Late August 2018

August 31st. The Spotted Crake and a Water Rail were still on the Mere. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spoonbill, a Little Ringed Plover, 438 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 4 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank and 452 Redshank. Around, including birds trapped, were 468 Teal, 4 more Spoonbill, 2 Water Rail, a Whimbrel, a Great Skua, 3 Green Woodpecker and a Goldcrest. Flying south were 22 Swallow, a Sand Martin and 2 Redpoll.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 11 new birds: 3 Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, 2 Robin, 2 Blackcap, 2 Meadow Pipit and a Reed Bunting; and 3 retraps: a Robin, a Blackcap and a Whitethroat.
 Butterflies included a Painted Lady.

Whitethroat, warming up early morning, 31st August 2018.
Photo - Nige Lound
August 30th. The Spotted Crake remained on the Mere, where there were also a Garganey and a Water Rail. Birds around included 8 Spoonbill, a Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ruff, a Little Stint, 3 Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, 12 Greenshank, a Mediterranean Gull, a Merlin, a Peregrine, a Kingfisher, 2 Pied Flycatcher, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 3 Tree Pipit. Going north were a Fulmar and an Arctic Tern; and south 3 Whimbrel, 44 Swallow, 4 Sand Martin, 2 House Martin, 4 Yellow Wagtail, a Tree Pipit, 2 House Sparrow and a Redpoll. In off the sea came a Hobby.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, resulted in 5 new birds: a Wren, 2 Blackcap, a Robin and a Dunnock; and 9 retraps: a Robin, 2 Dunnock, 2 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler and a Wren.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling resulted in 7 new birds: a Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, a Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 9 retraps: a Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Long-tailed Tit, a Blackbird, a Great Tit, a Blue Tit and a Reed Warbler.
 A male Willow Emerald Damselfly was discovered in the Plantation, constituting the third record for the reserve (fourth individual).

Wasp Spider, with Ruddy Darter prey, 30th August 2018.
Photo - Jim Shaw
Willow Emerald Damselfly, 30th August 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
An old colour-ring sighting, just processed:
Snow Bunting, ringed 13 December 1999 Heacham, Norfolk; sighted GPBO 18 December 1999.

August 29th. A juvenile Red-necked Phalarope was discovered on the shore out from Mill Hill, present only briefly, then flying up Greenshanks Creek. The Spotted Crake was still on the Mere. On Tennyson's Sands were a Grey Heron, 5 Spoonbill, a Little Ringed Plover, 481 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Spotted Redshank and 7 Greenshank. Around, including birds trapped, were a further Spoonbill, 3 Water Rail, 11 Snipe, a Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Arctic Tern, a Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Pied Flycatcher, 4 Whinchat, a Garden Warbler and a Redstart. Heading south were 3 Grey Heron, 3 Whimbrel, 175 Swallow, 4 Yellow Wagtail and a Tree Pipit; and north a Fulmar. In off the sea came a Grey Heron.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 16 new birds: 7 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, a Sedge Warbler, a Redstart, a Garden Warbler, a Reed Warbler and 3 Whitethroat; and 5 retraps: 2 Wren, a Robin, a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

Redstart, ringed 29th August 2018.
Photo - George Gregory
August 28th. The Spotted Crake remained on the Mere. On Tennyson's Sands were 9 Spoonbill, a Little Ringed Plover, 450 Black-tailed Godwit and 4 Spotted Redshank. Birds around included a Marsh Harrier, 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Water Rail, 2000 Oystercatcher, 4 Whimbrel, 1500 Bar-tailed Godwit, 20000 Knot, 2500 Dunlin, a Greenshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, a Peregrine, 10 Whinchat, a Stonechat and 2 Wheatear. Flying south were 92 Swallow and 4 Yellow Wagtail.
 The twelfth and final session of CES was done this morning. The 31 new birds were 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Blackcap, a Robin, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 8 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit and 2 Blackbird. The 5 retraps were 2 Great Tit, a Dunnock, a Chiffchaff and a Wren.

August 27th. Increasing, then decreasing, south-westerly wind.
 The Spotted Crake was still on the Mere. On Tennyson's Sands were a Little Ringed Plover, 7 Ringed Plover, 2 Knot, 3 Spotted Redshank, 13 Greenshank and a Mediterranean Gull. Birds around, including those trapped, were 12 Spoonbill, 504 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Common Sandpiper, 9 Snipe, a Peregrine, a Hobby, a Garden Warbler and 3 Spotted Flycatcher. Offshore were 9 Arctic Skua and a Black Tern. Going south were 3 Gadwall, 28 Teal, 8 Mallard, 25 Gannet, 4 Whimbrel, 6 Arctic Skua, a Black Tern, 180 Sandwich Tern, 39 Common Tern, 2 Arctic Tern, a Collared Dove, 2 Swift, 4 Sand Martin, 456 Swallow, 8 House Martin, a House Sparrow and 5 Yellow Wagtail; and north 12 Arctic Skua and 2 Swift.
 A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 4 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, a Garden Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher; and 4 retraps: a Linnet, 2 Whitethroat and a Blue Tit.

Roosting waders; Grey Plover and Knot during the morning's high tide, 27th August 2018.
Photo - Kev Wilson
Spotted Flycatcher, ringed 27th August 2018.
Photo - George Gregory
August 26th. Increasing southerly wind, with rain in afternoon.
 The Spotted Crake remained on the Mere with 2 Water Rail. On Jackson's Marsh were a Garganey, 10 Spoonbill and a Mediterranean Gull; and on Tennyson's Sands a Little Ringed Plover and 3 Green Sandpiper. Around were 2 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank, 12 Snipe, 2 Black Tern, an Arctic Tern and a Green Woodpecker. Heading south were 2 Black Tern, 5 Swift and 64 Swallow; and north 2 Fulmar.
 A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 5 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, a Robin, a Sedge Warbler and a Linnet; and 4 retraps: a Robin, a Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock.

