May 15th. Cloudy, with fresh northerly wind.
May 14th. Mostly clear and sunny, then cloudy, with increasing north-easterly wind.
Highlights of the day was again the Bittern showing occasionally on both Jacksons Marsh and Tennyson's Sands. On the water bodies around the reserve were 52 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 74 Avocet, 82 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpiper, 6 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Common Tern, 1 2CY Mediterranean Gull, 1 Spoonbill, 5 Great White Egret, 2 Grey Heron and a Yellow Wagtail.
Other birds around the reserve included a male Stonechat (near Weather Station), a Red-legged Partridge (quite scarce here now!), 2 Swift (North), 1 Cuckoo, 1 Hobby (North pm over Tennyson's Sands), 1 Buzzard, 1 Barn Owl, a Fieldfare (East Dunes), and a male singing Yellowhammer (increasing scarce here now as well).
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided just a new Reed Bunting.
A check of a Barn Owl nest site revealed a pair, of which one was ringed.
Barn Owl, ringed 14 May 2025. Photo - George Gregory |
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Black-Headed Gull, 14th May 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
Common Terns, 14th May 2025 Photo - Nigel Lound |
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Common Sandpiper, 14th May 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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Bittern, 14th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Bittern - having a wander!, 14th May 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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Barn Owl, 14th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Male Blackcap, 14th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Little Egret, 14th May 2025 Photo - Mike Watts |
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Common Tern, 14th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Hares, 14th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Whitethroat (With ring on!), 14th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Great Spotted Woodpecker, 14th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
Male Yellowhammer in Song, 14th May 2025 Photo - Nigel Lound |
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Wall Brown Butterfly (A species thought lost from Gib until today! after no records last year), 14th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Wall Brown Butterfly (A species thought lost from Gib until today! after no records last year), 14th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
Highlights today included a Cattle Egret (North), 2CY Mediterranean Gull and a pair of Stonechats near the Weather Station.
On the water bodies today were 42 Shelduck, 21 Tufted Duck, 10 Gadwall, 4 Wigeon, 67 Avocet, 116 Black-tailed Godwits, 8 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Spoonbill, 5 Great White Egret and 2 Grey Heron. Also around were a Cuckoo and a Buzzard.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 2 new birds: a Chiffchaff and a Reed Bunting.
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2CY Mediterranean Gull, 13th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Greenshank, 13th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Avocet, 13th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Common Sandpiper, 13th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Female Blackcap, 13th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Female Stonechat, 13th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
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Green Hairstreak, 13th May 2025 Photo - Tom Baker |
Highlight of the day again was the Bittern which showed well on and off for most of the day on Jackson's Marsh although could be obviously elusive at times! On the Water bodies around the reserve were 41 Shelduck, 8 Gadwall, 1 Pochard (Drake), 84 Avocet, 1 Whimbrel, 97 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 1 Dunlin, 4 Spoonbill, 6 Little Egret, 7 Great White Egret and 3 Grey Heron.
Elsewhere around the reserve were 10 Little Tern, 2 Mediterranean Gulls (Adults heading North), 2 Barn Owl, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Stonechat (Male) and 3 Yellow Wagtail.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 3 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Chaffinch and a Whitethroat.
Bittern on Jacksons Marsh, 12th May 2025 Photo - Nige Lound |
Little Egret, 12th May 2025 Photo - Nige Lound |
Buck Roe Deer - Monarch of the West Dunes!, 12th May 2025 Photo - Nige Lound |
There were 7 Great White Egrets and 2 Spoonbills on Tennyson's Sands from Harvey's Hide, whilst on Jacksons Marsh the Bittern was showing again around 9am but no sign later in the morning, although 2 Hobbies were hunting over Croft Marsh. Birds around included a Grey Heron, 4 Whimbrel, 2 Cuckoos, 2 Kestrels, and 2 Barn Owls.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided a new Chaffinch; and 3 retraps: 2 Chaffinch and a Chiffchaff.
This morning was the 2nd Constant Effort Site session of the year in West Dunes. Results were 11 new birds: 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Robin, 1 Blackcap, 1 Great Tit and 1 Wren; and 11 retraps: 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Wren, 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap and 1 Great Tit.
Of interest during the 2nd CES session was this Lesser Whitethroat (See picture below) which showed some extreme central tail feather wear after its winter back in Sub-Saharan Africa. They were so worn that just the shafts were left of the central two feathers. This wear demonstrates along with a dull top of the eye that this bird is a 2CY individual.
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Ringed Lesser Whitethroat, 11th May 2025 Photo - Michael Briggs |
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Ringed Lesser Whitethroat showing extreme central tail feather wear, 11th May 2025 Photo - Michael Briggs |
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Ringed female Blackcap, 11th May 2025 Photo - Michael Briggs |
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Ringed Sedge Warbler, 11th May 2025 Photo - Michael Briggs |
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Bittern on Jacksons Marsh, 11th May 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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Bittern on Jacksons Marsh, 11th May 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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Bittern on Jacksons Marsh, 11th May 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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Spoonbill, 11th May 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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Grey Heron, 11th May 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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Little Egret, 11th May 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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Meadow Pipit, 11th May 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |
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Oystercatchers, 11th May 2025 Photo - Paul Neale |