Late September 2018

September 30th. The Spotted Crake was still in the left channel beyond the Mere. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Whooper Swan, 2 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Water Rail, 85 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank and 69 Redshank; and on Jackson's Marsh 2 Spoonbill. Birds around included 7 Brent Goose, 2 Kingfisher, a Peregrine, 13 Goldcrest, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Treecreeper, 12 Song Thrush and a Stonechat. Flying south were a Buzzard, a Hobby, 17 House Martin, 3 House Sparrow, 4 Tree Sparrow, 2 Grey Wagtail and 38 Siskin; east 35 Pink-footed Goose; and north a Great Skua.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 11 new birds: 2 Wren, a Blue Tit, 2 Linnet, a Reed Bunting, 4 Great Tit and a Blackcap; and 2 retrap Robin.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 44 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 14 Goldfinch, 3 Chaffinch, 5 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, a Robin, 15 Greenfinch and a Dunnock; 19 retraps: 3 Goldcrest, 8 Great Tit, 2 Goldfinch, a Blue Tit, a Wren, 2 Dunnock, a Long-tailed Tit and a Robin; and a control Goldfinch with a Belgian ring.

Coal Tit, 30th September 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

Whooper Swan, 30th September 2018.
Video - Ben Ward

 September 29th. The Spotted Crake was seen briefly in the left channel beyond the Mere. Around, including birds trapped, were 2 Spoonbill, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, a Peregrine, 8 Goldcrest, 9 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap and 2 Stonechat. Going south were 5 Swallow, 10 Tree Sparrow, a Grey Wagtail, 302 Meadow Pipit, 9 Greenfinch, 20 Linnet, 27 Goldfinch, 35 Siskin and a Snow Bunting.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 30 new birds: 3 Wren, 7 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Robin, a Meadow Pipit, 3 Blackcap, a Siskin, 5 Blue Tit, a Great Tit and 3 Dunnock; and 3 retraps: 2 Dunnock and a Goldcrest.
Curlew, 29th September 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

Siskin, ringed 29th September 2018.
Photo - George Gregory
September 28th. Birds around included 2 Spoonbill, 4894 Oystercatcher, 1360 Grey Plover, 95 Curlew, 3920 Bar-tailed Godwit, 78885 Knot, 2505 Sanderling, 2610 Dunlin, a Merlin, a Hobby, a Peregrine, 13 Chiffchaff, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and 2 Stonechat. Heading southwest were 960 Pink-footed Goose; south 16 Red-throated Diver, 4 Great Crested Grebe, a Sooty Shearwater, 8 Manx Shearwater, 10 Gannet, 2 Great Skua, a small Skua spp and 3 Auk spp; and north 9 Red-throated Diver, 151 Gannet, 22 Cormorant, 15 Manx Shearwater, a Petrel spp, 7 Arctic Skua, 2 Guillemot, 10 Auk spp and 23 Sandwich Tern. 
 A long ringing session in East Dunes by Christine Flint and Carole Lunn resulted in 12 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Reed Bunting, 4 Blackcap, 5 Blue Tit and a Robin; and 2 retraps: a Linnet and a Great Tit.

 September 27th. An adult winter White-rumped Sandpiper was discovered in the morning's high tide roost. The Spotted Crake was seen again early morning. Birds around included a Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 650 Golden Plover, a Green Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, 9 Goldcrest, 9 Chiffchaff, a Pied Flycatcher and 6 Stonechat. Heading south were 2 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe, 3 Buzzard, a Snipe, 2 Kestrel, 3 Hobby and 89 Siskin. 
 A long ringing session in East Dunes by Christine Flint and Carole Lunn provided 15 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, 4 Blackcap, 4 Reed Bunting, 3 Linnet and 2 Chaffinch; and 2 retraps: a Song Thrush and a Robin.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Keith Collett and Mike Polling provided 60 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Wren, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 8 Blackcap, 16 Blue Tit, 4 Robin, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Coal Tit, 6 Great Tit, a Chaffinch, a Reed Bunting, 6 Dunnock, 2 Song Thrush and 2 Blackbird; and 35 retraps: 2 Song Thrush, 4 Blackbird, 2 Wren, 4 Robin, 2 Dunnock, a Goldcrest, a Greenfinch, 9 Blue Tit, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Great Tit, a Sparrowhawk and a Blackcap.
Male Willow Emerald Damselfly, 27th September 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont
White-rumped Sandpiper, field sketch, 27th September 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
September 26th. Moderately strong south-westerly wind, slowly decreasing.
 The Spotted Crake remained faithful to the channel to the east side of the Mere. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Whooper Swan, 2 Pintail, 2 Spoonbill, 175 Black-tailed Godwit, 64 Avocet, 7 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank. Birds around included 57 Pink-footed Goose, a Water Rail, 2 Tawny Owl, 9 Goldcrest, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Treecreeper, a Stonechat and 5 Siskin. Flying south were a Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard and 3 Kestrel.

