June 20th. A Great White Egret came off the New Saltmarsh late evening and headed north. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Pink-footed Goose, 5 Gadwall, 10 Little Egret, a Grey Heron, 3 Spoonbill, 2 Great Crested Grebe, a Marsh Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, a Greenshank, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Stock Dove, 3 Cuckoo, a Short-eared Owl, a Kingfisher, 2 Hobby, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Treecreeper, a Black Redstart, a Grey Wagtail, a Yellow Wagtail and a Siskin. Flying south were 8 Lapwing, a Hobby, 2696 Swift, 11 House Martin, 6 Swallow and 164 Starling. In off the sea came a Buzzard.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, resulted in 21 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, 4 Meadow Pipit, a Robin, 3 Blackcap, a Whitethroat, a Linnet, a Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Dunnock and a Kingfisher; and 17 retraps: a Dunnock, a Robin, 8 Great Tit, a Meadow Pipit, 2 Wren, a Blue Tit, 2 Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat.
June 19th. Soggy start.
On Tennyson's Sands were a Pochard, 2 Spoonbill and 2 Great Crested Grebe; and on the Mere a Pochard. Around were 84 Shelduck, 18 Gadwall, 8 Teal, an Eider, 11 Little Egret, a Grey Heron, a Marsh Harrier, 428 Oystercatcher, 6 Lapwing, 65 Curlew, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, 3 Little Tern, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 5 Stock Dove, 720 Woodpigeon, 4 Cuckoo, a Short-eared Owl, a Hobby, a Grasshopper Warbler, 163 Starling, a Grey Wagtail and a Tree Pipit.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 15 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, a Blue Tit, a Great Tit, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Linnet, a Robin, a Goldfinch and 2 Dunnock; and 10 retraps: a Blue Tit, 5 Great Tit, 3 Whitethroat and a Wren.
An impressive show of orchids on the reserve this year with 26296 spikes of Southern Marsh Orchid, 25820 spikes of Common Spotted Orchid, 16 spikes of Bee Orchid and 23 spikes of Early Marsh orchid counted this week. The latter not been recorded on the reserve since the tidal surge of 2013.
June 18th. In an exceptional year for the species on the reserve, a fifth Serin was discovered, a flighty female frequented the East Dunes throughout the morning. A Great White Egret was on the New Saltmarsh and the Yellow-legged Gull of the previous evening was again at Greenshanks Creek. On Tennyson's Sands were 7 Teal, a Pochard, 3 Spoonbill, 2 Great Crested Grebe and a Mediterranean Gull. Birds around, including birds trapped, were 8 Gadwall, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Buzzard, 4 Lapwing, 4 Stock Dove, 1360 Woodpigeon, a Collared Dove, 5 Cuckoo, a Grasshopper Warbler and 90 Starling. Heading south were a 4 Black-tailed Godwit, a first summer Little Gull, 10 Sand Martin and 133 Starling.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 37 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler, 5 Linnet, 2 Blackcap, a Meadow Pipit, 8 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Robin, 7 Blue Tit, a Reed Bunting, 2 Great Tit, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Woodpigeon; and 13 retraps: 6 Great Tit, a Whitethroat, a Blackbird, a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler and a Chaffinch.
Ringing Recovery:
Great Spotted Woodpecker ringed GPBO 12 August 2015, found dead Friskney, Lincolnshire 14 June 2019.
June 17th. 2 Spoonbill commuted between Tennyson's Sands and the estuary throughout the day. A second summer Yellow-legged Gull was in the larid assemblage at Greenshanks Creek over the evenings high tide. Heading south were 4 Gadwall, a further Spoonbill, a Little Tern, 802 Swift, a Sand Martin, 48 House Martin, 14 Swallow and 64 Starling. Birds around included 14 Gadwall, a Teal, 7 Common Scoter, a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Buzzard, 6 Grey Plover, 45 Curlew, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 8 Stock Dove, 7 Cuckoo, 2 Tawny Owl, a Short-eared Owl, a Green Woodpecker, a Hobby, a Peregrine, a Grasshopper Warbler and 214 Starling.
The fifth session of CES was done this morning. The 26 new birds were 3 Wren, 3 Chiffchaff, 7 Robin, a Linnet, 4 Blackcap, 4 Blue Tit, a Chaffinch, a Great Tit, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and the 16 retraps were a Great Tit, a Robin, 2 Blackcap, 2 Wren, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Dunnock, a Sedge Warbler, a Blackbird and 4 Long-tailed Tit.
