October 31st. Increasing, then decreasing, south-westerly wind, but pleasant, dry and becoming bright.
A fairly typical late autumn day with moderate overland passage of Passerines, Pink-footed Goose flocks heading out across the Wash, and a scattering of winter Thrushes and Goldcrest. Numbers of Waders, e.g. Redshank and Bar-tailed Godwit, and Wildfowl, e.g. Wigeon and Teal, are increasingly using the new Outer Runnel for feeding and loafing. Offshore small numbers of Gannet were moving south and a party of 3 close Arctic Skua was the highlight of the day. Also around, including birds trapped, were 20 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Blackcap, 27 Goldcrest, 5 Robin, 2 Redwing, a Song Thrush and 16 Blackbird.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 29 new birds: 11 Goldcrest, a Wren, 4 Robin, a Goldfinch, a Dunnock, a Redwing, a Song Thrush and 9 Blackbird; and 10 retraps: a Wren, 4 Blackbird, a Redwing, a Robin, a Blackcap, a Long-tailed Tit and a Chaffinch.
A longer, wind-sheltered ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling and Robyn Dalton yielded 16 new birds: 10 Goldcrest, a Blackcap, a Blue Tit, 2 Lesser Redpoll, a Redwing and a Blackbird; and 9 retraps: 6 Goldcrest, a Great Tit and 2 Blackbird.
October 30th. Increasing south-westerly wind.
Another good morning for visible migration of Finches, Skylark, Starling and Pipits, with over 5000 Woodpigeon and a late Sandwich Tern passing offshore. A single Waxwing flew south. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Blackcap, 32 Goldcrest, 50 Robin, 6 Song Thrush, 30 Blackbird and 24 Lesser Redpoll. From the Wash Viewpoint late afternoon, three ringtail Hen harriers and four Marsh Harriers. 600 Pink-footed Geese came in to roost.
A wind-shortened morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, with Liam Andrews, provided 51 new birds: 11 Goldcrest, 3 Robin, a Blackcap, 24 Lesser Redpoll, a Song Thrush and 11 Blackbird; and 5 retraps: 2 Robin, a Wren, a Blackbird and a Goldcrest.
Overnight moth-trapping by Nige Lound produced another amazing county record - a Crimson Speckled.
October 29th. Rain until mid morning.
Around Millennium Ridge on the morning high tide were 250 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 4 Eider, 468 Wigeon, 13 Pintail , 89 Teal, a Peregrine, 3 Marsh Harrier, 3450 Grey Plover, 5500 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4000 Dunlin, 1500 Sanderling, 20000 Knot, 22 Turnstone, 3500 Oystercatcher, an Arctic Tern and a Lapland Bunting. Other birds around included a Bearded Tit on the Mere, 4 Blackcap and reasonable numbers of Thrushes and Goldcrest.
October 28th. Increasing southerly to south-westerly wind, with a mid morning rainy spell.
Around, including birds trapped, were a ringtail Hen Harrier, 4 Marsh Harrier, 1450 Pink-footed Goose in to roost, 1200 Lapwing, a Woodcock, a Sparrowhawk, 20 Goldcrest, 60 Robin, 25 Redwing, 6 Song Thrush, 40 Blackbird, a Brambling and 25 Lesser Redpoll.
A weather-shortened morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, with Liam Andrews, produced 21 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, a Wren, 2 Robin, a Chaffinch, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Redwing and 8 Blackbird; and 9 retraps: a Wren, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Robin, a Song Thrush, 2 Blackbird and a Dunnock.
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| Lesser Redpoll, ringed 28 October 2022. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Lesser Redpoll, ringed 28 October 2022. Photo - George Gregory |
October 27th. Occasional spells of light rain in morning.
A noticeable arrival of Goldcrest this morning with over 50 on the west side and 22 new birds trapped in the East Dunes during a short ringing session. Small numbers of new Brambling, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Redwing were arriving and plenty of Robin were still apparent. 600 Pink-footed Geese left the roost on Croftmarsh at dawn, and 40,000 waders had come up to roost. Other birds around, including those trapped, were 13 Long-tailed Tit, 15 Song Thrush, 30 Blackbird, a Kingfisher, a Peregrine, 2 Coal Tit, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Stonechat and 10 Greenfinch. Going south were 8 Brambling and 40 Siskin amongst a modest movement of Pipits, Finches and Skylark.
A rain-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, resulted in 41 new birds: 22 Goldcrest, a Wren, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Robin, a Chaffinch, 3 Reed Bunting, a Greenfinch, a Song Thrush and 3 Blackbird; and 17 retraps: 2 Blackbird, 2 Wren, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Robin, 6 Long-tailed Tit and a Blue Tit.
October 26th. Quite strong south-westerly wind, slowly decreasing.
A much quieter day than yesterday, with overland migration continuing at a slower pace Around were 30+ Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Sparrowhawk, 25 Goldcrest and 40 Redwing. Heading south were 16 Pink-footed Goose, 8 Lapwing, a Marsh harrier, 3 Whooper Swan, 2 House Martin and a Grey Wagtail. the evening roost held 1300 Sanderling.
Overnight moth-trapping produced migrant Gem and Small Mottled Willow.
October 25th. A very pleasant, dry morning with a south-westerly breeze.
