Mid July 2017

July 20th. Intermittent heavy rain showers.
  Birds around included 6 Spoonbill, a Grey Partridge, 700 Sandwich Tern, a Kittiwake, 4 Arctic Skua, 14 Turnstone, a Green Woodpecker, a Short-eared Owl, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Siskin and 4 Yellow Wagtail. On the water bodies were 2 Snipe, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 7 Common Sandpiper, 3 Ruff, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 80 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 4 Common Tern, 51 Avocet, 96 Black-tailed Godwit and a Kingfisher. Going south were a Black Tern, a Golden Plover, 11 Swift and 200 Starling; and north 40 Teal and 11 Common Tern.

A selection of pictures from Fenland Lagoon, 20th July 2017









Colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit, 20th July 2017
Photo - Richard Doan
July 19th. Quite strong easterly wind, with early morning rain.
 Around were 2 Whimbrel, 800 Curlew, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Ruff, 4 Greenshank, a Hobby, a Peregrine and 2 Green Woodpecker. On Tennyson's Sands were 5 Spoonbill, 4 Common Sandpiper, 150 Redshank and a Sandwich Tern; and on Fenland Lagoon 180 Redshank and a Kingfisher. Moving offshore were 20 Gannet, a Great Skua, 74 Knot, 40 Whimbrel, 3 Tufted Duck and 15 Common Scoter. In off the sea came 2 Grey Heron.

July 18th. A Broad-billed Sandpiper was discovered in the Shorebird Sanctuary. Later it flew off down the Wash. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Spoonbill, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 4 Greenshank and a Ruff. Birds around included a Greenshank, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Green Woodpecker and 4 Yellow Wagtail. Heading north-west were 17 Cormorant; and south a Swift.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 9 new birds: 2 Wren, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, a Robin, a Great Tit and a Lesser Whitethroat; and 7 retraps: 2 Whitethroat, a Great Tit, 3 Dunnock and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Black-tailed Godwit, 18th July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale
July 17th. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Spoonbill, a Water Rail, 2 Greenshank and a Ruff; and on the Mere a Water Rail. Around were 2 Peregrine, a Green Woodpecker and 3 Yellow Wagtail. Flying south were a Swift, 3 Sand Martin and 3 Swallow; and north-west 26 Cormorant.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 7 new birds: 2 Whitethroat, 3 Linnet, a Meadow Pipit and a Dunnock; and 3 retrap Whitethroat.

Greenshank, 17th July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale
Painted Lady, 17th July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale
July 16th. On Tennyson's Sands were 5 Spoonbill, an adult Mediterranean Gull, a Water Rail, 50 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Ruff; and on Fenland Lagoon a Green Sandpiper. Birds around, including those trapped, were 6 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Green Woodpecker, a Kingfisher, a Grasshopper Warbler and 3 Yellow Wagtail. Going south were 3 Swift and 3 Sand Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 19 new birds: 3 Wren, a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, a Robin, a Great Tit, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Linnet, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Dunnock and a Starling; and 5 retraps: a Blackcap, a Dunnock, a Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Whitethroat.

Juvenile Yellow Wagtail, ringed 16th July 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
Essex Skipper on Sea Holly, 16th July 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson
Fly, 16th July 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson
July 15th. On Tennyson's Sands were 5 Spoonbill, 350 Redshank, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Ruff, 50 Black-tailed Godwit and a Kingfisher. Around were a Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Turnstone and a Stonechat. Heading south was a Mediterranean Gull and 20 Swift; and southwest 250 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 18 new birds: 2 Wren, 3 Blackcap, 9 Linnet, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 7 retraps: 2 Linnet, 2 Wren, a Dunnock, a Great Tit and a Lesser Whitethroat.

July 14th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 5 Spoonbill, 2 Ruff, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Greenshank, a juvenile Peregrine, a Green Woodpecker, a Kingfisher and 5 Yellow Wagtail. On Tennyson's Sands were 74 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank and a Water Rail. Flying south were 200 Swift and 7 Sand Martin.
 The eighth session of CES was done this morning. The 28 new birds were 10 Chiffchaff, a Wren, 5 Blackcap, 5 Whitethroat, 6 Dunnock and a Kingfisher. The 9 retraps were 2 Wren, 2 Blackbird, 3 Dunnock and 2 Whitethroat.

Kingfisher, ringed 14th July 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
July 13th. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Spoonbill, 63 Black-tailed Godwit and a Ruff. Around were a Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Marsh Harrier,  and 3 Yellow Wagtail. Going south were 100 Common Scoter, 296 Swift, 3 Sand Martin and 2 Yellow Wagtail.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 10 new birds: 2 Wren, 5 Linnet, a Blackcap, a Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 7 retraps: a Blackcap, a Wren, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock.

July 12th. Quite strong north-easterly wind.
 On Tennyson's Sands were 5 Spoonbill, 5 Ruff and 35 Black-tailed Godwit. Birds around included a juvenile Hobby. Going north were 7 Arctic Skua, 40 Gannet, 120 Common Scoter and 2 Auk Spp.

July 11th. On Tennyson's Sands were 6 Spoonbill, a Green Sandpiper, a Ruff, 41 Black-tailed Godwit and a Spotted Redshank. Around, including birds trapped, were a Little Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, 1000 Dunlin, 348 Redshank, 200 Sanderling, 400 Curlew, a Green Woodpecker and a juvenile Cuckoo. Heading north was a Kittiwake.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 17 new birds: 4 Wren, 6 Linnet, a Whitethroat, 3 Reed Bunting, 2 Blackcap and a Cuckoo; and 9 retraps: 2 Sedge Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Dunnock and 3 Whitethroat.

Common Tern feeding chick, 11th July 2017.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth
Marsh Harrier, 11th July 2017.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth
Spoonbills on Tennyson Sands, 11th July 2017.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth
Juvenile Cuckoo, ringed 11th July 2017.
Photo - George Gregory