Early September 2017

September 10th. Soggy start, then foggy until mid morning.
 Birds around included 9 Spoonbill, 2 Marsh Harrier (including 1 with a rectangular green tag on the right wing), a Merlin, 5 Golden Plover, a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtail. On Jackson's Marsh were a Black Tern, 175 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff and a Spotted Redshank; on the Mere a Water Rail; and on Fenland Lagoon a Yellow-legged Gull and 9 Greenshank. Heading south were a Manx Shearwater, 19 Pintail, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Black Tern, 11 Ruff, 3 Swift, 2 Grey Wagtail, 8 Yellow Wagtail, 192 Meadow Pipit, 319 Swallow, 122 House Martin and 7 Sand Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Toby Collett, yielded 8 new birds: 3 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, a Robin and a Lesser Whitethroat; and 6 retraps: 3 Wren, a Blue Tit, a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

A selection of pictures from taken at high tide, 10th September by Les Binns







September 9th. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Spoonbill, 6 Snipe and a Kingfisher. Around, including birds trapped, were 3 Marsh Harrier, 7 Kestrel, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Whinchat and 45 Wheatear. Flying south were a Whimbrel, 7 Swift, 2 Grey Wagtail, 443 Meadow Pipit, 60 Swallow, 55 Sand Martin, 374 House Martin and 42 Tree Sparrow; and west a Peregrine.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 49 new birds: a Wren, 15 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Robin, 6 Blackcap, a Linnet, 2 Goldfinch, 4 Tree Sparrow, a Reed Bunting, a Wheatear, 4 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, a Chaffinch, a Blue Tit, 3 Dunnock and a Sparrowhawk; and 5 retraps: a Whitethroat, 2 Dunnock, a Goldcrest and a Great Tit.

Sparrowhawk, ringed 9th September 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
Stinkhorn Fungus in Heligoland Trap, causing a bad smell, 9th September 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
September 8th. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Spoonbill, 39 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Snipe; on Fenland Lagoon 5 Greenshank; and on Tennyson's Sands a Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, 268 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Snipe, and a Kingfisher. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Greenshank, 8 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear and a Spotted Flycatcher. Going south were a Merlin, 40 House Martin and 120 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 15 new birds: a Wren, a Willow Warbler, 2 Robin, a Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Whitethroat, a Reed Bunting, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Kestrel; and 7 retraps: a Goldcrest, 4 Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Spotted Flycatcher, ringed 8th September 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
Kestrel, ringed 8th September 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
Great Spotted Woodpecker, ringed 8th September 2017.
Photo - George Gregory
September 7th. On Jackson's Marsh were 10 Spoonbill, a Common Sandpiper, 4 Snipe and a Kingfisher; on Tennyson's Sands 2 Pintail, a Snipe, a Spotted Redshank and 251 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Fenland Lagoon a Spotted Redshank. Around, including birds trapped, were a Peregrine, a Merlin, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Wheatear, 11 Whinchat and 2 Goldcrest. Heading south were a Great Skua, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Swift, 12 Yellow Wagtail, 100 Swallow, 3 Sand Martin and 2 House Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, resulted in 40 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, 5 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 9 Robin, 6 Whitethroat, 3 Reed Bunting, a Linnet, a Meadow Pipit, 2 Chaffinch, a Wheatear, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Great Tit and 3 Dunnock; and 4 retraps: a Robin, a Dunnock, a Wren and a Whitethroat.

Knot, 7th September 2017

Sanderling, 7th September 2017.
Common Buzzard, 7th September 2017.
Meadow Pipit, 7th September 2017.
Turnstone, 7th September 2017.


Redshank, 7th September 2017.
Tern Flock, 7th September 2017.
Spotted Redshank, 7th September 2017.
Photo - Ben Ward
September 6th. Birds around included 10 Spoonbill, 82 Little Egret, a Merlin, 2 Ruff, 4 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, 275 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, a Short-eared Owl, a Kingfisher, a Redstart, 2 Wheatear, 8 Whinchat, 65 Yellow Wagtail and a Goldcrest. Flying south were an Osprey, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, 7 Arctic Skua, 2 Swift, 2 Grey Wagtail, 140 Meadow Pipit, 50 Swallow, 40 House Martin and 2 Sand Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 23 new birds: 6 Willow Warbler, 9 Robin, a Reed Warbler, a Linnet, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Lesser Whitethroat; and 2 retrap Whitethroats.

