January 10th. Soggy start, then foggy, then rainy, then soggy, making recording difficult.
Around were 2 Goldcrest.Ringing Controls.
Sparrowhawk ringed 1/1/2010 GPBO, controlled West Tofts, Norfolk 22/12/2017.
Blackbird ringed 13/10/2013 GPBO. controlled King's Lynn, Norfolk 2/1/2018.
Blackbird ringed 14/2/2015 Fairburn Ings, North Yorkshire, controlled 26/11/2017 GPBO.
Chaffinch ringed 16/10/2017 GPBO, controlled 17/11/2017 Warrington, Merseyside.
January 9th. Birds around included 50 Pink-footed Goose, 400 Brent Goose, a Snipe, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Barn Owl, a Goldcrest and a Stonechat. Going west were 55 Fieldfare.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 3 new birds: a Blue Tit, a Robin and a Blackbird; and 6 retraps: 3 Blue Tit, a Dunnock and 2 Great Tit.
January 8th. Cold start. Moderately strong north-easterly wind.
Around were a Barn Owl, 2 Goldcrest, 60 Fieldfare and 2 Stonechat. On Croftmarsh were 500 Pink-footed Goose and a Barnacle Goose.
January 7th. Moderately strong north-easterly wind.
The Bittern flew onto the Mere again. Birds around included 300 Pink-footed Goose, 1500 Golden Plover, 400 Lapwing, a Merlin, 40 Fieldfare, a Snow Bunting and 15 Corn Bunting. Offshore were 5 Kittiwake, 50 Red-throated Diver, 40 Auk sp, a Fulmar and a Gannet.
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| Snow Bunting, 7th January 2018. Photo - Rob Watson |
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| Corn Buntings, 7th January 2018. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
The Bittern flew to the back of the Mere. Flying north were an Iceland Gull, a Slavonian Grebe, a Gannet, a Goldeneye and a Razorbill. Around were 550 Pink-footed Goose, 2800 Bar-tailed Godwit, a Woodcock, 8000 Knot, a Peregrine, 2 Merlin and 40 Fieldfare.
Ringing Recovery.
Chaffinch, ringed 12 April 2016 GPBO; found dead Rhes-y-Cae, Flintshire, Wales 24 December 2017.
January 5th. Cloudy start with brief light rain, then sunny, then cloudy with rain.
A Bittern was discovered on Tennyson's Sands. Birds around included 480 Pink-footed Goose, 2 male Hen Harrier and 40 Fieldfare. Offshore were 5 Slavonian Grebe. Going south were a Red-necked Grebe, 40 Red-throated Diver, a Guillemot, a Razorbill and a Gannet.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue yielded a new Goldfinch; and 4 retraps: 3 Blue Tit and a Greenfinch.
January 4th. Rain until late morning, then sunny and windy in the afternoon.
Around were an adult Caspian Gull (Greenshanks Creek), a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2500 Herring Gull, a Water Rail, a Barn Owl, a Goldcrest, 50 Fieldfare, 6 Redwing and a Stonechat. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Snipe. Heading south were 3 Turnstone.
A ringing session at Aylmer Avenue from late morning, with Jenni Godber, provided 3 new birds: a Goldfinch and 2 Greenfinch; and 8 retraps: 2 Great Tit, a Goldfinch, 4 Blue Tit and a Greenfinch.
January 3rd. Strong westerly wind, gradually decreasing.
Birds around included 160 Pink-footed Goose, 160 Brent Goose, a male Hen Harrier, 1200 Oystercatcher, 24 Turnstone, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest, 78 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing and a Water Pipit. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 male Pochard and a female Goldeneye. Offshore was a large Diver Spp. Flying south was a Long-tailed Duck.
January 2nd. Around were 350 Pink-footed Goose, 17 Red-throated Diver, 1100 Oystercatcher, 180 Golden Plover, 120 Sanderling, a Snipe, a Woodcock, 1000 Herring Gull, a Green Woodpecker, 81 Fieldfare and 2 Stonechat. On Jackson's Marsh were a Goldeneye, a Pintail and a Water Rail.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 2 new birds: a Blue Tit and a Blackbird; and a retrap Robin.
January 1st. Moderately strong but decreasing south-westerly wind.
The Bittern reappeared on Jackson's Marsh mid morning. Other birds there were a Goldeneye, a Pochard, a Pintail, a Water Rail, a Kingfisher and a Water Pipit. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Water Rail and 2 Snipe; and over Croftmarsh a Common Buzzard. Birds around included 200 Pink-footed Goose, 377 Brent Goose, 500 Golden Plover, 300 Lapwing, a Woodcock, a Green Woodpecker, a Merlin, a Treecreeper, 50 Fieldfare, a Redwing, 2 Stonechat, 2 Water Pipit and a Bullfinch.
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| Bittern, 1st January 2018. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| Bittern, 1st January 2018. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
