August 31st. An overcast start to the day with the cloud gradually breaking to reveal sunny periods, with an increasing north-easterly breeze.
An early morning sea-watch was fairly quiet: just 10 Arctic Skua, 2 Fulmar and a Great Skua. Reports from up the coast later indicated much greater seabird interest but no-one was available to watch at Gib until the last hour of light when another 7 Arctic Skua, a Great Skua and 20 Kittiwakes passed along with many Terns going to roost. 4 Caspian Gulls were on the beach.
Other birds around included a Hobby roosting on the beach again, with another south over Croftmarsh, and 6 Whimbrel. On Tennyson's there were 8 Spoonbill and 4 Water Rail.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 5 new birds: 2 Robin and 3 Lesser Whitethroat; and 2 retraps: a Robin and a Blackcap.
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Avocet and Ruff, 31st August 2024. Photo - Jack Hood |
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Pintail, 31st August 2024. Photo - Jack Hood |
Seven Tree Pipits went south over Sykes Farm early morning, whilst 2 Pied Flycatchers were seen to the south at Mill Hill. Three Spotted Flycatchers included 1 at Shovelers Pool and 2 in the Plantation. An Osprey flew south over the River Steeping Haven at 8.40am, whilst a Spotted Flycatcher was at Shoveler's Pool at 9am. A Wood Warbler was in the East Dunes at 9.20am.
A Hobby was over the outer dunes again. Around the Visitor Centre there were 3 Whinchat and 2 Stonechat whilst a another Whinchat was along Mill Pond Road. 400 Black-tailed Godwit were on Tennyson's Sands, and a Green Sandpiper, a Snipe, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Water Rail and a Great White Egret were also still present.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 14 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Robin, 3 Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Linnet, a Reed Warbler, a Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler; and 7 retraps: a Wren, 4 Dunnock, a Whitethroat and a Chaffinch.
A good selection of moths trapped overnight included the scarce migrant Palpita vitrealis
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Wood Warbler, 30th August 2024. Photo - Sam Goddard |
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Wood Warbler, 30th August 2024. Photo - Sam Goddard  Spotted Flycatcher, 30th August 2024. Photo - Jack Hood  Pochard, 30th August 2024. Photo - Ste Taylor  Greenshank, 30th August 2024. Photo - Ste Taylor  Palpita vitrealis, 30th August 2024. Photo - Sam Goddard  Peach Blossom, 30th August 2024. Photo - Sam Goddard |
From the Wash Viewpoint early morning were a Wheatear, 2 Stonechat and a Whinchat, whilst another Whinchat was on Mill Pond Road and 2 more Stonechat were on the outer ridges. A Male Hen Harrier was on the southern marshes early on also.
During the early afternoon there were 12 Green Sandpipers on Jackson's Marsh along with 3 Greenshanks.
Late afternoon from Harvey's Hide on Tennyson's Sands there were 496 Black-tailed Godwits, 92 Lapwing, 71 Avocet, 3 Spotted Redshank, 2 Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, a Snipe, a Little Stint, 4 Spoonbill, 3 Marsh Harrier and a Hobby. On Jackson's Marsh there were 19 Avocet and 6 Greenshank.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 25 new birds: 17 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 3 Robin, a Linnet and a Magpie; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.
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Marsh Harrier, 29th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Marsh Harrier, 29th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Spoonbill & Great White Egret, 29th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale  Green Sandpipers, 20th August 2024. Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
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Green Sandpiper, 29th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale  Greenshank, 29th August 2024. Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
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| Magpie, ringed 29 August 2024. Photo - George Gregory  Grey Heron, 29th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale  Red Admiral, 29th August 2024. Photo - Jeremy Eyeons  Speckled Wood, 29th August 2024. Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
August 28th. Cloudy. with light southerly wind.
Two Hobby were with 3 Kestrels around the beach area this morning. A few waders were moving south along the tideline, including 2 Curlew Sandpiper and 14 Whimbrel. A Black Tern flew south offshore, while up to 800 Sandwich Terns were roosting on the beach and fishing offshore. Small parties of Swallows and Martins were moving south, with a single Swift, 22 Yellow Wagtails and 4 Tree Pipit. At least 11 Whinchats were around, including the 4 at Rock Ridge and 2 on the Freshwater Marsh. A single bird was with a Stonechat east of Mill Hill and a Redstart was in East Dunes.
During the late afternoon the Mere held 20 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 8 Teal and 10 Mallard, whilst Fenland Lagoon was home to a Whimbrel and a Greenshank. From Harvey's Hide on Tennyson's Sands, there were 140+ Teal, 6 Shoveler, 60+ Mallard, 6 Tufted Duck, a Gadwall, 2 Ruff, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Spoonbill and a hunting Barn Owl.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Mike Polling, resulted in 11 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, 2 Linnet, a Garden Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock; and 6 retraps: 2 Wren, a Robin, a Whitethroat, a Linnet and 2 Dunnock.
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Water Rail 28th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Water Rail chick 28th August 2024. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
During the late afternoon, a Marsh Harrier drifted south over Mill Hill whilst the Mere held 15 Shoveler and 4 Gadwall. From Fenella Hope Hide, there were 3 Pochard, 1 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 2 Spoonbill, 100+ Lapwing and 1 Ruff.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: a Wren, a Linnet and a Robin.
