October 10th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 30 Brent Goose, 200 Pink-footed Goose, 27 Whooper Swan, 60 Wigeon, 17 Pintail, a Grey Heron, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Water Rail, 8339 Oystercatcher, 3384 Grey Plover, 271 Curlew, 4210 Bar-tailed Godwit, 82000 Knot, 1235 Sanderling, 6770 Dunlin, 2 Spotted Redshank, an Arctic Tern, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 14 Goldcrest, 8 Coal Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 3 Treecreeper, a Fieldfare, 3 Ring Ouzel, 21 Redwing, 7 Yellow-browed Warbler and a Firecrest. Going south were a Marsh Harrier, 24 Lapwing, 834 Woodpigeon, 3 Rook, 9 Carrion Crow, 93 Skylark, 14 Swallow, 3 Alba Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail, 7 Rock Pipit, 21 Brambling, 22 Chaffinch, 6 Greenfinch, 41 Linnet, 8 Crossbill, 115 Goldfinch, 22 Siskin and 12 Reed Bunting; and east 6 Ruff. In off the sea came 306 Starling.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 11 new birds: a Wren, A Firecrest, a Reed Bunting, a Blackcap, a Chaffinch, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, a Song Thrush and a Blackbird; and 2 retraps: a Reed Bunting and a Dunnock.
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Yellow-browed Warbler, 10th October 2018.
Photo - Paul Johnson
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Firecrest, ringed 10th October 2018.
Photo - George Gregory
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Ring Ouzel, 10th October 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Greenshanks Creek, at morning high tide, 10th October 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Sunrise out from Mill Hill, 10th October 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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October 9th. Breezy south-westerly.
The Spotted Crake was again seen in the channel by the Mere. Around, including birds trapped, were 24 Whooper Swan, 400 Pink-footed Goose, 97 Brent Goose, 117 Wigeon, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Merlin, a Peregrine, 9 Goldcrest, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 10 Yellow-browed Warbler, 13 Redwing, 7 Stonechat, 2 Brambling, a Crossbill and 3 Snow Bunting. Heading south were a White-fronted Goose, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Mediterranean Gull, 270 Woodpigeon, 10 Swallow, 8 House Martin, 92 Starling, 9 Alba Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail, 330 Linnet, 12 Lesser Redpoll, 236 Goldfinch, 194 Siskin, 42 Chaffinch, 11 Greenfinch, 6 Brambling, a Snow Bunting, a Lapland Bunting, 63 Reed Bunting and 2 Yellowhammer; north an Arctic Skua; and west 50 Fieldfare. In off the sea came 3 Marsh Harrier.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 4 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting and a Merlin; and 2 retraps: a Wren and a Dunnock.
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Merlin, ringed 9th September 2018.
Photo - George Gregory
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Snow Buntings, 9th October 2018.
Photo - Nige Lound
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Rock and Meadow Pipits, 9th October 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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October 8th. Breezy south-westerly.
The Spotted Crake was again seen in the left channel beyond the Mere. In the Plantation were 2 Yellow-browed Warbler. Birds around were 5 Brent Goose, 140 Pink-footed Goose, 21 Whooper Swan, an Egyptian Goose, 80 Wigeon, a Stonechat, a Hawfinch, 4 Brambling and 3 Crossbill. Going east were 120 Pink-footed Goose; and south 8 Skylark and a Swallow.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 7 new birds: a Wren, 3 Reed Bunting, a Blackcap and 2 Blackbird; and a retrap Blackcap.
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Blackcap, 8th October 2018.
Photo - Paul Johnson
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Stonechat, 8th October 2018.
Photo - Paul Johnson
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| Brambling, 8th October 2018. Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Whooper Swan, 8th October 2018. Photo - Owen Beaumont |
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| Lesser Black-backed Gull, 8th October 2018. Photo - Owen Beaumont |
October 7th. Scarcities on the reserve were 2 Barred Warbler, 18 Yellow-browed Warbler and a Richard's Pipit. The Spotted Crake was re-found in the adjacent channel by the Mere. A large fall of Brambling was evident early morning with a total of 461 counted. Around, including birds trapped, were 25 Whooper Swan, 1170 Pink-footed Goose, 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Jack Snipe, a Mediterranean Gull, a Caspian Gull, a Kingfisher, a Short-eared Owl, a Merlin, a Hobby, a Peregrine, 25 Goldcrest, 24 Chiffchaff, 35 Blackcap, 7 Ring Ouzel, 214 Redwing, 32 Fieldfare and a Hawfinch. Heading south were 2 Marsh Harrier, 4 Buzzard, a Twite, a Lapland Bunting and 4 Snow Bunting.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with James Siddle, provided 55 new birds; a Wren, a Goldcrest, 10 Reed Bunting, 14 Blackcap, 6 Great Tit, 3 Robin, a Brambling, 7 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, a Barred Warbler, 3 Song Thrush, 4 Redwing, a Ring Ouzel and a Sparrowhawk; and 9 retraps: 2 Wren, a Dunnock, 2 Blackbird, a Great Tit, 2 Robin and a Blue Tit.
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Richard's Pipit, 9th October 2018
Photo - Kev Wilson
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| Barred Warbler, ringed 7th October 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Ring Ouzel, ringed 7th October 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Redwing, ringed 7th October 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Jack Snipe, 7th October 2018. Photo - Liam Andrews |
October 6th. Rain for most of day.
