August 28th. A soggy start to the day with broken cloud after more overnight thunderstorms and heavy rain, the wind direction having changed around to an increasing south-westerly. Heavy rains hit again during the afternoon, another great start to a Bank Holiday Weekend!
Early morning visible migration involved 450 Swallows and 400 House Martins, 2 Swift, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Buzzard, a Kestrel, 3 Rook and 3 Tree Pipit, all heading south.
Grounded migrants left over from yesterday including 12 Pied Flycatchers (2 in North Car Park, another 2 in the West Dunes, another 3 in Sykes Farm and 5 in the East Dunes). There were 5 Redstart about and a Garden Warbler in Sykes Farm. There were at least 6 Whinchats (2 on Mill Pond Road & 4 on the outer dunes), another one was found dead in the Mere Hide (Probably died from getting chilled after getting soaked in a thunderstorm shower yesterday or overnight and never recovered because of a long migration flight and low fat reserves). On the Rock Ridge there was a Wheatear
New migrants reported included 8 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Curlew Sandpiper flying over the West Dunes. Highlight of the morning was an Osprey which flew over the Golf Course and then went south over Tennyson's Sands and Jackson's Marsh at 10am.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 12 new birds: 5 Willow Warbler, a Pied Flycatcher, a Reed Warbler, a Redstart, a Robin and 3 Whitethroat; and 7 retraps: a Siskin, a Garden Warbler, 3 Long-tailed Tit, a Willow Warbler and a Wren.
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| A migrant Whinchat that took shelter in the Mere Hide but succumbed to a torrential downpour and became chilled after a long journey to get here, 28th August 2026. Photo - Rob Watson |
Early news was that migrants were still arriving after the overnight easterlies again. There were at least 9 Pied Flycatchers scattered around the reserve along with 4 Redstarts, 2 Garden Warblers (Including 1 Ringed), 1 Siskin (Ringed), 3 Whinchats, a Wheatear and a Spotted Flycatcher (in the West Dunes). Also about was a Hobby. Around the Seacroft boundary lagoons were 30 Yellow Wagtail and 100 Pied Wagtails along with 45 Linnet and around 95 Curlews in the foreshore area.
On the lagoons around the reserve were 450 Black-tailed Godwits, 14 Avocet, 10 Greenshank, 6 Spotted Redshanks, 1 Snipe, 1 Ruff, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Green Sandpiper, a Dunlin and 25 Spoonbill. Two Cattle Egret were with the cattle on Croft Marsh. On the estuary there were in the gull and tern roost, 2100 Common Tern, 2000 Sandwich Tern, 1 Caspian Gull, 1 Yellow-legged Gull
After the rain cleared up during the late afternoon, it was clear that the heavy rain had grounded even more migrants which were showing well around the reserve with at least 13 Pied Flycatchers, 7 Whinchat, 3 Tree Pipit, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Redstart and 8 Wheatear around the reserve. Also around were 3 Common Sandpiper, a Green Woodpecker and 2 Siskin (South).
Estimates for the totals of some migrants for the day from reported birds and known locations included 29 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 9 Redstarts, 9 Wheatears and 11 Whinchats.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 10 new birds: 5 Willow Warbler, a Redstart, a Garden Warbler, a Siskin, a Pied Flycatcher and a Blackcap; and a retrap Pied Flycatcher.
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| Pied Flycatcher around North Car Park, 27th August 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Pied Flycatcher no2 around North Car Park, 27th August 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Yellow Wagtail juvenile on Seacroft boundary lagoons, 27th August 2026 Photo - Jason Virgin |
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| Siskin, ringed 27 August 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Redstart, ringed 27 August 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
Fresh arrivals were all around the reserve today with the overnight easterlies and new birds continued to arrive throughout the morning. 15 Pied Flycatchers were around the reserve, including the two ringed at the Observatory, whilst in the West Dunes there were a Spotted Flycatcher and a Redstart. Four Whinchat were on the Saltmarsh out from North Building, a 5th one was just south of Seacroft Lagoon on the coastal path, and a 6th bird was on the bridge over the old saltmarsh. Four Wheatears were around the Visitor Centre and Rock Ridge. Willow Warblers totalled 15 around the reserve.
