June 10th. Overnight rain continued through the morning with a strong north-westerly wind but the afternoon was dry with sunny spells and a cool westerly wind. Wet weather and work no doubt reduced the potential for a sea-watch in the ideal wind conditions. However, an evening watch saw 102 adult Kittiwakes heading north out of the Wash in an hour, along with 28 Little Terns, 8 Gannets, 2 Fulmars and 6 Sandwich Terns. Other birds around included a Caspian Gull on the beach, a Merlin around the Haven, 2 Hobby, a Yellowhammer, a House Sparrow and a Firecrest around Sykes Farm.
June 9th. Quite cloudy, with increasing westerly wind.
Heading south early morning were 80 Starling. Swifts continued to head south for most of day. The 3 Great White Egrets were together on Tennyson's Sands with 2 Spoonbill. 5 Cuckoos were present again including the group of 3 around the East Dunes. Offshore, the first Manx Shearwater of the year flew south with 32 Kittiwakes, and a Fulmar went north.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 6 new birds: 4 Great Tit, a Dunnock and a Starling; and 4 retraps: a Wren, 2 Great Tit and a Whitethroat.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling produced 11 new birds: 3 Blackcap, 2 Robin, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Blue Tit and 2 Dunnock; and 6 retraps: 2 Sedge Warbler, a Blue Tit, a Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock.
A check of the owl boxes revealed some pellets in one box and 4 warm eggs and some pellets in another box, but no adults sighted.
June 8th. Quite cloudy, with increasing westerly wind.
A vocal Crossbill was around the Pines early morning and Wheatears were seen on the beach and at Rock Ridge. The morning WeBS count highlight was the roost of 895 Sanderling. Swifts continued to pass south. An evening sea-watch produced 10 Gannet, 3 Fulmar, a Razorbill and 15 Kittiwake heading north. A Hobby was catching Fox Moths over East Dunes and a Quail was calling from Freshwater Marsh.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 3 new birds: a Blue Tit, a Linnet and a Dunnock; and 4 retraps: 2 Dunnock and 2 Whitethroat.
June 7th. Quite cloudy, with increasing south-westerly wind.
On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spoonbill and 3 Great White Egret. Around was a Barn Owl. A few Swifts went south and a Bee-eater passed over Sykes Farm in the evening, calling and heading north/west.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 15 new birds: 2 Wren, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Whitethroat, a Robin, a Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit and a Lesser Whitethroat; and 6 retraps: a Whitethroat and 5 Long-tailed Tit.
June 6th. Cloudy, with moderate westerly wind.
A Firecrest was near Sykes Farm entrance. Two Great White Egrets were on Jackson's Marsh. A Spoonbill flew north off the estuary, with 2 others on the lagoons along with single Little Gull, Mediterranean Gull and 4 Pochard. Swifts continued moving south with 2 Hobby also moving south. A Quail was calling on the Old Saltmarsh from early to mid afternoon.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 4 new birds: a Robin, 2 Great Tit and a Reed Bunting; and 2 retraps: a Dunnock and a Wren.
June 5th. Soggy, cloudy start, slowly drying out, with increasing westerly wind.
A Serin was seen and heard over East Dunes early morning. Two Great White Egrets were on Tennyson's Sands, around 150 House Martins were feeding with Swallows over the Freshwater Marsh and a light southerly passage of Swifts was underway. Other birds around included a Hobby, 3 Spoonbills, 3 Cuckoo, 2 Grasshopper Warbler and 4 Pochard. 900 Sanderlings came up to roost on the evening tide.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 3 new birds: a Blackcap, a Dunnock and a Starling; and a retrap Dunnock.
June 4th. Cloudy and mild in morning, with increasing south-westerly wind, then afternoon rain.
A Greenish Warbler was trapped and ringed in East Dunes early morning. On release it flew onto Storm Ridge. Also around were 2 Spoonbill and single Greenshank, Peregrine, Pintail and Little Stint.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided new birds: a Greenish Warbler, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Robin and 2 Linnet; and 2 retraps: a Long-tailed Tit and a Dunnock.
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| Greenish Warbler, ringed 4 June 2024. Photo - George Gregory  Roe Deer buck, 4th June 2024. Photo - Jack Hood  Roe Deer doe, 4th June 2024. Photo - Jack Hood |
June 3rd. Cloudy and mild then becoming fine, with light north-westerly wind.
Three Grasshopper Warblers were reeling in the usual spots, a Little Gull was on Tennyson's Sands and the Great White Egret was still present there, in dispute with Grey Herons. Out on the Haven at high tide, 800 Knot and 800 Sanderling.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 15 new birds: 10 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Robin, 2 Great Tit and a Chaffinch; and 3 retraps: 2 Whitethroat and a Dunnock.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling produced 6 new birds: 3 Blue Tit, 2 Robin and a Sedge Warbler; and 7 retraps: a Whitethroat, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, a Sedge Warbler and a Blackbird.
An Osprey was over the lagoons early morning - continuing a remarkable spring for Osprey sightings. Plenty of birds were in song in the dunes in the good weather, including the Song Thrush at Aylmer that seems to sing continuously through the day, but just 2 Willow Warblers on territory.
The fourth session of CES was done this morning. The 9 new birds were 4 Chiffchaff, a Linnet, 2 Great Tit, a Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and the 6 retraps were 2 Robin, 2 Wren, a Dunnock and a Willow Warbler.
June 1st. Cloudy, with fairly strong northerly wind.
Sea-watch interest was largely down to low numbers of northbound Gannets and a few small flocks of Common Scoter whilst on the shore at high tide, a roost of 390 Sanderling was recorded at high tide whilst 1170 Herring Gulls on the beach was a high count for June. Inland, feeding Hirundines continue to build up over the marshes, with 140 House Martin and 40 Swallows mixed with Swifts and the Great White Egret was still present.