Birds around included 6, a Hobby, a Merlin, 2 Ring Ouzel, 120 Redwing and 11 Brambling. On the Mere was a Jack Snipe. In off the sea came a Woodcock, 50 Snipe and 40 Starling. Flying north were 9 Pintail, 2 Scaup, 8 Manx Shearwater, 5 Little Gull, 7 Common Tern, 8 Arctic Skua, 3 Great Skua, 38 Sandwich Tern and 3 Arctic Tern; and south 228 Pink-footed Goose, 3 Manx Shearwater, 2 Sooty Shearwater, 9 Arctic Skua, 6 Great Skua, 4 Swallow and 4 Siskin.
October 5th. A Spotted Crake (possibly the previous bird) was photographed in the right channel beyond the Mere. Birds around included 4 Whooper Swan, 250 Pink-footed Goose, 213 Shelduck, 38 Common Scoter, 16 Red-throated Diver, a Marsh Harrier, 64 Lapwing, 6 Spotted Redshank, 11 Snipe, a Guillemot, a Merlin, a Hobby, 7 Goldcrest, 4 Coal Tit, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, a Fieldfare and 11 Stonechat. Going south were 66 Pink-footed Goose, a Marsh Harrier, 14 Swallow, a House Martin and 4 Redwing; and north a Buzzard and a Yellow Wagtail.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Jenni Godber and Jessica Arrowsmith, produced 8 new birds: a Wren, 2 Robin, 2 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting and a Song Thrush; and 3 retraps: a Blackcap, a Robin and a Dunnock.
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Merlin, 5th October 2018.
Photo - Kev Wilson
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| Shaggy Ink Cap now collapsing, 5th October 2018. Compare with yesterday's photo. Photo - George Gregory |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, yielded 20 new birds: 5 Long-tailed Tit, a Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, a Linnet, a Robin, 2 Chaffinch, 7 Reed Bunting and a Blue Tit; and 6 retraps: 2 Blue Tit, a Goldcrest, a Great Tit, a Reed Bunting and a Wren.
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| Shaggy Ink Cap, now mostly 'melted', 4th October 2018. Compare with yesterday's photo. Photo - George Gregory |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 24 new birds: 3 Wren, 8 Reed Bunting, a Linnet, a Stonechat, 6 Blue Tit, a Chaffinch, 3 Dunnock and a Sparrowhawk; and 9 retraps: a Dunnock, a Wren, 2 Reed Bunting, a Great Tit, a Chaffinch and 3 Blue Tit.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 48 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, 13 Blue Tit, 22 Goldfinch, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Great Tit, a Robin, 4 Greenfinch and a Dunnock; and 16 retraps: 2 Dunnock, 8 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit, a Blackbird, a Wren and a Chiffchaff.
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| Stonechat, ringed 3rd October 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Sparrowhawk, ringed 3rd October 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Shaggy Ink Cap now largely 'melted', 3rd October 2018. Compare with yesterday's photo. Photo - George Gregory |
An adult Sabine's Gull went south into the Wash early evening. Also going south were 3 Whooper Swan, 9 Pintail, 22 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 24 Red-throated Diver, a Diver spp, 357 Gannet, a Shag, a Great Crested Grebe, an Osprey, 60 Great Skua, 23 Arctic Skua, a juvenile Pomarine Skua, 2 Skua spp, 2 Guillemot, a Razorbill, 20 Auk spp, 8 Sandwich Tern, 4 Common Tern, an Arctic Tern, a Commic Tern, 2 Mediterranean Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull; north 27 Wigeon, 87 Common Scoter, 3 Fulmar, a Sooty Shearwater, 2 Manx Shearwater, 2 Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skua and a juvenile Long-tailed Skua. Going west were 300 Pink-footed Goose. In off the sea came 7 Snipe and a Kestrel. Offshore in the evening was a juvenile Pomarine Skua. Birds around included 2 Water Rail, 6 Spotted Redshank, a Merlin, a Peregrine, a Hobby, 16 House Martin, 2 Stonechat and a Snow Bunting. On the Mere were 10 Whooper Swan.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 24 new birds: 11 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Blue Tit, 7 Reed Bunting and a Blackcap; and 11 retraps: a Blackbird, a Wren, 2 Linnet, a Robin, 2 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit and 2 Goldcrest.
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North Sea, 2nd October 2018.
Photo - Paul Johnson
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Snow Bunting, 2nd October 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Great Skua, a good day of passage, 2nd October 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Whooper Swans, south over the beach, 2nd October 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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| Shaggy Ink Cap beginning to 'melt', 2nd October 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
A first calendar year Caspian Gull was around the beach and following a trawler in the evening; and offshore was a juvenile Pomarine Skua. Heading north were a Sooty Shearwater, 7 Manx Shearwater, 688 Gannet, 16 Great Skua, 18 Arctic Skua, a juvenile Pomarine Skua and a juvenile Long-tailed Skua; and south 12 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe and a Mediterranean Gull. Birds around included 2 Whooper Swan, 100 Pink-footed Goose, a Marsh Harrier, a Jack Snipe, a Hobby, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Fieldfare and 4 Stonechat.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 12 new birds: 2 Wren, a Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Reed Bunting, a Great Tit and 3 Blue Tit; and 2 retraps: a Dunnock and a Wren.
