May 20th. Birds around included 2 Brent Goose, a Spotted Redshank, 32 Little Tern, 2 Cuckoo, 3 Collared Dove, 6 Swift, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 10 Swallow. Over Jackson's Marsh was a Marsh Harrier; and on Tennyson's Sands were 2 Garganey. Going north were 5 Swallow; and south 27 Swift, 2 House Martin and 5 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 2 new birds: a Whitethroat and a Reed Bunting; and 2 retraps: a Chiffchaff and a Sedge Warbler. |
| Tawny Owl, 20th May 2018. Photo - Ben Ward |
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| Broad-bodied Chaser, 20th May 2018. Photo - Ben Ward |
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| Broad-bodied Chaser, 20th May 2018. Photo - Ben Ward |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 2 new birds: a Chiffchaff and a Sedge Warbler; and 4 retraps: 2 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler and a Chaffinch.
At least 10 Broad-bodied Chasers have emerged recently.
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| Swallow, 19th May 2018. Photo - Ben Ward |
The second session of CES was done this morning. The 13 new birds were 3 Chiffchaff, a Reed Warbler, 2 Robin, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Linnet and a Sedge Warbler. The 15 retraps were a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff, a Song Thrush, 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Dunnock, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Whitethroat and a Wren.
May 17th. Fairly strong northerly wind, slowly decreasing.
Around, including birds trapped, were 11 Brent Goose, 4 Whimbrel, 3000 Sanderling, 2400 Dunlin, 800 Grey Plover, 560 Oystercatcher, 2 Cuckoo, 3 Jay, a Garden Warbler and 6 Swallow. On Tennyson's Sands was a Wood Sandpiper. Flying north were 713 Auk Sp, a Puffin, 12 Gannet, 2 Kittiwake, a Fulmar and 60 Linnet.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett and Sam Prettyman, produced 7 new birds: 2 Linnet, a Sedge Warbler, a Meadow Pipit, 2 Dunnock and a Jay; and 8 retraps: a Blackbird, 2 Whitethroat, a Linnet, a Goldfinch, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Reed Bunting.
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| Jay, ringed 17th May 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Jay, ringed 17th May 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Jay, ringed 17th May 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
Birds around included 81 Brent Goose, 11 Common Scoter, a Common Sandpiper, a Wheatear and 17 Swallow. Going north were 8 Gannet, 100 Auk Sp, 4 Common Scoter and 4 Arctic Tern. On Fenland Lagoon was a Common Sandpiper.
May 15th. Around were 12 Whimbrel, 600 Oystercatcher, 30 Black-tailed Godwit, a Cuckoo, a Jay, a Wheatear, a Swallow and 2 Corn Bunting. Heading north was an Arctic Tern.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 5 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Linnet; and 4 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, a Reed Bunting and a Blackbird.
May 14th. Birds around included a Garganey, a Marsh Harrier, 1400 Sanderling, a Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, a Cuckoo, a Peregrine, a Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail and a Yellowhammer. Flying south were a Sand Martin and a Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 5 new birds: 2 Blackcap, a Whitethroat and 2 Reed Bunting; a retrap Whitethroat; and a control Reed Bunting.
May 13th. Rain until early morning.
Around were 2 Marsh Harrier, a Cuckoo, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Peregrine, a Wheatear, 6 House Sparrows, a Tree Pipit and a Corn Bunting. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spotted Redshank. Going south were a Swift and 30 Swallow; west 2 Swift; and north 2 Whimbrel.
A rain-delayed morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 16 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Long-tailed Tit, a Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Bunting, 2 Goldfinch and a Linnet; and 3 retraps: a Reed Bunting and 2 Whitethroat.
May 12th. On Tennyson's Sands, then on Jackson's Marsh, was a Great White Egret. Birds around included 100 Brent Goose, Common Sandpiper and a Cuckoo. Heading south were 2 Swallow; and north 3 Whimbrel.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 5 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat and a Linnet; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.
May 11th. Around were 88 Brent Goose, a Marsh Harrier, 1200 Ringed Plover, 2500 Dunlin, a Turtle Dove and 2 Swallow. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Garganey.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: a Chiffchaff and 2 Linnet; and 2 retrap Whitethroat.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, by Mike Polling, provided 4 new birds: a Wren, a Willow Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat; and 5 retraps: a Sedge Warbler, a Dunnock, a Willow Warbler, a Whitethroat and a Wren.
At about 0805hrs two presumed escape Azure Tits were found together in a mist net in East Dunes. On examination, one was found to have a pink split colour ring on the right tarsus, a broken primary and some tail feather damage. The other had minor tail feather damage and a just started brood patch. The birds were presumed to be escapes, and no rings were added. They were released into the Plantation, next to Sykes Farm.
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| Presumed escape Azure Tit, trapped 11th May 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Presumed escape Azure Tit, with pink split colour ring, trapped 11th May 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Presumed escape Azure Tit, trapped 11th May 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Presumed escape Azure Tit, showing tail feather damage, trapped 11th May 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Presumed escape Azure Tit, showing broken primary, 11th May 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
