A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 13 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, a Reed Warbler, 4 Linnet and a Blackbird; and 4 retraps: 2 Dunnock and 2 Linnet.
April 29th. Fairly strong south-westerly wind.
Birds around included 67 Brent Goose, 14 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Red-legged Partridge, a Peregrine, 600 Oystercatcher, 15 Avocet, a Ruff, 2000 Dunlin, 8 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, 15 Little Tern, 4 Willow Warbler, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Sedge Warbler and 2 Corn Bunting. Flying south were 7 Yellow Wagtail and 4 Swallow. Moving offshore were 125 Sandwich Tern and a Kittiwake.
April 28th. Frozen, foggy start, then sunny, then rainy.
Around the reserve were 45 Brent Goose, 4 Pink-footed Goose, 650 Oystercatcher, 5 Willow Warbler, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Tawny Owl, a Short-eared Owl, a Wheatear and 6 Swallow. Offshore were 7 Little Tern.
April 27th. Birds around included a Short-eared Owl, 2 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, 500 Oystercatcher, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 25 Whitethroat, 7 Lesser Whitethroat, 15 Blackcap, 10 Sedge Warbler, 3 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff and a Cuckoo.
The first Green Hairstreak of the year was seen.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 4 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Robin and 2 Linnet; and a retrap Linnet.
An unexpected snow shower fell during the day with some snow still present next day.
April 26th. Strong north-westerly wind, with occasional showers, some wintry.
Around were 2 Egyptian Goose, 30 Brent Goose, 3 Greenshank, 3 Whimbrel, a Fieldfare, a Wheatear, 2 Cuckoo, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Peregrine (pair), a Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Corn Bunting. Heading north offshore were 6 Fulmar and 4 Sandwich Tern. A female Brambling was at the feeding station. Flying south were 6 Swallow and 2 Rook.
April 25th. Birds around included a Ring Ouzel, 4 Fieldfare, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Egyptian Goose, 11 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, 5 Little Tern, 3 Rook, a Cuckoo, 15 House Martin, 12 singing Sedge Warbler, 12 Corn Bunting and a Yellow Wagtail. Flying south over land were a Tree Sparrow, 3 Yellow Wagtail, a House Martin and 2 Sand Martin. Flying north at sea were 3 Fulmar, 5 Commic Tern and 12 Sandwich Tern, and south 3 Fulmar and 4 Sandwich Tern.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 6 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Whitethroat and a Meadow Pipit; and 3 retraps: a Great Tit and 2 Lesser Whitethroat.
April 24th. Around were 4 Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, a Ring Ouzel, 18 Snipe, 20 Sandwich Tern, 3 Fulmar, a Marsh Harrier, a ringtail Hen Harrier, a Yellow Wagtail, 6 singing Sedge Warbler, 2 Rook, a Siskin, a Cuckoo, 8 Corn Bunting, a Short-eared Owl, and 2 House Martin. Over the Mere were 8 more House Martin. Heading south-west was a Buzzard.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: a Chaffinch, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Goldfinch; and 4 retraps: a Great Tit, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler.
April 23rd. Birds around included a ringtail Hen Harrier, 2 Short-eared Owl, a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Cuckoo, 2 Whimbrel, 15 Swallow, 5 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 8 Blackcap, 3 Yellow Wagtail and a Bullfinch.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with James Siddle, produced 13 new birds: 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Linnet, a Blackcap, a Robin and a Song Thrush; and 3 retraps: 2 Blue Tit and a Wren.
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| Ring Ouzel, 30th April 2016. Photo - James Siddle |
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| Whitethroat, 30th April 2016. Photo - Paul Johnson |
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| Cuckoo, 30th April 2016. Photo - Paul Johnson |
Birds around included 67 Brent Goose, 14 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Red-legged Partridge, a Peregrine, 600 Oystercatcher, 15 Avocet, a Ruff, 2000 Dunlin, 8 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, 15 Little Tern, 4 Willow Warbler, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Sedge Warbler and 2 Corn Bunting. Flying south were 7 Yellow Wagtail and 4 Swallow. Moving offshore were 125 Sandwich Tern and a Kittiwake.
