The catch this morning on East Dunes was modest, but the afternoon ringing session was productive, providing a Pied Flycatcher and a good number of Swallows, amongst others.
August 30th: The 6 Spoonbills were still around the reserve. The water bodies and river held 2 Green Sandpipers, 4 Common Sandpipers, 78 Black-tailed Godwits and 3 Greenshanks. Flying south over land were 28 Yellow Wagtails, 174 Swallows, 11 Snipes and 8 Swifts. Other notables were 2 Marsh Harriers, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Wheatears, a Redstart and 50 Golden Plovers. A seawatching session in the windy afternoon provided 17 Gannets and 19 Kittiwakes north, 18 Arctic Skuas, 2 Great Skuas, 2 Manx Shearwaters and 3 Arctic Terns south, and 3 more Arctic Skuas and 9 Guillemots present offshore.
A ringing session on East Dunes this morning yielded few birds, mostly common warblers.
August 29th: Windy then rainy. A Pectoral Sandpiper was photographed during its brief stay on Tennyson Sands. Other waders around were a Little Stint, 77 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Ruffs, a Little Ringed Plover, a Green Sandpiper and 7 Greenshanks. The 6 Spoonbills were still present. Other good birds were 6 Crossbills, a Red-throated Diver, a Garden Warbler, and a Spotted Flycatcher. Heading south were 8 Black Terns.
The wind reduced numbers of birds trapped for ringing this morning, but they included the usual warblers and a Swallow.
August 28th: A Greenish Warbler was discovered mid-morning in the Plantation. A ringtail Hen Harrier passed through. On the water bodies and around were 6 Spoonbills, a Garganey, 22 Greenshanks, 6 Spotted Redshanks, 51 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, a Little Stint, 2 Ruffs, a Green Sandpiper, and 9 Common Sandpipers. Landbirds present included a Whinchat, a Redstart, 2 Garden Warblers, a Willow Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher. A Mediterranean Gull went south to roost.
It was too sunny for a good catch, but a morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded a Yellow Wagtail, a Garden Warbler, a Reed Warbler, a Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler and several Swallows, amongst others.
August 27th: Windy, then also a bit rainy. Around were 3 Spoonbills, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Peregrine, a Pied Flycatcher, a Garden Warbler, 3 Whinchats, a Redstart and a Wheatear. Flying south were 5 Crossbills and 55 Teals.
The weather reduced the catch in this morning's ringing session, but a Pied Flycatcher, a Goldcrest, a Yellow Wagtail, a Willow Warbler, 3 Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat and a few Swallows were new.
August 26th: The 6 Spoonbills and the Little Stint were still present. Other notables included 2 Pied Flycatchers, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Whinchats, 3 Wheatears, a Redstart, a Short-eared Owl, a Buzzard, 2 Crossbills, a Tree Pipit, 12 Tree Sparrows and 20 Golden Plovers. South went 45 Yellow Wagtails, hundreds of Swallows and 3 Swifts. A Garganey was on the Mere. Offshore were 19 Guillemots, 16 Eiders and 6 Arctic Skuas.
The last simultaneous morning sessions of the Ringing Weekend were at East Dunes and Aylmer Avenue. 151 birds were processed, including a Pied Flycatcher, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Grey Wagtail, a Sparrowhawk, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, the usual warblers and finches, 8 House Martins, a Sand Martin and 85 Swallows. Of the latter 1 was a control.
August 25th: Good birds around included 6 Spoonbills, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Wood Sandpiper, 7 Common Sandpipers, a Whinchat, a Marsh Harrier, a Short-eared Owl, a Mediterranean Gull and a Jay. The usual waders were on the water bodies, and additionally a Little Stint was on Jackson's Marsh.
The Ringing Weekend continued with simultaneous morning sessions on East Dunes and at Aylmer Avenue, providing 139 captures despite interruptions caused by rain. New birds ringed included a Grasshopper Warbler, a Garden Warbler, 7 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Reed Warblers, a House Martin and 70 Swallows.
August 24th: Around were 6 Spoonbills, 6 Greenshanks, 4 Green Sandpipers, a Short-eared Owl, 26 Crossbills, a Pied Flycatcher, 3 Tree Pipits, 3 Whinchats, 3 Wheatears and a Hobby. Other waders on Tennyson Sands were 75 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Spotted Redshanks and a Little Ringed Plover, and on Croft Marsh another Black-tailed Godwit. Flying south were 24 Yellow Wagtails and 5 Tree Sparrows.
The Ringing Weekend started. An afternoon session in East Dunes resulted in a Pied Flycatcher, a Lesser Whitethroat and a moderate number of Swallows, amongst others, being caught.
August 23rd: 2 Ospreys were seen over the reserve. More Willow Warblers arrived. Around were 2 Spoonbills, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Whinchats, 3 Wheatears, 2 Tree Pipits and 16 Tree Sparrows. Waders were represented by 36 Greenshanks, 6 Spotted Redshanks, 3 Ruffs and 6 Whimbrels. Heading south were 9 Crossbills. The Garganey moved to Tennyson Sands. The escaped Crimson Rosella hung around the Field Station.
A better ringing session in East Dunes provided 53 captures, including 14 Willow Warblers and 31 Swallows. It was still a bit sunny, however, for a big catch.
August 22nd: A Peregrine and a Merlin were at North End. Other raptors present were 2 Hobbys, 3 Marsh Harriers and a Short-eared Owl. There was a small arrival of Willow Warblers. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Spoonbills, on Tennyson Sands 72 Black-tailed Godwits, 27 Greenshanks and a Mediterranean Gull, and on the Mere a Garganey and a Pintail. Around were 3 Wheatears, 5 Spotted Redshanks, 3 Ruffs and 70 Golden Plovers. Flying south were 6 Crossbills.
A ringing session in East Dunes this morning was too sunny and windy for a good catch, but 8 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and a moderate number of Swallows were ringed.
August 21st: On the water bodies were 2 Spoonbills, 32 Greenshanks, a Little Stint, 8 Spotted Redshanks, a Garganey, a Pintail and 36 Little Egrets. Around were a Marsh Harrier, a Merlin, 3 Crossbills and 11 Tree Sparrows.
A morning ringing session on East Dunes resulted in 158 captures, including 6 Willow Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, a Tree Pipit, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Yellow Wagtail, a Sand Martin and 144 Swallows. The latter included 3 controls with different sequences and a very rufous new bird.
