Mid June 2013

June 20th: Easterly wind, mild. Jackson's Marsh held a Green Sandpiper, and Tennyson Sands 14 Teals. Flying south were 2 Swifts.
 An adult Marsh Warbler was trapped and ringed in a morning ringing session in East Dunes. This is just the second Marsh Warbler ever ringed at the Observatory, with the first one on the 2nd June 2011. Thus a picture of their expected capture dates is already emerging - June! It was somewhat less well marked than the one trapped two years ago, but showed all the plumage and exposed part features compared to Reed Warbler: more olive upperparts, paler underparts, quite prominent eye-ring, pale crescentic tips to primaries, longer primary extension, more pale on lower mandible, paler legs, pale on claws. The biometrics confirmed the identification: notch on P2=9.5mm and =P7, wing=71mm, The notch length and notch/wing ratio easily exclude Reed Warbler.
 Otherwise, 2 Dunnocks and 3 Whitethroats were trapped.

Adult Marsh Warbler ringed 20th June 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

June 19th: Light winds, muggy, hay fever time. On Tennyson Sands were a Ruff, a Kittiwake and a Pintail.
  Two family groups were trapped in a morning ringing session in East Dunes. These were 2 retrap adult and 5 new juvenile Long-tailed Tits, and 1 retrap adult and 7 new juvenile Great Tits. Other new juveniles were singles each of Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Robin and Skylark. This is the first Skylark ringed since the 13th Sep 2008! A Chaffinch and 2 Dunnocks were the other retraps.

Juvenile Skylark ringed 19th June 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

June 18th: Moderate northeast wind. A Green Woodpecker was heard yaffling. A Montagu's Harrier and an unseasonal Whooper Swan flew east towards Norfolk. On Tennyson Sands were a Ruff and a Pintail, and on Jackson's Marsh 8 Black-tailed Godwits. Around were 2 Brent Geese and 10 Sandwich Terns.
  Again little was caught on a morning ringing session in East Dunes. The only new bird was a juvenile Dunnock, and the retraps were a Blackcap, 2 Dunnocks, a Whitethroat and a Wren.

June 17th: A much calmer day after all the wind and rain. The male Ruff lingered on Tennyson Sands.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced just a new juvenile Chaffinch, and 5 usual retraps. After many days' work, the paths and net rides around the Heligoland trap and on Storm Ridge are almost completely sheared.
  A singing male Grasshopper Warbler was caught late afternoon followed by the finding and ringing of a brood of very cute Reed Bunting chicks - four in total. The last brood of Blue Tits was ringed in the Sykes Farm area and whilst there, the Mistle Thrush nest was checked and the two chicks within it were ringed.
  Chris Robinson has kindly sent us his photographs of a singing male Common Rosefinch that was in East Dunes earlier this month. Apparently it takes at least two years for a male Common Rosefinch to develop the full red markings, so females and immature males have similar plumages.

Grasshopper Warbler No.7 for 2013 ringed on 17th June 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

Singing not-full-adult-plumage male Common Rosefinch, June 2013.
Photo - Chris Robinson

Singing not-full-adult-plumage male Common Rosefinch, June 2013.
Photo - Chris Robinson

June 16th: On Tennyson Sands were a Little Gull, a Ruff, a Mediterranean Gull and a Spotted Redshank. There was a continued movement of Swifts, with about 300 south from early over the observatory, interspersed with about 40 House Martins and a Sand Martin. At Aylmer Avenue there was also an early tight-flying group of 72 Swifts south at 4.15am over the West Dunes, whilst later at 6.30am there were about 140 feeding around the sheltered north side of Aylmer Avenue before eventually moving off to the south. a Marsh Harrier was around.
  More juveniles emerged and were caught in a ringing session in East Dunes this morning: 3 Whitethroats and a Dunnock. The retraps were a Great Tit, 2 Dunnocks and a Whitethroat.
  A longer session at Aylmer Avenue from before 4am until late afternoon, and including C.E.S. session number 5, had mixed results. The C.E.S. was a misery and produced just 2 new Chiffchaffs, a retrap Dunnock originally ringed in 2007!, and a retrap Whitethroat. Perhaps the sun was too bright and the breeze too strong, so making the nets too visible to the birds?
  Other, more shaded, nets at Aylmer Avenue, though, were more successful, and provided 28 new birds and 20 retraps. The majority of these birds, especially the new ones, came from the feeding station and included 13 new Greenfinches, 8 Chaffinches and 2 Goldfinches - all fresh out of nests and very juvenile. Also caught at the feeding station was a very juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker with its Dad in the next net along. There was also a new juvenile Song Thrush, whilst the retraps included nearly a whole brood of Great Tits along with one of their parents ringed in a box at Sykes Farm some two weeks ago.
  Many hours were spent both yesterday and today brush-cutting and raking up the grass in the net rides, so keeping them in tip top shape condition ready for the inevitable increase in numbers of birds that will soon start. Autumn is just around the corner with the first migrants starting to move during July. The "Autumn Rush" is not far away!