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Kestrel, 27th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Little Stint, 27th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Little Stint, 27th August 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
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Common Sandpiper, 27th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Common Sandpiper, 27th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Black-tailed Godwits, 27th August 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
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Avocets, 27th August 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
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Willow Emerald Damselflies, 27th August 2024. Photo - Sam Goddard |
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Migrant Hawker, 27th August 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
There were still reasonable numbers of warblers around. Morning highlights in the dunes were 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Hobby. Behind the Visitor Centre were 3 Whinchats and 2 Stonechats, whilst a Little Stint was still out from Harvey's Hide on Tennyson's Sands. On the beach by the scaffolding were 2 Wheatears.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 12 new birds: 2 Wren, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Linnet and a Woodpigeon; and 2 retraps: a Dunnock and a Whitethroat.
August 25th. Partially cloudy, with slowly increasing south-westerly wind.
The main themes of the day were another big wader roost on the morning tide, a significant arrival of Willow Warblers with over 232 counted, new Redstart and 3 Spotted Flycatchers and a Glossy Ibis that flew past Sykes Farm presumably having come off the lagoons. On Tennyson's Sands were 14 Spoonbill, a Great White Egret, and, later in the day, a Little Stint. Following yesterday's arrival, at least 8 Whinchat were around and there were increased counts of Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats and Blackcaps.
The twelfth and final session of CES was done this morning. The 22 new birds were 16 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, a Blackcap, a Swallow, a House Martin and a Dunnock; and the 3 retraps were a Wren and 2 Blackcap.
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Kingfisher, 25th August 2024. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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Kingfisher, 25th August 2024. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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Whinchat, 25th August 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
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Willow Warbler, 25th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Willow Warbler, 25th August 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
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Glossy Ibis, 25th August 2024. Photo - Jackson Hughes |
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Spotted Flycatcher 25th August 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
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Spotted Flycatcher 25th August 2024. Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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Dunlin, 25th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Greenshank, 25th August 2024. Photo - Jack Hood |
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Little Stint with Dunlin, 25th August 2024. Photo - Jack Hood |
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Long-tailed Tit, 25th August 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
Really poor weather for the counters undertaking the monthly WeBS count, but the waders didn't seem to mind, and there was a large concentration of birds at the roost. Counts of Dunlin and Sanderling were on par for this time of year but a count of 609 Ringed Plover was above average.
Another Osprey arrived and settled for a while in the rain before moving on. Two Scaup flew south over the beach where a Caspian Gull was located amongst other large gulls. Sample counts in dune scrub compartments indicated another arrival of Willow Warblers, with a Spotted Flycatcher in the West Dunes, a Redstart at Shoveler's Pool, 2 Wheatear on the beach and Whinchats visibly arriving in the outer dunes late afternoon - a total of 11 there, additional to 3 around the Visitor Centre. Two Great White Egrets were on Tennyson's Sands with 17 Spoonbill.
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Osprey, 24th August 2024. Photo - Rob Watson |
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Kestrel, 24th August 2024. Photo - Annabel Kemp |
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| Whimbrel, 24th August 2024. Photo - Rob Watson |
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Great White Egret and Little Egrets, 24th August 2024. Photo - Annabel Kemp |
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Spoonbills, 24th August 2024. Photo - Annabel Kemp |
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Water Rail and chick, 24th August 2024. Photo - Jack Hood |
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Greenfinches, 24th August 2024. Photo - Jack Hood |
There was another good wader roost on the morning tide, with 4 Curlew Sandpipers amongst 5000 Dunlin and 5300 Sanderling. 10 Arctic Skuas, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Fulmars and several parties of Common Terns moved south. A trickle of Swallows and Sand Martins also flew south with a few Swifts. 2 Great White Egrets also battled south together in the strong wind.
Six Wheatears were new arrivals with 2 Stonechats and a Whinchat still present, whilst on Tennyson's Sands, the highlights were 3 Ruff, 362 Black-tailed Godwit and a Caspian Gull. 10 Spoonbills flew to the Haven and another influx of juvenile Kestrels involved 8 hunting the marshes while another 2 went south.
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Wheatear, 23rd August 2024. Photo - Jack Hood. |
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Kestrel, 23rd August 2024. Photo - Jack Hood. |
A good day for numbers and variety of waders with 7 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers in the morning roost, a Little Stint and 5 Spotted Redshank on Tennyson's Sands late morning and 2 Wood Sandpipers pausing there late afternoon. Moving south were a moderate number of Swallows. .
August 21st. Becoming cloudier, with increasing south-westerly wind.
Highlights of the day were an impressive morning wader roost including 440 Ringed Plover, new waders arriving from the north in the morning and evening, including a Purple Sandpiper, a light passage of Arctic Skuas, plenty of terns again and a party of chats out from the Visitor Centre: 2 Stonechat and 3 Whinchat. Visible migration involved a Tree Pipit, several Yellow Wagtails and a light movement of Swallows.
