October 31st. Fog descended on the Reserve not long after dawn and made recording difficult. It then cleared and was replaced by drizzle later in the morning but there was only a light easterly wind. Waders came up to roost in large numbers again. 2 Pomarine Skuas and 3 Sandwich Terns flew south offshore while a Great Northern Diver flew north. 4 Waxwing flew south over the Visitor Centre and 2 Bearded Tits flew south over the East Dunes with 5 Swallows around and another 2 south. Several Woodcocks were new in.
October 30th. Another nice morning movement of common migrants. No swifts of any sort but a group of 6 Swallows and a House Martin were hawking over the Old Saltmarsh. Highlights of vis mig were another 2 Swallows, 3 Waxwing, a Cattle Egret, a Woodlark and 2 Crossbill all moving south. The Rough-legged Buzzard appeared from its roost and gave a very good fly-past to birders on site. The morning tide wader roost was spectacular wit 80,000 Knot, 9000 Dunlin, 1200 Sanderling, 2600 Grey Plover 3,500 Bar-tailed Godwit and 8000 Oystercatcher. Also seen were single Caspian Gull, Firecrest, Water Pipit and Water Rail.
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October 29th. Busy for vis mig down East Dunes again this morning, with Finches, Larks and Pipits on the move. The highlight was a Pallid Swift that headed low, south at a leisurely pace in very good light. Presumably the same bird was then relocated over the north end of the West Dunes where it performed well for around an hour before disappearing. Thrushes were arriving in small groups well into the afternoon while vis mig continued down the West Dunes. A Waxwing arrived early afternoon, possibly straight in off the sea, heading west and possibly landing near the road edge and a Woodlark headed south. Three Great White Egrets were seen from the Visitor Centre.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Liam Andrews and Owen Beaumont produced 19 new birds: 17 Lesser Redpoll and 2 Blackbird; and 3 retraps: a Wren, a Robin and a Dunnock.
During the late afternoon, a Rough-legged Buzzard came in off the sea and hunted the outer dunes for a while before being mobbed by Crows and drifting off west and there was a large southerly movement of Fieldfares just before dusk.
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October 28th. A day without significant rain or fog! Thrushes and Finches continue to arrive but not in the numbers seen yesterday, but conversely, visible migration picked up somewhat with many parties of Goldfinch and Chaffinch heading south amongst others including 5 Crossbill, a House Martin and 4 Swallow. A Short-eared Owl came in off the sea, 2 Purple Sandpipers were amongst the waders and gulls on the beach and a Shag was in Greenshanks Creek. Just a single Black Redstart remained around the Visitor Centre. In the evening, a Cattle Egret arrived from the north and headed off west and in a remarkable year for Glossy Ibis records, another one flew south.
A long ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Liam Andrews, Alex Masterman and Owen Beaumont resulted in 56 new birds: 15 Goldcrest, 2 Wren, a Long-tailed tit, 2 Blackcap, a Coal tit, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Robin, a Chaffinch, 1 Common Redpoll, 2 Greenfinch, a Common Crossbill, 3 Song thrush, 6 Redwing and 11 Blackbird, and 14 retraps: 3 Goldcrest, 4 Long-tailed tit, 2 Wren, 1 Blackcap, 2 Blue Tit, a Dunnock and a Lesser Redpoll.
October 27th. A return to foggy conditions to start the morning. However, as the morning progressed and the fog cleared it developed into a brilliant autumn days birding. Commencing with a Grey Phalarope on the beach, with a single Purple Sandpiper remaining and then hundreds of Fieldfares and Redwings arriving, dropping into the dune scrub and moving south, with good numbers of other passerines such as Reed Bunting and Brambling.
Four Black Redstarts showed well around the Visitor Centre garden and other highlights were 3 Ring Ouzel, 10 Stonechat, a Hawfinch and 3 Woodcock. Two Common Cranes passed through around mid-day and offshore single Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Duck and Goldeneye.