Male Ruff on Tennyson Sands, 16th June 2013.
Photo - Nigel Lound

Very juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker ringed on 16th June 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

Juvenile Whitethroat, ringed on 16th June 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

June 15th: Increasing southerly wind, damp start. A Golden Oriole was seen flying over East Dunes. On Tennyson Sands were a Little Gull, 2 second-year Mediterranean Gulls, an adult Sandwich Tern, a Ruff and a second-year Kittiwake, and on Jackson's Marsh a Spotted Redshank and a Black-tailed Godwit. Around was a Marsh Harrier. About 200 Swifts went south.
 A number of newly-emerged juveniles were trapped on a restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes, namely 3 Lesser Whitethroats, a Dunnock and a Stock Dove. The retraps were single adults each of Whitethroat, Dunnock and Blue Tit. A Privet Hawkmoth was found on the Observatory compound gate.

Juvenile Lesser Whitethroat, ringed on 15th June 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

Juvenile Stock Dove, ringed on 15th June 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

Privet Hawkmoth, 15th June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

June 14th: Fairly strong southerly wind, damp start. About 100 Swifts flew south. Around were a Hobby, 2 Common Buzzards and a Jay. On Jackson's Marsh was a Green Sandpiper, and on Tennyson Sands the second-year Kittiwake remained.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced just a new adult Reed Warbler, 2 new juvenile Dunnocks, and a retrap Whitethroat.

June 13th: Strong southerly wind, afternoon rain. Heading south were 2000 Swifts and a Hobby, and southwest a Red Kite. On Tennyson Sands were a second-year Mediterranean Gull and a second-year Kittiwake, and on Jackson's Marsh 15 Lapwings. Around were 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls.
 The weather again prevented any ringing.

June 12th: Fairly strong southerly wind, damp start, evening rain. Flying south were 1647 Swifts, 154 Swallows, 112 House Martins and a Hobby. Offshore were an Arctic Tern and 2 Common Terns. On Tennyson Sands were 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, and on Jackson's Marsh 2 Lapwings.
 No ringing was attempted.

June 11th: The wind shifted to the southeast and became light. South went 260 Swifts and 2 Lapwings. On Tennyson Sands were a second-year Little Gull, 2 Sandwich Terns, a Knot, a Kittiwake and 2 Barnacle Geese, and on Jackson's Marsh a Black-tailed Godwit.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 2 new birds: a female Cuckoo and a juvenile Dunnock, and also a retrap Dunnock.
  The Cuckoo showed two generations of feathers in the secondaries, and had a small, wrinkled brood patch, about 2.5cm x 2cm. This must be a vestigial structure, since female Cuckoos do not brood, of course.

Female Cuckoo showing two generations of feathers in the secondaries, ringed on 11th June 2013.
Photo - George Gregory.

Early June 2013

June 10th: Lingering birds included a Kittiwake on Tennyson Sands and a Black-tailed Godwit on Jackson's Marsh. Around were a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby and a Corn Bunting.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced few birds. The news were an adult female Blackcap with a brood patch and an adult male Swallow, and the retraps a Whitethroat and 2 Dunnocks.
  An early evening session checking some more nest sites resulted in two broods of Jackdaws ringed - a brood of one and a brood of 3 which were very large and will probably be out of the nest in the next couple of days. Two very tall trees were climbed to check on suspected Sparrowhawk nests, just one of which was built this year and was empty! - perhaps they haven't laid yet or perhaps it is a decoy nest. More patient observations will be necessary as the male made a food pass to the female on Saturday, so she must be settled down somewhere close by and probably on eggs.
  A brood of 11 healthy Blue Tits pulli in a nest box were ringed, which is one of the largest broods recorded in recent years. Whilst walking around the cycle track near Sykes Farm, young Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, and Great Tits were seen very close by, being fed by their respective parents.
  One special treat was watching a newly fledged brood of Willow Warblers following their parents at very low level through the foliage along the cycle track near Jackson's Marsh. The youngsters numbered at least 7, with the parents making fast work of returning to them one after another, feeding them as fast as they could!

