November 20th. Continued northerly wind and even colder than yesterday with a prolonged snow shower late morning. At least 4500 Pink-footed Geese left the roost on Croftmarsh. A long morning seawatch was fairly disappointing for seabirds with single Little Auk, Long-tailed Duck, Great Northern Diver and 9 Goldeneye being the highlights but there was much interest in the birds arriving over the sea; Redwings, Blackbirds, Woodcock and Snipe. A flock of 60 Barnacle Geese arrived on Croftmarsh late morning. Other birds around included Snow Bunting, Red Kite, 3 Woodcock and 2 Brambling.
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| Pink-footed Geese at dawn, 20th November 2024. Photo - Nige Lound  Barnacle Geese, 20th November 2024. Photo - Nige Lound |
November 19th. A fresh north-westerly wind after overnight and early morning rain. Attention focused on the sea which produced 4 Little Auks, 3 Scaup, 10 Goldeneye, a Velvet Scoter, a Bonxie, a Sandwich Tern, 3 Great Northern Divers and 300 Kittiwakes. A Purple Sandpiper paused on the beach. Elsewhere, a flock of 55 Barnacle Geese arrived on Croftmarsh.
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| Purple Sandpiper, 19th November 2024. Photo - Nige Lound |
November 18th. Frosty start, mostly cloudy, with light north-westerly wind.
The Siberian type Stonechat and Yellow-browed Warbler were both still present. A Snow Bunting was around the beach whilst a Bearded Tit flew west over the Visitor Centre Car Park early morning. Otherwise, a quiet day with little change.
November 17th. Mostly cloudy and cool, with moderate north-westerly wind.
Before sun up a Buzzard left its roost at Aylmer Avenue and perched up to enjoy the first rays of light as the sun came up in Measures, as did 2 Marsh Harriers that left their roost in the Mere reedbed. At this time, the WeBS counters were busy as the waders were leaving the roost on the ebbing tide: 70,000 Knot, 2280 Grey Plover, 5850 Dunlin, 1170 Sanderling, 3300 Oystercatcher and 1300 Bar-tailed Godwit. It was fairly quiet offshore except for a late Sooty Shearwater north, 18 Whooper Swans and 3 Goosander south and a raft of 120 Eider. Around the beach were a Lapland Bunting, a Snow Bunting, 2 Merlin and a Peregrine. The Siberian type Stonechat was still just north east of Mill Hill.
Around were 3 Woodcock, 3 Marsh Harrier, a Ring-necked Parakeet and 4 Whooper Swans which flew south and landed on Jackson's Marsh. A Snipe was on Freshwater Marsh and 2 Bearded Tits were on the Mere. Around midday a Yellow-browed Warbler was discovered at Halfway Sycamores.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue resulted in 13 new birds: 7 Redwing, 4 Blackbird, a Chaffinch and a Wren; and 3 retraps: 2 Dunnock and a Great Tit.
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Siberian type Stonechat, 17th November 2024. Photos - Paul Neale |
The Siberian type Stonechat was still just north-east of Mill Hill. Visible migration over East Dunes involved mostly Chaffinches and Siskins with a few Bramblings and Rock Pipits, 2 Bullfinches and a Yellowhammer, whilst thrush flocks were moving down the west side including a flock of 220 Redwings and a flock of 35 Fieldfares. Offshore highlights were a Great Northern Diver arriving from the north and settling on the sea, 30 Whooper Swans south and a Slavonian Grebe rapidly north.
Just up the coast at Seacroft were a Siberian Chiffchaff, 3 Bramblings and a Woodcock.
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Siberian type Stonechat. Photos - Stuart Ainsworth |
The Siberian type Stonechat was still showing very well on the East Dunes just north-east of Mill Hill. Two Snow Buntings were around the beach and 2 Lapland Buntings and a ringtail Hen Harrier went south amongst some good overland migration, whilst 340 Golden Plover were arriving from the north and moving into the Wash over the sea. 2 Cattle Egrets an a male Merlin were around Croftmarsh while 500 Wigeon were on the lagoons.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided just a new Blackbird.