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| Robin fledglings at the feeding station, 29th April 2016 Photo - Richard Doan |
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| Wheatear, 29th April 2016 Photo - Richard Doan |
Around the reserve were 45 Brent Goose, 4 Pink-footed Goose, 650 Oystercatcher, 5 Willow Warbler, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Tawny Owl, a Short-eared Owl, a Wheatear and 6 Swallow. Offshore were 7 Little Tern.
A visit to the outer ridges at the north end of the Reserve
was productive this morning with three Cuckoo, presumed recent arrivals in the
outer dune scrub, probably feeding on the numerous Brown-tailed Moth
caterpillars. Also here were two reeling Grasshopper Warbler about 500m apart,
either new arrivals or birds on territory. It was difficult to know when so few visits
are made to this remote location. Linnet were the only migrant moving south in
any numbers – about 70, with 3 Yellow Wagtail also south. A Marsh harrier and a Buzzard were circling high and off to the north together.
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| Reeling Grasshopper Warbler, 28th April 2016. Photo - Kevin Wilson |
The first Green Hairstreak of the year was seen.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 4 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Robin and 2 Linnet; and a retrap Linnet.
An unexpected snow shower fell during the day with some snow still present next day.
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| Roe Deer stag at Syke's Farm, 27th April 2016 Photo - Richard Doan |
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| Sedge Warbler in the West Dunes, 27th April 2016 Photo - Richard Doan |
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| Ringed Plover, 27th April 2016 Photo - Richard Doan |
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| Snow shower, 27th April 2016 Photo - Kevin Wilson |
Around were 2 Egyptian Goose, 30 Brent Goose, 3 Greenshank, 3 Whimbrel, a Fieldfare, a Wheatear, 2 Cuckoo, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Peregrine (pair), a Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Corn Bunting. Heading north offshore were 6 Fulmar and 4 Sandwich Tern. A female Brambling was at the feeding station. Flying south were 6 Swallow and 2 Rook.
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| Rain storm over Tennyon's Sands at dusk Photo - Richard Doan |
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| Common Cornsalad in the East Dunes, 26th April 2016 Photo - Richard Doan |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 6 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Whitethroat and a Meadow Pipit; and 3 retraps: a Great Tit and 2 Lesser Whitethroat.
April 24th. Around were 4 Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, a Ring Ouzel, 18 Snipe, 20 Sandwich Tern, 3 Fulmar, a Marsh Harrier, a ringtail Hen Harrier, a Yellow Wagtail, 6 singing Sedge Warbler, 2 Rook, a Siskin, a Cuckoo, 8 Corn Bunting, a Short-eared Owl, and 2 House Martin. Over the Mere were 8 more House Martin. Heading south-west was a Buzzard.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: a Chaffinch, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Goldfinch; and 4 retraps: a Great Tit, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler.
April 23rd. Birds around included a ringtail Hen Harrier, 2 Short-eared Owl, a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Cuckoo, 2 Whimbrel, 15 Swallow, 5 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 8 Blackcap, 3 Yellow Wagtail and a Bullfinch.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with James Siddle, produced 13 new birds: 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Linnet, a Blackcap, a Robin and a Song Thrush; and 3 retraps: 2 Blue Tit and a Wren.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Alex Tozer and Pippa Disney, resulted in 10 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, 2 Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap, a Lesser Redpoll, a Song Thrush, a Blackbird and a Woodpigeon; and 4 retraps: 2 Wren, a Dunnock and a Blue Tit.
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| Shoulder Stripe, 22nd April 2016 Photo - Kevin Wilson |
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| Cowslips, 22nd April 2016. Photo - George Gregory |
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 2 new birds: a Blackcap and a Goldfinch; and 3 retraps: 2 Wren and a Blue Tit.
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| Peacock, 21st April 2016 Photo - Bryony Baxter |