Female Mistle Thrush sitting tight on her nest on 10th June 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

Young Jackdaw, 1 of 3 ringed in their nest-hole on 10th June 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

June 9th: On Jackson's Marsh was a Black-tailed Godwit, and on Tennyson Sands a Kittiwake.
 Just 4 common retraps were caught in a morning ringing session in East Dunes.

June 8th: A bright start quickly disappeared behind the clouds and a cool northeasterly breeze for the rest of the day. On Tennyson Sands was a Little Gull, and on Jackson's Marsh a Black-tailed Godwit. Around was a Hobby. Four Cuckoos were very vocal around the West Dunes.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 2 new juvenile Dunnocks and a retrap adult Reed Bunting.
  A longer ringing session at Aylmer Avenue resulted in 22 new birds and 22 retraps. The new birds included a Woodpigeon, a Lesser Whitethroat and two Blackcaps. There was also a procession of juveniles fresh out of the nest, including Dunnocks, Robins, Greenfinches and Chaffinches. The retraps included our now resident breeding Sedge Warbler originally ringed in France, and the best bird of the day - a British control House Martin!

British control House Martin caught on 8th June 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

Very juvenile Chaffinch ringed on 8th June 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

Very juvenile Robin ringed on 8th June 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

June 7th: Mostly sunny and windy. A male Red-backed Shrike was in East Dunes. On Croftmarsh were 2 Little Gulls, and on Tennyson Sands 2 Black-tailed Godwits and a Common Sandpiper. Around was a Black Redstart. Offshore were 2 Kittiwakes and 3 Sandwich Terns.
  A restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded only a retrap Swallow.

June 6th: A Common Rosefinch was discovered singing in East Dunes. Around were 2 Garganeys, 2 Curlew Sandpipers and 4 Jays. Offshore, 17 Kittiwakes and a Red-throated Diver flew north, and 300 Common Scoters south.
  Only 2 new birds, a Reed Bunting and a Whitethroat, were trapped in a morning ringing session in East Dunes, while there were 4 usual retraps.

June 5th: On Tennyson Sands were 3 Little Ringed Plovers, a White Wagtail and a Little Gull, and on the Mere a Common Sandpiper. Around was a Jay.
  More birds than yesterday were caught on a morning ringing session in East Dunes. The news were the first juvenile Dunnock of the year, a Chiffchaff, a Reed Bunting, 2 Linnets and a Meadow Pipit. The retraps were a Dunnock, 2 Whitethroats, a Meadow Pipit and a Blackcap.
  The Barn Owls were checked again this afternoon, and they now have 4 chicks, all hatched one day apart. The male was out hunting but the female was caught and, surprisingly, was unringed. There were 19 prey items in the box ready for feeding to the very small chicks, the youngest of which probably hatched out today. The prey items all appeared to be mice of some description or other, 13 large ones and 6 much smaller ones. This is the most food recorded in a Barn Owl box at Gibraltar Point ever! The chicks appear to have a father who is a very good hunter and, fingers crossed, they will all be in good health when they are checked again in four weeks' time.


Male Linnet with orange, rather than red, markings. Ringed 5th June 2013.
Photo - George Gregory.

Female Barn Owl wing showing 3 generations of feathers. Ringed 5th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory.

Female Barn Owl ringed 5th June 2013.
Photo - George Gregory.

A very scarce Harvest Mouse from the Barn Owl box - replaced after photo!
Photo - George Gregory.

June 4th: Sunny and windy. Around were 3 Jays, a Hobby, a Marsh Harrier and 6 Corn Buntings. On Tennyson Sands were 2 Mediterranean Gulls, a Greenshank and a Little Gull.
 Once again the morning ringing session in East Dunes produced just 2 new birds: an adult Whitethroat and the first juvenile Chaffinch of the year.
 Having heard of low site occupancy and brood size for Barn Owls elsewhere in the county this year, we checked the sites here today. Only one was occupied, by 2 adults and at least 2 small downy chicks.

