Late July 2021

July 31st. Birds around included 4 Common Scoter, 1762 Sandwich Tern, a Short-eared Owl and 4 Swallow. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Spoonbill; and on Tennyson's Sands 73 Avocet, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 146 Black-tailed Godwit, 75 Redshank, 8 Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and 2 Snipe. Heading south were 4 Swift; and north 7 Whimbrel, 120 Sandwich Tern, 2 Manx Shearwater and a Fulmar.

 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 3 new birds: a Whitethroat, a Linnet and a Blackcap; and 4 retraps: 2 Whitethroat, a Linnet and a Dunnock.

 Butterflies included 3 Painted Lady.

July 30th. Intermittent rain.

 Around were 1500 Starling, 6 Sand Martin and 15 Swallow. On Jackson's Marsh were 23 Black-tailed Godwit and 17 Spoonbill; and on Tennyson's Sands a Pink-footed Goose, 60 Avocet, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 129 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Dunlin, 7 Snipe, 128 Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Common Tern and a Kingfisher. On Seacroft Golf Course was a Little Owl. Flying south were 6 Whimbrel.

July 29th. Fairly strong south-westerly wind.

 Around were 2 Swallow. On Jackson's Marsh were a Black-tailed Godwit, a Redshank and 5 Spoonbill; on Croftmarsh 2 Grey Heron; and on Tennyson's Sands 43 Avocet, 139 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 11 Redshank, a Greenshank and 3 Spoonbill. Going south were 65 Swift and 2 Swallow.

July 28th. Soggy start, then several brief light rainy spells in morning.

 Birds around, including those trapped, were 14 Sandwich  Tern, a Barn Owl, 2 Swallow and a Willow Warbler. On Jackson's Marsh were 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Redshank, a Wood Sandpiper and 2 Spoonbill; on Croftmarsh a Grey Heron; and on Tennyson's Sands 54 Avocet, 98 Black-tailed Godwit, 126 Redshank, a Snipe and 4 Spoonbill. Heading south were 14 Swift, 24 Swallow and 5 Sand Martin.

 A rain-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 12 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Wren, a Blackcap, a Linnet, a Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting, a Swallow, a Skylark and 3 Starling; and 5 retraps: a Wren, 2 Dunnock, a Swallow and a Lesser Whitethroat.

July 27th. Misty start.

 Around were 14 Whimbrel, 25 Sandwich Tern, 7 Sand Martin and 19 Swallow. On Jackson's Marsh were 4 Black-tailed Godwit, a Wood Sandpiper and 14 Spoonbill; and on Tennyson's Sands 44 Avocet, 121 Black-tailed Godwit, 120 Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 6 Snipe, a Green Sandpiper, 31 Sandwich Tern, a Common Tern and 8 Spoonbill. Heading south were 2 Wood Sandpiper.

 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 10 new birds: 3 Wren, a Linnet, a Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, a Swallow, a Goldfinch and a Dunnock; and 2 retraps: a Dunnock and a Great Tit.

Wood Sandpiper, 27 July 2021.
Photo - Jim Shaw

July 26th. Birds around included 80 Common Scoter, 24 Redshank, a Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank, 5000 Sandwich Tern, 4 Little Tern, 7 Common Tern, an Arctic Skua, a Gannet, a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, 2 Sand Martin, 250 Swallow, a Willow Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler. On Jackson's Marsh were 12 Black-tailed Godwit and 18 Spoonbill; and on Tennyson's Sands 84 Avocet, 77 Black-tailed Godwit, 144 Redshank, a Spotted Redshank, a Snipe and 3 Spoonbill. Over Wainfleet Marsh were 15000+ Starling early morning. Flying south were 15 Sand Martin and 159 Swallow.

 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 20 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 2 Wren, 6 Whitethroat, 3 Linnet, a Meadow Pipit, a Blackcap, 2 Reed Bunting, 3 Goldfinch and a Dunnock; and 8 retraps: 2 Wren, a Dunnock, 4 Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler.

