Early September 2018

September 10th. A juvenile Red-footed Falcon was discovered late in the day, briefly over the West Dunes, last seen heading north. A Ring-necked Parakeet was briefly in the Plantation in the morning, then heading high north over East Dunes. A Garganey was on the Mere. Around were 8 Spoonbill, 5 Spotted Redshank, 14 Greenshank, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Barn Owl, a Short-eared Owl, a Merlin, a Hobby, a Peregrine, an early Redwing, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, 4 Whinchat, a Stonechat and 12 Yellow Wagtail. On Tennyson's Sands were a Snipe and 550 Black-tailed Godwit. Flying south were a Pintail, 2 Buzzard, 3 Arctic Skua, a Swift, 120 Swallow, 62 House Martin, 3 Tree Sparrow, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Grey Wagtail, 215 Meadow Pipit and 6 Siskin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: 2 Robin and a Linnet.

Red-footed Falcon, with Red-breasted Flycatcher audible, 10th Septemeber 2018.

Video - Kev Wilson 

Red-footed Falcon, 10th September 2018.

Video - Ben Ward

Ring-necked Parakeet, 10th September 2018.

Photo - Ben Ward

Stonechat, 10th Septemeber 2018.

Photo - Ben Ward

Mediterranean Gull, 10th Septemeber 2018.

Photo - Kev Wilson

September 9th. Soggy start, then breezy.
 On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Pintail, 2 Ruff, a Spotted Redshank, 15 Greenshank, 3 Snipe, 532 Black-tailed Godwit and a Mediterranean Gull. Birds around included 7 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Water Rail, 33000 Knot, 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 940 Sanderling, 3 Arctic Skua, 4 Great Skua, 2 Merlin, a Hobby, a Peregrine, 5 Goldcrest, 13 Willow Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Whinchat and a White Wagtail. Going south were 86 Swallow, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 30 Meadow Pipit and 3 Siskin; and north a Shag.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 2 new birds: a Sedge Warbler and a Meadow Pipit; and 3 retraps: a Song Thrush, a Whitethroat and a Robin.

September 8th. Occasional drizzle/rain from mid morning turning constant in the evening.
 A Red-breasted Flycatcher was trapped and ringed at Aylmer Avenue. Around were 7 Spoonbill, a Water Rail, 558 Black-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel, a Ruff, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 178 Sandwich Tern, a Kingfisher, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Whinchat, a Stonechat, 3 Wheatear, a Bullfinch and 15 Siskin. Heading south were 2 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, a Swift, 12 Sand Martin, 87 Swallow, 299 House Martin, 54 Meadow Pipit, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 18 Chaffinch, 2 Redpoll and 30 Siskin; and west 5 Pintail.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 7 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Meadow Pipit; and a retrap Blackcap.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by James Siddle yielded 5 new birds: a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest and a Song Thrush; and 4 retraps: a Great Tit, a Chiffchaff, a Blackbird and a Whitethroat.

Red-breasted Flycatcher, ringed 8th September 2018.
Photo - James Siddle

September 7th. An Icterine Warbler was trapped and ringed in East Dunes. A Red-breasted Flycatcher was discovered at the north end of West Dunes late afternoon. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Marsh Harrier, 5 Spoonbill, a first calendar year Caspian Gull, 4 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, a Cuckoo, a Short-eared Owl, a Kingfisher, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Whinchat and a Wheatear. Flying south were a Black Tern, 2 Arctic Tern, 90 House Martin, 179 Swallow and 2 Yellow Wagtail; and north 4 Arctic Skua.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 12 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap, 2 Goldfinch, an Icterine Warbler, a Robin, 2 Song Thrush and a Cuckoo; and 2 retraps: a Blackcap and a Dunnock.

Icterine Warbler, ringed 7th September 2018.
Photo - George Gregory

Icterine Warbler, ringed 7th. September 2018.
Photo - George Gregory

Juvenile Cuckoo, ringed 7th September 2018.
Photo - George Gregory

Caspian Gull, 7th September 2018.
Photo - Ben Ward

September 6th. Around were a Marsh Harrier, 3 Spoonbill, 4 Water Rail, 200 Golden Plover, 13 Snipe, a Kingfisher, a Redstart, 4 Whinchat and a Yellow Wagtail. On Tennyson's Sands were 7 Spotted Redshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, 3 Greenshank and 521 Black-tailed Godwit. Going north were 7 Swallow; and south 3 Snipe, 4 Sand Martin, 81 Swallow, 3 Yellow Wagtail, a Tree Pipit and 6 Siskin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, produced 11 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Great Tit, a Blackcap, 2 Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 3 retraps: a Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a Robin.