June 16th. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Teal, 2 Spoonbill and 3 Mediterranean Gull. Birds around included 17 Gadwall, 4 Eider, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Cuckoo, a Short-eared Owl, a Grasshopper Warbler, 56 Starling and a Siskin. Flying south were 454 Swift, a Sand Martin, 28 House Martin and an unseasonal Grey Wagtail.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 17 new birds: 4 Great Tit, 3 Linnet, a Robin, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Coal Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackbird; and 3 retraps: a Great Tit, a Dunnock and a Reed Warbler.
June 15th. A Great White Egret flew south over the New Saltmarsh before doubling back late afternoon. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spoonbill, 11 Black-tailed Godwit and a Mediterranean Gull. Birds around included a Pink-footed Goose, 4 Brent Goose, 3 Eider, 11 Little Egret, a Spotted Redshank, a Short-eared Owl, 5 Cuckoo, a Hobby, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, a Bullfinch and a Siskin. Going south were a Curlew, 7 Swift and 2 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 13 new birds: a Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, a Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Reed Warbler, a Robin, a Meadow Pipit, a Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 11 retraps: a Dunnock, 4 Great Tit, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Wren, a Linnet and a Sedge Warbler.
Butterflies included a Painted Lady.
June 14th. Increasing southerly wind, with rainy spells in morning.
2 Common Crane flew south over the Visitor Centre and into the Wash mid afternoon. On Tennyson's Sands were a Pochard, 2 Spoonbill and a Mediterranean Gull. Around were 5 Brent Goose, 15 Gadwall, 3 Eider, 10 Little Egret, a Buzzard, 72 Avocet, 3 Lapwing, 78 Curlew, 2 further Mediterranean Gull, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Tawny Owl, a Short-eared Owl, a Green Woodpecker, a Hobby and 2 Siskin. Migrant insects included 32 Painted Lady.A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, resulted in 21 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, 4 Meadow Pipit, a Robin, 3 Blackcap, a Whitethroat, a Linnet, a Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Dunnock and a Kingfisher; and 17 retraps: a Dunnock, a Robin, 8 Great Tit, a Meadow Pipit, 2 Wren, a Blue Tit, 2 Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat.
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Painted Lady, impressive numbers of this charismatic migrant around, 20th June 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Black Redstart, 20th June 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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| Kingfisher, ringed 29th June 2019. Photo - George Gregory |
On Tennyson's Sands were a Pochard, 2 Spoonbill and 2 Great Crested Grebe; and on the Mere a Pochard. Around were 84 Shelduck, 18 Gadwall, 8 Teal, an Eider, 11 Little Egret, a Grey Heron, a Marsh Harrier, 428 Oystercatcher, 6 Lapwing, 65 Curlew, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, 3 Little Tern, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 5 Stock Dove, 720 Woodpigeon, 4 Cuckoo, a Short-eared Owl, a Hobby, a Grasshopper Warbler, 163 Starling, a Grey Wagtail and a Tree Pipit.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 15 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, a Blue Tit, a Great Tit, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Linnet, a Robin, a Goldfinch and 2 Dunnock; and 10 retraps: a Blue Tit, 5 Great Tit, 3 Whitethroat and a Wren.
An impressive show of orchids on the reserve this year with 26296 spikes of Southern Marsh Orchid, 25820 spikes of Common Spotted Orchid, 16 spikes of Bee Orchid and 23 spikes of Early Marsh orchid counted this week. The latter not been recorded on the reserve since the tidal surge of 2013.
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| Southern Marsh Orchids (some of the 26296 spikes), 19th June 2019. Photo - Richard Doan |
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| Common Spotted Orchid, 19th June 2019. Photo - Richard Doan |
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| Early Marsh Orchid, early June 2019. Photo - Richard Doan |
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| Bee Orchid, 19th June 2019. Photo - Richard Doan |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 37 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler, 5 Linnet, 2 Blackcap, a Meadow Pipit, 8 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Robin, 7 Blue Tit, a Reed Bunting, 2 Great Tit, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Woodpigeon; and 13 retraps: 6 Great Tit, a Whitethroat, a Blackbird, a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler and a Chaffinch.
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| Grasshopper Warbler, ringed 18th June 2019. Photo - George Gregory |
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| Grasshopper Warbler, ringed 18th June 2019. Photo - George Gregory |
Great Spotted Woodpecker ringed GPBO 12 August 2015, found dead Friskney, Lincolnshire 14 June 2019.