Harebell, 26 July 2021.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Tree-lichen Beauty, 26 July 2021.
Photo - Nige Lound

Small Scallop, 26 July 2021.
Photo - Nige Lound

July 25th. Around, including birds trapped, were 45 Sandwich Tern, 11 Swallow and a Willow Warbler. On Jackson's Marsh were 5 Greenshank and a Spoonbill; and on Tennyson's Sands 80 Avocet, 76 Black-tailed Godwit, 108 Redshank, 29 Sandwich Tern and 17 Spoonbill. Going north was a Swift.

 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 5 new birds: a Wren, a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff and 2 Whitethroat; and 5 retraps: a Robin, a Dunnock, a Wren, a Linnet and a Whitethroat.

Spoonbills, 25 July 2021.
Photo - Jack Hood

Spoonbills, 25 July 2021.
Photo - Jack Hood

Black-tailed Godwit, 25 July 2021.
Photo - Jack Hood

Willow Warbler, ringed 25 July 2021.
Photo - George Gregory

Chiffchaff, ringed 25 July 2021.
Photo - George Gregory

Wasp Spider, 25 July 2021.
Photo - Jim Shaw

July 24th. Birds around included 2100 Sanderling, 600 Dunlin, 400 Oystercatcher, 6500 Knot, 11 Whimbrel, a Mediterranean Gull, 2000 Sandwich Tern and 2 Swallow. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Redshank, 2 Snipe (then east) and 8 Spoonbill; and on Tennyson's Sands 76 Avocet, 70 Black-tailed Godwit and 113 Redshank. Heading north were 140 Common Scoter and 15 Gannet.

 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 6 new birds: a Wren, 2 Linnet, a Whitethroat, a Goldfinch and a Dunnock; and 2 retraps: a Great Tit and a Whitethroat.

Sea Heath, 24 July 2021.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Mediterranean Gull, 24 July 2021.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Essex Skipper, 24 July 2021.
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

Essex Skipper, 24 July 2021.
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

July 23rd. Around, including birds trapped, were 2 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 14 Whimbrel, 800 Dunlin, 24 Turnstone, 1410 Sanderling, 2 Arctic Skua, 1400 Sandwich Tern, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 14 Swallow, a Willow Warbler and a Yellowhammer. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Avocet and 5 Black-tailed Godwit; on Croftmarsh 2 Avocet and 3 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Tennyson's Sands 81 Avocet, 98 Black-tailed Godwit,11 Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank and 11 Spoonbill. Flying south were 4 Sand Martin; and north 4 Arctic Skua.

 The ninth session of CES was done this morning. The 10 new birds were a Willow Warbler, a Wren, a Sedge Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Linnet, a Chaffinch and a Dunnock. The 10 retraps were 3 Robin, a Song Thrush, a Dunnock, a Yellowhammer, 2 Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat and a Wren.

Little Egret, 23 July 2021.
Photo Jack Hood

Honeysuckle, 23 July 2021.
Photo - Jack Hood

July 22nd. Birds around included a Buzzard, a Kingfisher, 12 Swallow and 8000 Starling. On Jackson's Marsh were a Little Ringed Plover and 3 Spoonbill; and on Tennyson's Sands 47 Avocet, 83 Black-tailed Godwit, a Dunlin, 3 Snipe, a Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Common Tern and 9 Spoonbill.

 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 11 new birds: 3 Wren, a Blackcap, 4 Reed Bunting and 3 Linnet; and 3 retraps: a Great Tit, a Robin and a Meadow Pipit.

July 21st. Around, including birds trapped, were a Kingfisher, 2 Sand Martin and 17 Swallow. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Spoonbill; on Croftmarsh 2 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Tennyson's Sands 76 Avocet, 83 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Spoonbill.

 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 11 new birds: 2 Linnet, 5 Whitethroat, a Great Tit, a Goldfinch, a Swallow and a Kingfisher; and 5 retraps: a Wren, a Great Tit, a Chaffinch, a Dunnock and a Whitethroat.

Rock Sea Lavender, 21 July 2021.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Avocet with chicks, 21 July 2021.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Kingfisher, ringed 21 July 2021.
Photo - George Gregory

Kingfisher, ringed 21 July 2021.
Photo - George Gregory