April 30th. Strong northerly wind, slowly decreasing in afternoon.
Around were 15 Brent Goose, a Marsh Harrier, a Glaucous Gull, a Peregrine, a Wood Warbler, a Redstart, 7 Pied Flycatcher, a Ring Ouzel, a Fieldfare, 11 Wheatear and 2 Corn Bunting. On the Mere were 2 Garganey. Going south were a Great Skua and 3 Gannet.
April 29th. Fairly strong north-easterly wind.
A Red-rumped Swallow fed around the Observatory area early morning, and twice perched on the artificial Swallow nest there. Birds around, including those trapped, were 30 Brent Goose, 8 Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, a Glaucous Gull, a Peregrine, a Wood Warbler, 4 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Ring Ouzel, 16 Wheatear, a Fieldfare and a Redwing. Heading north were 3 Gannet, 3 Kittiwake, 10 Little Tern, 3 Common Tern and an Arctic Tern; and south 55 Swallow.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes, with James Siddle, provided 29 new birds: 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, a Robin, a Linnet, 3 Wheatear, a Chaffinch, a Redwing and 3 Song Thrush; and 2 retraps: a Willow Warbler and a Great Tit.
April 28th. Light rain for most of day.
A Red-rumped Swallow remained feeding over Jackson's Marsh then over Tennyson's Sands. Around were 50 Brent Goose, 15 Black-tailed Godwit, a Cuckoo and a Wheatear. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Common Sandpiper. Flying north were a Red-throated Diver, 3 Gannet, a Kittiwake, a Sandwich Tern and 9 Swallow; and south 6 Brent Goose and a Fulmar.
April 27th. Rain developing from late morning.
A Red-rumped Swallow was feeding over Jackson's Marsh. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Grey Partridge, 50 Brent Goose, a Grey Heron, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, 14 Whimbrel, 4 Greenshank, a Turtle Dove, 4 Jay, 2 Ring Ouzel, a Whinchat, 25 Wheatear, a Whinchat, 60 Swallow, 20 House Martin, a Chiffchaff , 59 Willow Warbler, a Garden Warbler and a Bullfinch. Going south were a Red-throated Diver, 2 Whimbrel, a Mediterranean Gull, a Swift, 2 Sand Martin, a House Martin and 3 Swallow; and north 7 Black-tailed Godwit.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 33 new birds: 20 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Blue Tit, a Wheatear, a Great Tit and a Jay; and 5 retraps: a Great Tit, a Wren, 2 Dunnock and a Blue Tit.
April 26th. Increasing westerly wind.
Around were the 2 Red-rumped Swallow (feeding over Jackson's Marsh for the fourth day), 35 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 42 Avocet, 9 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Collared Dove, 2 Cuckoo, 7 Ring Ouzel, 17 Wheatear, a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff and 4 Yellowhammer. On the Mere were 2 Garganey. Heading south-east was a Spoonbill; north a Marsh Harrier; and south 2 Swift, a Tree Pipit, 4 Sand Martin, 39 House Martin, 62 Swallow and 2 Brambling. In off the sea came a Buzzard.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, yielded just a retrap Wren.
April 25th. Increasing south-westerly wind.
The 2 Red-rumped Swallow remained feeding over Jackson's Marsh. Other birds around were 83 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 12 Avocet, a Whimbrel, a Little Ringed Plover, a Cuckoo, a Turtle Dove, 3 Ring Ouzel, 8 Wheatear, a Redstart, a Tree Pipit and 2 House Sparrow. On Croftmarsh were a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Pink-footed Goose, a Buzzard and a Greenshank. Flying south were 4 Collared Dove, 8 Rook, a House Martin and 2 Swallow.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 5 new birds: 2 Chaffinch, a Blackcap, a Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat; and a retrap Ring Ouzel.
The retrap Ring Ouzel, a second-year female, weighed 96.7g, an increase of 7.2g from the 89.5g it weighed when ringed on April 22nd.
April 24th. An Alpine Swift flew south into the Wash in the morning. The 2 Red-rumped Swallow remained around the Sykes Farm area. A Bittern was around the water bodies. Also present, including birds trapped, were 91 Brent Goose, 10 Whimbrel, a Cuckoo, 5 Ring Ouzel, 4 Wheatear, a Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, 12 Sedge Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler and 5 Lesser Whitethroat. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Garganey. Going south were 3 Marsh Harrier and 3 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 2 new birds: a Chiffchaff and a Blue Tit; and 2 retraps: a Linnet and a Dunnock.
April 23rd. Increasing south-westerly wind. |
| Wood Warbler, 30th April 2018. Photo - Ben Ward |
A Red-rumped Swallow fed around the Observatory area early morning, and twice perched on the artificial Swallow nest there. Birds around, including those trapped, were 30 Brent Goose, 8 Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, a Glaucous Gull, a Peregrine, a Wood Warbler, 4 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Ring Ouzel, 16 Wheatear, a Fieldfare and a Redwing. Heading north were 3 Gannet, 3 Kittiwake, 10 Little Tern, 3 Common Tern and an Arctic Tern; and south 55 Swallow.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes, with James Siddle, provided 29 new birds: 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, a Robin, a Linnet, 3 Wheatear, a Chaffinch, a Redwing and 3 Song Thrush; and 2 retraps: a Willow Warbler and a Great Tit.
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| Pied Flycatcher, 29th April 2018. Photo - Alan Brewster |
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| Ring Ouzel, 29th April 2018. Photo - Ben Ward |
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| Wood Warbler, 29th April 2018. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| Redwing, ringed 29th April 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Glaucous Gull, 29th April 2018. Photo - James Siddle |
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| Common Sandpiper, 29th April 2018. Photo - James Siddle |
A Red-rumped Swallow remained feeding over Jackson's Marsh then over Tennyson's Sands. Around were 50 Brent Goose, 15 Black-tailed Godwit, a Cuckoo and a Wheatear. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Common Sandpiper. Flying north were a Red-throated Diver, 3 Gannet, a Kittiwake, a Sandwich Tern and 9 Swallow; and south 6 Brent Goose and a Fulmar.
