November 20th. Heavy rain petered out by around 0900hrs and gave way to clear and sunny conditions as the morning advanced.
A 90 minute sea-watch was less intense than yesterday but saw an increase in Red-throated Diver and Great Crested Grebe, and there was a single large Diver species, a Velvet Scoter, a Sandwich Tern and 2 Goldeneye south, 10 Little Gull and good numbers of Eider and Gannet moving. Several Fieldfare and Blackbird came in off the sea with an 'Eared Owl'. In the dunes, the continuing Blackbird influx was evident, with many birds moving south. Robin remained in high numbers too, with maybe a late pulse of immigrants. Vis-mig picked up after the rain and again involved good numbers of Skylark, Chaffinch, Siskin, Starling and Rock Pipit. The highlights were a Swallow, 3 Brambling, a Twite, a Marsh Harrier, a Spotted Redshank and 6 Snow Bunting. A further 12 Snow Bunting remained on the beach at the north end. Another Marsh Harrier over the western hinterland flushed a gathering of 1400 Lapwing and 900 Golden Plover, whilst a male Hen Harrier was probably a recent arrival, with the ringtail still present. Several Woodcock were seen around the Reserve, another 2 Swallow were feeding around the River Steeping and nearby a Water Pipit was around the Wash Viewpoint marsh.
November 19th. Moderately strong south-easterly wind, with some morning rain.
Numbers of thrushes, mostly Blackbird and Redwing, were grounded. Difficult conditions for sea-watching but again good numbers and variety observed. The highlight being what was taken to be a White-billed Diver, accompanied by a Black-throated Diver. both birds appearing to have taken off from the mouth of the Wash, flying landward before circling twice, gaining height and moving off south. Other notables were 4 Little Auk, 2 Pomarine Skua, a Velvet Scoter and a Puffin south and a Sooty Shearwater north. Passage was fairly continuous, involving Kittiwake, Gannet, wildfowl eg Wigeon and Brent Goose with a few Little Gull, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser and Red-throated Diver. A Short-eared Owl arrived off the sea, a Lapland Bunting flew south, there were at least 6 Snow Bunting on the beach and a ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting late afternoon.
Black-tailed Godwits, 19th November 2022. 
November 18th. A dry morning becoming bright at times with a return to south-westerly winds.
An excellent day for visible migration and sea passage again. Heading south over East Dunes were good numbers of Finches, Pipits, Skylark, Lapwing, Golden Plover and Woodpigeon. The highlights were single House Martin and Swallow. Arriving off the sea were Starling, Blackbird and Fieldfare in small numbers with 320 Lapwing and a Woodcock. A White-fronted Goose arrived off the sea with a small party of Pink-footed Goose. A good selection of wildfowl was moving at sea including 368 Teal, 117 Wigeon and 21 Whooper Swan. Over west sided flew 4 more Whooper Swan. Other highlights offshore were 5 Velvet Scoter, 2 Goosander, 271 Common Scoter, 13 Red-breasted Merganser, a Purple Sandpiper, 57 Kittiwake, 183 Little Gull, 3 Mediterranean Gull, an Arctic Tern, a Little Auk (that landed on the sea), a Black-throated Diver, 25 Red-throated Diver and 2 Great Northern Diver. 15 Snow Bunting were around the beach at North End. Elsewhere, 1800 Pink-footed Goose left the roost at dawn, 180 Dark-bellied Brent Goose were on New Saltmarsh, 2 Stonechat were on Croftmarsh and around were 6 Woodcock, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and 8 Goldcrest.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 6 new birds: a Goldcrest and 5 Blackbird; and 2 retraps: a Wren and a Dunnock.
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| Buzzard, 18 November 2022. Photo - Tom Baker  Rock Pipit, 18th November 2022. Photo - Tom Baker  Goldcrest, 18th November 2022. Photo - Tom Baker  Swallow, 18th November 2022. Photo - Tom Baker |
November 17th. Overnight rain persisted well into morning with a break for a few hours before moderate to heavy rain for the rest of the day. The air temperature was incredibly mild.
