May 10th. Soggy start.
A Red-rumped Swallow was around the water bodies 0930-1000hrs then departed. Birds around, including those trapped, were 41 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Avocet, a Little Ringed Plover, 6 Whimbrel, a Cetti's Warbler, a Willow Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 6 Whitethroat, a Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail and a Lesser Redpoll. On Tennyson's Sands were 12 Avocet, a Little Gull, a Spoonbill and a Cetti's Warbler; on Croftmarsh a Pink-footed Goose, an Avocet and a Little Tern; and on Fenland Lagoon a Little Ringed Plover. Going south were a Red Kite, a Hobby, a Ring-necked Parakeet, a Woodlark, 12 Swift, 15 Sand Martin, 255 Swallow, 50 House Martin and 4 Yellow Wagtail.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 14 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Long-tailed Tit, 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Goldfinch, a Reed Bunting, a Linnet, a Swallow and a Dunnock; and 3 retrap Whitethroat.
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| Yellow Wagtails, 10 May 2021. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
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| Cuckoo, 10 May 2021. Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Hobby, 10 May 2021. Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Swallow, ringed 10 May 2021. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Swallow, ringed 10 May 2021. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Long-tailed Tit, 10 May 2021. Photo - George Gregory |
May 9th. Fairly strong southerly wind.
Around were 78 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Pintail, 3 Cuckoo, 8 Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, 7 Little Tern, 2 Hobby, a Cetti's Warbler, a Willow Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 15 Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler, 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 7 Blackcap, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 23 Whitethroat, a Ring Ouzel, a Whinchat, 3 Wheatear and 14 Yellow Wagtail. On Tennyson's Sands were a Great Crested Grebe, 7 Avocet, a Spoonbill and 2 Reed Warbler; on Fenland Lagoon a Little Ringed Plover; and on Croftmarsh an Avocet. Heading south were 10 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Buzzard, a Gannet, a Spoonbill, a Peregrine, a Hobby, 150 Swift, 807 Swallow, 20 House Martin, 61 Yellow Wagtail, a Tree Pipit and a Lesser Redpoll; and west a Buzzard.
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| Wheatear, 9 May 2021. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
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| Whinchat, 9 May 2021. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
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| Common Sandpiper, 9 May 2021. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| Speckled Wood, 9 May 2021. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
May 8th. Prolonged rain from early morning until mid afternoon.
Birds around included 30 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Swift, a Cuckoo, 2 Whimbrel, a Jack Snipe, 2 Sandwich Tern, a Little Tern, 21 Swallow, a Cetti's Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 8 Sedge Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 9 Whitethroat, a Ring Ouzel, 2 Wheatear, a Whinchat, a House Sparrow and a Lesser Redpoll. On Tennyson's Sands were 17 Avocet; on Fenland Lagoon a Little Ringed Plover; on the Mere a Reed Warbler; and on Croftmarsh 3 Avocet. Heading south were 13 Common Scoter and a Ring-necked Parakeet.
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| Sunrise, 8 May 2021. Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Roe buck swimming at Greenshanks Creek, 8 May 2021. Photo - Nige Lound |
May 7th. Frosty start.
Around, including birds trapped, were 130 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Cuckoo, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, 2 Short-eared Owl, a Kingfisher, a Peregrine, a Hobby, 7 Swallow, a Cetti's Warbler, a Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 10 Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 28 Whitethroat, 3 Ring Ouzel and 2 Wheatear. On Tennyson's Sands were 21 Avocet, 6 Black-tailed Godwit and a Spoonbill; on Croftmarsh a Little Ringed Plover and a Little Gull; and on Jackson's Marsh a Common Sandpiper and 2 Yellow Wagtail. Flying south were 6 Swift and 23 Swallow and 2 House Martin.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 5 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Robin, a Whitethroat, a Meadow Pipit and a Song Thrush; and 2 retrap Whitethroat.
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| Cuckoo, 7 May 2021. Photo - Jack Wilson |
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| Cuckoo, 7 May 2021. Photo - Adrian Royle |
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| Marsh Harrier, 7 May 2021. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| Short-eared Owl, 7 May 2021. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
May 6th. Frosty start.
