September 10th. Mostly cloudy, with increasing south-easterly to south-westerly wind and rainy spells.
Highlight of the day again was a Glossy Ibis flying south towards the Millennium Ridge at 9.10am before turning towards Croft over the New Saltmarsh at 9.12 seen by several observers. Amazingly another Glossy Ibis then went south about an hour later. The morning Spring Tide watched from the Visitor Centre produced 28 Wigeon, 19 Pintail, 90 Teal, 8 Common Scoter (North), 480 Curlew, 2500 Black-headed Gulls, 500 Herring Gulls, 50 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Arctic Skua (North), 7 Gannets (North), 22 Cormorants and 38 Little Egrets.
On Tennyson's Sands were 55 Teal, 5 Ringed Plover, 334 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 2 Ruff, 2 Dunlin and 14 Spoonbill. Also about today were 2 Marsh Harriers over the New Saltmarsh, a Buzzard, a Cattle Egret, again on Field 10, 110 House Martins, 4 Swifts (South) and a Greenshank (South).
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 4 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, a Robin and a Linnet; and a retrap Dunnock.
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| Glossy Ibis flying south over the sea during the morning. 10th September 2025 Photo - Philip Millns |
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| Curlew moving over the high tide, 10th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Dunlin moving over the high tide, 10th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Bar-tailed Godwit, 10th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Grey Plover, 10th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Knot moving over the high tide, 10th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Oystercatchers, 10th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| x4 Spotted Redshanks and a Greenshank, 10th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Long-tailed Tit, 10th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
The morning high tide produced counts of 6000 Oystercatcher, 7000 Grey Plover, 200 Ringed Plover, 5 Whimbrel, 463 Curlew, 200 Bar-tailed Godwit, 65,000 Knot, 200 Sanderling, 1500 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank, 2000 Black-headed Gulls, 100 Herring Gulls, 50 Sandwich Terns, 19 Cormorant, 16 Spoonbill, 4 Grey Heron and 16 Little Egret.
Most of the scarce migrants that arrived yesterday late morning seemed to have cleared out today although around the Old Saltmarsh through much of the morning was a newly arrived Short-eared Owl that carried o hunting even at close quarters.
Flying south were 80+ Meadow Pipits along with other species including 4 Tree Sparrows (a rarity at Gibraltar Point these days!) and 8 Pintail. Also around the reserve were 2 Stonechats around the Visitor Centre, a Treecreeper on the Cycle Track, along with a Green Woodpecker, 2 Buzzards, a Peregrine and a Marsh Harrier over Croft Marsh.
On Tennyson's Sands there were 13 Spoonbills along with 40 Lapwing, 307 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank. One Great White Egret dropped into the reeds around Jackson's Marsh early on whilst a Cattle Egret was on Field 10.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 35 new birds: 7 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Robin, 11 Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler, 3 Blue Tit, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Kingfisher; and 4 retraps: 2 Goldcrest and 2 Long-tailed Tit.
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| Short-eared Owl, 9th September 2025 Photo - Ste Taylor |
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| Tree Sparrow, 9th September 2025 Photo - Nigel Lound |
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| Pied Flycatcher, 8th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Spoonbills, 8th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Spoonbills, 8th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
Highlight of the day was undoubtedly the 2 Glossy Ibis which arrived at 11.20am on Tennyson's Sands and departed not much later when they flew off high inland, possibly towards Middle Marsh. Tennyson's also held 4 Shoveler, 2 Cattle Egrets, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, a Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank and 220+ Black-tailed Godwit.
A very busy early morning session for visible migration and waders coming up to roost - no time to keep an eye on any sea passage. Flocks of House Martins and Swallows totalled 1900 and 330 respectively, with 330 Meadow Pipits and 120 Sand Martins. Small numbers of Swift, Grey Wagtail, Redpoll, House Sparrow, Tree Pipit and Yellow Wagtail also passed through. The wader roost held 70,000 Knot, 5000 Oystercatcher, 2500 Grey Plover, 2800 Bar-tailed Godwit and 580 Ringed Plover with a few thousand smaller waders (Sanderling/Dunlin) not counted today.
There had been a clear arrival of migrants late morning including at least 4 Pied Flycatchers and 6 Spotted Flycatchers, mainly in the West Dunes and around the Cycle Track area. Flying over the Visitor Centre heading towards the Wash were 22 Spoonbills. Then during the late afternoon around the Rock Ridge was a roost of 80 Yellow Wagtails, whilst around this area and the Visitor Centre were a Hobby, a Black Redstart, 4 Stonechats and 2 Whinchats.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 23 new birds: a Goldcrest, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 8 Blackcap, 4 Robin, a Whitethroat, 4 Lesser Whitethroat and a Blue Tit; and 5 retraps: a Blackbird, a Goldcrest, a Blue Tit and 2 Long-tailed Tit.
