Late July 2013

July 31st: Moderate wind, and rain from morning to late afternoon. Flying south were several hundred hirundines, mostly Sand Martins, and 3 Swifts. A Green Woodpecker was heard and seen in East Dunes early morning. Around were 5 Whimbrels. On the water bodies were a Curlew Sandpiper, 65 Black-tailed Godwits, 9 Greenshanks and 65 Sandwich Terns.
 No ringing was done, only more net ride maintenance.


Turtle Dove, 31st July 2013.
Photo - Philip Millns
July 30th: Quite windy still, but decreasing gradually. South went a Swift and 2 Whimbrels. Jackson's Marsh held 22 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Greenshanks and 2 Green Sandpipers, and Tennyson Sands 34 Black-tailed Godwits, a Ruff, a Greenshank, a Snipe and a Common Sandpiper.
 A brief morning ringing session on Storm Ridge yielded a juvenile Whitethroat only, while further net ride maintenance was done.

Dawn over East Dunes, 30th July 2013.
Photo - George Gregory
Oak Eggar on Heligoland Trap, 30th July 2013.
Photo - George Gregory 

July 29th: Still windy. On the water bodies were 56 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshanks, 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Knots, 7 Dunlins, 2 Snipes, a Ruff and 9 Sandwich Terns.  Around were 2 Whimbrels. Flying south were 60 Swifts.
 A brief morning ringing session on Storm Ridge produced just a new adult Linnet. Net ride maintenance continued.

July 28th: Windy. South went 250 Swifts. The water bodies held 37 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Snipes, a Knot, 2 Greenshanks, 2 Green Sandpipers, a Ruff and 3 Sandwich Terns. A Red Kite was photographed at North End in the afternoon.
 It was too windy for ringing, so some time was spent maintaining net rides.

Red Kite, 28th July 2013.
Photo - Philip Millns

July 27th: Flying south were 30 Swallows, 16 Curlews and 2 Whimbrels. Around were a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 15 Yellow Wagtails and 2 Common Buzzards. On the water bodies were a Curlew Sandpiper, 53 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Common Sandpipers, 12 Greenshanks, 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Ruffs, 3 Snipes and 50 Sandwich Terns. Tidal wader movements involved 5000 Sanderlings and 2000 Dunlins, amongst others.
 A morning ringing session on Storm Ridge was moderately successful for this time of year there. The news were 4 Swallows, a Whitethroat and a Sparrowhawk, and the retraps a Swallow and a Whitethroat.
 The 9th session of CES was done this morning, with moderate results. The new birds were a Wren, 3 Whitethroats, a Reed Warbler, 3 Blackcaps and 3 Great Tits, and the retraps 5 Whitethroats, a Wren, a Great Tit and a Blue Tit.
 Other nets at Aylmer Avenue were more productive. New birds were a Wren, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Chaffinches, 5 Blackcaps, 6 Whitethroats, a Blue Tit, a Goldfinch and 6 Greenfinches, and retraps 5 Chaffinches, 2 Whitethroats, 3 Blue Tits, a Greenfinch, 2 Dunnocks and 3 Great Tits.
Fox Moth in a mist net on the 27th July 2013. One of several flying around the West Dunes in broad daylight!
Photo - Mick Briggs
Adult female Sparrowhawk showing primary moult, ringed 27th July 2013.
Photo - George Gregory
July 26th: Sunny morning. Around were a Wood Sandpiper, a Greenshank, 3 Whimbrels, a Mediterranean Gull, a Marsh Harrier and 40 Yellow Wagtails. On the water bodies were a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Snipes, 34 Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Greenshanks, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Ruff and 12 Sandwich Terns. South went 2 Swifts, 57 Sand Martins and 2 Grey Wagtails, and north 6 Gannets. In off the sea came 3 Golden Plovers. Offshore were 4 Arctic Skuas.
 A morning ringing session on Storm Ridge resulted in one new Whitethroat only. A session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent was much more productive, despite the sunny conditions. 34 new birds and 33 retraps were processed. The new birds were 13 Greenfinch, 6 Goldfinch, 4 Chaffinch, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blue Tit and 1 Magpie. The Magpie was the first ringed for the year! The retraps were a mix of Warblers, Finches and Tits, although there were also 2 retrap Great Spotted Woodpecker.
 Edmund and Monica Mackrill photographed recently the first Chalkhill Blue for Gibraltar Point.

Chalkhill Blue, July 2013.
Photo - Edmund and Monica Mackrill
July 25th: Rain most of morning. Flying south were 14 Swifts. Around were 7 Whimbrels and 4 Yellow Wagtails. On the water bodies were an adult Curlew Sandpiper, 21 Black-tailed Godwits, a Ruff, 3 Snipes, a Common Sandpiper, 14 Greenshanks, 15 Ringed Plovers, 4 Dunlins, 4 Golden Plovers and 65 Sandwich Terns.
 A rain-shortened early morning ringing session on Storm Ridge yielded 6 new birds: 2 Wrens, 3 Linnets and a Yellow Wagtail.