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Siberian type Stonechat, 15th November 2024. Photos- Tom Baker |
Another day of Thrushes arriving, particularly Blackbirds and Redwings, with small numbers of Finches moving through. Geese were prominent early on with 5000 Pink footed Geese leaving the roost and a further 760 out towards Norfolk later, whilst a further increase in Brent geese involved 571. A morning sea-watch was generally quiet except for a Red-necked Grebe south, a few flocks of Eider north and 2 late Sooty Shearwaters moving north and tracked further up the coast. A later sea-watch yielded a Slavonian Grebe and a Long-tailed Duck but the watch was interrupted by the appearance of a very smart Siberian type Stonechat. Other birds around included 2 Swallow, 2 Merlin, a Water Pipit, 2 Bullfinches, 6 Stonechat and 11 Corn Bunting.
Ringing Control: Sparrowhawk, ringed Kilnsea, East Yorkshire 2 November 2024, controlled GPBO 12 November 2024.
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Siberian Stonechat, 14th November 2024. Photo - Sam Goddard |
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Siberian Stonechat, 14th November 2024. Photo - Nige Lound |
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Water Rail, 14th November 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Pintail, 14th November 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Little Egrets, 14th November 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Little Egrets, 14th November 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
Highlights of the morning sea-watch were 2 Black-throated Divers south together, 2 probable Grey Phalaropes south together, a Woodcock and 440 Starlings arriving, a vocal Bean Goose and an unusual ringtail Harrier that flew north offshore, seen at other locations up the coast. There was a good overland movement of Finches, Pipits and Larks, and still at least 10 Water Rails including some showing very well from the hides overlooking Tennyson's Sands.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 27 new birds: 2 Wren, a Reed Bunting, a Redwing and 23 Blackbird; and 3 retraps: a Redwing, a Wren and a Robin.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Dave Vincent yielded 15 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Wren, 2 Great Tit, a Dunnock, 5 Redwing and 3 Blackbird; and 9 retraps: a Dunnock, 5 Long-tailed Tit and 3 Goldcrest.
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Robin, 13th November 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Shoveler, 13th November 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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Water Rail, 13th November 2024. Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Stonechat, 13th November 2024. Photo - Zara Brown |
A morning sea-watch produced a good selection of birds: flying north were a Red-necked Grebe, a Great Northern Diver, a Skua species, 110 Kittiwakes, 2 Little Gulls, 2 Arctic Terns and 2 Slavonian Grebes leading a group of Auks, and south a Pomarine Skua. 2 Snow Buntings were around the beach and a Twite flew south.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 9 new birds: a Goldfinch, 4 Redwing and 4 Blackbird; 3 retraps: 2 Blackbird and a Song Thrush; and 2 controls: a Sparrowhawk with a British ring and a Blackbird with a Danish ring.
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Shovelers, 12th November 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
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Marsh Harrier, 12th November 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
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Black-tailed Godwits, 12th November 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
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Wren, 12th November 2024. Photo - Tom Baker |
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| Sparrowhawk, controlled 12 November 2024. Photo - George Gregory |
November 11th. A quite soggy start, then quite sunny but cool, with light north-westerly wind.
The remarkable run of rare moth occurrences continues with a Red Sword Grass and the first county record of Oak Rustic attracted to light.
Another busy early morning period with Thrushes, Finches, Pipits, Skylarks, 30 Whooper Swans, 400 Pink-footed Geese and over 2000 Woodpigeons on the move. A Woodlark went south over the Plantation and a Cattle Egret went south down the East Dunes, but may have been the bird later joining the regular 2 on Croftmarsh. Offshore a there were good numbers of Gannets for the time of year, 2 Arctic Skuas, a Great Northern Diver going south, 3 Arctic Terns north, and several Starlings and a Woodcock arriving over the waves. Other birds around included 2 Barn Owls, a Green Woodpecker (Plantation), a Water Pipit, a Jack Snipe and 3 Cetti's Warblers.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 10 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, 2 Redwing, a Song Thrush and 4 Blackbird; and 2 retraps: a Goldcrest and a Robin.
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Oak Rustic, 11th November 2024. Photo - Sam Goddard |
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Red Sword Grass, 11th November 2024. Photo - Sam Goddard |