June 3rd: Generally sunny. In East Dunes was a Common Rosefinch (possibly another was present). A Serin flew south over Mill Hill. Around were a Short-eared Owl, a Crossbill and 6 Jays. On Tennyson Sands were a Ruff and a Little Gull.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded just 2 new birds: a Whitethroat and a Jay. Since the irruption began last October 60 Jays have been ringed at Gibraltar Point.
  A late afternoon trip around some of the nest boxes on the reserve resulted in 30 Blue Tit pulli being ringed in just four nestboxes, including two broods of nine, which is very good for Gibraltar Point. 2 Great Tits were ringed in one box, and four Jackdaws ringed on two nests.
  Whilst ringing these, the first young Chaffinches of the year were seen harassing their parents for food. Also ringed this afternoon was a brood of Willow Warblers, but just four chicks were in the nest which is not too bad but there were three infertile eggs amongst the young birds. Perhaps the hail stones we had a just over a week ago were not very good for some of our ground nesting species? Still, they were the first Willow Warbler young ringed on the reserve for a number of years; the nests are fairly difficult to find!

A late nest of Jackdaw eggs on 3rd June 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

Willow Warbler nest with four pulli ready for ringing on 3rd June 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

June 2nd: Flying high, arriving across the Wash from Norfolk then eventually back there again, were 2 Common Cranes. An Icterine Warbler was discovered singing in East Dunes in the afternoon. Around were a Hooded Crow, 22 Jays, 12 Corn Buntings, a Hobby and a Marsh Harrier. On Tennyson Sands were a Little Gull, a Mediterranean Gull and a Ruff.
  Not many birds were caught in a morning ringing session in East Dunes, but the news included 3 Spotted Flycatchers and a Willow Warbler, and there was a British-ringed control Reed Warbler.
  The 4th session of CES was disappointing, with just 10 captures. The new birds were a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackbird, and the retraps a Great Tit, 2 Whitethroats, a Wren and a Chaffinch.
  Other nets at Aylmer Avenue produced 5 new birds (including 3 Sedge Warblers), 10 retraps (including a Blackcap, a Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff), and a control Sedge Warbler with a Paris Museum ring, probably the bird previously caught here.

Spotted Flycatcher ringed 2nd June 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

June 1st: The Red-backed Shrike was still present near the Hump. Around were 10 Jays, a Peregrine, 15 Turtle Doves, 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 Crossbills and 16 Corn Buntings. On Tennyson Sands were a Little Ringed Plover and 2 Ruffs.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes was moderately successful. The new birds were a Jay, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Whitethroats, a Meadow Pipit, a Goldfinch and a Reed Bunting, and the retraps 2 Whitethroats and a Blue Tit.

Late May 2013

31st May: Foggy start. A Greenish Warbler was discovered singing in the Plantation. A male Golden Oriole appeared in East Dunes, singing occasionally. The female Red-backed Shrike was refound near the Hump. Around were a Montagu's Harrier, a Tree Pipit, a Black Redstart and 6 Jays. A Grey Heron came in off the sea.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced just 2 new birds: a Jay (the 40th of the year) and a Reed Bunting. The retraps were 3 Whitethroats, 3 Reed Buntings, a Lesser Whitethroat, and another Jay.

30th May: A female Red-backed Shrike was photographed in the Plantation. Also around were 3 Little Gulls.
 A restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes involved new singles of Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting, while the retraps included a Willow Warbler and a Whitethroat.

29th May: A Greenish Warbler was trapped and ringed in East Dunes. It showed well in a tree next to the Observatory for a while after release. This is the fourth Greenish Warbler for the Observatory ever. The others were in 1958, 1981 and 1984, so that's 29 years since the last one was ringed! They were all September birds, so once again this spring has blown all the record books wide open, producing yet another species which we don't normally get until the autumn. Let's hope the autumn keeps up the incredible pace that the spring passage has set...
  Other birds caught on the morning ringing session in East Dunes were a Meadow Pipit, a Blue Tit, 2 Reed Buntings and 2 Whitethroats.



Greenish Warbler ringed at the Observatory on 29th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory





Greenish Warbler ringed at the Observatory on 29th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

28th May: Gulls were represented by a first-summer Iceland Gull, 2 Little Gulls and 2 Mediterranean Gulls. Also around were 20 Jays, 2 Marsh Harriers and 10 Corn Buntings. South went 2 Crossbills.
 The best birds on a rain-delayed morning ringing session in East Dunes were 3 Whitethroats and a retrap Long-tailed Tit.

