May 31st. Increasing north-easterly wind, with occasional light drizzle.
Around were a Garden Warbler singing at Sykes farm (probably the bird from the West Dunes earlier in the week), 3 Stock Dove, 3 Cuckoo and a Short-eared Owl. On Tennyson's Sands was a Common Sandpiper. Flying north was a Yellow Wagtail.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: 2 Linnet and a Dunnock; and 4 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Great Tit and a Blue Tit.
May 30th. Overcast, with gradually increasing north-easterly wind.
Birds around included a Greenshank, 4 Cuckoo, a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby and a Great White Egret.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced just a retrap Whitethroat.
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| Great White Egret, 30 May 2023. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
May 29th. Around were 4 Stock Dove, 2 Cuckoo, 3 Buzzard, a Barn Owl and a Short-eared Owl. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Little Ringed Plover and a Wigeon; and on Jackson's Marsh a Greenshank. Heading north were 5 Swift
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Mike Polling and Bethany McGuire, yielded 4 new birds: a Chiffchaff and 3 Linnet; and 4 retraps: a Dunnock, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Whitethroat.
May 28th. A ringtail Montagu's Harrier over the southern marshes early morning was mobbed by locally nesting Oystercatcher before moving off south. It bore a strong resemblance to the bird that was around earlier in the spring. Offshore, a light northerly passage involved 70 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Tern, 6 Little Tern, a Little Gull and a Kittiwake. Other birds around, including those trapped, were a Turtle Dove, 2 Cuckoo and a Barn Owl.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 4 new birds: a Reed Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Turtle Dove; a retrap Whitethroat; and a control Chiffchaff.
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| Turtle Dove, ringed 28 May 2023. Photo - George Gregory .JPG) Montagu's Harrier, 28th May 2023. Photo - Kev Wilson |
May 27th. The waterbodies were busy today with plenty of duck, including good numbers of Gadwall, several Shoveler, 3 Teal and a male Garganey early morning. Wader interest was provided by 2 Greenshank, 70 Black-tailed Godwit, at least 3 Little Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper and 2 Temminck's Stint that arrived in the evening. Two Mediterranean Gull were also new arrivals but unfortunately, a flock of 6 Glossy Ibis did not drop in, but flew south into the Wash at 0927hrs. Other birds around were 4 Cuckoo, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Whimbrel, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Siskin and a Long-eared Owl. A mobile Bullfinch heard over the last two days was finally seen - a male.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced a new Chiffchaff; and 2 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff.
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May 26th. The highlight of the day was the sighting of a pair of Shoveler with 10 chicks on Jackson's Marsh. Although breeding by Shoveler has been suspected previously with late stage juveniles seen, it is possible that they had hatched at another site - todays clutch represent the first confirmed breeding on the Reserve. Other birds around included a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, 2 Spoonbill, 6 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Greenshank and 2 Buzzard.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in just a new fledgling Dunnock.
May 25th. Around were a Hobby, 2 Spoonbill, 2 Cuckoo, 65 Black-tailed Godwit and a Yellow Wagtail. Offshore were 41 Sandwich Tern and 19 Little Tern. 12 Pink-footed Goose flew north.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Whitethroat; and a retrap Dunnock.
May 24th. A very vocal Bee-eater passed two birders a kilometre apart as it headed south over the East Dunes at 0810hrs. Otherwise vis mig was reduced to a few Swallow and a Yellow Wagtail. Later, a female Red-backed Shrike was found in the East Dunes from Mill Hill. Other birds around included 3 Cuckoo and a Short-eared Owl.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced a new Chiffchaff; and 5 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Whitethroat, a Great Tit and a Wren.
May 23rd. A fairly quiet day. A new Pink-footed Goose joined the group of 3 on Tennyson's Sands and nearby a Song Thrush was in song. Around, including birds trapped, were 2 Cuckoo, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Spoonbill, a Short-eared Owl and a Spotted Flycatcher.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded a new Spotted Flycatcher; and 4 retraps: a Dunnock, a Chiffchaff, a Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat.
May 22nd. Increasing northerly wind.
The northerly breeze produced some interesting movement at sea; 70 Kittiwakes, 13 Gannet, 4 Fulmar, 30 Little Tern, 5 Guillemot, 9 Razorbill, 8 unidentified Auks, a red-throated Diver and a Diver sp. Two Turtle Doves flew north together. Other birds around included a Greenshank, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, 2 Cuckoo and 2 Short-eared Owl. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spoonbill.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Kevin Armstrong and Bethany McGuire provided a new Whitethroat; and 2 retrap Whitethroat.
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| Little Grebe family, 22 May 2023. Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Yellow Wagtail, 22 May 2023. Photo - Tom Baker  Pied Wagtail juvenile, 22nd May 2023. Photo - Tom Baker |
May 21st. Cool, dewy start, with increasing north-easterly wind.
Around were 2 Cuckoo and a Short-eared Owl. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Common Sandpiper and 2 Spoonbill.
The third session of CES was done this morning. The 2 new birds were a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler; and the 10 retraps were a Willow Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Great Tit, a Robin, a Blue Tit and a Dunnock.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes by Mike Polling produced just a retrap Dunnock.
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| Short-eared Owl, 21 May 2023. Photo - Tom Baker  Photo - Kev Wilson |
