August 31st. A fine, dry and sunny morning after a cool night.
The morning's high tide saw another large wader roost with 2 Curlew Sandpipers and a Little Stint with the Dunlin flocks. Several Arctic Skuas and a Bonxie passed south at sea with a constant passage of Sandwich and Common Terns. 14 Arctic Terns were on the beach. Overland, Meadow Pipits and Siskins were passing south in small numbers with 8 Yellow Wagtails and 4 Tree Pipits. A Black Redstart was found in the Visitor Centre garden mid morning, a Common Redstart was on Rock Ridge where 4 Whinchat were newly arrived early afternoon and Spotted Flycatchers were in the Plantation and north of Mill Hill.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 21 new birds: a Willow Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler, 3 Robin, a Linnet, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, a Reed Warbler and 2 Reed Bunting; and a retrap Dunnock.
The evening wader roost involved a minimum of 55,000 Knot, Arctic Skuas, Gannets and terns were moving north out of the Wash and a Long-tailed Skua offshore looked like yesterday's bird.
August 30th. Soggy start, gradually drying out.
Highlights of the morning sea-watch were a Puffin again and a juvenile Long-tailed Skua. There were good numbers of warblers in the dunes and around the Plantation, with a Spotted Flycatcher, a Redstart and a steady migration of Swallows and House Martins with a few Yellow Wagtails, more Siskins and 2 Tree Pipits. A Caspian Gull was on the beach in the evening and there was a large roost of waders.
A group of 16 Egyptian Geese was a record count for the Reserve of this species that it expanding its range into the east of the county.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 9 new birds: 4 Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Robin and a Dunnock; and 5 retraps: a Wren, a Great Tit, a Dunnock and 2 Whitethroat.
August 29th. Around, including birds trapped, were 25 Willow Warbler, 20 Whitethroat, 15 Blackcap, 12 Lesser Whitethroat, a Wheatear, a Cuckoo, a Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Egyptian Geese and a Spotted Flycatcher (different from yesterday's bird). In a repeat of an event witnessed a week ago, another juvenile Cuckoo was predated by a Sparrowhawk.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 8 new birds: a Wren, 2 Willow Warbler, a Robin, a Blackcap, a Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Whitethroat; and 4 retraps: 3 Dunnock and a Great Tit.
August 28th. Another good movement of Swallows and House Martins in addition to a feeding flock over the beach. Good numbers of Common and Sandwich Terns were roosting on the beach, feeding at sea and moving south, with 2 Black Terns. A mob of 8 Arctic Skuas arrived to harass the terns from their roost on the sand bar and a further 10 flew south. A flock of 24 Tree Sparrows and several Siskins moving south gave an autumnal feel to the morning session. Other birds around, including those trapped, were 2 Short-eared Owl, 2 Tree Pipit, a Redstart and a Spotted Flycatcher.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 5 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Linnet and a Lesser Whitethroat; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.
An evening sea-watch was undertaken largely to record Terns going to roost. Amongst the hundreds of Common and Sandwich Terns was a Roseate Tern and a Black Tern. 72 Arctic Skuas headed south and a Puffin headed north before landing on the sea. There were several Razorbills and Guillemots on the sea again with a raft of some 70 unidentified Auks further out. A brief scan through the roost of over 900 large gulls revealed a Caspian Gull and 2 Yellow-legged Gulls.
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| Spotted Flycatcher, ringed 28 August 2022. Photo - George Gregory |
August 27th. Soggy, misty start, gradually drying out.
Plenty of warblers around the dunes again today and Terns and Arctic Skuas offshore, with an Osprey heading south mid morning. 5 Egyptian Geese were on the lagoons with 20 Spoonbill.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Bethany McGuire, resulted in 14 new birds: 8 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, a Linnet and a Reed Warbler; and 4 retraps: a Robin, a Blue Tit, a Wren and a Willow Warbler.
A flock of 5 juvenile Black Terns joined the evening roost.
August 26th. Soggy start, gradually drying out, then an afternoon rain spell.
A juvenile Kentish Plover was associating with juvenile Ringed Plovers in the Shorebird Sanctuary for an hour mid morning and not since. A Roseate Tern was with large numbers of terns going to roost in the evening. Other birds around, including birds ringed, were 14 Spoonbill, a Little Gull, a Short-eared Owl, a Garden Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher. On Croftmarsh was Buzzard.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Liam Andrews and Owen Beaumont, provided 31 new birds: 10 Willow Warbler, 3 Robin, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, 3 Swallow, 2 Dunnock and a Sparrowhawk; and 12 retraps: a Robin, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, a Blue Tit, a Great Tit, 2 Wren and a Long-tailed Tit.