A strong arrival of Blackbird was apparent after the rain eased, with over 150 grounded between Aylmer Avenue and Mill Pond Road with a further 180 arriving from the north-east and moving south over Freshwater Marsh. A group of 80 Redwing was feeding in the open dune here with more arriving and moving south. Similarly Chaffinch were well represented on passage and grounded, including a single flock of 30. New Goldcrest were evident along with 2 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and 3 Woodcock. Sea-watching was productive again with 3 Arctic Skua, 40 Little Gull, an Iceland Gull and a Velvet Scoter amongst southbound wildfowl, Gannet etc.
November 16th. Moderately strong southerly wind.
Some good visible migration was underway down the East Dunes, but the main focus was on sea-watching where Wildfowl and Gannet were moving south from early on. There followed an excellent series of birds including Great Northern Diver, Velvet Scoter, Sandwich Tern, 2 Scaup, Great Skua and several Little Gull. Around were 250 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2100 Pink-footed Goose, a Sparrowhawk, a Marsh Harrier, a Swallow, a Goldcrest, a Corn Bunting and 12 Redwing. Going north was a Merlin; and south a Peregrine.
A wind-sheltered morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 4 new birds: a Robin, 2 Song Thrush and a Blackbird; and a retrap Goldcrest.
November 15th. Quite strong southerly wind, with rain for most of day.
Birds around included 300 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Swallow and a Goldcrest. On the Mere was a Water Rail. Heading south were 12 Snipe.
November 14th. Misty first thing again but clearing well early morning.
Another arrival of Redwings was the main theme of the morning with over 600 arriving/moving south before 0830. A Raven flew south-west over Croftmarsh, with 2 White-fronted Geese circling there later. Flying around were 800+ Pink-footed Goose with 3 Barnacle Goose.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 15 new birds: a Reed Bunting, 5 Redwing and 9 Blackbird; 2 retraps: a Blue Tit and a Blackbird; and a control Blackbird with a HELGOLAND GERMANIA ring.
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| HELGOLAND GERMANIA ring, 14 November 2022. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Blackbird with a HELGOLAND GERMANIA ring, 14 November 2022. Photo - George Gregory |
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| HELGOLAND GERMANIA ring, 14 November 2022. Photo - George Gregory |
November 13th. Misty start, slowly clearing.
Aside from ringing, there was no other census work until mid-day, at which point it was apparent that new Blackbirds had arrived. Fieldfares, Redwings and Chaffinches were also arriving in small flocks in the gloom. A slight increase of Goldcrests was also noted. Robins have remained in generally good numbers since earlier arrivals but had probably increased by a further by 10% today.
Other birds around included 80 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 500+ Pink-footed Goose, a Water Pipit, a Woodcock, 4 Brambling, a Chiffchaff and a Sparrowhawk.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 17 new birds: a Reed Bunting, a Song Thrush and 15 Blackbird; and 5 retraps: a Blue Tit, a Blackbird, a Dunnock and 2 Great Tit.
November 12th. Two very late Sand Martin flew over the Visitor Centre around midday. Another two Swallow were seen, 14 Snow Bunting were along the beach and 2 Short-eared Owl were hunting the Old Saltmarsh. Also around were 80 Dark-bellied Brent Goose and 150 Pink-footed Goose.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 6 new birds: a Wren, 3 Blackbird, a Fieldfare and a Woodpigeon; and 3 retraps: 2 Blackbird and a Great Tit.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling produced 12 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Blackcap, a Redwing, a Song Thrush and 6 Blackbird; and 5 retraps: a Redwing, a Wren, a Great Tit, a Robin and a Blackbird.
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| Fieldfare, ringed 12 November 2022. Photo - George Gregory |
November 11th. Increasing south-westerly wind.
Off of the estuary early morning came 1000+ Pink-footed Goose. The White-tailed Eagle was tracked again from a copse south-west of the Reserve out onto the Wash. There was a fairly good migration of Finches and Woodpigeon south over the East Dunes whilst offshore, 3 Great Northern Diver were seen: one settled with several Cormorant and two flying south. A Great Skua and a Snow Bunting also flew south and a Marsh Harrier was seen arriving off the sea. A Caspian Gull came off Tennyson's Sands and flew south. 630 Sanderling were at the roost and at least 2 Bearded Tit were around the Mere.
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