September 30th. A Yellow-browed Warbler was discovered in the Plantation. Around were a Marsh Harrier, a Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher. On Tennyson Sands were 2 Water Rail and a Greenshank. Flying south were 15 Pink-footed Goose, 4 Meadow Pipit, an Alba Wagtail, a Brambling and 3 Skylark. Sea-watching produced 2 Black-throated Diver, an Arctic Skua and a Manx Shearwater south, a Pomarine Skua north, and 16 Red-throated Diver offshore.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Anthony Bentley, provided 5 new birds: 3 Wren, a Firecrest and a Goldcrest; and 2 retraps: singles of Song Thrush and Dunnock. |
| Firecrest, ringed 30 September 2014. Photo - George Gregory |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 10 new birds: 2 Wren, a Goldcrest, a Robin, 2 Great Tit, a Blackcap, a Chaffinch, a Dunnock and a Sparrowhawk; and 2 retraps: singles of Robin and Goldcrest.
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| Sparrowhawk, ringed 29 September 2014. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Cetti's Warbler, 28 September 2014. Photo - Russell Hayes |
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| Cetti's Warbler, 28 September 2014. Photo - Garry Wright |
A much longer ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent resulted in 50 new birds and 26 retraps. The new birds were 17 Greenfinch, 9 Goldfinch, 7 Dunnock, 4 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Blackcap and singles of Robin, Wren, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Tree Sparrow and Kingfisher. The retraps were 8 Greenfinch, 6 Dunnock, 6 Goldfinch, 4 Great Tit and 2 Blue Tit. There was also a British control (ringed elsewhere) Goldfinch.
An adult male Barn Owl was retrapped at one of the sites here.
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| Kingfisher, ringed 28th September 2014. Photo - David Vincent. |
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| Tree Sparrow, ringed 28th September 2014. Photo - David Vincent. |
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| Adult male Barn Owl, retrapped 28 September 2014. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Wing of adult male Barn Owl showing more than one generation of feathers, 28 September 2014. Photo - George Gregory |
A long ringing session in East Dunes, with James Siddle and Ian Thompson, was quite productive. The 37 new birds were 2 Goldcrest, 3 Wren, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Reed Bunting, a Robin, 2 Chaffinch, 6 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit, a Goldfinch, a Linnet, 6 Dunnock, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Blackbird. The 26 retraps were 9 Dunnock, 6 Robin, a Blackbird, a Song Thrush, a Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit and 2 Goldcrest.
September 26th. Moderately strong westerly wind.
A dark juvenile Long-tailed Skua was around Greenshanks Creek. Around were 2 Ruff, 2 Sparrowhawk and a Common Buzzard. 3 Spotted Redshank were on Tennyson Sands and 2 Water Rail again on the Mere. Flying south were 110 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Jay, 60 Swallow, 5 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, 50 Meadow Pipit, 30 Goldfinch, a Siskin, a Grey Wagtail and 6 Reed Bunting.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 10 new birds: 2 Wren, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Blackcap and 2 Dunnock; and 2 retraps: singles of Garden Warbler and Robin.
September 25th. Birds around included a Merlin, a Peregrine, 4 Brambling, a Grey Wagtail, a Tree Pipit, a Stonechat, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Jay and 2 Jack Snipe. 2 Water Rail were again on The Mere. Heading south-west were 22 Pink-footed Goose, and south 68 Swallow, 4 Grey Wagtail, 8 Alba Wagtail, 294 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit, 77 Chaffinch, 83 Reed Bunting, 80 Goldfinch, 51 Linnet, 43 Greenfinch, a Siskin, 3 Mistle Thrush, 3 Dunnock, 14 Skylark, 90 Golden Plover and 10 Snipe.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling and Anthony Bentley produced 31 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, 2 Wren, 5 Blue Tit, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Blackcap, 9 Goldfinch, a Great Tit, 2 Robin, a Dunnock, 3 Greenfinch and a Blackbird; and 29 retraps: 4 Wren, 2 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 4 Dunnock, 9 Greenfinch, a Goldcrest, 6 Goldfinch and a Chaffinch.