27th May: A Red-breasted Flycatcher was reported near North Building. Around were a Short-eared Owl and 12 Jays.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided few birds, but they included the first juvenile Robin of the year, a new Firecrest, a Reed Warbler, a Whitethroat, and a control female Reed Bunting with a brood patch.
  In the afternoon the nestboxes were checked for the first time this year. The occupancy was quite low compared to recent years, although a lot of the boxes that are up on the reserve are not really in the correct positions from the point of view of birds. The really startling thing is the make up of species in the boxes this year. Over the last five years, Great Tits have increased to similar numbers to Blue Tits, but this year they are nearly not present at all! We have around a dozen boxes occupied by Blue Tits, whilst only two are occupied by Great Tits, both broods of which were ringed. The Blue Tits, though, are about a week behind the Great Tits, which is usual for Gibraltar Point, so none were ready for ringing.
  Other boxes were occupied by Jackdaws, and just one box had a pair of Stock Doves in it. The real surprise though was an owl box occupied by Tawny Owls with one very large chick! This was promptly ringed and returned to its day time slumbers.

Tawny Owl pullus ringed on 27th May 2013
Photo - Mick Briggs

Tawny Owl pullus ringed on 27th May 2013
Photo - Mick Briggs

Juvenile Robin ringed on 27th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory 



Female Firecrest ringed on 27th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

26th May: A Common Rosefinch remained in East Dunes. An Osprey flew in off the sea early afternoon. Around were 14 Corn Buntings (an unusual record for late spring), 50 Jays, a Tree Pipit, a Crossbill, a Short-eared Owl, a Hobby and a Marsh Harrier.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced a Jay, a Redstart, 2 Garden Warblers, and the usual Whitethroats, Reed Buntings and Dunnocks.
  A simultaneous ringing session at Aylmer Avenue with a pre-4am start resulted in 15 new birds and 24 retraps, including a regular British control Robin and a new British control Chiffchaff - DXH931. As usual, if anybody knows where and when this bird was ringed, please feel free to let us know by either leaving us a comment on the blog or emailing mbriggs@gibobs.fsworld.co.uk. The new birds included a Jay (No. 39 for the year!), a Garden Warbler (making 3 for the day - probably a new spring day record for the Observatory), two Blackcaps, 2 Reed Warblers and the first Woodpigeon of the year. Of these birds 7 new and 14 retraps were caught in the CES nets on the 3rd CES session: a fairly good result.

British control Chiffchaff DXH931 caught at Aylmer Avenue on 26th May 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

Greater coverts of a Jay ringed at Aylmer Avenue on 26th May 2013.
This outer greater covert clearly shows 12 black bars indicating that it is an adult-type greater covert showing that the bird is an adult and not a second-year bird - difficult to see in the field!
Photo - Mick Briggs

The first Woodpigeon caught and ringed in 2013 on the 26th May.
Photo - Mick Briggs

One of three Garden Warblers ringed on the reserve on 26th May 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs

Male Redstart ringed at the Observatory on 26th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

25th May: In the Mill Hill area were two Common Rosefinches, of which one was singing. On Golf Course Ridge was a Red-backed Shrike. A Short-eared Owl, a Spotted Redshank, a Siskin, 10 Corn Buntings and a Garden Warbler were around.
  A total of 10 birds were processed on a morning ringing session in East Dunes, including a Firecrest, a Willow Warbler, 3 Whitethroats and a Chaffinch.

One of two Common Rosefinches near Mill Hill on 25th May 2013.
Photo - Daniel Watson

One of two Common Rosefinches near Mill Hill on 25th May 2013.
Photo - Daniel Watson







 Red-backed Shrike on Golf Course Ridge on 25th May 2013.
Photo -  Gary Wright






Male Firecrest ringed on 25th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

24th May: Rainy and windy. The best bird on the reserve was a Long-eared Owl. A drake Red-breasted Merganser was on Tennyson Sands. Offshore a Fulmar and a Merlin flew north.
  No ringing was attempted.

23rd May: Increasing northwesterly wind, with intermittent rain in afternoon. Around were a Short-eared Owl and 40 Jays. Heading north at sea were 23 Gannets.
  The weather restricted the morning ringing catch in East Dunes to just 6 birds, including a Blackcap, a Whitethroat and a Reed Bunting.

