Over the sea were 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 68 Common Scoters and 4 Red-throated Divers. 78 Wigeons and an adult Kittiwake went south. 65 Pink-footed Geese went north. Around were 4 Yellowhammers, a Chiffchaff, 4 Stock Doves, a Barn Owl, 4 Song Thrushes, a Redwing, 120+ Fieldfares and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. 800 Lapwings were over Croftmarsh.
February 19th. Moderate west-south-west wind, cloudy start with sunny spells later.
On the reserve today were a Common Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Barn Owls, 2 Tawny Owls, a Short-eared Owl, 7 Black-tailed Godwits and 1420 Woodpigeons.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David and Liv Vincent resulted in 12 new birds and 12 retraps. The new birds were 8 Greenfinches, 3 Chaffinches and a Long-tailed Tit. The retraps were 3 Blue Tits, 3 Great Tits, 2 Chaffinches, 2 Greenfinches, a Goldfinch and a Long-tailed Tit.
February 18th. Moderate south-south-westerly wind, cloudy morning with sunny spells later.
Around were 2 Tawny Owls, 30 Skylarks, 4 Pochards, 3 Goldeneyes and 2 Snipes.
February 17th. Moderate southerly wind, foggy start then cloudy. 2 degrees with ground frost in places.
Sea watch census from 0700 to 0800.
The best bird was a southbound Fulmar. Also seen flying south were 12 Red-throated Divers, a Red-breasted Merganser, 80 Eiders and 262 Common Scoters. 120 Common Scoters were also seen flying north.
Around the West Dunes were 2 Barn Owls, 80 Fieldfares, 4 Redwings and 4 Song Thrushes. A Chiffchaff was near Mill Hill and a male Hen Harrier was on Croftmarsh for most of the morning, visible from Harvey's Hide. The water bodies were similar reports to February 16th.
February 16th. Moderate south-westerly wind, sunny.
Sea watch census 0750 to 1015.
South went 32 Red-throated Divers, 10 Brent Geese, 75 Common Scoters, 18 and then 24 Red-breasted Mergansers, 62 Eiders, 2 Teals, a Pintail, a Guillemot and an Auk sp. North went 5 Brent Geese, 4 Eiders, a Guillemot and 2 Snow Buntings along the beach. 1 Porpoise sp south and 2 north.
On Croftmarsh were 800 Lapwings and 40 Golden Plovers. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Little Grebes, 2 Goldeneye and 21 Black-tailed Godwits. On Tennyson's Sands were 550 Brent Geese and 2 Goldeneye. Also around were a Common Buzzard, a Peregrine, a Barn Owl, a Tawny Owl, 48 Fieldfares, 3 Mistle Thrushes, a Song Thrush, a Green Woodpecker, 60 Corn Buntings, 3 Woodcocks, a Chiffchaff, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose and a probable Black Brant, though a hybrid was not eliminated.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David and Liv Vincent resulted in just 5 new birds and 12 retraps. The new birds were 3 Greenfinches, a Chaffinch and a Blue Tit. The retraps were 3 Great Tits, 3 Greenfinches, 3 Goldfinches, 2 Blue Tits and a Dunnock.
Although ringing was quite slow we were treated to a sizeable flock of Starlings and Fieldfares flying around the back of Aylmer Avenue and off in the direction of measures, hotly pursued by a hungry Sparrowhawk!
February 15th. Very strong south-south-westerly wind gusting from Force 6 to Force 8, a mild 6 degrees overnight but feeling cold in the strong wind.
Sea Watch 0650 to 0920 and 1500 to 1700.
On the sea were 180 Eiders, 15
Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 24 Common Scoters and a drake SCAUP. Flying south at sea were 20 Red-throated Divers, 65
Red-breasted Mergansers, 422 Eiders, 5 Teals, 38 Wigeons, 4 Pintails, 2 Shovelers, 10 Brent Geese, 1
Shelduck, 3 SCAUP, 3 Great Crested
Grebes, 12 Kittiwakes, 1 GREAT SKUA, 31
Cormorants, 2 Guillemots, 2 Auks sp and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 60 Fieldfares and 4 Redwings were around and 3 Goldeneyes were on Jackson's Marsh.
February 14th.
Little coverage and no records received.
February 13th.
A Little Owl was north of Aylmer Avenue late in the day.
February 12th.
Little coverage and no records received.
February 11th: Strong southerly wind, mostly rainy.
At sea 10 Shovelers and 395 Common Scoters flew south. On Croftmarsh was a Pale-bellied Brant Goose.
