Late July 2018.

Ringing Recovery and Control:
Greenfinch ringed GPBO 4 January 2018, recovered North Somercotes, Lincolnshire 22 July 2018.
Great Tit ringed Kilnsea, Yorkshire 28 March 2018, controlled GPBO 30 March 2018.

July 31st. On Jackson's Marsh were a Garganey, 13 Spoonbill, 6 Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper; on Tennyson's Sands a Ruff, a Spotted Redshank and 19 Snipe; and on Fenland Lagoon 12 Greenshank. Birds around included 22 Little Egret, 4 Marsh Harrier, 10 Little Ringed Plover, 120 Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 699 Black-tailed Godwit, 30 Turnstone, 456 Knot, 12 Curlew Sandpiper, 3500 Sanderling, 7500 Dunlin, a Little Stint, a Wood Sandpiper, 364 Redshank, 450 Sandwich Tern, 3 Arctic Tern and a juvenile Cuckoo. Heading south were 107 Swift and 124 Swallow. 
 The ninth session of CES was done this morning. The 65 new birds were 6 Wren, 16 Willow Warbler, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, a Robin, 5 Blackcap, 2 Goldfinch, 17 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Linnet, 2 Blue Tit, a Chaffinch, a Dunnock, 3 Yellowhammer and a Blackbird. The 5 retrap swere singles of Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Wren and Whitethroat. 
 A Hummingbird Hawk-moth nectared along the path to North Hide. 

July 30th. An adult Roseate Tern flew south along the beach late evening at the approach of high tide. On Tennyson's Sands were 13 Spoonbill, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Water Rail, a Spotted Redshank and a Green Sandpiper; and on Fenland Lagoon a Spotted Redshank and 11 Greenshank. Birds around included 107 Teal, a Marsh Harrier, 8 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Whimbrel, 545 Black-tailed Godwit, 35 Turnstone, 32 Curlew Sandpiper, 2150 Sanderling, 1450 Dunlin, a Little Stint, 6 Common Sandpiper, 318 Redshank, 554 Sandwich Tern and 3 Arctic Tern. Flying south were 4 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Whimbrel, 387 Swift, 5 Sand Martin and 3 Swallow; and north a Fulmar and an Arctic Tern. 

July 29th. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Whimbrel, 6 Knot, a Spotted Redshank and 168 Redshank; and on Fenland Lagoon 10 Greenshank. Birds around included 42 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 15 Spoonbill, 11 Little Ringed Plover, 456 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Turnstone, a Curlew Sandpiper, 8 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper and 5 Snipe. Flying south were 2332 Swift and 9 Teal. 

Little Egret pre-roost gathering, 29th July 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
July 28th. On Tennyson's Sands were a Garganey, a Ruff, a Spotted Redshank and a Kingfisher; on Fenland Lagoon 8 Greenshank; and in the Plantation a Crossbill. Birds around included 70 Common Scoter, 4 Grey Heron, 18 Spoonbill, 2 Marsh Harrier, 12 Little Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, 400 Black-tailed Godwit, 13 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 7 Snipe. Heading south were 654 Swift. A fair number of Migrant Hawker are now on the wing. 

Spoonbills on Tennyson Sands, 28th July 2018
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

 Little Ringed Plover, 28th July 2018. 
Photo - Ben Ward 


Kestrel, 28th July 2018. 




Photo - Ben Ward 

July 27th. Thunderstorms overnight and during the morning, again in the evening. 
 On the Mere was a Garganey; on Tennyson's Sands were a Water Rail, 10 Little Ringed Plover, 122 Knot, 3 Sanderling, 18 Dunlin, a Spotted Redshank, 203 Redshank, 2 Sandwich Tern and a Bearded Tit; and on Jacksons Marsh were 26 Little Egret. Birds around included 4 Grey Heron, 15 Spoonbill, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, 3 Whimbrel, 469 Black-tailed Godwit, 17 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 9 Greenshank, 22 Snipe and an adult Mediterranean Gull. Heading south were an Arctic Tern and 29 Swift.
  

Garganey, 27th July 2018. 
Photo - Ben Ward 

Common Sandpiper, 27th July 2018. 




Photo - Ben Ward 


Thunderstorm sweeping Tennyson's Sands, 27th July 2018. 




Video - Ben Ward 


July 26th. On Tennyson's Sands were 8 Little Ringed Plover, 46 Knot, 22 Dunlin, 7 Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, 8 Greenshank and 184 Redshank; on Jacksons Marsh were 16 Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron, 14 Spoonbill, a Ruff, a Common Sandpiper and 2 Green Sandpiper; and on the Mere a Garganey. Birds around included a Common Scoter, 30 Gannet, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Whimbrel, 426 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Turnstone, 800 Sanderling, 1200 Dunlin, a Little Stint, 15 Snipe and 1452 Sandwich Tern. Flying south were an Arctic Tern and 90 Swallow. 
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling produced 21 new birds: a Great Tit, 8 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Dunnock and a Great Spotted Woodpecker; and 6 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Sedge Warbler, a Blackcap and 2 Whitethroat.