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October 26th. A day dominated by precipitation, with brief dry spells allowing for some recording early and late in the day. Again, there were hundreds of Gulls feeding along the shore, with good numbers of Sanderling, Redshank and Knot. Offshore, the highlights were a Velvet Scoter and a Red-necked Grebe, but one of the scarcest seabirds found itself on the Visitor Centre roof - a disorientated young Shag - fortunately, after resting, it was fit enough to release into the tidal section of the River Steeping. In the dunes, the highlights were a new Firecrest, Ring Ouzel, Jack Snipe and Woodcock, with parties of Thrushes arriving off the sea again. Some overland migration occurred with groups of Finches, Skylarks and Pipits and single Lapland Bunting and Swallow.
October 25th. The morning's recording was compromised by fog that reduced visibility. This didn't clear completely until late morning. Numbers of grounded migrants were not large initially but there was an arrival of several hundred Fieldfares and Redwings coming in off the sea in flocks of up to 60- at a time, with smaller numbers of Starlings. 2 Ring Ouzels and a Hawfinch arrived in the East Dunes during this movement and there was a Lesser Whitethroat with several Chiffchaff in the Plantation. At least 1 Bearded Tit was between the Mere and Tennyson's Sands. At least 4 Shags were seen offshore, as well as a Black-throated Diver, while yesterdays Purple Sandpiper was joined by a second bird and 15 Russian White-fronted Geese arrived and flew south.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes by Mike Polling produced 28 new birds: 16 Goldcrest, a Wren, a Long-tailed Tit, 4 Robin, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing and 2 Blackbird; and 5 retraps: a Robin, 2 Dunnock, 2 Goldcrest
October 24th. An overcast start to the morning with light rain commencing early, becoming heavier at times and not clearing until late afternoon. A brief seawatch before the rain produced 90 Little Gulls north, a Pom Skua, 2 Arctic Skua, single Arctic and Sandwich Terns and 4 Shag. A Black Redstart was located on Tennyson's Sands bank before re-locating to Sykes Farm. Groups of Fieldfares and Redwings were arriving in the rain with a Ring Ouzel and more Goldcrests becoming apparent too. The Purple Sandpiper appeared on the beach again, with the ringtail Hen Harrier over the Old Saltmarsh.
A small arrival of Hirundines involved 14 Swallow and 2 House Martin over the west side, with 6 Swallow moving south over the East Dunes.
October 23rd. A pleasant morning after a fairly cold start, with an increasing south-easterly wind.
Sea-watching was priority this morning after a tip off that Shags had been seen moving down the coast and soon, the first three had arrived, too be followed by another 12, settling soon on the sea and then moving south. This species is quite a rarity at Gibraltar Point, usually restricted to on or two a year, so today's total is one of the highest - although up to 56 were recorded during an influx in February/March 1994. Coverage of the sea and shore continued through the day, with a final total of 46 Shag, mostly passing south, with a few small groups settling briefly on the sea or on the beach with roosting Cormorants. Over 270 Little Gulls headed into the Wash, mostly distantly and a Grey Phalarope paused briefly on the sea before heading off south. Also offshore, there were 7 Goosander (and another over the west side), a Scaup, 4 Red-breasted Merganser,10 Arctic Skuas, 63 Sandwich Terns, 21 Arctic Terns, 7 Common Terns and 20 Commic Terns along with fair numbers of Auks, Gannets and Red-throated Divers. A mass gathering of Gulls on the beach involved 3 Caspian and 4 Mediterranean Gulls, whilst a Purple Sandpiper was with the Sanderling and Turnstone. Six Merlin passed south along the shore and one was seen coming in to roost with 4 Marsh Harrier later. Visible migration continued at a less hectic pace than yesterday, with more Bramblings etc., a Crossbill over West Dunes, and a Lapland Bunting and Bearded Tit were heard passing over the East Dunes. Two Lapland Buntings were later recorded from the Wash Viewpoint. Other birds around included 240 Dark-bellied Brent Geese (New Saltmarsh), 2 Woodcock (Observatory), the first Water Pipit of the autumn and a Firecrest remaining in the East Dunes.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 27 new birds: 9 Goldcrest, a Wren, a Blackcap, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Reed Bunting, a Robin, 2 Dunnock, 5 Song Thrush and 3 Blackbird; and 6 retraps: 2 Goldcrest, a Great Tit, 2 Robin and a Wren.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, by Mike Polling, yielded 14 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Robin, 4 Blackcap, 2 Blue Tit, a Dunnock, 2 Redwing and a Blackbird; and 9 retraps: 3 Wren, a Dunnock, a Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap, a Long-tailed Tit and a Blackbird.
