Mid August 2017

August 20th. On Jackson's Marsh were 15 Spoonbill, 149 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Greenshank. Around, including birds trapped, were a Wheatear, a Whinchat, 14 House Sparrow, a Yellowhammer and a Tree Pipit. Heading south were 5 Whimbrel, a Sand Martin, 3 House Martin and 5 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 53 new birds: 42 Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, 2 Blackcap, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat, a Tree Pipit, a Whinchat, 2 Meadow Pipit and a Yellowhammer; and 3 retraps: a Willow Warbler, a Wren and a Dunnock.

Spoonbills, 20th August 2017.
 Photo - Rob Watson
Tree Pipit, ringed 20th August 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
Whinchat, ringed 20th August 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
Ivy-leaved Toadflax, 20th August 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson
Male Common Darter, 20th August 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson
August 19th. On Jackson's Marsh were 6 Spoonbill, a Wood Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper and 2 Greenshank. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Mediterranean Gull, 6 Whimbrel, a Hobby, a Tree Pipit and a Garden Warbler. Flying south were a Yellow-legged Gull, a Swift, 8 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin and 7 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 32 new birds: 19 Willow Warbler, a Wren, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Linnet, a Sedge Warbler, a Robin, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, a Reed Bunting and a Dunnock; and 4 retraps: singles of Linnet, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Willow Warbler.

August 18th. Increasing south-westerly wind.
 Around were 2 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, a Mediterranean Gull, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, a Kingfisher, 2 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtail. Going south were 42 Arctic Skua, 20 Gannet, 4 Arctic Tern, 80 Common Tern, 3 Great Crested Grebe, a Hobby and 8 Swift.
 A brief, wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 6 new birds: 5 Willow Warbler and a Blackcap; and 3 retraps: a Blackcap and 2 Great Tit.

August 17th. Rain overnight until late morning.
 Birds around included 8 Spoonbill, a Grey Heron, a Common Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harrier, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 13 Greenshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, a Wood Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, 4 Spotted Redshank, 5 Kestrel, a Kingfisher, a Spotted Flycatcher and 12 Yellow Wagtail. Heading south were a Whimbrel, 72 Swift and a Tree Pipit.

August 16th. Around were 14 Spoonbill, an eclipse male Garganey, 6 Golden Plover, 2 adult Curlew Sandpiper, 13 Snipe, a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 15 Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, a Common Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Peregrine, a Kingfisher and 5 Yellow Wagtail. Flying south were 21 Golden Plover, 55 Swallow and 5 Sand Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 15 new birds: 6 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, a Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, a Robin and a Reed Warbler; and 4 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Whitethroat and a Great Tit.

August 15th. Birds around included 10 Spoonbill,  an adult Mediterranean Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Red Kite, a Wood Sandpiper,7 Green Sandpiper, a Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, 6 Snipe, a Green Woodpecker, a Kingfisher, 6 Swift, 100 House Martin, a Wheatear, 2 Tree Sparrow and 12 Yellow Wagtail. A Great Skua flew inland over Jackson's Marsh.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 8 new birds: 2 Wren, a Willow Warbler, a Reed Bunting, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat and a Linnet; and 5 retraps: a Linnet, 2 Dunnock and 2 Whitethroat.

First-summer (portlandica) Common Tern, 15th August 2017.
 Photo - Paul Neale
Adult Common Tern, 15th August 2017.
Photo Paul Neale
Wheatear, 15th August 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale
August 14th. Around were 14 Spoonbill, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, 6 Snipe, a Kingfisher and 7 Yellow Wagtail. Going south were a Swift, a Turtle Dove and 15 Swallow.
 The eleventh session of CES was done this morning. The 36 new birds were 7 Wren, 13 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Whitethroat, a Goldfinch, a Sedge Warbler, a House Martin, 3 Swallow, 2 Blackbird and a Woodpigeon. The 5 retraps were a Whitethroat, a Blue Tit, a Chiffchaff and 2 Dunnock.
 A Silver-washed Fritillary was found in the Plantation.

Leucistic adult Black-headed Gull, 14th August 2017.
Photo - Nige Lound
August 13th. Birds around included 14 Spoonbill, 2 Mediterranean Gull,  a Greenshank, 4 Spotted Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Wood Sandpiper, 220 Black-tailed Godwit, 50000 Knot, a Kingfisher, a Peregrine, 4 Wheatear, 2 Treecreeper and 30 Yellow Wagtail. Heading south were 8 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 13 new birds: a Wren, 4 Willow Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Linnet, a Whitethroat and 5 Starling; and 2 retraps: a Robin and a Dunnock.

Mediterranean Gull, 13th August 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale
Treecreeper, 13th August 2015.
Photo - Paul Neale
Wheatear, 13th August 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson
August 12th. Around were 17 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 4000 Black-headed Gull, 247 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Spotted Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank and a Kingfisher. Flying south were 3 Swift, 59 Sand Martin and 25 Swallow; and west a Collared Dove.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 17 new birds: 9 Willow Warbler, a Wren, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, a Reed Bunting and a Dunnock; and 10 retraps: 2 Blackcap, 3 Dunnock, a Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff and a Linnet.

August 11th. Birds around included 11 Spoonbill, 3 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper and a Kingfisher. Going south were 2 Turtle Dove, a Hobby, 6 House Martin and 3 Sand Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 34 new birds: 5 Wren, 14 Willow Warbler, a Long-tailed Tit, 3 Linnet, 3 Robin, 2 Reed Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 12 retraps: a Robin, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Linnet, a Wren, 5 Long-tailed Tit and 2 Great Tit.
 A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent resulted in 10 new birds: 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, a Linnet, a Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a House Sparrow; and 1 retrap: a Robin.

Sedge Warblers, 11th August 2017

Willow Warbler, 11th August 2017