Late July 2014

July 31st. Around were a Montagu's Harrier, 2 Marsh Harrier and a Hobby. On Tennyson Sands were a Spoonbill, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper. Going south were 250 Sand Martin, 120 Swallow, 15 House Martin and a Rose-ringed Parakeet (of perhaps uncertain provenance).
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 9 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 6 retraps: 2 Whitethroat, a Blackcap and 3 Wren.
 A longer ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling was more successful. The 32 new birds were 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Wren, a Goldfinch, 5 Blackcap, 3 Great Tit, 8 Whitethroat, a Robin, a Linnet, a Chaffinch, 3 Dunnock, 4 Greenfinch and a Magpie. The 26 retraps were 9 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 2 Robin, 3 Dunnock, a Blackbird, 5 Chaffinch, a Whitethroat and a Wren.
 A Painted Lady was in East Dunes, and another was at Aylmer Avenue.

Moulting Montagu's Harrier, 31 July 2014.
Photo - Chris Tyler
July 30th. The White-rumped Sandpiper remained on Tennyson Sands. Also there were an adult Mediterranean Gull and 3 Little Ringed Plover. Birds around included a Marsh Harrier. Heading south were 300 Sand Martin, 200 Swallow and 15 House Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes was disappointing. The new birds were a Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and the retraps were a Wren and a Dunnock.

July 29th. A Broad-billed Sandpiper was discovered on Tennyson Sands, where the White-rumped Sandpiper was re-found early morning, but flew off. Other birds there were 2 Spoonbill, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 3 Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank. Around were 3 Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a juvenile Bullfinch, a Garden Warbler, 2 Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, 4 Little Ringed Plover and 18 Greenshank.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 7 new birds: 2 Wren, 2 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Robin and a Dunnock; and 5 retraps: a Great Tit, a Dunnock, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Whitethroat.

White-rumped Sandpiper on Tennyson's Sands
Photo - Russell Hayes
White-rumped Sandpiper on Tennyson's Sands
Photo - Paul Neale   
Broad-billed Sandpiper on Tennyson's Sands
Photo - Paul Neale
July 28th. A White-rumped Sandpiper  was discovered on Tennyson Sands, where the Spoonbill remained. Around were 2 Hobby, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Cuckoo, 3 Arctic Skua, a Green Sandpiper, 10 Common Sandpiper, 21 Greenshank and 3 Whimbrel. Heading north were 300 Sand Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 9 new birds: 3 Wren, 2 Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Linnet; and 5 retraps: a Wren, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

Noisy juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker, retrapped 28 July 2014.
Photo - George Gregory
July 27th. Rain early morning, then increasingly sunny.
 On the water bodies or around were a Spoonbill, 16 Greenshank, a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ruff, a Mediterranean Gull and 4 Common Sandpiper. North went 2 Manx Shearwater.
 A delayed morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 5 new birds: singles of Wren, Whitethroat, Linnet, Starling and Green Woodpecker; and 4 retraps: singles of Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blue Tit and Wren.
 A delayed morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, by David and Liv Vincent, resulted in 39 new birds and 30 retraps. The new birds were 12 Chaffinch, 9 Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch, 4 Robin, 2 Great Tit, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Reed Warbler, a Linnet, a Dunnock and a Chiffchaff. The retraps were 13 Great Tit, 8 Chaffinch, 4 Blue Tit, 3 Robin, a Dunnock and a Whitethroat.

Noisy juvenile Green Woodpecker, ringed 27 July 2014.
Photo - George Gregory
July 26th. Around were a Spoonbill, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, 3 Mediterranean Gull, a Greenshank, a Curlew Sandpiper and 1000 Sandwich Tern. Flying south were 65 Swallow, and north, later, 800 Sand Martin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 10 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 2 Wren, a Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting, a Robin and a Blackbird; and 3 retraps: singles of Dunnock, Reed Bunting and Linnet.

July 25th. Birds around included 2 Spoonbill, 6 Mistle Thrush, 350 Starling, 60 Sandwich Tern and 3 Yellow Wagtail. Heading south were 11 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 5 new birds: a Willow Warbler, 2 Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Whitethroat; and 4 retraps: 3 Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler.

July 24th. Cloudy start, then hot and sunny.
 Going south were 4 Whimbrel.
 The ninth session of CES was done this morning, with Mike Polling. The 10 new birds were 2 Chiffchaff, a Wren, a Robin, 3 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat and a Linnet; and the retraps were 2 Whitethroat.

July 23rd. Fairly strong northerly wind.
 On Jackson's Marsh were 4 Greenshank, 30 Little Egret and 6 Grey Heron, and on Tennyson Sands 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, 2 Ruff, 2 Snipe and a Mediterranean Gull. Flying south were 3 Whimbrel and 8 Swallow.
 A brief, wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded just a new Wren and a retrap Wren.

July 22nd. Around were a first-summer Montagu's Harrier, a Tree Pipit, 3 Yellow Wagtail, a Short-eared Owl and a Grey Heron. Heading south were 6 Whimbrel, 35 Swallow and 7 Sand Martin. In off the sea came a Wood Sandpiper.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided just 4 new birds: a Wren, a Linnet and 2 Dunnock.

July 21st. Birds around included 5 Whimbrel, a Greenshank and 2 Grasshopper Warbler. South flew 11 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 11 new birds: 2 Wren, a Chiffchaff, 3 Linnet, 3 Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a Dunnock; and 3 retraps: 2 Whitethroat and a Dunnock.