Late October 2020

October 31st. Strong southerly wind.

 Around were 16 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2000+ Pink-footed Goose, 2 Woodcock, a Redwing and 3 Song Thrush. Going south were a Goldeneye, 5 Red-breasted Merganser and 1180 Herring Gull.

October 30th.   Quite strong south-westerly wind.

 Birds around included 45 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1600 Pink-footed Goose, a Great White Egret, a Treecreeper, 5 Redwing and 2 Stonechat. 

 A Common Redpoll was at the southern end of Seacroft Golf Course (Richard Scott).

Great White Egret, 30 October 2020.
Photo - Paul Massey

October 29th. Increasing south-westerly wind, with rain from mid morning until mid afternoon.

 Around were 45 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1660 Pink-footed Goose, 18 Whooper Swan, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Merlin, a Stonechat and 4 Redwing. On Tennyson's Sands were 12 Whooper Swan, a Singing Cetti's Warbler. Heading south were 5 Whooper Swan, a Black-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Diver and 5 Gannet.

Pink-footed Geese, 29 October 2020.
Photo - Nige Lound

Pink-footed Goose, 29th October 2020.
Photo - Nige Lound

Little Grebe, 29th October 2020
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Ringing control: 

Goldcrest, ringed GPBO 2 October 2020, controlled Bawdsey, Suffolk 10 October 2020.

October 28th. Moderately strong south-westerly wind.

 Birds around included 210 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Sparrowhawk, a Green Woodpecker, a Kingfisher, a Merlin, 2 Goldcrest, a late, scruffy-looking Garden Warbler, 10 Redwing, 2 Stonechat. Flying south were 30 Whooper Swan, 1280 Woodpigeon, 4 Swallow, a Woodlark, a Crossbill, a Bullfinch and 52 Siskin.

Garden Warbler, 28th October 2020.
Photo - Nige Lound

Whooper Swans, 28th October 2020.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Ringing control: 

Blackcap, ringed GPBO 9 November 2019, controlled Kilnsea, East Yorkshire 27 October 2020.

October 27th. Increasing south-westerly wind, with rain from mid morning.

 Around, including birds trapped, were 90 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 300 Pink-footed Goose, a Marsh Harrier, a Goldcrest, a Song Thrush and 6 Blackbird. Going south were 14 Whooper Swan, a Swallow, 10 Brambling and 25 Siskin.

 A wind- and rain-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 7 new birds: a Goldcrest, 2 Robin, a Song Thrush and 3 Blackbird; and 7 retraps: 2 Wren, 3 Blackbird, a Great Tit and a Blue Tit.

Jack Snipe, 27th October 2020
Photo - Steve Clippo

October 26th. Increasing south-westerly wind.

 Birds around, including those trapped, were 36 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 300 Pink-footed Goose, 61 Pintail, a Sparrowhawk, a Marsh Harrier, 4 Goldcrest, a Blackcap, 8 Redwing and 6 Song Thrush. Heading southsouthwest were 5 Egyptian Goose; and south 21 Whooper Swan, 4 Snipe, 2 Swallow, a House Martin, a Whinchat, 9 Redwing, 16 Brambling and 119 Siskin.

 A wind-shortened morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 14 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, a Robin, a Blue Tit, a Blackcap, 4 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush and a Blackbird.

Whinchat, 26 October 2020.
Photo - Paul Massey

October 25th. Fairly strong south-westerly wind, slowly decreasing.

 Around were 45 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 7 Barnacle Goose, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Water Rail, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Peregrine, 2 Merlin, 2 Redwing and 5 Stonechat. On the Mere were a Jack Snipe and a Snipe; and on the sea 3 Red-breasted Merganser. Flying south were 6 Pink-footed Goose, a Scaup, 300 Lapwing, 4 Great Skua, 2000 Woodpigeon, 3 Swallow and many finches and pipits; and north a Buzzard. The Starling roost numbered 60000.

Barnacle Goose and Pink-footed Goose, 25th October 2020
Photo - Steve Clippo

Shoveler, 25th October 2020
Photo - Steve Clippo

Jack Snipe, 25th October 2020.
Photo - Paul Johnson

Snipe, 25th October 2020.
Photo - Paul Johnson

October 24th. Increasingly strong southerly wind.

 Birds around included 114 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 7 Barnacle Goose, a Sparrowhawk, a Marsh Harrier, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Peregrine and 2 Merlin. On the Mere were a Jack Snipe and a Snipe. Going south were 3 Whooper Swan and 4 Great Skua.

October 23rd. Rain until mid morning, then soggy.

 Around, including birds trapped, were 113 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Merlin, a Peregrine, 4 Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, a Siberian Chiffchaff and a Blackcap. On the Mere were a Water Rail, a Jack Snipe and a Cetti's Warbler; and on Tennyson's Sands 121 Pink-footed Goose, a Water Rail, a Bearded Tit and a singing Cetti's Warbler. Heading south were 3 White-fronted Goose, 350 Pink-footed Goose, 73 Whooper Swan, 400 Golden Plover, 4 Swallow, 45 Fieldfare, 41 Redwing, 8 Brambling, 11 Crossbill, a Lapland Bunting and many other finches, larks and pipits; east 3 Barnacle Goose; west 2 Goosander; and north a Lapland Bunting.

 A brief rain-delayed morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 6 new birds: 4 Goldcrest, a Blackcap and a Redwing; and 4 retraps: a Robin, a Song Thrush, a Blackbird and a Blue Tit.

Jack Snipe, 23rd October 2020
Video - Kev Wilson

Whooper Swans, 23rd October 2020
Video - Kev Wilson

October 22nd. Moderately strong south-westerly wind.

 Birds around, including those trapped, were 45 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 650 Pink-footed Goose, a Sparrowhawk, a Merlin, a Peregrine, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Goldcrest, 7 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 11 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing and a Water Pipit. On the Mere was a Kingfisher. Flying south were 7 Whooper Swan, 2 Bearded Tit, 3 Swallow, 4 House Martin, 52 Fieldfare, 24 Redwing, 5 Grey Wagtail, 39 Brambling, 162 Siskin and 64 Crossbill; and southeast 2 Bean Goose. To roost went 45000 Starling. In the morning two visiting birders had brief views of what they took to be a Glossy Ibis over Tennyson's Sands, which then went out east.

 A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 9 new birds: a Wren, 2 Goldcrest, a Lesser Redpoll, a Blue Tit, 3 Redwing and a Blackbird; and 4 retraps: a Robin, a Goldcrest and 2 Blackbird.

Marsh Harrier, 22nd October 2020
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

October 21st. Rain for almost all of day. Very little coverage.

 On the Mere was a Jack Snipe.