July 24th: Damp, cloudy start, becoming humid. Around were a juvenile Peregrine, 12 Yellow Wagtails, 1000 Starlings, a Marsh Harrier, a Golden Plover and 12 Whimbrels. About 20 Swallows, mostly juveniles, hawked for insects low over Storm Ridge. On Millenium Ridge was a Curlew Sandpiper. Jackson's Marsh held a Little Ringed Plover, 2 Snipes, 2 Greenshanks, a Green Sandpiper, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper and a Ruff, and Tennyson Sands 162 Sandwich Terns, an adult Curlew Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpipers, 33 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Greenshanks. South went a Sand Martin and 5 Swifts. A flock of 16 Common Sandpipers were flying about offshore this evening, presumably additional to the above.
 A morning ringing session on Storm Ridge produced 15 new birds: 2 Linnets, a Whitethroat, 2 Goldfinches, 9 Swallows and a Meadow Pipit, and 5 retraps: 2 Great Tits, a Dunnock, a Blue Tit and a Goldfinch.

July 23rd: Rain most of morning. Waders involved in tidal movements included 4000 Sanderlings and 2000 Dunlins. Offshore were 20 Sandwich Terns. On the water bodies were 2 Green Sandpipers, 11 Common Sandpipers and 4 Snipes. Around were a juvenile Cuckoo and 1100 Starlings.
 No ringing was done.

July 22nd: High tide, early morning, produced 2000 Sanderlings, 1000 Dunlins, 4000 Knots and 200 Grey Plovers. Offshore were 100 Sandwich Terns and 9 Common Scoters. On Jackson's Marsh were a Ruff and 18 Black-tailed Godwits, and on Tennyson Sands an adult Mediterranean Gull and 13 Black-tailed Godwits.  On the water bodies were 10 Greenshanks, 6 Common Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover. New arrivals included 20 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and a Sedge Warbler. Around were 20 Mistle Thrushes, a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby and a Peregrine.
 A morning ringing session on Storm Ridge resulted in 10 new birds: a Red-backed Shrike, a Wren, 3 Linnets, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Reed Buntings and a Yellow Wagtail, and 2 retraps: a Wren and a Whitethroat.

Adult male Red-backed Shrike, ringed 22nd July 2013.
Photo - George Gregory
July 21st: Flying south were 5 Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank. On Tennyson Sands were a Yellow-legged Gull, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and a Whimbrel, and on Jackson's Marsh 2 Green Sandpipers, a Greenshank, a Dunlin and a Snipe. About 250 Sandwich Terns roosted on these water bodies late afternoon. Around were 2 Crossbills, a Kingfisher and a Hobby.
 A morning ringing session on Storm Ridge produced just 3 Whitethroats and 3 Dunnocks. A longer session at Aylmer Avenue by David and Liv Vincent was much more productive, with 110 birds processed. 68 new birds and 42 retraps. The new birds were 21 Greenfinch, 11 Goldfinch, 11 Chaffinch, 3 Wren, 1 Robin, 3 Blue Tit, 1 Blackbird, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Dunnock, 1 Swallow, 9 Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaff and 1 Willow Warbler. The Retraps were a mix of Warblers, Finches and Tits.

Mid July 2013

July 20th: Cloudy, with occasional drizzle. Offshore were 7 Arctic Skuas and 300 Sandwich Terns. Flying south were 6 Curlews and a Greenshank. On Tennyson Sands were 20 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper, on Jackson's Marsh 2 Snipes, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Greenshanks, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Ruff and a Whimbrel, and on the River Steeping a Common Sandpiper. Around was a Crossbill and a Peregrine.
 A morning ringing session on Storm Ridge resulted in 10 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Dunnock, 7 Whitethroats and a Swallow, and also a retrap Dunnock.

July 19th: South went 8 Whimbrels and a Swift, and offshore were 170 Sandwich Terns and 4 Arctic Skuas. In the Plantation were 4 Crossbills. On Jackson's Marsh were 30 Little Egrets, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Greenshank and a Ruff, and on Tennyson Sands 21 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and 2 second-summer Mediterranean Gulls.
 A brief morning ringing session on Storm Ridge provided a Wren and 2 Whitethroats as new birds.
 The recent hot, sunny weather has caused some of the water bodies to start drying up.