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| Glossy Ibis, 8th September 2025 Photo - Ste Taylor |
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| Glossy Ibis, 8th September 2025 Photo - Ste Taylor |
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| X2 Glossy Ibis, 8th September 2025 Photo - Ste Taylor |
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| Glossy Ibis, 8th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Cattle Egrets arriving on Tennyson's Sands, 8th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Cattle Egret, 8th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Our long term resident colour ringed Spoonbill ND9L, 8th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| x22 Spoonbills over the visitor centre, 8th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Little Egret on the Estuary, 8th September 2025 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Spotted Flycatcher, 8th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Pied Flycatcher, 8th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Treecreeper, 8th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Wren, 8th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Greenshank, 8th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Ringed Plovers on the beach over the high tide, 8th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Ringed Plovers, 8th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Great Tits, a Blue Tit and a female Chaffinch enjoying the water, 8th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Seal sun bathing, 8th September 2025 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Pentatoma rufipes - Red-legged Shieldbug, 8th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
Sea watching during the morning resulted in 330 Teal, 8 Pintail, 7 Tufted Duck, 8 Shoveler, 45 Common Scoter, 9 Kittiwake, 1 Little Gull, 8 Artic Skua, 3 Auk Species, 1 Manx Shearwater, all heading South, whilst a Black Tern, 127 Gannet and another Manx Shearwater went North. The high tide produced 1000 Grey Plover, 200 Oystercatcher, 4 Whimbrel, 60,000 Knot, 200 Sanderling, 2000 Dunlin, 5 Greenshank, 400 Sandwich Tern and 95 Common Tern.
Two Whinchats and a 2 Stonechats were still around the Visitor Centre and 25 Spoonbills were still on the Estuary. A Marsh Harrier, a Green Woodpecker and a Barn Owl were around. Tennyson's Sands was still home to a Green Sandpiper, a Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: 2 Blackcap and a Lesser Whitethroat; and a retrap Blackcap.
Colour-ring Sighting Control: Details have come back on a colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit which was present on Tennyson's Sands from the 1st August to the 7th August this year. It seems it was originally ringed in Hernan Cortes Rice Fields, Badajoz, Spain as an adult bird at least two years old on the 7th February 2019. Ring number 417666 with a set of colour-rings as well was then seen again in the Netherlands at Uitgeest on the 17th March 2024 and then on the 23rd March 2024 at Zaandijk in the Netherlands before last been seen on the 7th February 2025 in Lisboa, Portugal. A well-travelled bird it would seem which may well have been to West Africa and back each winter in between sightings in Europe. Many thanks to Nigel Lound, our colour-ring co-ordinator for getting us these details.
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| Spanish Ringed Colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit - 417666, Early August 2025 Photo - Nigel Lound |
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| Greenshank, 7th September 2025 Photo - Jeremey Eyeons |
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| Spotted Redshank, 7th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Spotted Redshank, 7th September 2025 Photo - Jeremey Eyeons |
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| Green Sandpiper, 7th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Juvenile Stonechat, 7th September 2025 Photo - Jeremey Eyeons |
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| Whinchat, 7th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Great Tit, 7th September 2025 Photo - Jeremey Eyeons |
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| Migrant Hawker Dragonfly, 7th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
Around was a Whinchat and a Stonechat on the Old Saltmarsh, 21 Spoonbill on the Estuary and 8 Grey Herons headed West. Eleven Swift went South along with 180 Swallow, 110 Siskin, 90 Meadow Pipit and 2 Tree Pipit. On Tennyson's Sands were a Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and 2 Spotted Redshank whilst on the Mere there was a Little Ringed Plover. Also seen today were a Turtle Dove, 4 Marsh Harrier and a male Bullfinch.
On the sea were 17 Common Scoter, 250 Sandwich Tern, 20 Common Tern, at least 15 Artic Skua, 1 Razorbill, 2 Sooty Shearwater (North) and a Manx Shearwater (North).
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 11 new birds: 3 Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, 3 Robin, a Cetti's Warbler, a Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 2 retraps: a Wren and a Robin.
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| Cetti's Warbler, ringed 6 September 2025. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Greenshank and Spotted Redshank, 6th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Little Ringed Plover, 6th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Spoonbills on the Estuary, 6th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Whinchat, 6th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
Early news concerned 9 Ring-necked Parakeets which flew over the Plantation. Around were a Green Woodpecker, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Whinchat and 3 Stonechats. Going south were 5 Buzzards, 4 Swifts, a number of Swallows and a Tree Pipit. There was a marked increase in Robin numbers on the reserve whilst over the sea was an Arctic Skua.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 36 new birds: 14 Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, a Wren, 2 Sedge Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler, 9 Robin, 3 Blackcap, a Linnet, 2 Whitethroat, a Great Tit and a Great Spotted Woodpecker; and 6 retraps: a Wren, 2 Robin, a Willow Warbler, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Long-tailed Tit.
