Late October 2017

October 31st. Light rain from mid to late morning.
 Around, including birds trapped, were 400 Pink-footed Goose, 30 Brent Goose, 4 Goldcrest and 5 Redwing. Flying south were a Great Skua, 2 Sandwich Tern and 2 Arctic Tern. In off the sea came 5 Woodcock and 400 Starling.
 A rain-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 24 new birds: a Wren, 4 Goldcrest, a Robin, 2 Redwing and 16 Blackbird; and 6 retraps: 2 Robin, 2 Long-tailed Tit, a Blackbird and a Blue Tit.

October 30th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 400 Pink-footed Goose, 7 Woodcock, a Snipe, 5 Goldcrest and 6 Redwing. Going south were 6 Whooper Swan; and west 20 Fieldfare, 200 Redwing and 40 Blackbird. In off the sea came a Short-eared Owl.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 72 new birds: 4 Wren, 9 Long-tailed Tit, a Goldcrest, 4 Reed Bunting, a Blue Tit, a Robin, 3 Redwing, 3 Song Thrush, 39 Blackbird and 7 Woodcock; and 9 retraps: a Wren, a Blackbird, 3 Dunnock, a Robin, a Goldfinch and 2 Goldcrest.

Woodcock, ringed 30th October 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
October 29th. Moderately strong north-westerly wind.
 Around were 200 Pink-footed Goose, 170 Brent Goose, 120 Wigeon, a Marsh Harrier, 2000 Wood Pigeon, a Kingfisher, a Mistle Thrush, 2 Fieldfare and 8 Redwing. On the Mere was a Jack Snipe. Heading south were 12 Pomarine Skua, 180 Gannet, 3 Red-throated Diver, 42 Pink-footed Goose and 2 Redpoll; and north a Sandwich Tern, a Great Northern Diver and 80 Auk spp.

October 28th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 40 Pink-footed Goose, 250 Brent Goose, a Peregrine, 2 Merlin, 4 Blackcap and a Bullfinch. Flying south were 89 Whooper Swan, a Goosander, 300 Auk Spp, a Purple Sandpiper, a juvenile Pomarine Skua, 80 Siskin, 15 Brambling and 40 Redpoll. In off the sea came 5 Jack Snipe.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Toby Collett and Jenni Godber yielded 20 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, 2 Wren, a Robin, a Chaffinch, 2 Blackcap, 3 Goldfinch, a Redwing, 6 Blackbird and a Starling; and 5 retraps: a Robin, 2 Blackbird and 2 Long-tailed Tit.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by James Siddle, Ian Thompson and Yvonne Benting yielded 17 new birds: 2 Wren, a Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap, a Blue Tit, a Redwing and 10 Blackbird; and 3 retraps: 2 Goldcrest and a Blackbird.

October 27th. Around, including birds trapped, were 260 Pink-footed Goose, 200 Brent Goose, 3 Water Rail, 147 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, 2 Ruff, 2 Woodcock, a late Willow Warbler, a Black Redstart, a Stonechat, a Ring Ouzel, 120 Redwing, 220 Blackbird, 2 Fieldfare and a Bullfinch. Going south were 13 Whooper Swan, 40 Pink-footed Goose, a Grey Wagtail and 20 Brambling. Roosting on Tennyson's Sands were 89 Whooper Swan.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes by James Siddle, Ian Thompson and Yvonne Benting provided 31 new birds: a Brambling, a Robin, 2 Great Tit, a Dunnock, 11 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, a Fieldfare, 8 Blackbird, a Woodcock and a Sparrowhawk; and 6 retraps: 2 Blackbird, a Redwing, 2 Robin and a Bullfinch.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling and Dave Vincent provided 27 new birds: 5 Goldcrest, a Willow Warbler, a Song Thrush, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 4 Redwing and 4 Blackbird; and 16 retraps: a Blackbird, 5 Goldcrest, a Robin, a Blue Tit, 3 Dunnock, a Wren and 4 Long-tailed Tit.

Woodcock, ringed 27th October 2017.
Photo - Yvonne Benting
October 26th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 40 Pink-footed Goose, 227 Brent Goose, a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Green Woodpecker, a Peregrine, a Treecreeper, a Chiffchaff, 9 Blackcap, 2 Stonechat, 7 Bullfinch, 20 Siskin, 8 Brambling and 2 Corn Bunting. On Tennyson's Sands was a Cetti's Warbler. Heading south were 10 Whooper Swan, 160 Pink-footed Goose, 6 Mistle Thrush and a Hawfinch; and north-west 65 Pink-footed Goose.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, produced 48 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 8 Goldcrest, 4 Wren, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Reed Bunting, 7 Goldfinch, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Blackcap, 2 Robin, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Song Thrush and 2 Blackbird; and 9 retraps: 2 Blackbird, a Great Tit, a Goldcrest, 3 Wren, a Song Thrush and a Robin.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, by James Siddle, Ian Thompson and Yvonne Benting produced 21 new birds: a Treecreeper, 3 Wren, 2 Goldcrest, 4 Blackcap, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Robin, a Reed Bunting, 2 Dunnock and 4 Blackbird; and 8 retraps: 3 Wren, a Dunnock, 2 Goldcrest, a Bullfinch and a Robin.

October 25th. An Olive-backed Pipit was discovered by the paths by Tennyson's Sands. Around, including birds trapped, were 500 Pink-footed Goose, 80 Brent Goose, a Marsh Harrier, 5 Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Woodcock, 2 Green Woodpecker, 25 Goldcrest, a Ring Ouzel, 2 Fieldfare, 18 Redwing, 3 Chiffchaff, 5 Stonechat, a Common Redpoll, 2 Brambling and 2 Bullfinch. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Water Rail, 16 Snipe and a Cetti's Warbler; and on the Mere 2 Water Rail. Flying south were 180 Pink-footed Goose, a Grey Wagtail, 5 Brambling, 73 Siskin, 137 Redpoll and 3 Bullfinch. Roosting on Tennyson's Sands were 4500 Starling.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 36 new birds: 13 Goldcrest, 2 Robin, 6 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Goldfinch, a Great Tit, a Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, a Song Thrush and 7 Blackbird; and 7 retraps: a Goldcrest, a Blackbird, 3 Robin, a Wren and a Dunnock.
 A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by James Siddle resulted in 5 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Bullfinch, a Song Thrush and 2 Blackbird; and a retrap Robin.

Olive-backed Pipit, 25th October 2017.
Photo - James Siddle
October 24th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 150 Pink-footed Goose, a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Woodcock, 40 Redwing and a Bullfinch. Offshore were 3 Velvet Scoter, 2 Goosander, a Goldeneye and 12 Red-throated Diver. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Pintail and 60 Black-tailed Godwit. Going south were 100 Brent Goose, 600 Wigeon, a Little Stint, 400 Woodpigeon and 35 Redpoll. Roosting on Tennyson's Sands were 4000 Starling.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Jenni Godber, provided 20 new birds: a Wren, 5 Goldcrest, a Blue Tit, a Bullfinch, 2 Robin, 7 Song Thrush, 2 Blackbird and a Woodcock; and 8 retraps: a Wren, a Robin, 2 Blackbird, 3 Redwing and a Great Tit.

Bullfinch, ringed 24th October 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
Woodcock, ringed 24th October 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
October 23rd. Around, including birds trapped, were 35 Brent Goose, 177 Pink-footed Goose, 1200 Golden Plover, a Kingfisher, a Green Woodpecker, a Merlin, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 50 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare, 5 Ring Ouzel, a Stonechat, 30 Goldcrest, 7 House Martin, a Water Pipit, 12 Siskin, 45 Redpoll, 4 Bullfinch and a Lapland Bunting. Heading south were 31 Whooper Swan, 2 Pintail, 6 House Martin, 6 Hawfinch, many Redpoll, other finches and other species.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 38 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Robin, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Goldfinch, a Bullfinch, 2 Reed Bunting, a Dunnock, 3 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 8 Blackbird and a Kingfisher; and 5 retraps: a Redwing, a Blackbird, a Robin and 2 Dunnock.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Dave Vincent produced 16 new birds: 4 Goldcrest, 2 Wren, a Blackcap, a Bullfinch, a Robin and 7 Blackbird; and 3 retraps: a Goldcrest, a Great Tit and a Wren.

Bullfinch, ringed 23rd October 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
Kingfisher, ringed 23rd October 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
Treecreeper, 23rd October 23rd 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale
Treecreeper, 23rd October 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale
October 22nd. Strong south-westerly wind, slowly decreasing.
 Birds around included 85000 Knot, a Green Woodpecker, a Chiffchaff, 3 Ring Ouzel, 35 Redwing, 5 Stonechat, a Brambling and 5 Bullfinch. On Jackson's Marsh were a Ruff and 65 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Tennyson's Sands 5 Spotted Redshank. Roosting on Croftmarsh were 253 Pink-footed Goose; and on Tennyson's Sands 1600 Starling. Flying south were 56 Whooper Swan (14 off Tennyson's Sands), 2 Merlin, 7 Swallow, 6 House Martin, 4 Rock Pipit, 2 Tree Sparrow, 22 Redpoll, 2 Brambling and 89 Siskin.

Knot, 22nd October 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson
Oystercatchers, 22nd October 2017.
Photo Rob Watson
October 21st. Increasingly strong south-westerly wind.
 A Yellow-browed Warbler was in West Dunes. Around were 70000 Knot, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 6 Swallow, 2 Black Redstart (near Yacht Club building), a Stonechat, 2 Ring Ouzel, a Bullfinch and a Brambling. On Jackson's Marsh were 25 Black-tailed Godwit. Going south were 6 Whooper Swan, a Black Tern, an Arctic Tern, 2 Swallow, 5 House Martin and a Lapland Bunting.

Black Redstart, 21st October 2017.
Photo - Garry Wright
Stonechat, 21st October 2017.
Photo - Garry Wright
Kestrel, 21st October 2017.
Photo - Garry Wright