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October 22nd. A bright start with a calm and dry morning following
There were fewer Thrushes around today but visible migration was intense. Bramblings were passing in flocks of up to 30 with a total of 386, along with many Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Redpoll, Rock Pipit, Reed Bunting and Skylark and a few House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer, Alba Wagtail, Grey Wagtail and Corvids. A single Lapland Bunting also flew south. Three Firecrest included yesterday's two in the East Dunes, with a Yellow-browed Warbler and a new bird in the West Dunes. Also, single Woodcock and Ring Ouzel in the dunes.
Offshore, Little Gulls were returning south in small flocks, mostly distantly, with various Terns and an Arctic Skua, but the sea received little attention while hundreds of birds were being recorded in the overland migration. A more concentrated seawatch was undertaken in the afternoon, proving to be very productive. Counts combined with the morning totals as follows; 286 Little Gull, 3 Med Gull, 2 juv Pom Skua north, 1 juv Long-tailed Skua south, 7 Arctic Skua, a Skua sp, a Great Northern Diver, 20 red-throated Diver, 4 Goosander, 5 Sandwich Tern, 3 Common Tern, 13 Arctic Tern and 5 'Commic' Tern.
Just before dusk, a Bearded Tit was heard at the Mere.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 17 new birds: a Wren, 7 Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, a Robin, 2 Song Thrush and 3 Blackbird; and 4 retraps: 2 Firecrest, a Robin and a Blue Tit.
October 21st. A comparatively calm morning after Storm Babet had passed through, overcast and dry for much of the day until bands of drizzle passed over late afternoon. There was much bird activity after yesterday's deluge and new migrants were arriving from first light, through the morning. There was slow progress getting around the census area due to counting all the Robins, Redwings arriving in flocks, parties of Chaffinch and Brambling passing over and the first appreciable arrival or Blackbirds of the autumn. With them, a small arrival of Goldcrests, 3 Firecrest, 4 Ring Ouzel, 7 Woodcock, a Jay and 6 Cetti's warblers. Offshore, the main event was a northerly movement of 217 Little Gulls during the afternoon, with 2 Pomarine Skuas, 2 Arctic Skua, a Skua sp, 5 Arctic Tern, 4 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Tern, a Goldeneye, a Goosander and good numbers of wildfowl: Teal, Wigeon, Pink-footed Geese and Brent Geese. In addition, 2 Short-eared Owls arrived off the sea. A male Hen Harrier arrived and settled on a bank visible from Harvey's Hide early morning. Other birds of prey seen were a Barn Owl, 2 Merlin, 2 Marsh Harrier and yesterday's ringtail Hen Harrier. A Caspian Gull was amongst 700 Herring Gulls on the beach.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 23 new birds: 2 Firecrest, 5 Goldcrest, a Blackcap, 4 Robin, a Goldfinch, 4 Song Thrush, 5 Blackbird and a Fieldfare; and 9 retraps: 3 Dunnock, 4 Blackcap, a Redwing and a Wren.
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| Fieldfare, ringed 21 October 2023. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Firecrest, ringed 21 October 2023. Photo - George Gregory  Photo - Kev Wilson |
