On Croftmarsh were 196 Canada Goose, a Barnacle Goose, 6 Greylag Goose, 3 Shelduck, 220 Wigeon, 80 Teal, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, 190 Lapwing, 54 Curlew, 31 Redshank, 12 Stock Dove, a Nordic Jackdaw, 65 Jackdaw, 95 Starling and a Water Pipit; on Jackson's Marsh a Water Rail and a Kingfisher; on Tennyson's Sands a Goldeneye; and on the Mere a Pochard. Birds around included 921 Pink-footed Goose, 60 Shoveler, 58 Gadwall, 21 Tufted Duck, 55 Common Scoter, 12 Little Grebe, 5 Little Egret, 5 Snipe, a Tawny Owl, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Long-tailed Tit, a Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 58 Blackbird, 3 Fieldfare, 18 Redwing, 9 Song Thrush, 17 Robin, a Bullfinch and 16 Greenfinch.
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Sparrowhawk, 20th December 2019.
Photo - Jim Shaw
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Goldeneye, 20th December 2019.
Photo - Jim Shaw
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Snipe, 20th December 2019.
Photo - Jim Shaw
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A Slavonian Grebe was off Greenshanks Creek along with 56 Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Diver and 2 Great Crested Grebe from mid to late morning at least. Going south over the sea were 10 Brent Goose, 39 Pink-footed Goose, 12 Grey Goose Sp, 3 Shelduck, 66 Wigeon, 5 Pintail, 9 Teal, 22 Eider, 24 Common Scoter, 7 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe and a juvenile Pomarine Skua; north a Red-throated Diver and a Guillemot; and west inland 169 Lapwing. Birds around included 90 Brent Goose, 601 Pink-footed Goose, 37 Shoveler, 114 Gadwall, 157 Teal, 2 drake Pintail (1 Jackson's Marsh and 1 Tennyson's Sands), a Pochard (Jackson's Marsh), 32 Tufted Duck, 10 Little Grebe, 5 Little Egret, 275 Lapwing, a Snipe, 2 Tawny Owl, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, 2 Merlin, a Coal Tit, 14 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 110 Starling, 40 Blackbird, 11 Song Thrush, 8 Redwing, 20 Robin, 6 Stonechat (2 Visitor Centre Car Park, 2 Croftmarsh and 2 Freshwater Marsh), a House Sparrow, 8 Meadow Pipit, a Water Pipit (off Jackson;s Marsh), a Bullfinch and 16 Greenfinch.
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Stonechat, 19th December 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Jackdaw, ringed as pullus GPNNR 24 May 2003, road casualty Gibraltar Road 11 December 2019.
This bird was over 16 years old. The longevity record is over 18 years.
December 18th. Scant observer coverage.
Around, including birds trapped, were 150 Brent Goose, 800 Pink-footed Goose, 5 Whooper Swan (fields west of River Steeping), 4 Little Egret, 2 Woodcock, 2 Tawny Owl, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, 9 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 42 Blackbird, a Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, 8 Song Thrush, 12 Robin, 4 Stonechat (2 Visitor Centre Car Park and 2 Freshwater Marsh), 6 Greenfinch and a Siskin. Heading south were 42 Pink-footed Goose and 18 Fieldfare.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling yielded 5 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Chaffinch and 3 Greenfinch; and 7 retraps: a Great Tit, a Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Blue Tit and a Greenfinch.
December 17th. Fog for most of the day.
A Lapland Bunting was around Greenshanks Ridge in the afternoon. Birds around included 340 Brent Goose, 840 Pink-footed Goose, 5 Whooper Swan (fields west of River Steeping), 41 Shoveler, 46 Gadwall, 44 Wigeon, 2 Pintail (on the sea), 68 Teal, 39 Tufted Duck, 35 Common Scoter, a Red-throated Diver, 12 Little Grebe, a Great Crested Grebe, 6 Little Egret, a Sparrowhawk, a Water Rail, 240 Lapwing, a Golden Plover, 102 Curlew, 12 Turnstone, 65 Sanderling, 71 Redshank, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Tawny Owl, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, 12 Skylark, 10 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 4 Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 96 Starling, 69 Blackbird, 58 Fieldfare, 23 Redwing, 24 Song Thrush, 38 Robin, 10 Stonechat (2 Visitor Centre Car Park, 1 Mere Meadow, 2 Golf Course and 5 North End), 41 Dunnock, a Bullfinch, 15 Greenfinch, 28 Linnet, 26 Goldfinch, a Siskin and 9 Reed Bunting.
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Jackson's Marsh, at dusk, 17th December 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Goldfinch, ringed Kilnsea, Yorkshire 28 October 2019, controlled GPBO 1 November 2019.
December 16th.
