Present, including birds trapped, were 2 Coal Tits, a Green Woodpecker and 60 Fieldfares. Flying around were 260 Pink-footed Geese. South went 1365 Common Scoters and a Slavonian Grebe.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue was quite good. The new birds were a Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinches, a Great Tit and 19 Greenfinches. The retraps were 2 Blue Tits, 10 Greenfinches, a Wren, 2 Goldfinches, a Chaffinch and a Coal Tit.February 9th: Strong south-westerly wind, cloudy.
Birds around included 2000 Golden Plovers, 2000 Lapwings and 90 Fieldfares.
A 4 hour sea watch from first light produced the following, with the first hour being very busy.
Eider 758South and 22 on sea. Total 780
Common Scoter 174South and 35 on sea. Total 209Velvet Scoter 3South
Scaup 1South
RB Merg 75South and 12 on sea. Total 87
Goosander 2South.
Shelduck 4South
RT Diver 30South and 2 on sea. Total 32
GC Grebe 13South and 2 on sea. Total 15
SLAV GREBE 1 giving prolonged, good views close in on sea out from Mill Hill
BONXIE 1South
Cormorant 4South
Little Gull 4 adults south
Kittiwake 1 adult south
Shoveler 1South
Gadwall 1South
Wigeon 11South
Teal 8South
Single Avocet went south along the tideline as did 3 Rooks
February 8th: Strong south-westerly wind, partly cloudy.
On or over Croftmarsh were a Tundra Bean Goose, 3 Pink-footed Geese, 2000 Lapwings and 2000 Golden Plovers.
February 7th: Strong westerly wind, partly cloudy, afternoon rain.
Flying south were a Siskin and a Stock Dove, and north an Alba Wagtail. Around were 2 Woodcocks. Offshore were 60 Common Scoters, 2 Great Skuas and a small Grebe Spp.
February 6th: Fairly strong south-westerly wind, partly cloudy.
Around were 100 Fieldfares, 1100 Lapwings, 2000 Golden Plovers and a Merlin. At sea 4 Little Gulls and 8 Pintails flew south, and a Slavonian Grebe and 2 small Grebes Spp were offshore.
February 5th: Strong southerly wind, partly cloudy, occasional rain.
Offshore were a Slavonian Grebe and 3 Little Gulls. On Jackson's Marsh was a Goldeneye. Other birds present included 2 Fieldfares, a Green Woodpecker and 4 Song Thrushes.
February 4th: Fairly strong south-westerly wind, partly cloudy.
Birds around included a Merlin, a Hen Harrier, a Green Woodpecker and 3000 Golden Plovers. South over land went 21 Stock Doves and 2 Rooks. At sea 129 Red-throated Divers, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 10 Great Crested Grebes, 29 Common Scoters, 2 Wigeons, 2 Eiders, 7 Little Gulls and a Slavonian Grebe headed south, and 4 Common Scoters north, while on the sea were a Great Northern Diver and 38 Common Scoters.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue was reasonable. New birds were 3 Chaffinches, 2 Great Tits, a Goldfinch, a Blue Tit, 10 Greenfinches and a Blackbird; and the retraps 5 Blue Tits, 3 Chaffinches, 4 Great Tits, 3 Goldfinches, a Long-tailed Tit, 7 Greenfinches and a Dunnock.
February 3rd: Fairly strong south-easterly wind, partly cloudy.
Notables included 25 Fieldfares and 6 Woodcocks. Flying south at sea were 5 Eiders, 2 Goldeneyes, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, 45 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great Crested Grebes, a Slavonian Grebe, a Little Gull, a Guillemot and a Razorbill; and north 7 Common Scoters and 4 Red-throated Divers. A Great Northern Diver and an Iceland Gull were offshore.
February 2nd: Fairly strong south-westerly wind, partly cloudy.
Around were 2 Hen Harriers, a Woodcock and 25 Fieldfares. On or over Croftmarsh were 650 Lapwings.
February 1st: Increasing south-westerly wind, partly cloudy.
Birds around included 3 Woodcocks and a Siskin. On Croftmarsh were 700 Lapwings.
A restricted morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue was reasonably productive. The new birds were a Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinches, a Great Tit, 14 Greenfinches and a Blackbird, while the retraps were 3 Chaffinches, 10 Greenfinches, 5 Blue Tits, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 4 Goldfinches.