22nd May: Around were 2 Buzzards, 2 Wheatears, 50 Jays and 9 Turtle Doves. Flying south were a Marsh Harrier during the day and a ringtail Montagu's Harrier over the beach in the evening.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes was quite productive. The new birds were 10 Jays, a Willow Warbler, 3 Chaffinches, 3 Whitethroats, 2 Linnets, 3 Reed Buntings, a Sedge Warbler and 2 Swallows. The retraps were 4 Whitethroats, 3 Dunnocks, a Reed Bunting, 2 Wrens and a Song Thrush. Additionally a British-ringed Chaffinch was controlled.
  The year total of Jays ringed at Gibraltar Point is now 37. Since the irruption began last October 55 Jays have been ringed here, amazing when you consider that only 25 were ringed in the previous 63 years - from 1949 to 2011!
  A simultaneous ringing session at Aylmer Avenue was less productive, with 7 birds processed, including 2 Sedge Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Whitethroat and a Swallow.




Female Swallow with one retained old inner secondary on each wing. Ringed on 22nd May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory.

Noisy Jay - the avian equivalent of a Dalek. Ringed 22nd May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory
 

21st May: The Great White Egret was still on Jackson's Marsh. Around was a Tree Pipit. Sea-watching produced 3 Guillemots, 9 Arctic Terns, 17 Common Terns, 8 Commic Terns and 5 Gannets north, 2 Gannets south, and a Red-throated Diver and 2 Great Crested Grebes on the sea. A Temminck's Stint showed well on the Fenland Lagoon this evening.
  A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in just 2 Whitethroats being caught.



Great White Egret on Jackson's Marsh on 21st May 2013
Photo - Paul Neale

Mid May 2013

20th May: An incredible day for the reserve! On Jackson's Marsh there appeared a Great White Egret, and on Tennyson Sands a drake Garganey. Raptors included a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard. Around were 3 Wheatears.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced few birds, but new ones included a Red-breasted Flycatcher - this has to be the surprise of the year in ringing terms! This is the 12th ringed for the Observatory ever with the last one caught being way back on the 24th October 1993 - 20 years ago! All the previous records of ringed birds at the Observatory came from mid September to mid October, so to get a spring bird caught and ringed was totally off the charts! There were also 2 Tree Pipits, a Whitethroat and a Reed Bunting ringed whilst the retraps included a Whitethroat, a Song Thrush and a Reed Bunting.



Red-breasted Flycatcher ringed on 20th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory



Red-breasted Flycatcher ringed on 20th May 2013.
Just the 12th for the Observatory ever!
Photo - George Gregory



Tree Pipit ringed on 20th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

 

19th May: A Common Rosefinch was seen singing near Greenshanks Creek. Around were a Spoonbill, a Pied Flycatcher, a Whinchat, a Wheatear, 27 Jays, a Curlew Sandpiper and a Marsh Harrier. Flying south were 3 more Marsh Harriers.
  During a morning ringing session in East Dunes new birds were an acredula-type Willow Warbler, a Whinchat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a Meadow Pipit, and the retraps 2 Whitethroats.
  The 2nd session of CES was done this morning, with a total of 19 birds processed, which was much better than the 1st session's total of 5 birds. The 9 new birds were 2 Chiffchaffs, a Wren, 3 Whitethroats, a Reed Warbler and 2 Lesser Whitethroats. The retraps were 3 Chaffinches, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Dunnocks, a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler and a Blackbird.
  Other nets at Aylmer Avenue produced 9 other birds trapped, namely a Chiffchaff, a Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warblers, a Reed Warbler, a Robin and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Acredula-type Willow Warbler ringed on 19th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

Male Whinchat ringed on 19th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

18th May: An arrival of migrants featured a Ring Ouzel, a Pied Flycatcher, a Whinchat and 2 Redstarts. On Jackson's Marsh was a Red-breasted Merganser. At nightfall a female Nightjar hunted near the reserve.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes was reasonably productive. New birds were a Redstart, a Pied Flycatcher, 3 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps, and retraps 3 Whitethroats, 3 Meadow Pipits and a Blue Tit. The Pied Flycatcher was a real turn up for the observatory with the last spring bird ringed being back on 10th May 2006, indeed there was only one spring bird in the whole of the 1990s and just three in the whole of the 1980s. Hopefully 2013 will turn out to be a great year for this jewel of the bird world!
  An afternoon ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided higher numbers, the best birds being a new Swallow (1st of the year) and a Foreign Control Sedge Warbler with a Paris Museum ring.

