December 30th. Around were 1000 Pink-footed Goose, a Bullfinch, a Green Woodpecker, 24 Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrush, 3 Goldcrest and 5 Corn Bunting.
A delayed ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, with Jenni Godber, produced 7 new birds: 5 Goldfinch and 2 Greenfinch; 41 retraps: 14 Blue Tit, 18 Great Tit, 4 Goldfinch, 2 Dunnock, a Robin, a Chaffinch and a Greenfinch; and 3 control (ringed elsewhere) Great Tit.
December 29th. Birds around included 1000 Pink-footed Goose, a Short-eared Owl, a Hen Harrier, 23 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 57 Robin, 42 Blackbird, a Yellowhammer, 129 Corn Bunting, 10 Ringed Plover, 25 Rock Pipit, 5 Song Thrush, 2 Stonechat, a Green Woodpecker and 2 Bullfinch. Offshore were 20 Common Scoter, 4 Red-throated Diver, 3 Skua sp and 2 Great Crested Grebe. On Tennyson's Sands was a Kingfisher and a Water Rail. Flying north were 4 Bewick's Swan.
December 28th. Around were a Peregrine, a Hen Harrier, a Woodcock, 5 Fieldfare, a Kingfisher, 1000 Pink-footed Goose, 35 Snow Bunting, 48 Corn Bunting, a Chiffchaff and 3 Goldcrest. A Rough-legged Buzzard flew in off the sea at dusk.
December 27th. Birds around included 2 Fieldfare and 2 Goldcrest.
December 26th. Around were 4 Goldcrest.
December 25th.
The Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory team would like wish everyone a very Happy Christmas.
Birds around included a Woodcock, 400 Skylark, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Corn Bunting, 4000 Golden Plover, a Chiffchaff and 4 Goldcrest. On the Wash at high tide were 30000 Knot, 2500 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1800 Grey Plover, 2300 Dunlin, 800 Sanderling and 11 Ringed Plover. Offshore was a Great Northern Diver, 2 Gannet and 5 Red-breasted Merganser.
December 24th. Clear skies with a light westerly wind.
A morning high tide wader count produced 40000 Knot, 3150 Bar-tailed Godwit, 500 Grey Plover, 1600 Lapwing, 349 Oystercatcher, 3500 Golden Plover and 300 Dunlin. Around the reserve were 2 Bullfinch, a Song Thrush, a Chiffchaff and 3 Redwing. Flying south were 29 Fieldfare, 2 Whooper Swan and a Siskin. Offshore were a Great Northern Diver, 10 Red-throated Diver and 3 Red-breasted Merganser.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 8 new birds: 3 Goldfinch, 3 Great Tit, a Chaffinch and a Greenfinch; and 15 retraps: a Goldfinch, 7 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 2 Blackbird, a Robin and a Dunnock.
December 23rd. Fairly strong south-westerly wind.
Birds around included 50 Corn Bunting, 2500 Golden Plover, a Bullfinch and 3 Goldcrest. Offshore was a Great Northern Diver. Flying south was a Grey Heron.
December 22nd. Strong south-westerly wind.
Around were 11 Snow Bunting, 1100 Pink-footed Goose, 250 Brent Goose, a Chiffchaff and 4 Fieldfare.
Having received a message about a strange and possibly injured bird being stuck in a garden in Skegness, Mick Briggs and David Vincent went to investigate. On arrival it was soon established that the bird in question was a Cormorant. The bird was quickly caught and inspected. It was found not to be injured, just a little disorientated. The bird was then taken to Gibraltar Point where it was ringed and then let go on one of the fresh water lagoons. The bird was a first calendar year female.
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| Cormorant rescued from a Skegness garden, 22nd December 2014. Photo - Mick Briggs. |