Birds around, including those trapped, were 120 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Cuckoo, 15 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Mediterranean Gull, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Harrier, 4 Buzzard, a Short-eared Owl, a Hobby, 3 Willow Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 18 Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 22 Whitethroat and a Wheatear. On Tennyson's Sands were 22 Avocet, a Common Sandpiper, a Spoonbill, 2 Reed Warbler and 2 Cetti's Warbler; on Fenland Lagoon an Avocet; on Jackson's Marsh 2 Spoonbill; and on Croftmarsh a Pink-footed Goose, 3 Avocet, a Little Gull, 4 Buzzard and a Yellow Wagtail. Going south were 2 Whimbrel, 54 Swallow and 23 House Martin; and north a Wood Sandpiper.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 9 new birds: 3 Blackcap, 2 Sedge Warbler, 3 Whitethroat and a Blue Tit; and 5 retraps: 3 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler and a Goldfinch.
May 5th. Soggy start.
Around, including birds trapped, were 140 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Garganey, 2 Cuckoo, a Short-eared Owl, a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler and a male Pied Flycatcher (West Dunes). On Tennyson's Sands were 21 Avocet and a Little Gull; and on Croftmarsh a Garganey, 2 Ruff and a Little Gull. Heading south were 6 Swift and a Swallow; and north a House Martin.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 7 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, a Sedge Warbler and a Linnet; and 5 retraps: 4 Whitethroat and a Blackcap.
May 4th. Increasingly strong westerly wind, with some rainy spells.
Birds around included 140 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Whimbrel, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, a Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and 9 Whitethroat.. On Tennyson's Sands were a Wigeon, 27 Avocet and a Reed Warbler; and on Croftmarsh a Garganey, an Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Ruff, a Buzzard and 2 Yellow Wagtail. Flying south were 2 Common Scoter, 2 Swift, 2 Whimbrel, 42 Sandwich Tern, 33 Little Tern, 4 Arctic Tern, a Gannet, 23 Swallow and 3 House Martin.
May 3rd. Around, including birds trapped, were 140 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Cuckoo, 4 Avocet, 7 Whimbrel, a Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, a Little Gull, a Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 7 Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler, 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 16 Whitethroat and a Coal Tit. On Jackson's Marsh was a Wood Sandpiper briefly; on Tennyson's Sands were 21 Avocet; and on Croftmarsh an Avocet. Going south were 2 Swift, 48 Swallow, 6 Yellow Wagtail and a Tree Pipit.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 9 new birds: a Wren, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, a Blackcap, 2 Sedge Warbler and a Coal Tit; and 6 retraps: 2 Whitethroat, a Wren and 3 Dunnock.
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| Coal Tit showing features of continental subspecies, ringed 3 May 2021. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Coal Tit showing features of continental subspecies, ringed 3 May 2021. Photo - George Gregory |
May 2nd. Frosty start, then sunny, then cloudy.
Birds around, including those trapped, were 140 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Cuckoo, 6 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Mediterranean Gull, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, a Short-eared Owl, a Green Woodpecker, 4 Willow Warbler, 14 Chiffchaff, 12 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 41 Whitethroat, 17 Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, a Coal Tit, a Redwing and 2 Goldcrest. On Tennyson's Sands were 20 Avocet, a Cetti's Warbler and a Reed Warbler; on Fenland Lagoon a Greenshank; on Jackson's Marsh a Spoonbill and a Yellow Wagtail; and on Croftmarsh 2 Avocet, a Little Ringed Plover and 2 Wheatear. Heading south were 2 Sand Martin, 81 Swallow and 5 House Martin.
The first session of CES was done this morning. The 16 new birds were a Chiffchaff, a Wren, 3 Sedge Warbler, a Robin, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Goldfinch, a Reed Warbler, a House Sparrow, a Dunnock, a Song Thrush and a Blackbird. The 15 retraps were 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Wren, 2 Dunnock, 2 Robin, a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Whitethroat.
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| Short-eared Owl, 2 May 2021. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
May 1st. Frosty start, then rainy spells.
Around, including birds trapped, were 100 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Cuckoo, a Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Spoonbill, a Willow Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, a Goldcrest, a Ring Ouzel, 5 Redwing, 5 Song Thrush and a Wheatear. On Croftmarsh were 2 Garganey and 4 Golden Plover; and on Jackson's Marsh 2 Pochard. Flying north were 80 Sandwich Tern, 20 Arctic Tern, 60 Little Tern, a Sand Martin and a Swallow. In off the sea came a Hobby.
A rain-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 7 new birds: a Wren, a Willow Warbler, a Meadow Pipit, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Reed Bunting; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Goldcrest.
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| Golden Plovers, 1 May 2021. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
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| Wheatear, 1 May 2021. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
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| Cuckoo, 1 May 2021. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
