Mid July 2018

For further information regarding the Reserve and its wildlife, please contact Kevin Wilson at: 
kwilson@lincstrust.co.uk

July 20th. On Tennyson's Sands were 14 Spoonbill, a Water Rail, 349 Black-tailed Godwit, a Knot and a Spotted Redshank; and on Jacksons Marsh 2 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper and a Kingfisher. Birds around included 10 Little Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, a Little Stint, a Wood Sandpiper, 8 Greenshank, 16 Snipe and 2 Yellow-legged Gull. Heading south were a Golden Plover, a Whimbrel, 356 Swallow and a Yellow Wagtail.  



Kingfisher, 19th July 2018.

Photo - Jim Shaw


Green Sandpiper, 19th July 2018.

Photo - Jim Shaw


Ovipositing Emperor Dragonfly, 19th July 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

July 19th. On Tennyson's Sands were 8 Spoonbill, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 230 Black-tailed Godwit and a Kingfisher. Around were a Marsh Harrier, a Whimbrel, a Greenshank, 9 Snipe, a juvenile Black Tern and a Green Woodpecker. Going south was a Crossbill.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling yielded 14 new birds: a Wren, a Willow Warbler, 6 Whitethroat, a Reed Bunting, a Linnet, a Blackcap, a Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler and a Dunnock; and 3 retraps: a Whitethroat, a Linnet and a Dunnock.

July 18th. On Tennyson's Sands were 10 Spoonbill, a Water Rail, 5 Little Ringed Plover and a Green Sandpiper. Around were 39 Golden Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 329 Black-tailed Godwit, a Little Stint, 2 Spotted Redshank, 9 Greenshank, 9 Snipe, a juvenile Cuckoo and 35 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided just a new Sedge Warbler.

 Spotted Redshank, 18th July 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

Black-tailed Godwit, including a colour ringed individual, 18th July 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

Oystercatcher with chicks, 18th July 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

Tufted Duck brood, 18th July 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

Painted Lady, 18th July 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

July 17th. On Tennyson's Sands were 10 Spoonbill, 292 Black-tailed Godwit and a Water Rail; and on Croftmarsh 3 Little Ringed Plover. Birds around included 120 Common Scoter, 3 Marsh Harrier, a Golden Plover, 299 Curlew, 3 Whimbrel, 3 Common Sandpiper, 3 Greenshank, 11 Snipe, 2 Arctic Skua, 3 Mediterranean Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Short-eared Owl and a Grasshopper Warbler. Flying south was an Arctic Tern, 62 Swift, 30 Sand Martin and 132 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 9 new birds: 2 Wren, a Sedge Warbler, a Robin, 2 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 4 retraps: a Sedge Warbler, a Dunnock, a Blue Tit and a Whitethroat.

 Food begging Cuckoo, 17th July 2018.
Video - Ben Ward

July 16th. On Tennyson's Sands were a Garganey, 13 Spoonbill and a juvenile Water Rail; and on Jacksons Marsh a Ruff, a Spotted Redshank and 5 Greenshank. Around were a Marsh Harrier, 14 Little Ringed Plover (4 chicks), 293 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpiper, 6 Snipe, 604 Sandwich Tern, 6 Mediterranean Gull, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 2 juvenile Cuckoo, a Short-eared Owl and a Redstart. Going south were an Eider, 2 Whimbrel, 6 Swift, 39 Sand Martin and 126 Swallow.
 The eighth session of CES was done this morning. The 20 new birds were 5 Wren, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Great Tit, a Blue Tit, a Reed Warbler and 4 Song Thrush. The 11 retraps were 3 Sedge Warbler, a Robin, a Blackbird, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff and a Blackcap.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly, 16th July 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

July 15th. At 0710hrs a Great White Egret headed south over East Dunes then south-east out over the Wash. Presumably the same bird was seen heading north at 1930hrs. The first significant hirundine passage occurred with 250 Sand Martin and 300 Swallow heading south. On Tennyson's Sands were 12 Spoonbill, a Water Rail, Little Ringed Plover and a Bearded Tit; and on Jackson's Marsh a Spotted Redshank and 7 Greenshank. Birds around included a Grey Heron, a Marsh Harrier, a Little Stint, 5 Mediterranean Gull, a juvenile Cuckoo, a Peregrine, a Grey Wagtail, 3 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Starling .
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 13 new birds: 4 Wren, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, a Swallow, a Meadow Pipit, 2 Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 2 retraps: a Dunnock and a Great Tit.

