Early November 2016

November 10th. Rain until late morning, then soggy.
 The BBC Coutryfile team filmed at the Bird Observatory.
 Around were a male Hen Harrier and a Woodcock.
 A brief morning ringing session resulted in 4 new Blackbird; and a retrap Robin.

November 9th. Rain most of day, making recording difficult.
 Birds around included a Woodcock.

November 8th. Frozen start, then foggy, then clearing.
 Around were a vocal female Northern Bullfinch, a Velvet Scoter, 10 Woodcock and a Snow Bunting. Heading south were 10 Whooper Swan and a Lapland Bunting.
 A brief, restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 13 new birds: a Wren, a Robin and 11 Blackbird; and a retrap Dunnock.

November 7th. Moderately strong northerly wind.
 Birds around included 5 Whooper Swan, a Grey Wagtail, a Water Pipit and a Long-tailed Duck. North flew 4 Little Auk, 2 Storm Petrel, 72 Kittiwake, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Gull, an Arctic Skua, a Razorbill, 14 Great Skua, 4 Velvet Scoter, a Great Northern Diver, 300 Common Scoter and 179 Gannet; and south 3 Little Auk. Another Little Auk was eaten by a Great Black-backed Gull. A drake Green-winged Teal was found on Tennyson's Sands viewable from Harvey's Hide.
 A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 11 new birds: 2 Robin, a Redwing and 8 Blackbird; and 10 retraps: 8 Blackbird, a Robin and a Redwing.

Drake Green-winged Teal 7th November 2016
Photo - Nige Lound

November 6th. Around were 200+ Pink-footed Goose, a Hen Harrier, 2 Merlin, 2 Peregrine, a Water Rail and 2 Woodcock. Going south were 6 Whooper Swan, a Long-tailed Duck, a Velvet Scoter, a Pomarine Skua, 11 Great Skua, 420 Kittiwake and 6 Brambling; and north 2 Great Skua.

November 5th. Rain mid morning then increased wind.
 Birds around included 2000+ Pink-footed Goose, a Peregrine, 2 Merlin, a Water Rail and a Woodcock. Heading south were 14 Whooper Swan, 9 Pomarine Skua, 5 Great Skua and a Waxwing; and north a Great Skua, 89 Kittiwake and a Grey Wagtail. Another Peregrine came in off the sea.
 A brief, rain-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 9 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Redwing, a Song Thrush, 5 Blackbird and a Sparrowhawk; and 5 retraps: 2 Robin and 3 Blackbird.

Sparrowhawk, ringed 5th November 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

November 4th. Around were 200+ Pink-footed Goose, 9 Pintail, a male Hen Harrier, a Common Buzzard, a Woodcock, 5 Water Rail, 2 Ruff, 6 Snipe, a Green Woodpecker, a Kingfisher and 17 Corn Bunting. On Jackson's Marsh was a female Common Scoter. Flying south were 2 Tree Sparrow, 2 Crossbill and a Lapland Bunting, and north a Great Skua.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 20 new birds: a Wren, 2 Goldcrest, a Robin, a Goldfinch, a Redwing and 14 Blackbird; and 9 retraps: 4 Blackbird, a Dunnock, 3 Goldcrest and a Robin.

Male Hen Harrier, 4th November 2016.
Photo - Chris Cullen

Adult male Green Woodpecker, 4th November 2016.
Photo - Chris Cullen

Female Common Scoter on Jackson's Marsh, 4th November 2016.
Photo - Chris Cullen

November 3rd. Birds around, including those trapped, were 8 Barnacle Goose, a male Hen Harrier, 2 Peregrine, 70 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff, 7 Woodcock, 2 Water Pipit, a Hawfinch flying around, and 5 Corn Bunting. Going south were 29 Whooper Swan, a Pomarine Skua, 3 Little Auk, a Shorelark, 2  Twite, 3 Crossbill and a Lapland Bunting. In from the east came 6 more Whooper Swan.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, produced 56 new birds: 4 Redwing, 47 Blackbird, 2 Fieldfare and 3 Woodcock; and 4 retraps: singles of Redwing, Goldcrest, Dunnock and Blackbird.

November 2nd. Around, including birds trapped, were 2 Tundra Bean Goose, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Goosander, 3 Pintail, 2 Peregrine, a Merlin, 3 Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, 2 Ruff, 6 Woodcock, 10 Snipe, 74 Black-tailed Godwit, 29 Turnstone, a Kingfisher, a Rook, a Treecreeper, 2 Snow Bunting, 8 Tree Sparrow, a Bullfinch and 5 Crossbill. Heading south were 17 Whooper Swan.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 21 new birds: a Redwing, a Snipe, a Fieldfare, 14 Blackbird and 4 Woodcock; and 5 retraps: 3 Blackbird, a Robin and a Goldcrest.

Peregrine Falcon 2nd November 2016.
Photo - Paul Neale

Male Crossbill 2nd November 2016.
Photo - Paul Neale

Snipe, ringed 2nd November 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

November 1st. Birds around included a Waxwing, a Black-throated Diver, 3 Sandwich Tern, 7 Pintail, a male Hen Harrier, 2 Merlin, 1200 Golden Plover, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Sandwich Tern, a Ruff, an Asio Sp over New Saltmarsh at dawn, a male Stonechat, a Ring Ouzel and 7 Corn Bunting. On the Mere were 2 Jack Snipe and on Tennyson's Sands 4 Pochard and 4 Snipe. Flying north were 3 Tundra Bean Goose, 137 Gannet, 5 Great Skua, 2 Little Gull and 75 Kittiwake, and south a Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skua, 2 Great Skua, a Velvet Scoter and 22 Whooper Swan. In off the sea came a Short-eared Owl. There was an arrival of Blackbird, many of which moved south through the dunes.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 43 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, 3 Redwing, 36 Blackbird and a Sparrowhawk; and 5 retraps 2 Wren, a Robin, a Blackbird and a Redwing (the Iceland-ringed bird).

Sparrowhawk, ringed 1st November 2016.
Photo - George Gregory