October 20th. A day of continuous moderate to heavy rain with strong easterly wind. Credit to anyone who braved the elements to get some bird records today. Seawatching was impossible but 24 Little Gulls flew over Tennyson's Sands and it was apparent that new migrants were arriving, with a Woodcock on the east Dunes and 2 on the Cycletrack and 400 Redwings including 250 feeding along a sheltered area of saltmarsh edge.
October 19th. A strong south-easterly wind, mostly overcast with occasional light rain.
The day's highlights were a Shorelark on Tennyson's Sands, an arrival of Thrushes (mostly Redwings but some Fieldfares and Song Thrush and 3 Ring Ouzel), southerly migration of Pipits, Skylarks and Finches including Bramblings, a small number of Swallows and a good passage of wildfowl offshore including Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Brent Geese. Many Robins were in the dunes with several Blackcaps and a Woodcock and a ringtail Hen Harrier was a new arrival hunting over the outer ridges.
Ringing Controls:
Robin, ringed Kirmond-le-Mire, Lincolnshire 29 August 2023, controlled GPBO 30 September 2023.
Goldcrest, ringed Theddlethorpe St Helens, Lincolnshire 12 October 2022, controlled GPBO 16 October 2023.
Goldcrest, ringed Eccles-on-Sea, Norfolk 2 October 2022, controlled GPBO 30 September 2023.
October 18th. A near gale force easterly wind throughout the day, with rain commencing late evening.
Despite the strong easterly, the morning sea-watch was quite slow, the highlight being a Great Northern Diver, 6 Arctic Skua and 2 Fulmar. The wind clearly influenced the tidal state, covering much of the mudflats and ensuring another big high tide wader roost. Two Merlins were hunting the foreshore and marshes. A light arrival of migrants was witnessed during the day including Fieldfare and Redwing, Brambling and Goldcrest, with a single Ring Ouzel.
October 17th. Remaining dry and bright with an increasing easterly breeze.
Sea-watching was undertaken in the early morning and evening with a good variety of birds passing, although many were fairly distant. Highlights were the first 3 Little Auks of the year heading north (the first was taken by a Great Black-backed Gull), 9 Pomarine Skuas, 10 Arctic Skuas, 3 Sooty Shearwaters, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Arctic Terns, 2 Common Terns, 2 Sandwich Terns, 7 'Commic' Terns with many Gannets, Kittiwakes, Auks and several Red-throated Divers. Another Short-eared Owl was seen coming in over the sea and 2 Merlins were hunting together along the beach, where the wader roost held in excess of 50,000 birds, It was fairly quiet in the dunes due to the windy conditions but a Black Redstart was a new arrival in the East Dunes with a few Redwing, Fieldfare and Brambling.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Bethany McGuire, provided 6 new birds: 4 Goldcrest, a Chaffinch and a Song Thrush; and 6 retraps: 3 Blackcap, a Song Thrush, a Wren and a Goldcrest.
October 16th. Quite frosty start, with light south-westerly wind.
Around dawn, 2800 Pink-footed Geese left their roost on Croftmarsh and headed off inland and there was a light arrival of Thrushes and Brambling. The high tide wader roost built up to 80,000 birds, at one stage being flushed by a juvenile Pomarine Skua heading north close in. There was a light overland migration of Finches, Pipits and Skylarks etc. with the highlight being a Hooded Crow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 15 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Wren, a Robin, a Blackcap, a Lesser Redpoll, a Great Tit, a Chaffinch, a Goldfinch, 3 Reed Bunting, a Redwing and a Great Spotted Woodpecker; 5 retraps: 2 Blackcap, 2 Dunnock and a Redwing; and a control Goldcrest.
A frost-restricted morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, by Mike Polling, produced a new Goldcrest; and a retrap Goldcrest.
October 15th. Chilly start with alight frost and a moderate north-westerly wind.