Visible migration was underway from dawn with a very intense throughput of Skylark, Rock Pipit, Goldfinch, Linnet, Chaffinches, Redpoll, Siskin, Greenfinch and Reed Bunting. The first big day for Woodpigeon with several flocks of 300+, 7 Swallow, 5 House Martin, 12 Brambling, a Merlin, a Buzzard and 2 Marsh Harrier also went south along with 2 Twite, a Snow Bunting and a Bearded Tit. Other birds around, including those trapped, were a Hawfinch around Sykes Farm, a Yellow-browed Warbler with the tit flock along the road edge, 65 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2000+ Black-headed Gull, 50 Goldcrest, a Cetti's Warbler, a Blackcap, 10 Song Thrush, 60 Redwing and 85 Blackbird.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Liam Andrews, provided 50 new birds: 26 Goldcrest, a Wren, a Cetti's Warbler, 4 Robin, 2 Reed Bunting, a Blackcap, a Song Thrush and 14 Blackbird; and 4 retraps: 2 Goldcrest, a Blackbird and a Robin.
Ringing Controls: Long-tailed Tit (2), ringed Theddlethorpe, Lincolnshire 10 October 2022, controlled GPBO 19 October 2022.
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October 24th. Moderately strong south-westerly breeze with some rain showers in the morning and a brighter afternoon.
The day was unusual in so much as visible migration seemed to been more intense early afternoon than in the morning. Maybe birds had delayed movement pending more prolonged clear conditions. In one and a quarter hours from 1245hrs southerly passage involve 112 Siskin, 114 Goldfinch, 251 Skylark, 16 Redpoll, 111 Linnet, 38 Chaffinch, 18 Meadow Pipit, 83 Rock Pipit, 9 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 200 Starling, 2 Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, a male Hen Harrier and a Great White Egret.
A rain-shortened morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 37 new birds: a Goldcrest, 11 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Robin, 3 Blue Tit, 4 Redwing and 13 Blackbird; and 6 retraps: 2 Robin, a Dunnock and 3 Long-tailed Tit.
October 23rd. Moderate south-easterly wind. Rain from around 0900hrs becoming very heavy at times.
This morning's planned fieldwork was interrupted by a report of cows on the Cycletrack! After successfully returning them to the grazing enclosure, rain then prevented any recording. However, it was apparent that Finches and Larks were still on the move and good numbers of Thrushes remained on the Reserve, including at least one Ring Ouzel. Along the roadside late afternoon were a Yellow-browed Warbler and a Firecrest as yesterday.
Ringing Recovery: Starling, ringed GPBO 2 July 2021, found dead North Somercotes, Lincolnshire 10 October 2022.
October 22nd. Increasing south-westerly wind.
Visible migration involved high numbers of Skylark and Rock Pipit heading south between 0830 and 1030hrs, with good numbers of Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and Siskin. A Snow Bunting and 3 Swallow also passed south. Due to the intensity of the overland migration, little attention was paid to the sea or dunes on the east side, but there was a clearly a considerable movement of Black-headed, Common and Herring Gull, with more wildfowl arriving, including small groups of Pintail. 14 Whooper Swan were noted going south, as well as 2 Black Swan!
Birds around, including those trapped, were a Black Redstart (still around the Visitor Centre), a Mealy Redpoll, 2 Ring Ouzel, a Yellow-browed Warbler (Gibraltar Road edge north of Aylmer Avenue), a Great White Egret, 40 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a ringtail Hen Harrier, 2 Peregrine, a Kingfisher, a Merlin, a Blackcap, 30 Goldcrest, 500 Redwing and 300 Blackbird. Over Wainfleet Marsh were 500 Pink-footed Goose. Heading south were 240 Lapwing.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 12 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Blackcap, 2 Redwing and 6 Blackbird; and 3 retraps: a Blackbird, a Goldcrest and a Robin.
Late afternoon, roadside trees held a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Firecrest and a Willow Warbler.
A Tunbridge Wells Gem trapped overnight is the first record for Lincolnshire.
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Hen Harrier, 22nd October 2022. Photo - Paul Neale https://www.flickr.com/photos/95817106@N08/ |
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Tunbridge Wells Gem, 22nd October 2022. Photo - Nige Lound |
October 21st. Soggy start, gradually drying out.
Either grounded or flying around were many thrushes (mostly Blackbird and Redwing), Robin and Goldcrest. Also around were 30 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 7 Ring Ouzel, a Long-eared Owl (West Dunes), a Cetti's Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff , a Snow Bunting and 12 Brambling. On the Mere were 2 Water Rail, a Green Sandpiper, a Bearded Tit and a Kingfisher and on Jackson's Marsh, a Common Sandpiper. Out of the Mere roost came 4500 Starling. Flying south were 75 Pink-footed Goose and a Siskin. A Black Redstart was a new arrival at the Visitor Centre.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 81 new birds: 28 Goldcrest, a Wren, 13 Robin, a Blackcap, a Blue Tit, a Great Tit, 8 Redwing, a Song Thrush and 27 Blackbird; and 8 retraps: 3 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Robin and a Blue Tit.
A large Atlantic Blue-fin Tuna was found washed up on the beach at the north end beach.
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Black Redstart, 21st October 2022. Photo- Jack Hood  Photo - M Spence |
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