June 20th. Increasing south-westerly wind.
Birds around included a Brent Goose, 2 Eider, 32 Black-tailed Godwit, a Kingfisher, a Hobby, 80 Starling and a Crossbill. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Spoonbill; on Jackson's Marsh a Green Sandpiper; and on Fenland Lagoon a Greenshank. Heading south were 5 Lapwing, 346 Swift, 2 Turtle Dove and a Swallow.A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 4 new birds: 2 Linnet, a Robin and a Dunnock; and 3 retraps: a Blue Tit and 2 Chaffinch.
June 19th. Around were 3 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, 29 Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, a Sandwich Tern, a Hobby and 65 Starling. Flying south were 15 Swift.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 19 new birds: a Wren, a Robin, 2 Blackcap, a Chaffinch, 4 Whitethroat, 4 Blue Tit, 2 Meadow Pipit, a Coal Tit, a Dunnock, a Blackbird and a Magpie; and 10 retraps: a Dunnock, 3 Great Tit, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Sedge Warbler, a Blackbird and a Whitethroat.
Sandwich Tern, 19th June 2018.
Video - Ben Ward
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| Coal Tit, ringed, 19th June 2018. Photo - George Gregory 
Privet Hawk-moth, 19th June 2018.
Photo - Nige Lound
Eyed Hawk-moth, 19th June 2018.
Photo - Nige Lound
Sand Dart, 19th June 2018.
Photo - Nige Lound
Lyme-grass, 19th June 2018.
Photo - Nige Lound
Cream-bordered Green Pea 19th June 2018.
Photo - Nige Lound
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The fifth session of CES was done this morning. The 17 new birds were 2 Chiffchaff, a Wren, 2 Great Tit, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Whitethroat, a Robin, a Chaffinch, a Blackcap, a Swallow, a Blue Tit and a Dunnock. The 12 retraps were 4 Whitethroat, a Blue Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tit, a Sedge Warbler, 3 Dunnock and a Chiffchaff.
Spoonbills, 18th June 2018.
Video - Ben Ward
Video - Ben Ward
Ruddy Darter, 18th June 2018.
Photo - Kevin Wilson
Azure Damselflies, 18th June 2018.
Photo - Nige Lound
Many of the local Foxgloves are colour variants from the usual reddish purple.
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| White, spotless Foxglove, 18th June 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| White, spotted Foxglove, 18th June 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Pale mauve, spotted Foxglove, 18th June 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 9 new birds: 2 Wren, a Reed Warbler, 2 Linnet, 3 Great Tit and a Dunnock; and 8 retraps: 6 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler and a Great Tit.
Nuthatch, 17th June 2018.
Photo - James Siddle
Meadow Brown, 17th June 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
June 16th. Around were 3 Brent Goose, 5 Eider, 2 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, a Whimbrel, 29 Black-tailed Godwit, a Cuckoo, a Merlin and 4 Swallow. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Little Gull. Flying south were 14 Sandwich Tern, 584 Swift, 37 Starling and a Serin; and north 12 Common Scoter.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 9 new birds: 6 Linnet, a Reed Warbler, a Blackcap and a Whitethroat; and 2 retraps: a Chaffinch and a Whitethroat.
Little Gulls, 16th June 2018.
Photo - James Siddle
June 15th. A first summer Caspian Gull was discovered amongst the evening high tide roost. Birds around included 5 Common Scoter, a Mediterranean Gull, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, a Cuckoo, a Kingfisher and 4 Swallow. Going south were 1600 Swift, 45 Starling, a Sand Martin and 2 House Martin. In off the sea came 3 Grey Heron.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 15 new birds: a Long-tailed Tit, a Willow Warbler, a Wren, 2 Chaffinch, 4 Whitethroat, 3 Linnet, a Reed Warbler, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 15 retraps: a Chaffinch, a Whitethroat, 10 Long-tailed Tit, a Great Tit and 2 Dunnock.
Caspian Gull, 15th June 2018.
Video - Ben Ward
Late evening, 15th June 2018.
Photo - Ben WardOn Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spoonbill and a Spotted Redshank. Around were a 34 Black-tailed Godwit, a Turnstone, 2 Sandwich Tern, a Kittiwake, 3 Cuckoo and 2 Hobby. Heading south were 5 Red Kite, 2114 Swift, a Hobby, 14 Swallow, 173 House Martin and 21 Starling.
Spotted Redshank, 14th June 2018.
Video - Ben Ward
June 13th. A ringtail Montagu's Harrier was discovered late afternoon, initially south through the reserve and out into The Wash. Later in the evening it was seen to come back in off the sea and head north, also in the evening a first summer Glaucous Gull was out from Mill Hill. Birds around included 44 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, 2 Sandwich Tern, 44 Common Gull, a Cuckoo, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Hobby and 2 Siskin. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Spoonbill. Flying south were a Red Kite, 10 Lapwing, 271 Swift and 48 Starling.
A presumed escape Pied Crow (probably the one seen at Spurn earlier) was photographed on the fuel tank near the moored yachts.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 7 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Linnet, 2 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, a Dunnock and a Mistle Thrush; and 5 retraps: a Sedge Warbler, 2 Great Tit and 2 Dunnock.
Thanks to Mick Widdowson and Derek Moseley for providing the following images of the Pied Crow:
Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 13th June 2018.
Video - Ben Ward
Video - Ben Ward
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| Mistle Thrush, ringed 13th June 2018. Photo - George Gregory 
Large Skipper, female, 13th June 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward 
Large Skipper, male, 13th June 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 6 new birds: a Wren, 2 Blue Tit, a Chaffinch, a Whitethroat and a Goldfinch; and 4 retraps: 2 Dunnock and 2 Great Tit.
Copulating Avocets, 12th June 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
Black-tailed Skimmer, 12th June 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
Spoonbills, 12th June 2018.
Photo - Paul Johnson
Great Spotted Woodpecker nestling, 12th June 2018.
Photo - Paul Johnson
Whitethroat, 12th June 2018.
Photo - Paul Johnson
Photo - Paul Johnson
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 3 new birds: a Chiffchaff and 2 Blackbird; and 4 retraps: 2 Great Tit, a Dunnock and a Whitethroat.
