Early June 2014

June 10th. Around were 400 Starling and a Green Woodpecker. Passing through was a Honey Buzzard. 2 Hobby were hunting in the East Dunes late evening.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 6 new birds: a Robin, a Blue Tit and 3 Starling; and 4 retraps: 2 Great Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blue Tit.
Honey Buzzard, 10th June 2014.
Photo - Paul Neale
Honey Buzzard, 10th June 2014.
Photo - Paul Neale
Honey Buzzard, 10th June 2014.
Photo - Paul Neale
June 9th. Heading south were 4 Swift.
  In a morning ringing session in East Dunes there were 7 new birds: a Linnet, a Whitethroat, a Meadow Pipit and 4 Dunnock; and 4 retraps: singles of Chaffinch, Whitethroat, Linnet and Dunnock.
 A Puss Moth and an Eyed Hawk-moth were trapped overnight.

Puss Moth, 9th June 2014
Photo - Nigel Lound

Eyed Hawk-moth, 9th June 2014
Photo - Nigel Lound
June 8th. Flying south were 154 Swift, 32 House Martin, 40 Swallow, 3 Grey Heron and 3 Yellow Wagtail. Birds around included a Goosander, a Greenland Wheatear, a Cuckoo, 400 Starling and a Peregrine.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 6 new birds: a Linnet, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, a Great Tit and a Dunnock; and 4 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Great Tit and a Whitethroat.
  A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent resulted in a productive 52 new birds and 19 retraps. The new birds were 15 Chaffinch, 11 Blue Tit, 6 Whitethroat, 6 Greenfinch, 4 Robin, 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Chiffchaff and singles of Great Tit, Dunnock, Linnet and Yellowhammer. The retraps were 7 Whitethroat, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch and singles of Blue Tit, Great Tit, Sedge Warbler, Yellowhammer, Chiffchaff and Wren. Again, just the same as last Sunday, the majority of the birds processed were juveniles.

June 7th. Occasional rain from mid morning.
 On Tennyson Sands were 2 Spoonbill and 2 Mediterranean Gulls. Around were 15 Swift.
 The 4th session of CES was done this morning. The 7 new birds were a Chiffchaff, a Long-tailed Tit, a Linnet, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock. The 19 retraps were 6 Whitethroat, 2 Blackbird, 2 Great Tit, 3 Willow Warbler, a Chaffinch, a Chiffchaff, a Long-tailed Tit, a Blue Tit and a Robin.
Adult Spoonbill on Tennyson Sands, 7th June 2014
Photo - Nigel Lound
June 6th. On Tennyson Sands was a Spoonbill. 2 Great Crested Grebe were on Tennyson Sands. Around was a Cuckoo. A Honey Buzzard drifted off west.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 5 new birds: 2 Linnet, a Blackcap, a Meadow Pipit and a Blackbird; and 7 retraps: 5 Great Tit, a Whitethroat and a Wren.

June 5th. Occasional very light rain in morning, fairly windy.
 Around were a Cuckoo and 40 Black-tailed Godwit. Flying south were 150 Swift and a Yellow Wagtail.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 3 new birds: a Lesser Whitethroat, a Reed Bunting and a Dunnock; and 16 retraps: 9 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, a Whitethroat, a Goldfinch and a Dunnock.

June 4th. Dry start, then rain most of day.
 Around were an Osprey, a Honey Buzzard, a Montagu's Harrier and 25 Black-tailed Godwit.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes was reasonable, with more young birds emerging.The news were 5 Blue Tit, 2 Linnet, a Reed Bunting, a Robin, a Chaffinch and a Dunnock. The retraps were a Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Whitethroat and a Linnet.
Montagu's Harrier, 4th June 2014. 
Photo - Paul Neale

Montagu's Harrier, 4th June 2014. 
Photo - Paul Neale

June 3rd. Around were 23 Black-tailed Godwit, a Cuckoo, 2 Turtle Dove and a Montagu's Harrier. Heading south were 25 Swift, 30 Swallow, 3 House Martin and a Yellow Wagtail.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 6 new birds: singles of Blue Tit, Whitethroat, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Blackbird and Mistle Thrush; and 2 retraps: a Dunnock and a Whitethroat.

Mistle Thrush, ringed 3 June 2014.
Photo - George Gregory
June 2nd. Flying south over land were 13 Swift, a Yellow Wagtail and 20 Lesser Black-backed Gull. A male Green Woodpecker was in the East Dunes. Flying south over the sea were 60 Razorbill, 10 Gannet, 3 Little Gull and 4 Sandwich Tern
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 9 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, 3 Meadow Pipit, a Whitethroat, a Linnet and 2 Dunnock; and 2 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

June 1st. Misty then sunny.
 An adult female Red-backed Shrike was discovered alongside Gibraltar Road north of Aylmer Avenue.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 4 new birds: 2 Wren, a Robin and a Meadow Pipit; and 5 retraps: 2 Great Tit, 2 Whitethroat and a Dunnock.
  A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David and Liv Vincent resulted in a very productive 77 new birds and 24 retraps. The new birds were 24 Chaffinch, 15 Greenfinch, 6 Whitethroat, 5 Goldfinch, 5 Blue Tit, 5 Great Tit, 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 Robin, 2 Wren, 2 Dunnock, 2 Linnet and singles of Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer and Blackbird. The retraps were 5 Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Greenfinch, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Sedge Warbler, a Song Thrush and a Great Tit. Of the 101 birds processed, a large proportion of them were juveniles.

Red-backed Shrike, 1 June 2014.
Photo - Sam Wilson