Highlight of the morning though was a possibly 1st for Lincolnshire and nationally incredibly rare, an adult Ross's Gull! flew North along the beach at 7.30am. Three Cattle Egrets were on Tennyson's Sands early on after roosting there overnight. Also around the lagoons on the reserve were 11 Shoveler, 25 Teal, 24 Avocet, 530 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Green Sandpiper, 6 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 1 Ruff and 27 Spoonbill. Also 4 Grey Herons flew south west in one group.
Also around the reserve were 2 Turnstone (Beach), a Common Sandpiper and 5 Greenshank (On the river), 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, 1 Hobby (Croft Marsh late morning) and 34 Yellow Wagtails with 110 Pied Wagtails (Seacroft Lagoon area).
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 10 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Wren, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Garden Warbler, a Blue Tit, a Robin, a Reed Warbler and a Cuckoo; and 4 retraps: a Wren, a Blackcap, a Dunnock and a Great Tit.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Dave Vincent provided 9 new birds: 2 Robin, 5 Swallow, a Whitethroat and a Woodpigeon; and 3 retraps: a Chiffchaff, a Whitethroat and a Robin.
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| Spoonbills on Tennyson's Sands, 26th August 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Spotted Flycatcher in the West Dunes, 26th August 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Pied Flycatcher in the pines of North Car Park, 26th August 2026 Photo - Jason Virgin |
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| Whinchat on the Old Saltmarsh Bridge, 26th August 2026 Photo - Jason Virgin |
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| Wheatear around the Visitor Centre, 26th August 2026 Photo - Jason Virgin |
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| Cuckoo, ringed 26 August 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Pied Flycatcher, ringed 26 August 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Clifden Nonpareil (Aka Blue Underwing) caught overnight at Syke's Farm 26th August 2026, Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Convolvulus Hawk Moth blending in on a Bike chainring, 26th August 2026 Photo - Kev Wilson |
Flying south early on were a number of Hirundines. A brief sea-watch early recorded good numbers of Common and Sandwich Terns, Gannets heading north, some Teal heading south with a Shoveler and 15 Arctic Skuas.
A small stand of Sycamores held 3 newly arrived and vocal Pied Flycatchers late morning, but unfortunately there was no further coverage of other migrant hotspots at this time. When the area was checked again early evening, there were at least 2 Pied Flycatchers still present and a Common Redstart. Further focus on the sea in the strong easterly in the evening recorded another 12 Arctic Skuas whilst 2 Caspian Gulls and 2 Yellow-legged Gulls were on the beach..
A brief, wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced just a new Magpie.
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| Black-tailed Godwits and Avocet, 25th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Spoonbills flushed by a Roe Deer, 25th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Spoonbills over Tennyson's Sands, 25th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Linnet, 25th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Buck Roe Deer, 25th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Common Darter, 25th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Broom Moth Caterpillar, 25th August 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
Some ducks were moving offshore in the morning including 2 Shoveler, 55 Teal and 4 Gadwall, and a Peregrine caught a Woodpigeon over the East Dunes. A Ruff turned up on the beach before moving to Tennyson's Sands. A Firecrest was trapped and ringed in East Dunes early on. Gulls on the beach during the dropping tide in the afternoon included 2 Caspian Gulls and 2 Yellow-legged Gulls.
A significant increase of Common Terns was recorded, with 1200 on the Haven and over 100 in the feeding flock. 1500 Sandwich Terns were also on the Haven with over 800 in the feeding flock. There was a light northerly passage of Gannets, 12 Arctic Skuas and a Little Gull.
On the water bodies around the reserve were 9 Shoveler, 36 Teal, 19 Avocet, 62 Lapwing, 81 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Ruff and 12 Spoonbill.