June 17th. 2 Spoonbill commuted between Tennyson's Sands and the estuary throughout the day. A second summer Yellow-legged Gull was in the larid assemblage at Greenshanks Creek over the evenings high tide. Heading south were 4 Gadwall, a further Spoonbill, a Little Tern, 802 Swift, a Sand Martin, 48 House Martin, 14 Swallow and 64 Starling. Birds around included 14 Gadwall, a Teal, 7 Common Scoter, a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Buzzard, 6 Grey Plover, 45 Curlew, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 8 Stock Dove, 7 Cuckoo, 2 Tawny Owl, a Short-eared Owl, a Green Woodpecker, a Hobby, a Peregrine, a Grasshopper Warbler and 214 Starling.
The fifth session of CES was done this morning. The 26 new birds were 3 Wren, 3 Chiffchaff, 7 Robin, a Linnet, 4 Blackcap, 4 Blue Tit, a Chaffinch, a Great Tit, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and the 16 retraps were a Great Tit, a Robin, 2 Blackcap, 2 Wren, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Dunnock, a Sedge Warbler, a Blackbird and 4 Long-tailed Tit.
Grasshopper Warbler, 17th June 2019.
Video - Ben Ward
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Brimstone, 17th June 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 17 new birds: 4 Great Tit, 3 Linnet, a Robin, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Coal Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackbird; and 3 retraps: a Great Tit, a Dunnock and a Reed Warbler.
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Red Admiral, nectaring on Cow Parsley, 16th June 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Small Tortoiseshell, nectaring on Southern Marsh Orchid, 16th June 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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| Coal Tit, ringed 16th June 2019. Photo - George Gregory |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 13 new birds: a Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, a Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Reed Warbler, a Robin, a Meadow Pipit, a Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 11 retraps: a Dunnock, 4 Great Tit, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Wren, a Linnet and a Sedge Warbler.
Butterflies included a Painted Lady.
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| Southern Marsh Orchid, 15th June 2019. Photo - George Gregory |
Hobby, 14th June 2019.
Video - Ben Ward
June 13th. Light rain for most of day, with increasing southerly wind. |
Painted Lady, 14th June 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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| Juvenile Blackcap, 14th June 2019. Photo - Owen Beaumont |
On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Teal, 2 Spoonbill, 2 Great Crested Grebe, a Sandwich Tern, 7 Common Tern, 3 Mediterranean Gull and 34 Common Gull. Birds around included 26 Gadwall, 10 Little Egret, 6 Stock Dove, a Collared Dove, 2 Cuckoo, a Barn Owl, a Tawny Owl, a Short-eared Owl and a Yellow Wagtail. Heading south were 680 Black-headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull and 76 Swift.
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Mediterranean Gull, 13th June 2019.
Photo - Nige Lound
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Common Tern and Black-headed Gull, 13th June 2019.
Photo - Nige Lound
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Sandwich Tern, 13th June 2019.
Photo - Ben Ward
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Around were 2 Pink-footed Goose, 20 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 11 Little Egret, 2 Spoonbill, a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Whimbrel, a Green Sandpiper, a Mediterranean Gull, 4 Cuckoo, a Barn Owl, 2 Short-eared Owl, a Peregrine, a Garden Warbler, 65 Starling and a Black Redstart. Heading out east were a Fulmar and a Hobby.
Migrant insects included a Clouded Yellow, 67 Painted Lady and a considerable fall of Diamond-backed Moth.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 12 new birds: 4 Great Tit, 2 Linnet, a Chaffinch, a Blackcap, a Whitethroat, a Meadow Pipit and 2 Dunnock; and 8 retraps: a Blue Tit, a Dunnock, 4 Whitethroat, a Great Tit and a Sedge Warbler.
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| Swallow, 12th June 2019. Photo - Owen Beaumont |
Black Redstart, 12th June 2019.
Video - Ben Ward
On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Great Crested Grebe, a Grey Heron, 2 Spoonbill, a Little Tern, 6 Sandwich Tern and a Mediterranean Gull; and on Fenland Lagoon 2 Little Tern. Birds around included a further Grey Heron, a Cuckoo, 2 Sand Martin, 90 House Martin, 60 Swallow and 2 Starling.
Little Tern on Fenland Lagoon, 11th June 2019.
Video - Ben Ward
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Swallow, 11th June 2019.
Photo - Jim Shaw
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker, 11th June 2019. Photo - Owen Beaumont |
Reed Bunting ringed Iken Marsh, Suffolk 18 February 2017, controlled GPBO 28 May 2019.
