July 30th. Fairly cloudy, with a light westerly wind, still warm but threatening rain on and off all day and not actually delivering!
A look at the beach over the hightide produced 800 Oystercatcher, 40 Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper (Greenshanks Creek), 2 Whimbrel, 59 Curlew, 30 Bar-tailed Godwit, 60 Redshank, 5 Turnstone, 1000 Knot, 2500 Sanderling, 500 Dunlin, 84 Little Tern, 3 Artic Tern, 40 Common Tern, 400 Sandwich Tern and 2 Juvenile Mediterranean Gull. Whilst over the sea were 2 Artic Skua (North) and 8 Eider.
Heading south during the morning were 370 Swallow, 75 Sand Martin, 6 Swift, 4 House Martin. Also around were 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Marsh Harrier (Over Freshwater Marsh),
Around the water bodies today were 9 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 49 Avocet, 2 Little ringed Plover, 250 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank and 28 Spoonbill.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 8 new birds: a Wren, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Whitethroat and a Woodpigeon; and a retrap Whitethroat.
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| x2 Common Tern, Sandwich Tern juvenile and Little Tern, 30th July 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Common Tern and juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 30th July 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Woodpigeon, ringed 30 July 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Red Underwing Moth, 30th July 2026 Photo - Jason Virgin |
A mob of 6 Arctic Skuas were harassing Terns on the Haven early morning with another 3 heading south offshore, and there was a good movement of Sand Martins and Swallows with a few Swifts, Yellow Wagtails, a male Marsh Harrier and the highlight, an Osprey that went out over the Wash.
On the water bodies around the reserve were 400 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Spotted Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper 3 Snipe, 3 Little Ringed Plover and 23 Spoonbills.
Overnight moth-trapping by Nige Lound resulted in the rare White Spotted Pinion which is a "Red Data Species". Less than 20 records for Lincolnshire ever. Also attracted to the moth traps were a Willow Emerald Damselfly after similar views of a Migrant Hawker Dragonfly the night before.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 4 new birds: a Wren, 2 Willow Warbler and a Robin; and a retrap Wren.
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| Avocet with chick, 29th July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Juvenile Yellow Wagtail, 29th July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Meadow Pipit, 29th July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| White Spotted Pinion, 28th July 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly, 29th July 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Black-tailed Skimmer, 29th July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
A light passage of Sand Martins and Swallows was underway from early on with more waders arriving from the north and moving into the Wash: c200 Sanderling, 60 Dunlin, 80 Knot, 25 Redshank and 6 Turnstone. The highlight of sea passage was the number of Arctic Skuas arriving from the north and moving south: 2 were blogging around the Haven first thing then another 19 went south including a group of 8 and another group of 5, mostly light phase adults. A juvenile Yellow-legged Gill got mixed up with the latter flock for a while, apparently thinking it was a skua! A Marsh Harrier flew south over the saltmarsh.
Around the lagoons were 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Great White Egret and 23 Spoonbill.
On Gibraltar Road next to Tennyson's Sands before dawn was a Hedgehog.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 16 new birds: 3 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Linnet, a Reed Bunting and a Swallow; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.
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| Little Egret, 28th July 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Ringed Plover juvenile, 28th July 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Little Tern Juvenile, 28th July 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Little Tern with Sand Eel, 28th July 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Artic Skua, 28th July 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Seals sat on a sand bar with a juvenile Sandwich Tern piggy backing on one of them (Far left) 28th July 2026, Photo - Mike Watts |
A generally quieter day than recent days but a noticeable arrival of Willow Warblers in the East Dunes providing the year's highest count of that species - 25 (including 2 trapped). The juvenile Cuckoo was also still around East Dunes. Another Curlew Sandpiper passed south with a Dunlin flock. A Badger was out during the day, foraging in the dry conditions, probably still hungry after an unsuccessful night trying to find food.
The Haven was packed with gulls, terns and waders on the dropping ide in the evening; counts included over 6000 Sanderling, 7000 Black-headed Gulls and 4650 Sandwich Terns.
On the water bodies around the reserve were 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 32 Spoonbill, 1 Great White Egret and 1 Yellow Wagtail.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 5 new birds: 1 Wren, 2 Willow Warbler and 2 Sedge Warbler; and a retrap Song Thrush.
The ninth session of CES was done this morning by James Siddle and Ian Thompson. The 9 new birds were 7 Whitethroat and 2 Blackcap; and the 4 retraps were a Whitethroat, a Dunnock, a Wren and a Chiffchaff.
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| Swallows around the Coastguards Tower, 27th July 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Swallows around the Coastguards Tower, 27th July 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Yellow Wagtail, 27th July 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Spoonbills, 27th July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Little Egret, 27th July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Black-tailed Godwit, 27th July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
Activity offshore and around the foreshore continues to be intense with gulls and terns in a feeding flock of over 2000 birds and various roosts along the beach. Five Arctic Skuas included 3 south and two chasing terns close in.
Many Redshank, Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit were feeding along Greenshanks Creek with other mixed wader flocks arriving from the north, including one party of Dunlin with a Curlew Sandpiper mixed in. Sand Martins and Swallows continued to move south during the watch (0600-0900hrs) but the movement of over 1000 Swifts occurred prior to 0800hrs.
Elsewhere on the water bodies there were 3 Spotted Redshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Snipe, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Knot, 2 Common Tern, 2 Great White Egrets and 18 Spoonbill.