Cuckoo, fed by parent Dunnock, 15th July 2018.
Video - Ben Ward

Juvenile Whitethroat, ringed 15th July 2018.
Photo - George Gregory
Swallow, ringed 15th July 2018.
Photo - George Gregory



Small Copper, 15th July 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward 
July 14th. On Tennyson's Sands were 16 Spoonbill. Around were a Pintail, 2 Marsh Harrier, 11 Little Ringed Plover (5 adult, 2 juvenile and 4 chicks), 6 Whimbrel, 324 Black-tailed Godwit, 600 Dunlin, 10 Greenshank, 235 Redshank, a Mediterranean Gull, 300 Sandwich Tern, 4 Arctic Tern, a Peregrine, a Grasshopper Warbler, 8 Starling and a Yellow Wagtail. Flying south were a Spoonbill, 2 Gannet, 45 Swift, 9 Swallow and a Grey Wagtail; and north 40 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 2 new Wren; and 2 retraps: a Blackbird and a Lesser Whitethroat.

White-letter Hairstreak nectaring on Ragwort, 14 July 2018. 
Photo - Ben Ward

July 13th. On Tennyson's Sands were 10 Spoonbill; and on Jackson's Marsh 231 Black-tailed Godwit. Birds around included a Pintail, a Grey Heron (in off sea), 2 Marsh Harrier, 158 Avocet (including young), 709 Oystercatcher, 23 Lapwing, 9 Little Ringed Plover (3 adult, 2 juvenile and 4 chicks), 50 Ringed Plover, 7 Whimbrel, 262 Curlew, 150 Bar-tailed Godwit, 140 Knot, 2 Turnstone, 12 Sanderling, 417 Dunlin, 7 Greenshank, 200 Redshank, 3 Snipe, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a juvenile Cuckoo and a Short-eared Owl. Heading north were a Fulmar, 3 Arctic Skua, 2 Swift and a Sand Martin; and south 4 Grey Heron.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 3 new birds: 2 Blackcap and a Blackbird; and 2 retraps: a Sedge Warbler and a Wren.

Ringed Plover chicks, 13 July 2018. 
Photo - Nige Lound

Turnstone, 13 July 2018. 
Photo - Nige Lound

July 12th. On Tennyson's Sands were 10 Spoonbill; and on Jackson's Marsh 2 Spoonbill, 101 Black-tailed Godwit. Around were a Pintail, 12 Little Egret, a Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Arctic Tern, a Short-eared Owl, a Yellow Wagtail and 2 Swallow. Going south were 4 Swift; and north 2 Arctic Skua.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 6 new birds: a Wren, 3 Linnet, a Chaffinch and a Dunnock; and 5 retraps: 2 Whitethroat, 2 Great Tit and a Sedge Warbler.

July 11th. Offshore early morning was a Roseate Tern. Birds around included a Pintail, 2 Eider, 100 Common Scoter, a Shag, 10 Spoonbill, 12 Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron, 2 Marsh Harrier, 781 Curlew, 216 Black-tailed Godwit, a Green Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 5 Snipe, 73 Sandwich Tern, 44 Common Tern, a juvenile Cuckoo, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Coal Tit and 15 Starling. Flying north were 10 Arctic Skua, 15 Arctic Tern, 3 Kittiwake, 2 Arctic Skua and 7 Swallow; and south an Arctic Skua.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 6 new birds: a Blackcap, 2 Great Tit, a Dunnock and 2 Blackbird; and 5 retraps: a Linnet, 3 Whitethroat and a Great Tit.