11th April. A cool South-easterly breeze, bright start becoming cloudy but remaining dry. A welcome increase in observer coverage of the census area today and evidence of new migrant arrivals; 4 Ring Ouzel, 16 Song Thrush, 5 Redwing, Fieldfare, 9 Brambling, Crossbill, Willow Warbler, Swallow, Firecrest and Garganey, Red Kite, White Wagtail and Hawfinch.
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| Ringed Plover, pair in copula, 11th April 2022. Photo; Liam Andrews |
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White Wagtail, 11th April 2022. Photo; Ben Ward Ring Ouzel 11th April. Photos: Steve Clipperton. |
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Ring Ouzels, Water Rails, Brambling 11th April. Photos: Kev Wilson.
10th April. A Ring Ouzel was at Seacroft, 7 Song Thrush and several Robins appeared to be migrants, 6 Fieldfare headed south and there were 15 redwing including 3 south and a bird in song on the East Dunes. A Green Woodpecker was only the 2nd of the year, similarly, a Yellow Wagtail.
9th April. Another frosty morning with cold northerly wind. A bright morning leading to a cloudy afternoon. Whilst most of the Wigeon seem to have departed already, good numbers of Shoveler remain (56) with 6 Pintail. Also, 18 Black-tailed Godwit on the lagoons, A Greenshank was a first for the year and a Red Kite went south.
8th April. A cool northerly after a morning frost but bright and sunny. another increase in Chiffchaffs was apparent with new Blackcaps and Robins in the dunes. A brief seawatch produced 6 Sandwich Terns, a red-throated Diver and 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese south and a Marsh Harrier in off. Other highlights were 2 water Pipit, 3 Corn Bunting, 2 water Pipit, 4 Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Woodcock and a Brambling. A Twite was just north of the Reserve boundary.
7th April. Near gale-force south-westerly with rain threatening. A morning seawatch produced 25 Sandwich Tern, 20 Eider and 3 Red-throated Diver south and 2 Fulmar north. An hour seawatch in the evening then produced a Great Northern Diver (attaining summer plumage) and 4 Red-throated Divers offshore with 19 Kittiwake, a Little Gull and a Barnacle Goose south.
Avocets, Black-headed Gulls, Great Crested Grebe, Little Egrets, Tufted Duck 7th April
Photos: Tom Baker
6th April. Strong south westerly with occasional heavy rain. There was a noteworthy southbound movement of Chaffinch (538) as well as other finches, Redwing (180), and corvids over the course of the morning. Around were 65 Dark-bellied Brent, 10 Pintail, 30 Eider, 2 Snipe, a Short-eared Owl, 90 Redwing, 16 Song Thrush, a Water Pipit and 3 Brambling.
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| Double Rainbow, 6th April 2022. Photo; Ben Ward |
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| Pintail, 6th April 2022. Photo; Ben Ward |
5th April. Strong westerly winds. Around
were, a drake Garganey (water bodies), 3 Pintail, 30 Eider, a Whimbrel, 4 Jack Snipe, a Spotted
Redshank (old saltmash), an asio Owl, 4 Tawny Owl, a Merlin, a Falcon sp (possibly Arctic Peregrine), a Swallow, the first Sedge Warbler of the
year, 5 Blackcap, a Fieldfare, 35 Redwing, a Stonechat, 3 Water Pipit, a
Brambling and a Crossbill (plantation).
4th April. Moderate westerly
winds with rain in the morning. The was a light passage of finches early and a
notable arrival of redwing. Around were, 109 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 45 Eider, a
Whimbrel, 450 Sanderling, a Spotted Redshank, a Short-eared Owl, a Peregrine, 415
Redwing, 11 Song Thrush, a Stonechat, 6 Brambling, 2 Corn Bunting and a Snow
Bunting (over the beach).
April 3rd. A Spotted Crake
was heard in the final minutes of yesterday, unfortunately there was no further
sign into the early hours of today or beyond. Around were 55 Dark-bellied Brent
Goose, 3 Pintail, 45 Eider, a Whimbrel, a Woodcock, a Spotted Redshank, a Marsh
Harrier, a Short-eared Owl, a Peregrine, 20 Redwing and a Water Pipit.
1st April. Moderate northerly easing late in the day. Around were 78 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Pink-footed Goose, 4 Pintail, 46 Eider, a Goosander, a Red-breasted Merganser, a Whimbrel, 20 Turnstone, 1900 Sanderling, 4000 Dunlin, a Spotted Redshank, a Mediterranean Gull, 1400 Herring Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Red-throated Diver, a Diver sp, a Marsh Harrier, a Short-eared Owl, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 16 Redwing, a Twite and a Corn Bunting.
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| Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1st April 2022. Photo: Ben Ward |
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| Herring Gull, good numbers present of both argenteus and argentatus, 1st April 2022. Photo: Ben Ward |