Also around were a Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Red Kite (North), 2 Buzzard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Wheatear and several Willow Warblers.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 11 new birds: a Firecrest, 2 Reed Warbler, a Robin, a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat, a Reed Bunting and a Blackcap; and 4 retraps: a Wren, a Whitethroat, a Great Tit and a Dunnock.
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| Ruff on Tennyson's Sands, 24th August 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Willow Warbler, 24th August 2026. Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Wheatear, 24th August 2026. Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Firecrest, ringed 24 August 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
Ideal conditions early on for counting common birds around the dune scrub etc until the heat increased around 0830hrs. A marked decrease of Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers as the breeding birds have dispersed. Only moderate numbers of Willow Warblers after the last influx, but Lesser Whitethroats were in good numbers.
Around 1000hrs the familiar calls of Bee-eater were heard again and the bird was traced to the North Building Ridge (this area was surveyed at 0800hrs when it definitely wasn't there then!). The bird called regularly over the next 30 minutes before circling over the Golf Course and drifting slowly south down the West Dunes. Undoubtedly the individual that has been up and down the Lincolnshire coast over the last week.
Both Pied Flycatcher and Spotted Flycatcher were new arrivals late morning, the juvenile Cuckoo remained in the East Dunes and a Clouded Yellow flew south.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 5 new birds: 2 Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat and a Robin; and a retrap Dunnock.
The twelfth and final session of CES was done this morning by James Siddle and Ian Thompson. The 10 new birds were a Chiffchaff, a Wren, a Long-tailed Tit, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Great Tit; and the 2 retraps were a Whitethroat and a Blackcap. |
| Curlew, 23rd August 2026 Photo - Ste Taylor |
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| European Beewolf (Philanthus triangulum) - a Bee killer Wasp, 23rd August 2026 Photo - Ste Taylor |
Offshore, 2 Arctic Skuas and 5 Black Terns flew south and 5 Little Gulls and 3 Goosander went north early morning. A Curlew Sandpiper flew off Greenshanks Creek with a party of Redshank.
Overland vis migration was limited to a light movement of Swallows and House Martins, a few Yellow Wagtails and Meadow Pipits and a Tree Pipit. In the dunes were 2 Goldcrests, 2 Cetti's Warbler, a Pied Flycatcher and a Cuckoo. Around was a Marsh Harrier. On Tennyson's Sands were 29 Avocet and 15 Black-tailed Godwits whilst on the Mere there were 3 Green Sandpipers.
A significant arrival of juvenile Gulls along the beach in the evening included 5 Caspian Gulls and 3 Yellow-legged Gulls, also a 2cy Caspian Gull. The feeding flock was busy with terns again offshore and 3 Arctic Skuas involved, with a further 6 Arctic Skuas heading north. Also heading north were single Manx Shearwater and Balearic Shearwater - the latter also seen at Seacroft a short while later after dodging some harassment from an Arctic Skua.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 7 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap and 2 Robin; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Robin.
August 21st. Cloudy start, clearing, then clouding over, with increasing north-westerly to northerly wind and afternoon rain.
Highlights of an evening sea-watch were 1700 Sandwich Terns including 800 in a feeding flock, 13 Arctic Skua south + 3 in the feeding flock, 60 Common Terns, 6 Arctic Terns, a Black Tern, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, a Caspian Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull. Several small groups of waders arrived and flew into the Wash including 2 Curlew Sandpipers.
Raptors around today included a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, a Peregrine, and a Tawny Owl calling in the Plantation. On the lagoons around the reserve were 11 Shoveler, 19 Teal, 1 Water Rail, 23 Avocet, 12 Lapwing, 56 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Redshank, 1 Spotted Redshank and 23 Spoonbill.
Significant rain over the last two days has been welcome and brought signs of activity from Common Frogs, Common Toads and Garden Snails.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 5 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin and a Whitethroat; and a retrap Robin.
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| Green Sandpiper, 21st August 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Garden Snail, 21st August 2026. Photo - Jack Hood |
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