Foreign control Sedge Warbler caught on the 18th May 2013 wearing a Paris Museum ring!
Photo - Mick Briggs

Foreign control Sedge Warbler caught on the 18th May 2013 wearing a Paris Museum ring!
Photo - Mick Briggs

The first Swallow ringed in 2013, an adult male on 18th May.
Photo - Mick Briggs



Male Redstart ringed on 18th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory



Female Pied Flycatcher ringed on 18th May 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

17th May: A Bluethroat was seen at the south end of East Dunes in the afternoon.  Flying north offshore were 205 Commic Terns, 51 Common Terns, 64 Arctic Terns, 26 Sandwich Terns, 21 Gannets, a Red-throated Diver, a Black-throated Diver, a Puffin, 4 Great Skuas and a Pomarine Skua. Other notables around were a Greenshank, 14 Little Terns and a Cuckoo.
 A wind-shortened ringing session in East Dunes this morning provided few birds, the new ones being a Willow Warbler, a Chaffinch, a Meadow Pipit and a Whitethroat, and the retraps 2 Whitethroats.

16th May: A Spoonbill appeared on Jackson's Marsh late afternoon. Grounded migrants included a Tree Pipit, 35 Jays, 2 Grasshopper Warblers and 6 Sedge Warblers. A light raptor passage from midday resulted in a Common Buzzard flying north and a ring-tail Hen Harrier south.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes was moderately productive, new birds including a Jay (the 27th of the year), a Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Whitethroats, 2 Willow Warblers, a Song Thrush, a Reed Bunting and 2 Meadow Pipits. New birds on a simultaneous session at Aylmer Avenue included 2 Reed Warblers, a Willow Warbler and 4 Whitethroats, and retraps 3 Whitethroats, 2 Sedge Warblers and 2 Willow Warblers. The Spotted Flycatcher was a reminder of last year's two birds caught in May. Let us hope that 2013 doesn't turn out to be like 2012, when we only caught one through the whole autumn migration period!
  The first Brimstone and Orange-tip butterflies of the year were noted today.
                                                                                                      


Spotted Flycatcher ringed on 16th May 2013.
Photo - Nigel Judson

15th May: Very windy, with occasional rain. There was a steady passage of Swifts throughout the day, with at least 200 birds flying south. Also on the move were a Hobby, 100 Swallows and 50 House Martins.  The spring record of Arctic Terns was smashed today, with an incredible 450 birds flying south offshore in just 90 minutes! A Yellow-legged Gull flew over Tennyson Sands late afternoon.
  No ringing was possible, but the bushes have leafed up noticeably in the last day or so.

14th May: On Tennyson Sands was a Mediterranean Gull. Around were a Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtails. Flying south offshore were 60 Little Terns, 10 Sandwich Terns, 11 Common Terns, 128 Arctic Terns, 122 'Commic' Terns, and a single Arctic Skua.
  No ringing was attempted this morning. A lot of rain is forecast for the next 24 hours - not good for birding, but fine for helping the bushes leaf up.

13th May: On the reserve were 3 Marsh Harriers, a Cuckoo, a Jay and a Short-eared Owl. Offshore 79 Arctic Terns flew south.
  Still windy. A restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes produced just 1 new Chiffchaff and 2 retrap Whitethroats.

12th May: On the reserve were 35 Jays, a Peregrine, a Merlin, a Cuckoo and 2 Turtle Doves. Flying south were 130 Swallows, 30 Swifts and 2 Sand Martins. A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling near Mill Hill early morning.
  Again few birds were trapped in a morning ringing session in East Dunes, but new birds included a Jay, a Whitethroat and a Chaffinch, and the retraps another Jay.

11th May: Around were a Hobby, a Tree Pipit, a Marsh Harrier, 30 Jays, 4 Cuckoos, 2 Grasshopper Warblers and 6 Whimbrels.
  A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new Jays, plus a small number of Whitethroats and Blackcaps. The new Jay year total is 25 and counting.
  During this spring up to 100 Jays have been flying around the reserve here, possibly intending to fly (back?) across the North Sea. However, most days they seem to circle around, following the coast north or south, then heading inland for further circuits. Whether any actually attempt the crossing remains unknown.