, a Storm Petrel and 98 Eider flew north, and 3 more Eider south.
November 21st: Strong north-easterly wind, mostly cloudy, relatively mild.
Birds around included a Chiffchaff, a Brambling, a Redpoll, 7 Fieldfares and a Woodcock. On the Mere were 2 Jack Snipe and a Water Rail, and on Croftmarsh 1000 Pink-footed Geese and 10 Whooper Swans. Offshore were 2 Goldeneye, a Velvet Scoter, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, 210 Cormorants and 15 Eider, while 14 Fulmars flew north. Across the River Steeping were 3000 Golden Plovers and 50 Lapwings.
