November 10th. Birds around, including those trapped were 110 Brent Goose, 1500 Pink-footed Goose, 9 Whooper Swan, 2 Red-throated Diver, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Hen Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk, a Jack Snipe, 3 Woodcock, a Green Woodpecker, a Hooded Crow, 25 Goldcrest, a Firecrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 65 Blackbird, a Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrush, 11 Redwing, 10 Rock Pipit, 2 Brambling, 6 Siskin and 10 Corn Bunting.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 12 new birds: 7 Goldcrest, 3 Robin and 2 Blackbird; and 10 retraps: 2 Robin, 7 Goldcrest and a Firecrest. The retrapped Firecrest was ringed on November 9th; it remained the same weight at 4.9g.
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Hooded Crow, 10th November 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Firecrest, retrapped, 10th November 2018.
Photo - George Gregory
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A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 17 new birds: 10 Goldcrest, a Firecrest, 2 Long-tailed Tit, a Goldfinch and 3 Blackbird; and a retrap Song Thrush.
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Purple Sandpiper, resting with Turnstone, a 'record shot', 9th November 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Waders, re-settling to roost over the morning high tide, 9th November 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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| Firecrest, ringed 9th November 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, provided a new Robin; and 3 retraps: a Blackbird, a Redwing and a Goldcrest.
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Rising Sun, 8th November 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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A Pallid Swift was discovered hawking over Sykes Farm at lunchtime, first seen from the upstairs office window, initially showing at incredibly close range. The bird then drifted out over Jackson's Marsh before relocating to the corral area on Croft Marsh where it lingered briefly before going slowly south. Birds around included 140 Brent Goose, 800 Pink-footed Goose, 48 Whooper Swan, a Great White Egret, a Marsh Harrier, a Hen Harrier, 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, a Water Rail, 90 Golden Plover, 94 Lapwing, 14 Snipe, 12 Stock Dove, a Hooded Crow, 16 Goldcrest, 4 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 2 Treecreeper, 240 Starling, 63 Blackbird, 17 Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrush, 73 Redwing, 10 Rock Pipit, 5 Brambling and 2 Siskin. A Black-throated Diver came from the north before doubling back. Also moving offshore were 2 Wigeon, 5 Teal, 2 Pintail, 3 Eider and 13 Common Scoter.
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Pallid Swift, 7th November 2018.
Field sketch - Ben Ward
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A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 2 new birds: a Goldcrest and a Song Thrush; and 3 retraps: a Blue Tit, a Wren and a Robin.
November 5th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 150 Brent Goose, 2870 Pink-footed Goose, 109 Whooper Swan, 91 Wigeon, 2 Velvet Scoter, a Grey Partridge, a Grey Heron, a Great White Egret, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, 450 Golden Plover, 3 Avocet, 7 Turnstone, 13 Snipe, 15 Stock Dove, a Kingfisher, a Merlin, a Hooded Crow, 19 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest, a Cetti's Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 300 Starling, 118 Blackbird, 3 Fieldfare, 8 Song Thrush, 79 Redwing, a Stonechat, a Water Pipit, 19 Rock Pipit, 3 Brambling, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Crossbill, 9 Siskin, a Yellowhammer and 16 Corn Bunting. Heading north was a Spoonbill; and south a Pintail, 9 Common Scoter, a Crossbill and a Yellowhammer.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 27 new birds: 16 Long-tailed Tit, a Goldcrest, a Chaffinch, a Reed Bunting, 3 Song Thrush, a Redwing and 4 Blackbird; 7 retraps: 3 Blackbird, a Redwing, a Dunnock and 2 Long-tailed Tit; and a control Blackcap with an ARNHEM-VT HOLLAND ring.
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River Steeping, at dusk high tide, 5th November 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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| Netherlands-ringed Blackcap, controlled 5th November 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
Around were 55 Whooper Swan, 300 Brent Goose, 2200 Pink-footed Goose, 9 Pintail, a Scaup, an Eider, 2 Common Scoter, 2 Velvet Scoter, a Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Red-throated Diver, a Grey Heron, a Great White Egret, a ringtail Hen Harrier, a Marsh Harrier, 4 Sparrowhawk, 3 Water Rail, 453 Golden Plover, 70 Lapwing, a Spotted Redshank, 34 Snipe, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 2 Tawny Owl, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Hooded Crow, 18 Goldcrest, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Treecreeper, 300 Starling, a Ring Ouzel, 76 Blackbird, 8 Song Thrush, 108 Redwing, a Stonechat, 4 Brambling, a Crossbill and 20 Siskin. Heading south were 28 Teal, 6 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Great Northern Diver, a Black-throated Diver, 5 Red-throated Diver, 9 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 35 Fieldfare and 4 Siskin.