September 24th. Light rain until mid morning. Quite windy.
A Yellow-browed Warbler was discovered in West Dunes. Also around were a Jay, a Merlin, a Wheatear, a Whitethroat and 7 Ruff. Tennyson Sands held 3 Spotted Redshank and a Water Rail whilst 2 Water Rail were on The Mere. Flying south were 300 Meadow Pipit, 350 Swallow, 180 House Martin, 70 Linnet, 5 Tree Sparrow, 6 Grey Wagtail and 2 Yellow Wagtail. Sea-watching revealed a Long-tailed Skua, 4 Arctic Skua, 75 Arctic Tern, a Sooty Shearwater and 8 Little Gull
A rain-delayed morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 4 new birds: 2 Robin, a Blackcap and a Goldfinch; and 6 retraps: 4 Goldcrest, a Dunnock and a Blackcap.
September 23rd. Birds around included 5 Chiffchaff, a Greenshank, a Merlin and a Peregrine. On Tennyson Sands was a Spotted Redshank, and on the Mere 2 Water Rail. In from the sea came 3 Pintail. Southward visible migration involved a Spoonbill, 1000+ Meadow Pipit, 80 Reed Bunting, 10 Dunnock, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 300 Linnet, 10 Rock Pipit, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Jay (of which 4 U-turned), 50 Goldfinch, 40 Chaffinch, 15 Alba Wagtail, 12 Grey Wagtail, 800 Swallow, 28 Siskin, 150 Starling, 200 House Martin, 6 Snipe, a Lapland Bunting, 3 Sand Martin and a Brambling.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Anthony Bentley, provided 11 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Robin, 3 Blackcap, a Reed Bunting, 2 Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 9 retraps: a Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 Robin, a Blackcap, a Chaffinch and 2 Dunnock.
September 22nd. Around were a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Lapland Bunting, 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Wheatear, 2 Redstart, a Reed Warbler, 3 Stonechat, 47 Reed Bunting, 6 Ruff, a Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank and 3 Ruff. On Jackson's Marsh was a Spoonbill. Heading south were a Spoonbill (probably different), a Buzzard Sp, 250 Meadow Pipit, 50 Linnet, a Tree Pipit, 8 House Sparrow, 7 Tree Sparrow, a Rook, 6 Dunnock and 60 Swallow; and west 2 Common Buzzard. A Pintail came in from the east. At sea 15 Pomarine Skua, 6 Great Skua, 8 Arctic Skua, 15 Red-throated Diver and 270 Common Tern headed south, and 3 Sooty Shearwater and 24 Little Gull north.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 22 new birds: 7 Goldcrest, 2 Wren, 2 Chiffchaff, a Robin, a Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting, a Whitethroat, a Goldfinch, a Blackcap and 2 Song Thrush; and 7 retraps: singles of Blackbird, Robin, Lesser Whitethroat, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Reed Bunting and Goldfinch.
September 21st. Birds around, including those caught, were a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Redstart, 2 Stonechat, 3 Wheatear, a Garden Warbler, a Jay, a Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and 2 Marsh Harrier. In from the east came 2000+ Meadow Pipit. Flying south were 200+ Pink-footed Goose, north 3 Common Buzzard, and in or around 2 Tree Pipit, a Grey Wagtail and a Wood Sandpiper. At sea 2 juvenile Long-tailed Skua, and an Arctic Skua went south, and 6 Sooty Shearwater and 10 Manx Shearwater north.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with James Siddle, resulted in 25 new birds: 5 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Wren, 9 Robin, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Dunnock and 2 Song Thrush; and 6 retraps: 2 Robin, a Blackcap, a Goldcrest, a Sparrowhawk and a Blue Tit.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David and Liv Vincent resulted in 34 new birds and 28 retraps. The new birds were 10 Goldcrest, 6 Greenfinch, 5 Blackcap, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Robin, 2 Dunnock, 2 Great Tit and singles of Goldfinch, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Wren. The retraps were 7 Blue Tit, 6 Great Tit, 5 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Chaffinch and a Dunnock.
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| Red-breasted Flycatcher, ringed 21 September 2014. Photo - George Gregory |