On Croftmarsh were 200 Lapwing, 24 Golden Plover, 55 Curlew, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 34 Redshank and 200 Starling; and on Jackson's Marsh 4 Pintail. Birds around included 201 Brent Goose, 920 Pink-footed Goose, 42 Shoveler, 40 Gadwall, 149 Wigeon, 148 Teal, 23 Tufted Duck, 3 Goosander, 10 Little Grebe, 4 Little Egret, a Sparrowhawk, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Water Rail, a Woodcock, a Snipe, 20 Stock Dove, 2 Tawny Owl, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Kestrel, a Merlin, 12 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 10 Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 48 Blackbird, 34 Fieldfare, 67 Redwing, 9 Song Thrush, 24 Robin, 6 Stonechat, 2 Water Pipit (mobile birds), a Brambling (Plantation), a Bullfinch, 17 Greenfinch, 2 Siskin and a Corn Bunting (Wash Viewpoint). Heading south were a Buzzard, 132 Fieldfare and 41 Redwing.
December 15th. Moderately strong south-westerly wind.
A Lapland Bunting flew over Mill Hill in the afternoon and 6 Snow Bunting were along the shore. Heading north over the sea were 2 Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Diver and a Manx Shearwater; and south 4 Brent Goose, 45 Pink-footed Goose, 16 Wigeon, a Mallard, 3 Common Scoter, a Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe and 4 Auk Sp. On Jackson's Marsh were 5 Pintail, a Pochard, 29 Tufted Duck and a Water Pipit; and on Croftmarsh 202 Lapwing, 54 Curlew, 24 Redshank, 17 Stock Dove and 180 Starling. Around were 250 Brent Goose, 831 Pink-footed Goose, 97 Canada Goose, 70 Shoveler, 37 Gadwall, 189 Wigeon, 6 further Pintail (estuary), 123 Teal, 79 Common Scoter, 7 Red-throated Diver, 7 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Egret, 160 Cormorant, 2 Sparrowhawk, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Hen Harrier (1 adult male and 2 ringtail, ranging widely), a Buzzard, a Water Rail, 20 Golden Plover, a Snipe, 2 Tawny Owl, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Kestrel, 2 Merlin, a Peregrine, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 4 Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 27 Blackbird, 34 Fieldfare, 9 Redwing, 7 Song Thrush, 18 Robin, 2 Stonechat (Visitor Centre Car Park), 2 Brambling (Plantation), a Bullfinch, 7 Greenfinch and 4 Siskin.
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| Long-tailed Tit, 15th December 2019 Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| Siskin, 15th December 2019 Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| Dunnock, 15th December 2019 Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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Fieldfare, 15th December 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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4 Lapland Bunting were out from the Wash Viewpoint in the morning. On Jackson's Marsh were a Pintail, 25 Tufted Duck, a Water Rail and a Black-tailed Godwit; and on Croftmarsh 176 Canada Goose, a Barnacle Goose, 64 Lapwing, 46 Curlew, 16 Stock Dove and 98 Starling. Birds around included 200 Brent Goose, 601 Pink-footed Goose, 62 Shoveler, 48 Gadwall, 191 Wigeon, 393 Teal, 4 Little Egret, a Sparrowhawk, a Hen Harrier, 1950 Oystercatcher, 2 Snipe, 2 Tawny Owl, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Kestrel, a Peregrine, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 26 Blackbird, 2 Fieldfare, 9 Redwing, 5 Song Thrush, 16 Robin, 3 Stonechat (2 Visitor Centre Car Park and 1 Mere Meadow), 4 Meadow Pipit, 9 Rock Pipit, 2 Bullfinch and 8 Greenfinch.
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Hen Harrier, 14th December 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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On Tennyson's Sands was a Bearded Tit (from North Hide); and on Jackson's Marsh were 131 Canada Goose, a Barnacle Goose, 56 Greylag Goose, 28 Shoveler, 18 Gadwall, 248 Wigeon, 4 Pintail, 24 Tufted Duck, a Water Rail, a Snipe, a Kingfisher and a Water Pipit. Flying south was a Lapland Bunting; and west were 11 Fieldfare. Birds around included 1380 Pink-footed Goose (out of roost), 142 Teal, 4 Little Egret, 40 Lapwing, a Woodcock, 24 Stock Dove, 2 Tawny Owl, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Kestrel, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 18 Blackbird, 2 Redwing, 3 Song Thrush, a Bullfinch, 5 Greenfinch and 2 Siskin.
December 12th. Frozen start, then rain from mid morning.
A Velvet Scoter was amongst 90 Common Scoter off Greenshanks Creek in the morning. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Pintail, 5 Pochard and 26 Tufted Duck; and on Croftmarsh 134 Canada Goose, a Barnacle Goose, 90 Lapwing, 60 Curlew and 55 Starling. Around were 300 Brent Goose, 350 Pink-footed Goose, 41 Shoveler, 70 Gadwall, 246 Wigeon, 207 Teal, 4 Little Egret, 3 Woodcock, 2 Tawny Owl, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Kestrel, 10 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 7 Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 73 Blackbird, 8 Fieldfare, 19 Redwing, 10 Song Thrush, 22 Robin, 4 Stonechat (2 Mere Meadow and 2 Visitors Centre Car Park), a Bullfinch, 24 Greenfinch, 4 Siskin and 8 Corn Bunting (Wash Viewpoint).
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Pochard, adult male and first winter female, 12th December 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 13 new birds: 5 Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, 6 Greenfinch and a Blackbird; and 4 retraps: a Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch and a Blue Tit.
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Corn Bunting, 11th December 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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