March 10th. Fairly strong northerly wind. Mostly cloudy, much cooler than yesterday.
Sea Watch 0625 to 0900hrs. On the sea were a Wigeon, an Eider, 50 Common Scoter, 5 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Red-throated Diver and a Great Crested Grebe. Flying south were 9 Shelduck, 7 Shoveler, 19 Eider, 6 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe and 2 Gannet. A Harbour Porpoise went south, close in and 3 Roe Deer were north of Beach Car Park. On Tennyson Sands were 32 Avocet and 8 Black-tailed Godwit. There was little visible migration, but 6 Rook flew south and 2 Snow Bunting were on the beach.
March 9th. A breezy south westerly wind. A very sunny and warm day.
Around were a Mediterranean Gull, 2 Chiffchaff, a Merlin, 23 Avocet, a Brambling, 3 Marsh Harrier, 3 Yellowhammer, 28 Redwing and a Green Woodpecker. A Crossbill went south and a small number of Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Great Tit and Blue Tit were seen going south early morning. 83 Gadwall were counted on the waterbodies. 38 Corn Bunting roosted near the Visitor Centre.
March 8th. A fairly strong southerly wind. Cloudy morning, sunny afternoon.
Going south were 300 Chaffinch, a Grey Wagtail, 26 Little Gull, 7 Red-throated Diver and 7 Red-breasted Merganser. A Tawny Owl and a Green Woodpecker were around the Plantation and 2 Grey Partridge were calling near the Wash Viewpoint at dusk. On Tennyson Sands were 26 Avocet. Also around were 3 Woodcock, 50 Fieldfare, a Yellowhammer and 40 Corn Bunting.
A morning ring session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling and Jenni Godber resulted in just 7 new birds and 8 retraps. The new birds were 5 Chaffinch, a Goldfinch and a Greenfinch. The retraps were 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tit and a Greenfinch.
March 7th. A brisk westerly wind. Rain to start followed by sunshine.
A Long-tailed Duck flew south at sea early on as did 17 Eider and 13 Red-breasted Merganser. 2 Peregrine were also seen. Jackson's Marsh and Tennyson Sands held 50 Gadwall, 4 Little Egret, 6 Little Grebe, 3 Goldeneye, 24 Teal, 76 Wigeon, 42 Shoveler, 24 Mallard, 13 Shelduck, 12 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Avocet, 16 Tufted Duck, 39 Curlew, 7 Snipe, 16 Coot and 6 Moorhen. Also around were 50+ Fieldfare and 3 Redwing.
March 6th. Fairly strong south westerly wind. Rain to start followed by cloud.
Recorded today were a Hen Harrier, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 11 Avocet, 11 Black-tailed Godwit, a Green Woodpecker, a Goldcrest, a Blackcap, 50+ Fieldfare, 3 Redwing and a Brambling.
March 5th. Increasing south westerly wind, mostly sunny.
A 3 hour ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent resulted in 13 new birds and 9 retraps. The new birds were 5 Greenfinch, 4 Chaffinch, 2 Blue Tit, a Great Tit and a Long-tailed Tit. The retraps were 3 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Blue Tit, a Great Tit and a Dunnock.
March 4th. Light southerly wind, sunny.
Around the reserve this morning were a Barn Owl, a Tawny Owl, a Marsh Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, 50 Fieldfare, 15 Redwing, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Green Woodpecker. Jackson's Marsh and Tennyson Sands held 6 Little Grebe, 3 Goldeneye, 2 drake Pochard, 11 Tufted Duck, 160 Wigeon, 42 Gadwall, 59 Shoveler, 5 Snipe, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, and 5 Avocet.
An Oak Beauty moth was trapped overnight.
March 3rd. A light southerly wind, sunny.
A sea-watch 0650 to 0750hrs was quiet with 35 Common Scoter, 5 Red-throated Diver, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 6 Wigeon and a Cormorant on the move with a Great Crested Grebe on the sea.
Visible migration watch from Mill Hill from 0800 to 0940hrs produced 27 Chaffinch, 6 Greenfinch, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Linnet, a Meadow Pipit, a Yellowhammer, a Corn Bunting and 8 Rook south, and a Merlin heading north. 2 BEARDED TIT flew high over the Mere and appeared to head north-west. A Green Woodpecker was "yaffling" in the West Dunes. Also around were 12 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Goldeneye, a drake Pintail, a Marsh Harrier, a Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl, a Siskin, a Tawny Owl, a Sparrowhawk, a Brambling and 100 Fieldfare. 2 Chinese Water Deer were seen together on the saltmarsh, viewed from the Wash Viewpoint early morning.
A very productive 3 hour ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent resulted in 26 new birds and 32 retraps. The new birds were 14 Greenfinch, 8 Chaffinch, 2 Great Tit, a Goldfinch and a Robin. The retraps were 15 Greenfinch, 6 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 2 Chaffinch and singles of Goldfinch, Dunnock, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit and Coal Tit. Very spring-like conditions with birds singing everywhere and even a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming on a tree trunk the majority of the time he was there.
March 2nd. Strong southerly wind, mostly cloudy.
Around were 28 Chaffinch, a Green Woodpecker, 600 Lapwing, a Merlin, 10 Corn Bunting, a Red Kite and a Sparrowhawk. On Jackson's Marsh was a pair of Goldeneye and on Tennyson's Sands was an Avocet.
March 1st. A light northerly wind, foggy start then sunny.
Around were a Barn Owl, a Brambling, 50 Corn Bunting, a Tawny Owl, 2 Goldeneye and 3 Merlin (2 north together). On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Pink-footed Geese.
Estuary counts this evening resulted in 6000 Bar-tailed Godwits, 8000 Knot, 5000 Grey Plover, 1000 Dunlins, 400 Sanderling, 310 Oystercatcher, 8 Turnstone, 5 Ringed Plover and 14 Eider.
A ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling and Georgie Scott resulted in a very productive 61 new birds and 45 retraps. The new birds were 41 Greenfinch, 8 Chaffinch, 5 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 2 Goldfinch and a Siskin. The retraps were 20 Blue Tit, 7 Greenfinch, 6 Great Tit, 4 Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Dunnock and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