Roadside Pond, 19th July 2013.
Photo - George Gregory
July 18th: Tennyson Sands held an adult Little Gull, 15 Black-tailed Godwits and 5 Greenshanks, and Jackson's Marsh 7 Black-tailed Godwits, a Green Sandpiper, a Ruff and a Little Ringed Plover.
 A morning ringing session was done at Aylmer Avenue until the mist lifted and it became too hot. New birds were a Chiffchaff, 3 Great Tits, 4 Goldfinches, 3 Whitethroats, 3 Chaffinches, 2 Dunnocks, a Blue Tit, 8 Greenfinches and 2 Crossbills. The retraps were 3 Great Tits, a Chaffinch, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blue Tit.

Juvenile Crossbill No. 1, ringed 18th July 2013.
Photo - George Gregory
Juvenile Crossbill No. 2, ringed 18th July 2013.
Photo - George Gregory
Juvenile Crossbill No. 2, ringed 18th July 2013.
Photo - George Gregory
July 17th: On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Green Sandpipers, 4 Greenshanks and 6 Black-tailed Godwits, and on Tennyson Sands an adult Mediterranean Gull, 3 Greenshanks and 5 Black-tailed Godwits. Around were 35 Swallows, including many juveniles, and a Grey Heron.
 A brief morning ringing session on Storm Ridge provided new juveniles each of Wren and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Noisy juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker, ringed 17th June 2013.
Photo - George Gregory
July 16th: Tennyson Sands held 11 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank, a Ruff and a adult Mediterranean Gull, and Jackson's Marsh 9 Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank.
 The 8th session of CES was done this morning and was moderately successful, with 26 birds processed. The news were 2 Wrens, a Robin, 13 Whitethroats, a Dunnock and a Swallow, and the retraps 2 Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, a Willow Warbler, a Blue Tit, a Chaffinch, a Wren and a Blackbird.
 The feeding station nets were more productive, birds caught being a Robin, 12 Chaffinches, a Goldfinch, 2 Whitethroats, 6 Great Tits, 2 Dunnocks, 11 Greenfinches, a Coal Tit and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
 Sam Wilson's photograph of the pullus Tawny Owl ringed earlier this year is below.

Pullus Tawny Owl.
Photo - Sam Wilson
July 15th: On Jackson's Marsh were 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Greenshanks, a Whimbrel, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper, and on Tennyson Sands a second-summer Mediterranean Gull, 3 Sandwich Terns and a Black-tailed Godwit. South went 16 Sand Martins. About were 2 Peregrines, including a juvenile bird, and the 2 Scaups were still present on the Wash.

Second-summer Mediterranean Gull, July 15th.
Photo - Nigel Lound
July 14th: Around was a Marsh Harrier. Flying south were 15 Curlews, 8 Common Terns, 7 Whimbrel and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, and north an Arctic Skua and 4 Gannets. On Tennyson Sands were 2 Sandwich Terns, 23 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank, a Ruff and 10 Dunlins, and on Jackson's Marsh 11 Black-tailed Godwits, a Wood Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover, a Greenshank and a Dunlin. On the water bodies were 44 Little Egrets. Offshore were the 2 Scaup, 300 Common Scoters and 5 Sandwich Terns.
  A Six-spotted Burnet moth was noted in the East Dunes.
  A morning ringing session on Storm Ridge produced 6 new birds: 2 Meadow Pipits, a Linnet, a Dunnock and 2 Great Tits, and another Great Tit was retrapped.
Juvenile Cuckoo on 14th July 2013
Photo - Kevin Wilson

July 13th: On Jackson's Marsh were 21 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Greenshanks and a Knot, and on Tennyson Sands a colour-ringed adult Mediterranean Gull, 3 Greenshanks, a Dunlin and a Black-tailed Godwit. On these water bodies were 18 Little Egrets. Around were a Common Buzzard and 2 Corn Buntings. At Aylmer Avenue were 9 Crossbills, and over Sykes Farm 6 more. Offshore were 3 Eiders and 2 Sandwich Terns.

July 12th: Tennyson Sands held 2 colour-ringed adult Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshanks, a Common Sandpiper and a Ruff, and Jackson's Marsh 16 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshanks, a Little Ringed Plover, a Green Sandpiper, a Knot and a Common Sandpiper. At Aylmer Avenue was a juvenile Crossbill, and at Sykes Farm 11 more Crossbills.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue was moderately successful. The 19 new birds were a Wren, a Chaffinch, 4 Whitethroats, a Sedge Warbler, 2 Great Tits, a Goldfinch, 2 Dunnocks and 7 Greenfinches, and the retraps 2 Dunnocks and the French-ringed Sedge Warbler that has summered, and presumably bred, here.