A delayed morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: a Reed Bunting, a Song Thrush and a Blackbird; and 10 retraps: 3 Robin and 7 Long-tailed Tit.
Velvet Scoter and Scaup, offshore, 4th November 2018.
Video - Ben Ward
Video - Ben Ward
November 3rd. Increasing southerly wind.
The previous day's Raven was seen again, far to the south of Wash Viewpoint. Birds around, including those trapped, were 140 Whooper Swan, 60 Brent Goose, 3000 Pink-footed Goose, a Pintail, 2 Grey Partridge, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Hen Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, a Water Rail, 270 Golden Plover, 8 Turnstone, a Ruff, a Spotted Redshank, a Jack Snipe, 10 Snipe, a Merlin, 2 Peregrine, 2 Hooded Crow, a Chiffchaff, 11 Goldcrest, a Coal Tit, 70 Blackbird, 4 Fieldfare, 7 Song Thrush, 45 Redwing, 6 Rock Pipit, a Brambling, a Redpoll, 15 Siskin and a Crossbill. Offshore were 4 Common Scoter, 2 Velvet Scoter, 3 Red-throated Diver, a Puffin and a juvenile Pomarine Skua. Flying south were 75 Lapwing.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 5 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Goldfinch, 2 Song Thrush and a Snipe; and 4 retraps: 2 Blackbird, a Robin and a Great Tit.
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| Snipe, ringed 3rd November 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Snipe, ringed 3rd November 2018. Photo - George Gregory |
A surprising 7 species of corvid were recorded for the first time in a single day on the reserve, the highlights of which being a Raven that flew south, then south-west mid-morning, with the 2 lingering Hooded Crow still around the beach. A Shore Lark was seen in flight over the saltings out from East Dunes. Around were 6 Brent Goose, 2500 Pink-footed Goose, 90 Whooper Swan, 160 Wigeon, a Great White Egret, a Marsh Harrier, a Hen Harrier, 3 Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, a Water Rail, 100 Golden Plover, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Woodcock, 17 Snipe, a Merlin, a Jay, 64 Skylark, a Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, 23 Goldcrest, 3 Coal Tit, 451 Starling, 242 Blackbird, 24 Fieldfare, 17 Song Thrush, 119 Redwing, 54 Robin, 4 Stonechat, 19 Rock Pipit, 15 Brambling, 134 Linnet, a Lesser Redpoll, a Crossbill, 3 Siskin and 4 Yellowhammer. Going south were a Sparrowhawk, 4 Lapwing, 82 Woodpigeon, a Rook, a Woodlark, 21 Skylark, 107 Starling, 4 Rock Pipit, 6 Brambling, 66 Chaffinch, 32 Goldfinch and 22 Siskin; and west 229 Woodpigeon, 12 Skylark and 4 Stock Dove.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 12 new birds: a Chaffinch, a Song Thrush, a Redwing and 9 Blackbird; and 8 retraps: 4 Robin, a Blackbird, a Redwing, a Dunnock and a Wren.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling resulted in 27 new birds: 9 Goldfinch, 2 Great Tit, a Coal Tit, 2 Greenfinch, a Redwing and 12 Blackbird; and 9 retraps: 5 Great Tit, a Goldfinch, a Robin, a Blue Tit and a Greenfinch.
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Raven, 2nd November 2018.
Photos - Ben Ward
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Hooded Crow, 2nd November 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Stonechat, 2nd November 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Yellowhammer, 2nd November 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Birds around included 800 Pink-footed Goose, 102 Brent Goose, 168 Whooper Swan, a Grey Heron, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Hen Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk, a Water Rail, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, a Green Sandpiper, a Woodcock, 23 Snipe, a Kingfisher, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Hooded Crow, a Chiffchaff, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, 14 Goldcrest, a Firecrest, 120 Blackbird, 15 Fieldfare, 7 Song Thrush, 93 Redwing, a Grey Wagtail, 3 Rock Pipit, 2 Brambling and 6 Siskin. Heading south and then west was a Red Kite. In off the sea came a Buzzard.
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Green Woodpecker, 1st November 2018
Photo - Nige Lound
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Sunset, 1st November 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward
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