Spotted Crake, 26th September 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
September 25th. A Spotted Crake was discovered along Mill Pond Road late afternoon. Birds around included 320 Pink-footed Goose, a Water Rail, 20 Sandwich Tern, 3 Kingfisher, a Peregrine, 4 Goldcrest, 12 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Redwing, a Whinchat, 6 Stonechat and a Brambling. On Tennyson's Sands were a Pintail, 2 Spoonbill, 168 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank. Going south were 2 Eider, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrel and 9 Swallow; and north a Red-throated Diver, 2 Gannet and 3 Guillemot.  
 A long ringing session in East Dunes by Christine Flint and Carole Lunn produced 19 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Wren, 2 Goldcrest, a Reed Warbler, 3 Robin, 2 Reed Bunting, a Chaffinch, a Great Tit, a Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap and 2 Dunnock.
Spotted Crake, 25th September 2018.
Video - Ben Ward

Ringed Marsh Tit, found dead, 25th September 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
September 24th. A Cetti's Warbler was trapped and ringed in East Dunes. On Tennyson's Sands were 26 Pink-footed Goose, 3 Spoonbill, 201 Black-tailed Godwit, a Green Sandpiper, 5 Spotted Redshank and 5 Greenshank. Birds around included 294 Teal, 31 Pintail, a Hen Harrier, a Water Rail, a Jack Snipe, a Mediterranean Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull, 10 Goldcrest, 11 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Whinchat and a Wheatear. Heading north were 49 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 36 Common Scoter, 15 Manx Shearwater, 5 Great Skua, 3 Arctic Skua and 10 Little Gull; and south 336 Pink-footed Goose, 10 Wigeon, 93 Teal, a Marsh Harrier, 5 Sparrowhawk, 9 Buzzard, 5 Common Tern, a Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Kestrel and a Tree Pipit.
 A long ringing session by Christine Flint and Carole Lunn yielded 20 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, 5 Robin, a Cetti's Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 5 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit and a Dunnock; and 6 retraps: a Wren, a Reed Bunting, 3 Dunnock and a Great Tit.

Full moon, rising out from Mill Hill, 24th September 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
  September 23rd. The Cattle Egret was seen again in flight during the morning. Birds around included 80 Common Scoter, a Great White Egret, 3 Spoonbill, a Hen Harrier, a Water Rail, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, a first calendar year Caspian Gull, a Barn Owl, a Kingfisher, a Merlin, a Hobby, a Peregrine, 8 Goldcrest, 7 Whinchat and 4 Stonechat. Sightings offshore included a Black-throated Diver, 23 Arctic Skua, 15 Great Skua, 2 Pomarine Skua, a Long-tailed Skua and 4 Skua spp. Flying north were 15 Sooty Shearwater, 38 Manx Shearwater, 300 Gannet, Arctic Tern and 15 Kittiwake; and south 311 Pink-footed Goose, 4 Red-breasted Merganser and 20 Red-throated Diver. In off the sea came a Hobby.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes by Christine Flint and Carole Lunn provided 6 new birds: 3 Chiffchaff, a Goldfinch, a Blackcap and a Song Thrush; and a retrap Blackbird.

Rainbow, between showers, 23rd September 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
September 22nd. A Cattle Egret was discovered late morning, frequenting Croftmarsh throughout the day. Around, including birds trapped, were 10 Spoonbill, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Hen Harrier, 6 Buzzard, a Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, a Mediterranean Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Puffin, 2 Peregrine, a Merlin, a Hobby, 9 Chiffchaff, a Ring Ouzel, 3 Wheatear, 2 Stonechat, 11 Whinchat and 3 Spotted Flycatcher. A summer Black-throated Diver was on the sea. Going west were 130 Pink-footed Goose; and south 2 Eider, 2 Common Crane, 19 Whooper Swan, 664 Pink-footed Goose, 4 Common Tern, an Arctic Tern, a Tree Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, 551 House Martin, 6 Tree Sparrow, a Redpoll and 44 Siskin.
 A long ringing session in East Dunes by Christine Flint and Carole Lunn produced 47 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, 5 Robin, 5 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, 7 Chaffinch, 6 Reed Bunting, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, a Great Tit, a Spotted Flycatcher, 6 Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 8 retraps: a Linnet, 2 Great Tit, 2 Dunnock, a Goldfinch, a Wren and a Blackbird.

Cattle Egret, 22nd September 2018.
Video - Ben Ward

Common Cranes, 22nd September 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont
Whooper Swans, 22nd September 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont
Hen Harrier, 22nd September 2018.
Photo - James Siddle
Whinchat, 22nd September 2018.
Photo - James Siddle
September 21st. Strong but gradually decreasing south-westerly wind.
 Heading south were 211 Pink-footed Goose, 4 Wigeon, 15 Teal, a Shoveler, 9 Red-throated Diver, 137 Gannet, 28 Cormorant, a Marsh Harrier, 117 Golden Plover, a Whimbrel, 2 Snipe, 14 Great Skua, 11 Arctic Skua, 3 Long-tailed Skua, 3 Auk spp, 207 Sandwich Tern, 5 Common Tern, 7 Commic Tern, 16 Kestrel, a Hobby, 36 Sand Martin, 87 Swallow, 1828 House Martin, 3 Starling, 2 Tree Sparrow, 17 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Grey Wagtail, 12 Alba Wagtail, 2778 Meadow Pipit, 2 Chaffinch, 10 Greenfinch, 128 Linnet, 41 Goldfinch, 59 Siskin, a Yellowhammer and 76 Reed Bunting; and north a Great Crested Grebe, a Pomarine Skua and a Kittiwake. In off the sea came 12 Wigeon, a Marsh Harrier, a Snipe, a Kestrel and a Merlin. Birds around included 33 Pink-footed Goose, 11 Common Scoter, a Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe, a Water Rail, 379 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, a Kingfisher, 2 Green Woodpecker and 2 Spotted Flycatcher.

Marsh Harrier, arriving off the sea, 21st September 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
Ringing Recovery and Control:
Greenfinch ringed GPBO 22 October 2015, found dead King's Lynn, Norfolk 16 September 2018.
Sedge Warbler ringed GPBO 11 August 2018, controlled Graignes, France 17 August 2018.
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