After yesterday's seabirds, high expectation for this mornings sea-watch was met with disappointment. A total of 12 Skuas, including a flock of 8 passed, mostly very distantly and in haze, with only one reasonably close Pomarine Skua heading south. Terns were represented by11 Arctic, 4 Sandwich and 4 Common. An hour sea-watch from 4pm in better light conditions produced 5 Pomarine Skuas, an Arctic Skua, a Bonxie, a Manx Shearwater, 4 Sandwich Tern, a Common Tern and a light northerly movement of Kittiwakes.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 10 new birds: 4 Wren, a Goldcrest, 1 Reed Bunting, a Robin, 2 Blackcap and a Redwing; and 2 retraps: a Goldcrest and a Blackcap.
October 14th. Increasing, then decreasing, south-westerly wind.
Going south were good numbers of Whooper Swans in flocks of up to 45, and a total of 279 by mid-morning, with fewer Pink-footed Geese. On New Saltmarsh were 17 Dark-bellied Brent Geese. Over East Dunes at dawn was an Asio sp. Sea-watching was productive with a Leach's Petrel north, Puffin, 3 Pomarine Skuas, a Bonxie and an Arctic Skua south. Another Arctic Skua was on the beach. Reasonable numbers of Finches, Pipits, Buntings and Larks were heading south over the East Dunes and beach. Two Cattle Egret and a Great White Egret were on Jackson's Marsh, an additional Cattle Egret arrived off the sea in the evening when more Whooper Swans flew south into the Wash and seabirds included 2 Pomarine Skuas (seen passing Anderby 25 minutes earlier), 4 Arctic Skuas, a Long-tailed Skua, 7 Arctic Tern, 10 Sandwich Tern, 3 Common Tern and 2 possible Roseate Terns. A Short-eared Owl flew south over the sea and another was over the Old Saltmarsh. Around was a Sparrowhawk.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 11 new birds: 7 Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, a Reed Bunting and 2 Redwing; and 2 retraps: a Redwing and a Goldcrest.
October 13th. Rain for most of day, and increasing then decreasing south-westerly wind.
Sea-watching produced a Little Gull, 17 Sandwich Terns, an Arctic Tern, 4 Arctic Skuas. Flying south were 2 Black Terns, 7 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Razorbill, 32 Red-throated Divers and a Marsh Harrier. Around were 3 Greenshank, a Sparrowhawk and a Chiffchaff.
October 12th. Soggy, chilly start, becoming mild with sunny spells and continued south-westerly wind.
Little change in the weather/wind direction has seen little change in bird movements. 30 Whooper Swans moved south early, some of which had roosted overnight on Tennyson's Sands. Finches, Pipits and Reed Buntings continue to move south, but in smaller numbers than recent days. A late Sand Martin was one of few Hirundines. Offshore, 42 Red-throated Divers and good numbers of Auks were settled on a calm sea, with 3 Arctic Skua south and single Manx Shearwater, Arctic Tern and Little Gull around, while 20 Barnacle Geese arrived. Stonechats have been well represented lately and 16 remained today. A Great White Egret was again on Jackson's Marsh, and in the evening, a Cattle Egret arrived from the north, presumably a new bird.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 11 new birds: a Wren, 5 Blackcap, 2 Goldfinch, a Cetti's Warbler, a Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 4 retraps: 2 Blackcap, a Great Tit and a Redwing.
Ringing Controls:
Goldfinch, ringed Slaley, Northumberland 6 July 2023, controlled GPBO 7 October 2023.
Robin, ringed Cors Corscoran, Cardiganshire 28 May 2023, controlled GPBO 7 October 2023.
October 11th. A bright start with a brilliant sunrise, but then becoming overcast and rain setting in a couple of hours after dawn and continuing all day.
Most attention focused on the sea before the rain set in: a constant movement of Gannets and Auks was underway with Red-throated Divers, Arctic Skuas, Sandwich and Common Terns heading south. The highlights were a juvenile Pomarine Skua, an Arctic Tern, 3 Mediterranean Gulls and 4 Manx Shearwaters. Flocks of Goldfinches, Linnets, Siskins and Meadow Pipits were heading south with a few Swallows and a flock of 45 House Martins. At least 2 of yesterday's Yellow-browed Warblers remained and there were 80 Goldcrests with several Chiffchaffs and a Treecreeper just in the West Dunes, but there was low coverage elsewhere. A group of 10 Whooper Swan flew south.