Invasive Grey Squirrel, consuming a Pear, 6th September 2018.

Photo - Ben Ward

September 5th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 3 Spoonbill, 14 Arctic Skua, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Goldcrest, a Whinchat, a Stonechat, a Wheatear and a Pied Flycatcher. On Tennyson's Sands were 450 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Spotted Redshank and 3 Greenshank; and on Jacksons Marsh 3 Ruff. Heading north were 2 Fulmar and 4500 Sandwich Tern; and south 7 Red-throated Diver, a Grey Heron, 4 Snipe, a Great Skua, 5 Kestrel, 4 Yellow Wagtail and a Tree Pipit. In off the sea came 2 Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 6 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat and a Pied Flycatcher; and 5 retraps: 3 Dunnock, a Blackbird and a Willow Warbler.

Exhausted migrant Sparrowhawk, moments after reaching landfall, 5th September 2018.

Photo - Kev Wilson

September 4th. Around were a Pintail, 124 Shelduck, 2 Grey Heron, 5 Spoonbill, 150 Golden Plover, 496 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Turnstone, a Ruff, 2 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 7 Arctic Skua, a Mediterranean Gull, a Kingfisher, 5 Whinchat, a Stonechat and 2 Wheatear. Heading north were 89 Common Scoter, 6 Red-throated Diver, a Fulmar, a Sooty Shearwater, 2 Manx Shearwater, a Puffin, 13 Arctic Skua, 3000 Sandwich Tern, 32 Common Tern, 2 Arctic Tern, 70 Swallow and 54 House Martin; and south a Great Skua.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 4 new birds: a Robin, a Whitethroat, a Swallow and a Blackbird; and 2 retraps: a Robin and a Dunnock.

September 3rd. Birds around included a Marsh Harrier, 2 Water Rail, a Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, an Arctic Skua, 700 Sandwich Tern, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Tawny Owl, a Kingfisher, a Merlin, a Jay, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Pied Flycatcher, a Redstart, 3 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 2 Tree Pipit and a Corn Bunting. On Tennyson's Sands were a Garganey, 425 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff and a Green Sandpiper. Flying south were a Marsh Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, 6 Buzzard, 3 Whimbrel, a Hobby, 4 Sand Martin, 119 Swallow, 5 Yellow Wagtail and a Grey Wagtail.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 3 new birds: 2 Blackcap and a Lesser Whitethroat; and a retrap Wren.

Redstart, 3rd September 2018.

Photo - Ben Ward

Pied Flycatcher, 3rd September 2018.

Photo - Ben Ward

Redstart, 3rd September 2018.

Curlew, 3rd September 2018.

Curlew, 3rd September 2018.

Sunrise over Mill Hill, with incoming sea fret, 3rd September 2018.

Photo - Ben Ward

September 2nd. Around were a Grey Heron, 3 Spoonbill, a Buzzard, a Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, 2 Redstart, a Whinchat, a Wheatear, 2 Spotted Flycatcher and 4 Yellow Wagtail. On the Mere were 2 Water Rail and a Pochard; and on Tennyson's Sands 425 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff, 6 Spotted Redshank and 10 Greenshank. Going south were 2 Grey Heron, a Marsh Harrier, 11 Buzzard, a Swift, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 45 Swallow and 2 House Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 3 new birds: 2 Whitethroat and a Meadow Pipit; and 5 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Wren, a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.
 The Willow Emerald Damselfly was still in the Plantation.

Willow Emerald Damselfly, 2nd September 2018.

Photo - Nige Lound

Wheatear, 2nd September 2018.

Photo - Nige Lound

September 1st. On Tennyson's Sands were 433 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank. Birds around included a Buzzard, 100 Golden Plover, a Common Sandpiper, 11 Snipe, 200 Sandwich Tern, 2 Tawny Owl, a Peregrine, 2 Pied Flycatcher and 2 Redstart. Heading north was a Great Skua; and south 6 Buzzard, an Arctic Skua and 101 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: a Blackcap and 2 Goldfinch; and 5 retraps: a Blackcap and 4 Dunnock.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 13 new birds: a Long-tailed Tit, a Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Great Tit, a Blue Tit, a Swallow, a Goldfinch, a Whitethroat, a Chaffinch, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 11 retraps: a Whitethroat, a Wren, a Blackbird, 6 Long-tailed Tit and 2 Robin.
 The Willow Emerald Damselfly remained in the Plantation.