Another movement of Swifts in the evening saw 710 move south but most effort was concentrated on counting the small waders leaving the evening tide roost - at least 5200 Sanderling.
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| Spotted Redshank, 26th July 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Snipe, 26th July 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Young Avocet, 26th July 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
Another day of high variety and high numbers, particularly gulls, terns and waders with a substantial roost on the beach, large feeding flock offshore and southerly migration of hirundines. A Quail was calling from the Freshwater Marsh early morning and a Cattle Egret was mobile.
Amongst the gulls and terns were 12 Arctic Terns, 2 Little Gulls, 11 Mediterranean Gulls (including 6 juveniles) and 3 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls. Around the dunes, at least 3 Green Woodpeckers had arrived. In the evening a southerly passage of over 1200 Swifts was underway prior to a brief rain shower.
Elsewhere around the water bodies, there were 8 Little Grebe, 81 Avocet, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 34 Lapwing, 200 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 7 Cormorant, 23 Spoonbill and 1 Great White Egret.
A good selection of Dragonflies included 5 Southern Migrant Hawkers and a Southern Hawker. A small number of Humming-bird Hawk Moths are now being seen daily.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 6 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Linnet, 2 Robin, a Whitethroat and a Cuckoo.
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| 23 Spoonbills on Tennyson's Sands, 25th July 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Adult Mediterranean Gull, 25th July 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Green Woodpecker juvenile, 25th July 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Sunrise over Field 10, 25th July 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Juvenile Cuckoo, ringed 25 July 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
Much as yesterday, the day commenced with a steady passage of Sand Martins and Swallows with lower numbers of Swifts and a few Yellow Wagtails. Highlight of the day was a Cetti's Warbler trapped and ringed at the Observatory.
A Cattle Egret also flew south and new waders were arriving close inshore: Sanderling, Dunlin, Knot, Black-tailed Godwits and Whimbrels. Over 1700 Sandwich Terns were variously roosting and feeding, an Arctic Skua went north and at least 5000 Black-headed Gulls and 600 Common Gulls went to roost on the Haven in the evening.
Around the water bodies were 460 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Snipe, 47 Lapwing, 1 Great White Egret and 19 Spoonbills.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 4 new birds: a Wren, a Blackcap, a Sedge Warbler and a Cetti's Warbler; and a retrap Robin.
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| Roesel's Bush Cricket - an unusually green variant of this recently colonised species, 24th July 2026. Photo - Sam Wilson |
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| Cetti's Warbler, ringed 24 July 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
A good day for counting common birds around part of the census area with good numbers of Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Chiffchaff recorded amongst others.
However this left little time for a migration watch out east where it was apparent that Sand Martins and Swallows were moving south down the beach with a few Swifts and Yellow Wagtails. Waders arriving into the Wash included 90 Knot, 100 Whimbrel and 56 Oystercatcher, whilst offshore over 400 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua went north.
On the water bodies were 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 6 Snipe, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Curlew, 34 Lapwing and 2 Grey Heron.
Other birds around included 6 Green Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Collared Dove.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 13 new birds: 2 Wren, 2 Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, a Sedge Warbler, a Robin, 3 Reed Bunting, 2 Whitethroat and a Blue Tit; and 6 retraps: a Great Tit, 2 Dunnock and 3 Whitethroat.
On the reserve, due to lack of rainfall, Elders are severely stressed, with many withered leaves. Smaller Hawthorns and Blackthorns, and Privets are mildly stressed, with leaves starting to droop. Larger Hawthorns and Blackthorns, with deeper roots, and Sea Buckthorns are still coping well, at present.
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| Little Ringed Plover, 23rd July 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Snipe with Avocets, 23rd July 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Severely stressed Elder, 23 July 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
On the sea were 7 Gannet, 3 Artic Skua and 550 Sandwich Tern were about feeding at sea whilst around the visitor centre at 8.30am, there were 120 Swallows.
The water bodies around the reserve were home to 494 Black-tailed Godwits, 40 Avocet, 4 Common Sandpiper, 7 Green Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 3 Snipe, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Water Rail, 2 Common Tern, 10 Cormorants, 2 Great White Egrets and 7 Spoonbills.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 7 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Whitethroat, 3 Reed Bunting and 2 Dunnock; and a retrap Dunnock.
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| Great White Egret, 22nd July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Spoonbills with Great White Egret, 21st July 2026 Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
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| Avocets, 21st July 2026 Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
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| Avocets on Tennyson's Sands, 22nd July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Knot on Tennyson's Sands, 22nd July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Green Sandpiper, 21st July 2026 Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
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| Meadow Pipit, 21st July 2026 Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
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| Gatekeeper Butterfly, 21st July 2026 Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
On the water bodies were 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Snipe, 2 Water Rail, 1 Little Gull, 1 Great White Egret and 15 Spoonbill.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 15 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, a Wren, 2 Long-tailed Tit, a Sedge Warbler, 7 Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 11 retraps: a Dunnock, 3 Whitethroat and 7 Long-tailed Tit.
A check of a nest box revealed 3 Barn Owl chicks.
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| Barn Owl chick, Ringed 21st July 2026. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Water Rail on Tennyson's Sands, 21st July 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Sand Wasp, 21st July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Square-headed Wasp, 21st July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Bee Wolf, 21st July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Dune Robber Fly, 21st July 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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