Juvenile Spotted and Common Redshanks, 26th August 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
Spoonbills, 26th August 2018.
Photo - Adrian Royle
Common Sandpiper, 26th August 2018.
Photo - Adrian Royle
Snipe, 26th August 2018.
Photo - Adrian Royale
Snipe, 26th August 2018.
Photo - Adrian Royale
August 25th. The Spotted Crake was still on the Mere. On Tennyson's Sands were a Little Ringed Plover, 511 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff, 2 Spotted Redshank, 5 Greenshank and a Mediterranean Gull; and on Jacksons Marsh 3 Green Sandpiper. Birds around included 17 Spoonbill, 2 Marsh Harrier, 6 Common Sandpiper, 2 Arctic Skua, 1095 Sandwich Tern, a Short-eared Owl, a Merlin, a Peregrine, a Redstart, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Whinchat and 2 Wheatear. Flying south were 3 Whimbrel, 25 Arctic Skua, a Black Tern, a Little Gull, 14 Sand Martin, 16 House Martin, 399 Swallow and 10 Yellow Wagtail.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Chris Hansell, provided 20 new birds: 10 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 3 Robin, 2 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackbird; and 3 retraps: a Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler and a Linnet.

Marsh Harrier, 25th August 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
August 24th. Increasing westerly wind.
 The Spotted Crake remained on the Mere. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Little Ringed Plover, 625 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Spotted Redshank, 5 Greenshank, 8 Snipe and a Mediterranean Gull; and on Jacksons Marsh 3 Green Sandpiper. Around were a Great White Egret, 16 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, 4 Common Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, a Short-eared Owl, 3 Wheatear, 4 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 5 Spotted Flycatcher and a Tree Pipit. Offshore, in the evening, was an adult summer Pomarine Skua. Going south were 4 Arctic Skua, 2 Great Skua, 11 Whimbrel, a Black Tern, 12 Swift, 2 Tree Sparrow, 42 Sand Martin, 15 House Martin, 385 Swallow, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Tree Pipit; north 5 Arctic Skua; and west 3 Swift.
 A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 11 new birds: 8 Willow Warbler, 2 Linnet and a Blackcap; and a retrap Great Tit.
 A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by James Siddle produced 3 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Great Tit and a Sparrowhawk.

Wheatear, 24th August 2018.
Photos - Ben Ward
August 23rd. Rain until mid morning.
 On Tennyson's Sands were a Grey Heron, 350 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe and a Greenshank. Birds around included a Buzzard, 2 Greenshank, a Mediterranean Gull, a Short-eared Owl, a Stonechat, a Whinchat, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Garden Warbler. Heading south were 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Black Tern, 6 Arctic Skua, 14 Swift, 2000 Swallow, 26 Sand Martin, 4 Yellow Wagtail and 9 Tree Sparrow; and north a Mediterranean Gull and 2 Black Tern.
 A ringing session in East Dunes from mid morning, with Keith Collett, resulted in 9 new birds: 5 Willow Warbler, a Wren, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat and a Blackbird; and 5 retraps: a Robin, 3 Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Tawny Owl, 23rd August 2018
Video - Stuart Ainsworth

Migrant Hawker, 23rd August 2018
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth
Wasp Spider, 23rd August 2018
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth
August 22nd. An adult Sabine's Gull was offshore at the northern end in the evening. The Spotted Crake remained on the Mere. On Tennyson's Sands were a Little Ringed Plover, 120 Black-tailed Godwit and 10 Greenshank; and on Jacksons Marsh 2 Green Sandpiper. Around, including birds trapped, were 18 Common Scoter, a Fulmar, 100 Gannet, 8 Spoonbill, 7 Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, a Razorbill, a Black Tern, 200 Sandwich Tern, 150 Common Tern, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Green Woodpecker, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 2 Garden Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Pied Flycatcher, a Redstart, 6 Whinchat and a Stonechat. Flying south were 3 Whimbrel, a Swift, 1080 Sand Martin, 285 Swallow, 35 House Martin and 5 Yellow Wagtail.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 15 new birds: 12 Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat and a Pied Flycatcher; and 3 retraps: a Wren, a Blackcap and a Dunnock.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 7 new birds: a Wren, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Linnet and a Dunnock.

Spotted Flycatcher, 22nd August 2018.
Photo - Kev Wilson
Pied Flycatcher, ringed 22nd August 2018.
Photo - George Gregory
August 21st. The Spotted Crake remained on the Mere. On Tennyson's Sands were a Little Ringed Plover, 600 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Knot, a Ruff and 7 Greenshank; and on Jackson's Marsh 3 Green Sandpiper. Birds around included a Red-throated Diver, 19 Spoonbill, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Guillemot, 2 Black Tern, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Short-eared Owl, a Merlin, a Peregrine, a Garden Warbler and 7 Whinchat. Going south were 8 Whimbrel, 34 Arctic Skua, 4 Great Skua, 4 Black Tern, a Little Gull, 2 Swift, 40 Sand Martin, 280 Swallow and 18 Yellow Wagtail.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Chris Hansell and Sam Prettyman, produced 12 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Robin, 3 Whitethroat, a Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Goldfinch, a Reed Bunting and 2 Dunnock; and 6 retraps: 4 Whitethroat, a Blue Tit and a Dunnock.