20th April. A Hoopoe was discovered briefly in the north of the reserve. Birds around, including those trapped, were 5 Cuckoo, 3 Buzzard, a Common Sandpiper, 6 Whimbrel, a Jack Snipe, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 4 Ring Ouzel, 2 Raven, 12 Wheatear, a Redstart, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Grasshopper Warbler a Brambling and 3 Corn Bunting. Heading south were 4 Buzzard, 2 Swallow and a Brambling.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 10 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, a Wheatear, 2 Blackcap and a Lesser Whitethroat; and 2 retrap Dunnock.
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Redstart in East Dunes, 20th April 2018.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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Wheatears, 20th April 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Ring Ouzel, 20th April 2018.
Photo- Ben Ward |
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Wheatear, 20th April 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Green Hairstreak. 20th April 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Wheatear, ringed 20th April 2018.
Photo - George Gregory |
19th April. Around were 58 Brent Goose, a
Red Kite, 9 Whimbrel, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Cuckoo, a Peregrine, a
Firecrest, 2 Wheatear, 12 Blackcap, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Chiffchaff, 5 Sedge Warbler, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, a Yellow Wagtail, 3 Brambling,
3 Hawfinch (in private garden at Aylmer Avenue), 3 Yellowhammer and 5 Corn Bunting. On Croftmatsh were 6 Pink-footed Goose. Flying south were 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Red Kite and 4 Swallow,;and north 39 Pink-footed Goose.
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Hawfinch, 19th April 2018.
Photo - Kevin Wilson |
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Red Kite, 19th April 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Brambling, 19th April 2017.
Photo - Ben Ward |
18th April. Birds around included 11 Greenshank, 4 Mediterranean Gull and 2 male
Firecrest.
17th April. The male Ring Ouzel was still present near the Wash Viewpoint; also a White Wagtail flew south here. A
Firecrest was discovered along the Sykes Farm track. Other birds around were 3 Whimbrel (New Saltmarsh), 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Cuckoo (East Dunes) and 4 Sedge Warbler. The 3 Pink-footed Goose remained on Croft Marsh.
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Ring Ouzel near the Wash Viewpoint, 17th April 2017.
Photo - Ben Ward |
16th April. Around were 2 Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine, a Red Kite (East Dunes) and a Ring Ouzel (Wash Viewpoint area). A probable Raven was heard from the Shorebird Hut.
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Cuckoo, 16th April 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Ring Ouzel, 16th April 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Ring Ouzel, 16th April 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Short-eared Owl, 16th April 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Sunset, 16th April 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward |
15th April. Highlights of the day were; 17 Little Gull arriving on Tennyson's Sands in the afternoon,
3 Firecrest (2 East Dunes and 1 North Car Park), a drake Garganey on the Mere, 3 Sedge Warbler along Mill Pond Road and 3 Ring Ouzel. A group of 3 Common Tern flew east towards Mill Hill.
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Little Gulls in flight, 15th April 2018
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Little Gull, 15th April 2018
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Little Gull, 15th April 2018
Photo - Ben Ward |
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Firecrest, 15th April 2018
Photo - Ben Ward |
14th April. A
Raven was heard distantly in the morning. A Woodlark was heard singing in the West Dunes before heading south and a Cuckoo seen in the East Dunes mid afternoon. Also on the reserve today were
3 Hawfinch, a
Firecrest, 2 Ruff and a Jack Snipe. 3 Brambling were at the feeding station in the Plantation.
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Blackcap, 14th April 2018
Photo - Kev Wilson |
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Cuckoo, 14th April 2018
Photo - Nige Lound |
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Male and Female Brambling, 14th April 2018
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
13th April. Highlights from today were the first returning
Grasshopper Warbler, a Green Sandpiper calling over Beach car park, a Water Rail on Freshwater Marsh and
4 Water Pipit. In the afternoon a Red Kite and 2 Marsh Harrier flew south. The
Glaucous Gull recently found in Skegness was seen north of Greenshanks Creek from Mill Hill in the evening. Other birds around included 5 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Short-eared Owl on the Old Saltmarsh. 6 Pink-footed Goose lingered on Croft Marsh.
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Glaucous Gull "record shot", 13th April 2018
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
12th April. Continuing mist on the reserve made conditions difficult. Highlights of the day were a Firecrest along the cycle path opposite the beach car park and an Osprey which flew west mobbed by Gulls and Crows mid-afternoon. Other birds of note were 2 Sedge Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap and 2 Great Crested Grebe.
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Firecrest, 12th April 2018
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
11th April. A few new migrants on the reserve including 3 Ring Ouzel, 5 Woodcock, 8 Chiffchaff, 5 Swallow, 4 Blackcap, 50 Snipe, 30 Redwing and 2 Brambling.
