August 17th. Cloudy, quite mild, with light variable wind.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 5 new birds: a Wren, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat and a Reed Bunting; and 2 retraps: a Dunnock and a Wren.
August 16th. Cloudy and cooler, with a light south-westerly then north-easterly wind.
An Asio sp was over Observatory area before dawn. The morning wader roost provided another awesome avian spectacle. Birds trapped and ringed included a Tree Pipit in East Dunes and a Green Woodpecker at Aylmer Avenue. A count of common birds in the dunes revealed the presence of a Pied Flycatcher and 2 Tree Pipits (additional to the ringed bird).
Highlights from Tennyson's Sands included 7 Spotted Redshank, a Ruff, 30 Spoonbill and a Water Rail.
Moth trapping this month so far has been extremely busy with over a 1000 moths being trapped regularly with over 1500 on 9th being the busiest that far this year. This was beaten on the 13th when 2400 were caught including 655 Common Wainscot, 279 Small Mottled Willow and over 800 of the micromoth "Scobiplapa ocellatella".
Highlight of the month so far this month was "Reed Dagger" trapped overnight on the 11th which was a first for both Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve and a first for Lincolnshire. Other scarcities have included 2 "Dewick's Plusia", the nationally scarce "Marbled Clover" twice, and our 2nd record this year of the rare "Monk Moth (Monopis monchella)". There has also been a "Pearly Underwing", just about annual and good numbers of "Rosy Wave" (A Gibraltar Point speciality).
Other impressive looking Moths have included "Centre-barred Sallow" and "Frosted Orange" which put in appearances on the 13th, as did "Maiden's Blush" and 2 "Clay Triple-lines". There has also been "Campion", "Sallow Kitten" and "Orange Swift" which are all fairly common. Also caught up in the traps have been a few "Oak Bush-cricket" and a single "Great Diving Beetle". More photos to come in the next few days.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 12 new birds: 4 Willow Warbler, a Long-tailed Tit, a Tree Pipit, a Sedge Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Reed Bunting; and 6 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Whitethroat and 3 Long-tailed Tit.
The eleventh session of CES was done by Dave Vincent this morning. The 35 new birds were 7 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Long-tailed Tit, 6 Blackcap, 7 Whitethroat, 7 Blue Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Robin, a Dunnock, a Song Thrush, a Woodpigeon and a Green Woodpecker. The 11 retraps were a Robin, 2 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Long-tailed Tit, a Blue Tit and a Great Tit.
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Green Woodpecker, one of at least 3 around currently. 16th August 2026. Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Tree Pipit, ringed 16 August 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
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| "Reed Dagger" Moth, 11th August 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| "Dewick's Plusia" Moth, Early August Photo - Nige Lound |
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| "Centre-barred Sallow" Moth, Early August Photo - Nige Lound |
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| "Clay Triple-lines" Moth, 13th August 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| "Campion" Moth, Early August Photo - Nige Lound |
The main focus of the morning was the monthly WeBS count on the high tide. Counts included 5250 Oystercatcher, 870 Grey Plover, 270 Ringed Plover, 259 Curlew, 3810 Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Turnstone, 60,000 Knot, over 5640 Sanderling and 5260 Dunlin, 88 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 760 Sandwich Tern, 6 Little Tern, 20 Common Tern, 4, (possibly 6) Black Terns (Flying into the Wash) and 2 Artic Skua.
A high flying wader wth a call reminiscent of a distant referees whistle was identified as a Dotterel. It continued south, loosely with a small group of Ringed Plovers.
Also about the beach and estuary area were a Hobby, a Merlin, a Short-eared Owl and 14 Spoonbill whilst on the sea were 8 Eider. The change in wind direction saw over 1200 Swallows moving north.
Also around the reserve were 1 Common Sandpiper, 500 Black-tailed Godwits (Flying over the Freshwater Marsh towards Greenshanks Creek), 6 Greenshank (Fenland Lagoon), 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Marsh Harrier, 4 Buzzard. Good numbers of Meadow pipits this week indicate a good breeding season and some migration, similarly, Yellow Wagtails numbered over 100 including at least 80 to roost again. 2 Goldcrests were with the Tit and Warbler flocks in the West Dunes.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 7 new birds: 3 Willow Warbler, a Wren, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler and a Whitethroat; and a retrap Sedge Warbler.