Osprey, 6th September 2017.
Photo - Ben Ward
Wheatear, 6th September 2017.
Kingfisher, 6th September 2017.
Pale Common Buzzard, 6th September 2017.
Pale Common Buzzard, 6th September 2017.
Wheatear, 6th September 2017.
Mixed flock of Sandwich and Common Terns, 6th September 2017.
September 5th. On Jackson's Marsh were 10 Spoonbill, 85 Little Egret, a Grey Heron, a Common Sandpiper and a Little Stint; and on Tennyson's Sands 2 Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank and 2 Kingfisher. Around were 11 Arctic Skua, 3 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat and a Yellow Wagtail. Going south were 4 Swift, 80 House Martin, 3 Sand Martin and 65 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 2 new Blackcap; and a retrap Whitethroat.

 September 4th. On Jackson's Marsh were 8 Spoonbill, 60 Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron and 9 Snipe; and on Tennyson's Sands 2 Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, 5 Snipe and a Water Rail. Birds around included a Greenshank, a Kingfisher, a Wheatear, 2 Whinchat and 2 Yellow Wagtail. Heading south were a Pomarine Skua, 5 Arctic Skua, 2000 Sandwich Tern, 5 Sand Martin, 7 House Martin and 14 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 2 new birds: a Blackcap and a Starling; and 2 retraps: a Dunnock and a Whitethroat.

September 3rd. On Jackson's Marsh were 7 Spoonbill, 61 Little Egret and 3 Snipe; on Tennyson's Sands 8 Greenshank and 4 Spotted Redshank; and on the Mere 2 Wigeon. On or over the sea were 8 Goosander and a Red-throated Diver. The tern roost contained 1500 Sandwich Terns, with a further 350 flying south along with a Great Skua, 8 Arctic Skua, 40 Teal, 45 Gannet and a Fulmar. Around were a Common Buzzard, a Greenshank, a Merlin, a Kingfisher, 2 Whinchat, a Wheatear, 45 House Martin and 25 Yellow Wagtail. Flying north were a Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier and 15 Swallow; and south 2 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: 2 Blackcap and a Blue Tit; and 4 retraps: singles of Great Tit, Dunnock, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat.

Whinchat, 3rd September 2017.
Photo - Owen Beaumont
Whinchat, 3rd September 2017.
Photo - Owen Beaumont
Wheatear, 3rd September 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson
Bittersweet (Woody Nightshade), 3rd September 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson
September 2nd. Misty start, gradually clearing.
 On Jackson's Marsh were 13 Spoonbill (arrived in afternoon); and on Tennyson's Sands 7 Snipe, 2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank. Birds around, including those trapped, were 2 Yellow-legged Gull, a Marsh Harrier, a Greenshank, 3 Arctic Skua, a Kingfisher, a Wheatear, a Whinchat, a Bullfinch and a Goldcrest. Going south were 2 Whimbrel and a House Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 13 new birds: a Goldcrest, 3 Blackcap, a Robin, a Reed Warbler, 4 Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Whitethroat; and 6 retraps: a Blackcap, 2 Robin, a Great Tit and a Whitethroat.

Kingfisher, 2nd September 2017.
Photo - Paul Johnson
Chiffchaff, 2nd September 2017.
Willow Warbler, 2nd September 2017.
Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2nd September 2017.
Whitethroat, 2nd September 2017.
Treecreeper, 2nd September 2017.
Yellow-legged Gull, 2nd September 2017.
Photo - Nige Lound
September 1st. Soggy, misty start following yesterday's rain, gradually drying out and clearing.
 Around, including birds trapped, were 13 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, 7 Arctic Skua, 800 Sandwich Tern, an Arctic Tern, a Wheatear, 4 Goldcrest and 2 Yellow Wagtail. On Tennyson's Sands were a female Scaup, 163 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Greenshank, a Snipe, 3 Spotted Redshank and a Common Sandpiper; on Jackson's Marsh a Little Stint, 4 Snipe and a Common Sandpiper; and on Fenland Lagoon 5 Greenshank and a Kingfisher. Heading south were 4 Green Sandpiper, a Greenshank, 2 Collared Dove, 12 House Martin, 5 Sand Martin and 25 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 8 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Goldcrest, a Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 4 retraps: 2 Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock.
 A brief ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling yielded just a new Dunnock.

Female Scaup, 1st September 2017.
Photo - Doug Aston