July 11th: On Jackson's Marsh were 17 Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshanks and a Knot, and on Tennyson Sands a third-summer Yellow-legged Gull, a colour-ringed adult Mediterranean Gull and a Greenshank. There were 2 Grey Wagtails: one west and one at Roadside Pond. South went 12 Curlews, and in off the sea came a Grey Heron.
 Ragwort-pulling at Aylmer Avenue is continuing.

Early July 2013

July 10th: On Jackson's Marsh were 13 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Greenshanks and a Green Sandpiper, and on Tennyson Sands 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls. Around was a Hobby, and offshore were 40 Common Scoters. South went 3 Swifts.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 50 birds processed, almost all juveniles. The news were 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Wrens, 7 Chaffinches, a Blue Tit, 4 Goldfinches, a Great Tit, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Dunnocks, a Blackcap, 8 Greenfinches and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. The retraps were 3 Blue Tits, 2 Coal Tits, 6 Great Tits, a Chiffchaff, a Chaffinch, a Whitethroat and a Greenfinch.

July 9th: On the Wash were 2 Scaups. Jackson's Marsh held a Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshanks, a Ruff, a Little Ringed Plover, 72 Redshanks and 12 Black-tailed Godwits, and on Tennyson Sands 5 Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper, 3 Greenshanks and a Whimbrel. Around were 289 Curlews, 4 Whimbrels, a Marsh Harrier and a Garden Warbler. Flying south were 250 Swifts. In Beach Car Park were 2 Crossbills.

Crossbills in Beach Car Park, 9th July
Photo - Dean Nicholson
July 8th: On Tennyson Sands was a Scaup, and on Jackson's Marsh were a Green Sandpiper, 4 Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank. South went 8 Swifts, and north 4 more. Around were 2 Hobbys and 10 Crossbills.
 A pair of Yellow Wagtails have bred successfully on Jackson's Marsh this year, producing 4 young.
 The 7th session of CES was done this morning, and was reasonably successful. The 27 news were 2 Wrens, 8 Whitethroats, 5 Great Tits, 2 Chaffinches, 6 Dunnocks, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blue Tits and a Goldfinch, and the 4 retraps were singles each of Linnet, Chiffchaff, Great Tit and Whitethroat.
 The feeding station nets were somewhat more productive, the new birds being a Yellowhammer, 2 Coal Tits, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 19 Greenfinches, 7 Great Tits, 12 Chaffinches, a Dunnock, 2 Goldfinches, 2 Blue Tits and a Whitethroat, and the retraps 3 Chaffinches, 3 Blue Tits, 5 Great Tits and 2 Greenfinches.
  In the late afternoon the Barn Owl nest was checked, and the chicks were ringed. A very healthy brood of four have been reared this year, with these chicks bucking the trend in the county, weighing in on the 'very heavy' end of the scale for Barn Owls. Two of the chicks were heavier than the female was five weeks ago, when they were last checked. Across the county, occupancy is at an all-time low when boxes have been checked, probably due to the late spring and cold conditions during the start of the breeding season. In around ten days' time, these chicks will have fledged and will be out and about around the reserve.
Brood of four Barn Owls ringed on 8th July 2013.
Photo - Mick Briggs
Juvenile Coal Tit ringed 8th July 2013.
Photo - George Gregory

July 7th: At Beach Car Park were 7 Crossbills. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Greenshanks, and on Tennyson Sands 2 Ruffs and a Greenshank. Flying south were 20 Curlews.

July 6th: A quiet day on the reserve. The only birds of note were 8 Crossbills, a Yellowhammer and a Turtle Dove. 

July 5th: In the East Dunes were a Song Thrush and a Coal Tit. Swifts and Sand Martins continued moving south throughout the day.

July 4th: Heading south were 3000 Sand Martins, 500 Swift, 60 Swallow and a Hobby, the latter observed chasing migrating Sand Martins. A Cuckoo was heard calling north of Mill Hill. A few Whimbrels are now present around the reserve. On Jackson's Marsh was a male Ruff, which is new in. A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore.   

July 3rd: Two Barn Owls hunted over the saltmarsh early evening. An estuary count from the Wash Viewpoint produced 350 Curlews.

July 2nd: A Great White Egret was observed early morning, near the Wash Viewpoint. Flying south were 500 Swifts and several Sand Martins. An evening seawatch produced 50 Manx Shearwaters north. A Bittern was reported on the Mere. 

July 1st: On Jackson's Marsh were 23 Black-tailed Godwits, a Green Sandpiper and 2 Little Ringed Plovers. A pair of Turtle Doves were about, and a Cuckoo was calling in the East Dunes. Flying south were 400 Swifts and 100 Sand Martins. Offshore were several Sandwich Terns and a flock of 10 Common Scoters.
 Butterflies of the day included a Painted Lady, 3 Small Heaths and 20 Speckled Woods.