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| Leucistic Oystercatcher, 15th August 2026 Photo - Kev Wilson |
The early morning period was very busy before the heat really kicked in. An arrival of migrants included 3 Whinchats on Rock Ridge along with 3 Tree Pipits and plenty of newly arrived Willow Warblers.
70,000 waders came up to roost including a Curlew Sandpiper, and visible migration included 2700 Swallow, 27 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Tree Pipit, a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, 6 Whimbrel, 3 Greenshank, 65 Golden Plover, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Marsh Harrier, 10 Kestrel, 2 Hobby together, a Merlin, 28 Buzzard and 3 Red Kite. Amongst the roosting Terns and Gulls this morning were 3 Caspian Gulls, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 Mediterranean Gulls and 8 Little Terns.
An evening watch over the Haven was very productive and included counts of 34,000 Knot, 5850 Oystercatchers, 6000 Dunlin, 4000 Sanderling, 450 Redshank, 30 Spoonbills and 1200 Sandwich Tern. 2 Short-eared Owls were around the marshes in the evening and 80 Yellow Wagtails went to roost.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 25 new birds: 17 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, 2 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler, a Reed Bunting and a Sedge Warbler; and a retrap Dunnock.
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| Spoonbills, 14th August 2026 Photo - Kev Wilson |
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| Juvenile Little Tern, 14th August 2026 Photo - Kev Wilson |
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| Yellow Wagtail, 14th August 2026 Photo - Kev Wilson |
Other than a very brief ringing session, there was unfortunately no coverage of the dunes this morning, with recording effort limited to the foreshore environs. Here, it was apparent that a significant arrival of waders had occurred over the last week, particularly Knot (5000), Grey Plover (40) and Bar-tailed Godwit (100).
A Black Tern was in the Tern roost along with 150 Common Tern, 420 Sandwich Tern, 7 Arctic Tern and 1 Little Tern. Also there were 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, a Caspian Gull and an adult Mediterranean Gull. Several Yellow Wagtails, a Wheatear and a Tree Pipit were grounded.
On the water bodies around the reserve were 31 Avocet, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 350 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 5 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Water Rail, 1 Marsh Harrier, 11 Little Egret, 5 Great White Egrets and 31 Spoonbill.
A heat-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided a new Robin; and 2 retraps: a Great Tit and a Whitethroat.
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| Caspian Gull, 13th August 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Black Tern in the Tern Roost, 13th August 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Adult Winter Plumage Mediterranean Gull, (Centre) 13th August 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Juvenile Yellow-Legged Gull, 13th August 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| x4 Spotted Redshanks, 13th August 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Water Rail, 13th August 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
As yesterday, a much quieter period for Hirundine and Swift passage but new waders continue to arrive from the north, mostly passing into the Wash, including 3 Ruff. 6800 Knot came up to roost on the Reserve on the morning tide, with anther 25000 on Wainfleet Marsh.
On the water bodies around the reserve (or on what's left of them!) there were 6 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Little Egret and 25 Spoonbill.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced a new Willow Warbler; and 3 retraps: a Robin, a Dunnock and a Whitethroat.
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| Jackson's Marsh devoid of all water! 11th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
A Wheatear was by the Bird Observatory during the afternoon and a Marsh Harrier was around the Old Saltmarsh.
Around the water bodies were 3 Avocet, 100 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Golden Plover, 2 Redshank, 3 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard and 28 Spoonbill.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 4 new birds: a Long-tailed Tit, a Reed Warbler, a Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat; and 5 retraps: a Wren, 2 Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Great Tit.
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| Snipe in amongst Black-tailed Godwits, 11th August 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Spoonbills, 11th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| A Fox, presumably looking for amphibians for dinner on the nearly dried up Mere 11th August 2026, Photo - David Nutt |
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| Common Blue Butterfly, 11th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Humming-bird Hawk Moth, 11th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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