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August 25th. A very pleasant morning with plenty of action over the sea as usual, mostly Sandwich and Common Tern with some waders moving south and some groups of Swallow south along the beach. There were some groups of warblers in the dunes particularly associating with the Tit flocks. One flock in West Dunes had 13 Long-tailed Tit, 22 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, a Goldcrest and 2 Spotted Flycatcher amongst several Great and Blue Tit. Raptors were moving from around 1000hrs with 15 Common Buzzard, 3 Marsh Harriers and a Red Kite heading south and a large juvenile peregrine was seen mobbing a Marsh Harrier. A good selection of waders again on the lagoons included a Little Stint, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank and 2 Little Ringed Plover with 19 Spoonbill. The Great White Egret was joined by another, flying off inland together later. During the afternoon, 3 Bee-eater and a Wood Warbler were reported - hopefully, these reports can be confirmed in due course. Also around were a Barn Owl and a Green Woodpecker.
The twelfth and final session of CES, with Bethany McGuire and Jenni Godber, was done this morning. The 15 new birds were 2 Wren, 2 Goldcrest, a Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, a Great Tit, 3 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, a Blackbird and a Woodpigeon; and the 4 retraps were a Robin, 2 Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff.
Large numbers of terns were moving south to roost close inshore during the evening including 1200 Common Tern and 5 Black Tern, with several Kittiwake and Arctic Skua.
August 24th. An overcast start with cloud clearing and giving way to bright and warm conditions.
Notwithstanding the continued presence of the Bittern on Jackson's Marsh, the day started feeling fairly ordinary, but then it got very busy with over 500 Swallows from roost, settling around the Visitor Centre, on the road and on fencing etc. until they dispersed later, whilst offshore a large feeding flock comprised 500 mixed Sandwich and Common Tern with attendant Gannet and Arctic Skua. There were an additional 800 Terns on the beach roost, wader flocks were arriving; mainly Knot, Redshank, Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit and Oystercatcher and then hundreds of Swallows and Martins started to migrate south over the beach. Amongst all the action, 6 Black Tern flew south and another 2 were settled in the roost. A Long-eared Owl was found in the East Dunes. Other birds around included a Little Stint and 2 Marsh Harrier.
August 23rd. A bright, sunny and warm day for the most part with an increasing westerly breeze. Still a fair number of Willow Warbler along with other Warblers and 3 Pied Flycatcher. there was a strong Swallow movement early morning with some Sand Martin, House Martin and Swift and by early afternoon some 1600 Swallows had passed through.. Offshore Sandwich and Common Tern were moving south again with several hundred roosting on the beach and on the River Haven. The highlight of the day though was the re-finding of yesterday's Bittern on Jackson's Marsh early evening.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 13 new birds: 7 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, 2 Linnet, a Swallow and a Whitethroat.
Ringing Control: Lesser Whitethroat, ringed Kilnsea, East Yorkshire 5 June 2023, controlled GPBO 12 August 2023.
August 22nd. Slowly increasing south-westerly wind.
A Bittern was seen flying south from Tennyson's Sands mid-morning - still a very rare bird here but this one follows an emerging pattern of birds leaving the breeding grounds in late summer. The Great White Egret was seen here again. Otherwise, a good southerly passage of Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Gannet, Arctic Skua, Swallow and Sand Martin was underway, with 2 Tree Sparrow, a Tree Pipit and 3 Marsh Harrier also passing through (including 2 south over the sea). 2 Whinchat were on the foredunes, a good number of Willow Warbler were moving through the East Dunes and a Kingfisher was on Jackson's Marsh.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 14 new birds: 6 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Wren, 3 Robin, a Reed Warbler, a Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat; and a retrap Willow Warbler.
August 21st. Another big arrival of Willow Warblers today with 380 recorded (including birds trapped), and many visibly moving south through the dune systems. Amongst many other warblers; Chiffchaffs, Common Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats and Blackcaps, were 3 Garden Warblers. On Tennyson's Sands, a build up of Mallard was noted - over 320 individuals with a roost of 362 Black-tailed Godwits and 292 Redshank. Other waders here included 2 Curlew Sandpipers a Little Stint and 7 Ruff. A Wood Sandpiper flew over calling. There was a good Hirundine passage during the morning but it was quieter at sea than of late.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Bethany McGuire, provided 45 new birds: 33 Willow Warbler, a Wren, a Goldcrest, 3 Robin, 2 Whitethroat, a Linnet, a Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, a Swallow and a Dunnock.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling provided 44 new birds: a Wren, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 25 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, 3 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, a Blue Tit, a Blackcap, 3 Great Tit, 4 Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 11 retraps: a Blue Tit, 3 Long-tailed Tit, a Blackbird, a Great Tit and 5 Dunnock.