Reed Warbler, moth-catching in Mere Hide, 26th July 2018. 
Photos - Ben Ward 


Little Stint, 26th July 2018. 


Photo - Ben Ward 

A nice selection of Spiders found throughout the reserve this summer
Photos courtesy of Jim Shaw:


Labrynth Spider (Agelena labryrinthica)


Wolf Spider (Arctosa perita) with spiderlings attached to abdomen 


Walnut Orb-weaver (Nuctenea umbratica)


Zebra Spider (Salticus scenicus)


Grass Spider (Tibellus sp.)

Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

Cucumber Spider (Araniella sp.)


Crab Spider (Xysticus cristatus)


Candy-striped Spider (Enoplognatha sp.)


July 25th. On Tennyson's Sands were 8 Little Ringed Plover, 394 Black-tailed Godwit, a Spotted Redshank and a Kingfisher; on Jacksons Marsh 18 Spoonbill, 14 Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron and a Common Sandpiper; and on the Mere a Garganey. Birds around included 84 Teal, 3 Marsh Harrier, 80 Ringed Plover, 6 Whimbrel, 3 Turnstone, 122 Knot, 501 Curlew, 80 Sanderling, 902 Dunlin, 3 Greenshank, 447 Redshank, 11 Snipe, 3 Arctic Tern, 1708 Sandwich Tern, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Cuckoo, a Hobby, 2 Peregrine, 90 Sand Martin, 500 Swallow and a Yellow Wagtail. Flying south were 23 Whimbrel.  

July 24th. On the Mere was a Garganey; and on Tennyson's Sands were 16 Spoonbill, a Water Rail, a Spotted Redshank and a Bearded Tit. Birds around included 16 Little Egret, 5 Grey Heron, a Marsh Harrier, 4 Golden Plover, 8 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 418 Black-tailed Godwit (including the first juvenile), 2 Common Sandpiper, 7 Greenshank, 16 Snipe, 400 Sandwich Tern, a Short-eared Owl, 300 Sand Martin, 650 Swallow (including a leucistic individual) and a Yellow Wagtail.



Garganey, 24th July 2018. 

Photo - Ben Ward 



July 23rd. On Tennyson's Sands were 14 Spoonbill, 236 Redshank, a Spotted Redshank and a Kingfisher; on Jackson's Marsh were 2 Mediterranean Gull; and on the Mere a Garganey. Birds around included 84 Teal, a Water Rail, a Golden Plover, 8 Little Ringed Plover, 150 Ringed Plover, 4 Whimbrel, 392 Black-tailed Godwit, 2500 Sanderling, 4000 Dunlin, 8 Greenshank, 10 Snipe, 20 Little Tern, a Black Tern, 1000 Sandwich Tern, 2 Arctic Tern, a Short-eared Owl 2 Cuckoo, 350 Swallow and a Grasshopper Warbler. Flying south were 3 Yellow Wagtail; and north 70 Common Scoter.

Copulating Common Darter, 23rd July 2018. 
Photo - Ben Ward 

July 22nd. On Tennyson's Sands were 10 Spoonbill, a Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Mediterranean Gull and a Kingfisher. Birds around included 30 Common Scoter, 6 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 434 Curlew, 332 Black-tailed Godwit, 800 Dunlin, 31 Snipe, 531 Sandwich Tern, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, a Cuckoo, 90 Sand Martin, 220 Swallow and 2 Yellow Wagtail.

Ovipositing Small Red-eyed Damselfly, 22nd July 2018. 
Photo - Ben Ward 

July 21st. On Tennyson's Sands were 14 Spoonbill, a Water Rail, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 292 Black-tailed Godwit and a Spotted Redshank; and on Jacksons Marsh a Common Sandpiper. Birds around included 17 Little Egret, 3 Marsh Harrier, 3 Whimbrel, 500 Curlew, 500 Dunlin, 3 Greenshank, 11 Snipe, 650 Sandwich Tern, a  juvenile Cuckoo, a Short-eared Owl, a Peregrine and 80 Swallow. Flying south were 229 Swallow, 13 Sand Martin and 11 Yellow Wagtail. 

Water Rail, 21st July 2018. 
Photo - Ben Ward 


Copulating Ruddy Darter, 21st July 2018. 
Photo - Ben Ward 

Roesel's Bush-cricket, 21st July 2018. 

Photo - Ben Ward