April 27th. Rain developing from late morning.
A Red-rumped Swallow was feeding over Jackson's Marsh. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Grey Partridge, 50 Brent Goose, a Grey Heron, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, 14 Whimbrel, 4 Greenshank, a Turtle Dove, 4 Jay, 2 Ring Ouzel, a Whinchat, 25 Wheatear, a Whinchat, 60 Swallow, 20 House Martin, a Chiffchaff , 59 Willow Warbler, a Garden Warbler and a Bullfinch. Going south were a Red-throated Diver, 2 Whimbrel, a Mediterranean Gull, a Swift, 2 Sand Martin, a House Martin and 3 Swallow; and north 7 Black-tailed Godwit.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 33 new birds: 20 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Blue Tit, a Wheatear, a Great Tit and a Jay; and 5 retraps: a Great Tit, a Wren, 2 Dunnock and a Blue Tit.
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| Noisy Jay, ringed 27th April 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Wheatear, ringed 27th April 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
Around were the 2 Red-rumped Swallow (feeding over Jackson's Marsh for the fourth day), 35 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 42 Avocet, 9 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Collared Dove, 2 Cuckoo, 7 Ring Ouzel, 17 Wheatear, a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff and 4 Yellowhammer. On the Mere were 2 Garganey. Heading south-east was a Spoonbill; north a Marsh Harrier; and south 2 Swift, a Tree Pipit, 4 Sand Martin, 39 House Martin, 62 Swallow and 2 Brambling. In off the sea came a Buzzard.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, yielded just a retrap Wren.
April 25th. Increasing south-westerly wind.
The 2 Red-rumped Swallow remained feeding over Jackson's Marsh. Other birds around were 83 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 12 Avocet, a Whimbrel, a Little Ringed Plover, a Cuckoo, a Turtle Dove, 3 Ring Ouzel, 8 Wheatear, a Redstart, a Tree Pipit and 2 House Sparrow. On Croftmarsh were a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Pink-footed Goose, a Buzzard and a Greenshank. Flying south were 4 Collared Dove, 8 Rook, a House Martin and 2 Swallow.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 5 new birds: 2 Chaffinch, a Blackcap, a Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat; and a retrap Ring Ouzel.
The retrap Ring Ouzel, a second-year female, weighed 96.7g, an increase of 7.2g from the 89.5g it weighed when ringed on April 22nd.
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| Red-rumped Swallow over Jackson's Marsh, 25th April 2018. Photo - IanB |
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| Red-rumped Swallow over Jackson's Marsh, 25th April 2018. Photo - IanB |
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| Red-rumped Swallow over Jackson's Marsh, 25th April 2018. Photo - IanB |
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| Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 25th April 2018. Photo - Ben Ward |
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| Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 25th April 2018. Photo - Ben Ward |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 2 new birds: a Chiffchaff and a Blue Tit; and 2 retraps: a Linnet and a Dunnock.
Grasshopper Warbler
Video - Stuart Ainsworth
Two Red-rumped Swallow were discovered hawking overhead the reserve for some time.
Around, including birds trapped, were 56 Brent Goose, a Garganey, 6 Buzzard, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Red Kite, a Whimbrel, 3 Cuckoo, a Swift, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Ring Ouzel, a Wheatear, a Brambling, 2 Siskin and 2 Corn Bunting. On Jackson's Marsh was a Mediterranean Gull; and on Tennyson's Sands a Common Sandpiper. Heading south were a Marsh Harrier, a Red Kite, a Swift, 18 Rook, 69 Swallow, 13 Sand Martin, 78 House Martin and a Grey Wagtail; and west a Hobby.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 7 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Chaffinch and a Great Tit; and a retrap Dunnock.
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| First-winter Mediterranean Gull, 23rd April 2018. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| Red-rumped Swallow, 23rd April 2018. Photo - Ben Ward |
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| Red-rumped Swallow, 23rd April 2018. Photo - Ben Ward |
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| Red-rumped Swallow, 23rd April 2018. Photo - Phil Hyde |
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| Red-rumped Swallow, 23rd April 2018. Photo - Phil Hyde |
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| Garganey, 23rd April 2018. Photo - Phil Hyde |
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| Blackcap with pollen around base of bill, ringed 23rd April 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Brown-tailed Moth caterpillars in their silk tent, 23rd April 2018. The hairs of these caterpillars can cause severe allergic reactions in humans, and they should be avoided. Photo - George Gregory |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 15 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, a Chaffinch, 3 Blackcap, a Great Tit, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Reed Bunting, a Cetti's Warbler, a Blue Tit, a Linnet and 2 Ring Ouzel; 2 retrps: a Wren and a Chiffchaff; and a control Willow Warbler.
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| Cetti's Warbler, ringed 22nd April 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Ring Ouzel, with a tick behind the bill, ringed 22nd April 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Ring Ouzel, ringed 22nd April 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Ring Ouzel, ringed 22nd April 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, provided 10 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Reed Warbler, 2 Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 6 retraps: 2 Great Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, a Dunnock and a Wren.
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| Blackcap, 21st April 2018. Photo - Paul Johnson |
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| Brown Hare, 21st April 2018. Photo - Paul Johnson |
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| Whitethroat, 21st April 2018. Photo - Paul Johnson |
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| Yellowhammer, 21st April 2018. Photo - Paul Johnson |