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| Grasshopper Warbler, ringed 5 September 2025. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Curlew, 5th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Spoonbill, 5th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Treecreeper, 5th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Lesser Whitethroat, 5th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Willow Warbler, 5th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Long-tailed Tit, 5th September 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
An evening sea watch revealed 200 Sandwich Terns, 68 Common Terns, 24 Gannets, 1 Great Skua, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Fulmar, 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Turnstone and 1 distant Diver, all heading South. On the beach were 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 480 Redshank and 420 Ringed Plover.
On Tennyson's Sands were 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 10 Redshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 46 Avocet, 350 Black-tailed Godwits and 13 Spoonbill.
Also around the reserve were 2 Tree Pipits around South Marsh Road, 4 Wheatears, 7 Whinchats and 4 Stonechats which were all around the Visitor Centre Carpark area. A couple of Swifts went south along with 4 Egyptian Geese. A Spotted Flycatcher was in the Dunes along with a Redstart, and a Treecreeper was in the Plantation.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 7 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackcap; and 3 retraps: a Whitethroat, a Wren and a Chiffchaff.
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| Spoonbills with Black-tailed Godwits, 4th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Ruff, 4th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Green Sandpiper, 4th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Mute Swans, 4th September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Avocets, 4th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Buzzard, 4th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Spotted Flycatcher, 4th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Long-tailed Tit, 4th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Chiffchaff, 4th September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
A morning sea-watch during the rain resulted in 988 Sandwich Terns, 65 Common Terns, 16 Gannets, 1 Fulmar, 6 Common Scoter, 4 Guillemot (all on the sea), 1 Red-throated Diver and 4 Arctic Skua. On Tennyson's Sands there were 1 Common Tern, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Water Rail and 7 Shoveler.
Overnight Moth trapping at Sykes Farm resulted in over 400 moths being attracted to light with the undoubted highlight of the 46 species recorded being the reserves 3rd ever Clifden Nonpareil (aka Blue Underwing). Regarded by many moth trappers as the "Holy Grail" of UK moth recording, being a huge migrant moth with a bright blue underwing adding to its appeal. Congratulations to Nige Lound for this incredible record.
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| Shovelers, 3rd September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Spotted Redshanks, 3rd September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Heavy rain during the day came as a welcome change to many, 3rd September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Clifden Nonpareil (aka Blue Underwing), 3rd September 2025 Photo - Nigel Lound |
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| Clifden Nonpareil (aka Blue Underwing), 3rd September 2025 Photo - Nigel Lound |
A morning sea-watch from Mill Hill resulted in 2000 Sandwich Terns, 200 Common Terns, 34 Gannets, 2 Skuas (probably Arctic), 2 Auk sp. and 1 Red-throated Diver heading south over the sea. On the beach were another 250 Sandwich Terns and 4 Little Terns. 280 Swallows moved south through the day along with 4 Sand Martins and 9 Swifts.
A group of 4 Stonechats were around the Visitor Centre Carpark, whilst also around the reserve were a Wheatear, a Green Woodpecker, 6 Buzzards and 4 Marsh Harriers. On the Mere were 4 Little Ringed Plover and a Greenshank, whilst on Tennyson's Sands there were 4 Shoveler, a Water Rail, a Spotted Redshank, a Ruff and 15 Spoonbills.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 6 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, a Wren, a Goldcrest and 2 Robin; and 2 retraps: a Robin and a Dunnock.
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| Juvenile Stonechat, 2nd September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Juvenile Stonechat, 2nd September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Redshanks on Tennyson's Sands, 2nd September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Spoonbills, 2nd September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Spoonbill, 2nd September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
On The Mere were 3 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper and 2 Greenshank. On Tennyson's Sands there were 580 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Gadwall and just a single Avocet. A Kingfisher was on the River Steeping and a Stonechat was around the Visitor Centre Carpark.
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| The Mere almost completely dried up in the drought, 1 September 2025. Photo - George Gregory |
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| The Mere almost completely dried up in the drought, 1 September 2025. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Kingfisher on the River Steeping Bank, 1st September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Swallows on the boat lines along the river, 1st September 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Long-tailed Tit, 1st September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Long-tailed Tit, 1st September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Long-tailed Tit, 1st September 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |