A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue resulted in 4 new birds: a Blue Tit, a Great Tit and 2 Greenfinch; and 7 retraps: a Coal Tit, 2 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit and a Greenfinch.
December 19th. Fairly cold start, slowly warming up.
Around were 120 Pink-footed Goose, 200 Brent Goose, 3 Hen Harrier, a Woodcock, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 Merlin, 5 Goldcrest, 160 Fieldfare, a male Blackcap, a Brambling, 3 Bullfinch and 2 Siskin. On Tennyson's Sands were 57 Shoveler and 8 Snipe. Offshore were 85 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver, a Shag and a Great Skua.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, with Jenni Godber, provided 14 new birds: 5 Goldfinch, 2 Blue Tit, a Chaffinch and 6 Greenfinch; and 2 retrap Blue Tit.
December 18th. Cold start, slowly warming up.
Birds around included 120 Brent Goose, a Hen Harrier, 300 Golden Plover, a Barn Owl, a Merlin and 50 Fieldfare.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 5 new birds: 2 Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, a Blue Tit and a Greenfinch; and 4 retraps: a Blue Tit, a Goldfinch, a Great Tit and a Dunnock.
December 17th. Freezing start, gradually thawing out.
Around were 4 Whooper Swan, 3 Water Rail, a Woodcock, a Barn Owl, a Kingfisher, 3 Stonechat, 22 Fieldfare, 12 Song Thrush, 3 Bullfinch and a Snow Bunting. Offshore were 70 Common Scoter, a Red-throated Diver and 2 Great Crested Grebe. Going south were 30 Wigeon and 30 Teal; and north a Great Crested Grebe.
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| Sunrise, 17th December 2017. Photo - Rob Watson |
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| Roe Deer, 17th December 2017. Photo - Rob Watson |
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| Whooper Swans, 17th December 2017. Photo - Rob Watson |
Birds around included 60 Brent Goose, 200 Golden Plover, a Goldcrest, 2 Fieldfare, a Yellowhammer and 16 Corn Bunting. On Jackson's Marsh was an immature Whooper Swan.
Recent Ringing Recoveries and Controls:
Blackbird, ringed GPBO 31/10/2011, controlled Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire 26/11/2017
Goldfinch, ringed GPBO 12/4/2016, controlled Shotley, Suffolk 3/11/2017
Chiffchaff, ringed Mickley, Northumberland 25/6/2017, controlled GPBO 12/9/2017
Reed Bunting, ringed Wakefield, Yorkshire 1/7/2017, controlled GPBO 9/10/2017
Goldcrest, ringed GPBO 12/9/2017, controlled High Halstow. Kent 26/10/2017
Chiffchaff, ringed GPBO 3/10/2017, recovered Safi, Morocco 15/11/2017
Chiffchaff, ringed GPBO 4/10/2017, controlled Queen Mary Reservoir, Surrey 17/10/2017
Blackbird ringed GPBO 13/11/2016, controlled Kilnsea, Yorkshire 27/10/2017
December 15th. Increasing north-westerly wind with occasional light rain.
Around were a Barn Owl, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Goldcrest, 11 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing and a Yellowhammer. On the Mere were a Water Rail and a Jack Snipe; and on Jackson's Marsh an immature Whooper Swan and a Goldeneye. Heading south was a Siskin.
A brief weather-restricted morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, with Mike Polling, yielded just a new Dunnock.
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| Barn Owl, 15th December 2017 Photo - Chris Tyler |
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| Barn Owl, 15th December 2017 Photo - Chris Tyler |
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| Barn Owl, 15th December 2017 Photo - Chris Tyler |
December 14th. Cold start, with decreasing south-westerly wind.
Birds around included 144 Brent Goose, 300 Wigeon, 2 Common Buzzard, a male Hen Harrier, 3 Water Rail, 800 Golden Plover, 500 Lapwing, 15 Snipe, a Kingfisher, a Merlin, a Goldcrest, a Coal Tit, 2 Stonechat, a Fieldfare and 3 House Sparrow. On Jackson's Marsh was an immature Whooper Swan. Flying south were 300 Pink-footed Goose and a Black-tailed Godwit.
December 13th. Around were 50 Pink-footed Goose, 5 Goldcrest and a Redpoll. On Jackson's Marsh was an immature Whooper Swan. Going south were 4 Whooper Swan.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 10 new birds: 6 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit and a Chaffinch; and 4 retraps: a Blue Tit and 3 Great Tit.
December 12th. Frozen start, slowly thawing out.
At Greenshanks Creek were 3 Shorelark. On Jackson's Marsh was an immature Whooper Swan. Birds around included 900 Pink-footed Goose, a Marsh Harrier, 450 Golden Plover, 360 Lapwing, a Goldcrest, 5 Stonechat, 3 Fieldfare and 3 Snow Bunting. Heading south were 28 Lapwing; and west 4 Pink-footed Goose.
December 11th. Moderately strong north-easterly wind.
A Great White Egret flew down the River Steeping. Over Croftmarsh were 1500 Pink-footed Goose. Around were a Red Kite, a Barn Owl, a Goldcrest and a Bullfinch.
