Early June 2018

June 10th. A flighty Serin was discovered in East Dunes during the morning, and a Golden Oriole was heard singing from the Plantation in the evening. Other birds around included a Marsh Harrier, 3 Little Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, a Mediterranean Gull, 2 Swift, 3 Cuckoo, a Peregrine and 2 Crossbill. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Spoonbill. Heading south were a Buzzard and 2 Siskin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with James Siddle, provided 2 new birds: a Blackcap and a Dunnock; and 6 retraps: a Dunnock, 4 Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Scarlet Pimpernel, 10th June 2018.
Photo - Rob Watson 
Southern Marsh Orchid, 10th June 2018.
Photo - Rob Watson
Viper's Bugloss, 10th June 2018.
Photo - George Gregory



Drinker Moth caterpillar, 10th June 2018.
Photo - Kevin Wilson


Painted Lady, part of a small arrival, 10th June 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
June 9th. The Common Rosefinch was still in East Dunes. Around were 2 Grey Partridge, 4 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Whimbrel, 39 Curlew, 28 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Cuckoo, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Yellow Wagtail. Flying north were 13 Swift; and south 18 Starling.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 3 new birds: 2 Great Tit and a Dunnock; and 6 retraps: 2 Great Tit, 2 Dunnock and 2 Whitethroat.

June 8th. A Common Rosefinch was discovered in East Dunes. Birds around included 128 Shelduck, 2 Grey Partridge, a Grey Heron, 39 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Cuckoo, a Green Woodpecker, 3 Hobby, a Peregrine, 4 Jay, 10 Swift, 6 Swallow, 62 House Martin and 3 Yellowhammer. Flying north were 5 Swift and 22 House Martin. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Spoonbill.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 10 new birds: a Chaffinch, 2 Reed Bunting, a Whitethroat, 4 Great Tit and 2 Dunnock; and 5 retraps: singles of Dunnock, Great Tit, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat.

Barn Owl, 8th June 2018.

 Video - Ben Ward 

Wall Brown, 8th June 2018.

 Photo - Ben Ward 

Elephant Hawkmoth, 8th June 2018.
 Photo - Ben Ward 

Brown Silver-lines, 8th June 2018.
Photo - Nige Lound
June 7th. Around were a Marsh Harrier, 52 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Cuckoo, 3 Hobby, 15 Swift, 8 Swallow and 40 House Martin. Flying north were 20 Brent Goose; and south a Grey Heron, an Osprey, 4 Jay and 31 Starling.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 6 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Linnet, a Great Tit, 2 Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 6 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Reed Bunting, a Chiffchaff, a Blue Tit and a Sedghe Warbler.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, by Mike Polling, provided 7 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler, a Dunnock, 2 Great Tit and a Blackbird; and 9 retraps: 3 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, a Willow Warbler, a Wren and 2 Dunnock.

A new Macro moth for the NNR was trapped in the East Dunes overnight, Concolorous is a Red Data Book species with just a localised distribution in the UK;
Concolorous, 7th June 2018.
 Photo - K & S Hand 


Small Heath, 7th June 2018.

 Photo - Ben Ward 
June 6th. Birds around included a mobile Great White Egret, 4 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, a Whimbrel, 37 Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, 2 Cuckoo, 20 Swift, 2 Wheatear, a Siskin and a Yellowhammer. On Croftmarsh was a Wood Sandpiper; and on Tennyson's Sands a Mediterranean Gull. Heading north were 11 Swift; and south a Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced a new Chaffinch; and 4 retraps: a Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff.

Wood Sandpiper, 6th June 2018.
Video - Ben Ward 

Mediterranean Gull, 6th June 2018.
 Video - Ben Ward 


Spoonbills, one of which colour flagged, 6th June 2018.

Video  - Ben Ward

Spoonbills, 6th June 2018.
Video  - Ben Ward
 

Great White Egret, 6th June 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward 

Wheatear, 6th June 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward 

Southern Marsh Orchid, 6th June 2018.
Photo - George Gregory
Yellow Rattle, a parasite on roots of dune grasses, 6th June 2018.
Photo - George Gregory
June 5th. Slowly increasing north-easterly wind.
 Birds around included a Curlew Sandpiper on the morning high tide, 60 Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, 256 Sanderling, 80 Dunlin, 2 Grey Partridge, a Spoonbill, 3 Marsh Harrier, 15 Little Tern, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Cuckoo, a Asio sp, 25 Swift, 6 Swallow, 50 House Martin, a Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtail. On Tennyson's Sands were 46 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Croftmarsh a Greenshank. Flying north were a Fulmar and 30 Sanderling.
 The fourth session of CES was done this morning. The 15 new birds were 10 Long-tailed Tit, a Blackcap, a Whitethroat, a Linnet and 2 Sedge Warbler. The 20 retraps were 2 Blackbird, 6 Whitethroat, 3 Great Tit, 2 Dunnock, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff, a Linnet, 3 Long-tailed Tit and a Sedge Warbler.


Spoonbill, 5th June 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

Spoonbill, 5th June 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

June 4th. Drizzle around mid morning.
 Around were 2 Garganey, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 34 Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, 7 Swift, 2 Cuckoo, 6 Swallow and 70 House Martin. Flying north were 9 Swift; and south 9 Swallow.
 A drizzle-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 4 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Wren and a Sedge Warbler; and 4 retraps: 2 Sedge Warbler, a Dunnock and a Blue Tit.

June 3rd. Fog/mist until mid morning.
 On Tennyson's Sands were a Spoonbill, 3 Pochard and a Greenshank; and on Fenland Lagoon 2 Little Ringed Plover. Birds around included 81 Black-tailed Godwit, a Mediterranean Gull, 3 Jay, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Hobby, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Yellowhammer, a Yellow Wagtail and a Siskin. Flying south were 14 Swallow and a House Martin; and north 14 House Martin and a Swift.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 4 new birds: a Blackcap, a Reed Warbler, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 3 retraps: a Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler and a Blackbird.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling provided 7 new birds: a Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, a Chaffinch and a Dunnock; and 13 retraps: 4 Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 Blackbird, 3 Great Tit and a Lesser Whitethroat.
 A Poplar Hawkmoth was found on the Heligoland Trap.

Poplar Hawkmoth, 3rd June 2018.
Photo - George Gregory

Hairy Dragonflies copulating, 3rd June 2018. 
Photo - Ben Ward

June 2nd. Light rain for most of day.
 Around were 78 Black-tailed Godwit, a Jay, a Yellowhammer, a Marsh Harrier and 2 Cuckoo. On Jackson's Marsh was a Mediterranean Gull; on Tennyson's Sands were 2 Mediterranean Gull and 2 Greenshank; on Croftmarsh a Spoonbill; and on Fenland Lagoon 2 Little Ringed Plover.

Cuckoo, 2nd June 2018. 
Video - Ben Ward

Yellowhammer, 2nd June 2018. 
Video - Ben Ward

June 1st. Birds around included a Hawfinch, a Crossbill, a Hobby, a Asio sp, 20 Little Tern, 24 Sandwich Tern, a Cuckoo, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Yellowhammer. On Fenland Lagoon were 2 Little Ringed Plover; on Tennyson's Sands 65 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Mediterranean Gull and 2 Pintail; and on Jackson's Marsh a Greenshank.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced a new Sedge Warbler; and 5 retraps: a Dunnock, 2 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler and a Chiffchaff.