Mid July 2014

July 20th. Cloudy and humid.
 Around were 4000 Starling. Flying south were 2 Swallow, 100 Whimbrel and a Kittiwake.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 14 new birds: 3 Wren, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Linnet, a Blackcap, a Reed Bunting and 2 Dunnock; and 7 retraps: 3 Whitethroat, a Dunnock, a Linnet and 2 Wren.
 A longer ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent resulted in 37 new birds and 59 retraps. The new birds were 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Great Tit, 5 Dunnock, 4 Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Robin and singles of Wren, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Linnet and Great Spotted Woodpecker. The retraps were 24 Great Tit, 18 Blue Tit, 7 Chaffinch, 3 Dunnock, 2 Whitethroat and singles of Chiffchaff, Robin, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

July 19th. Occasional light showers in morning.
 Birds around included 2 Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, 2 Arctic Skua and 100 Sandwich Tern. Heading south were 3 Swallow and 52 Oystercatcher, and north 13 Manx Shearwater.
 A late morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 11 new birds: 4 Wren, a Blackcap, 3 Linnet, a Reed Bunting, a Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 5 retraps: a Wren, a Goldfinch, 2 Dunnock and a Whitethroat.

Early stage of moult in right wing of adult Wren (left wing was symmetrical), 19 July 2014.
Photo - George Gregory
July 18th. Quite strong easterly wind.
 Around were a Short-eared Owl and a Whimbrel. Offshore were 50 Gannet, 60 Sandwich Tern, 60 Common Scoter and 15 Eider. Flying north were 2 Sooty shearwater, 9 Manx Shearwater and 2 Fulmar.
 A brief, wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 2 new birds: a Wren and a Linnet; and 3 retraps: 2 Great Tit and a Whitethroat.

July 17th. Misty start, then sunny.
Birds around included a Greenshank and a Marsh Harrier.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 17 new birds: 5 Wren, a Treecreeper, 5 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, a Great Tit, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, a Dunnock and a Woodpigeon; and 6 retraps: 3 Dunnock, 2 Whitethroat and a Wren.
 A longer ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling, using just the feeding station nets, was very productive. The 75 new birds were 2 Chiffchaff, 8 Blue Tit, 23 Great Tit, 18 Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch, a Whitethroat, 17 Greenfinch, 2 Dunnock, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Magpie. The 50 retraps were 30 Great Tit, 2 Dunnock, 11 Blue Tit, 3 Chaffinch, a Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch and a Whitethroat.

Sunrise and mist over Old Saltmarsh, 17 July 2014.
Photo - George Gregory
Grasshopper Warbler, ringed 17 July 2014.
Photo - George Gregory
July 16th. Around were 6 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Whimbrel and a Marsh Harrier. Flying south were 2 Swift.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 19 new birds: 2 Wren, 4 Whitethroat, 8 Linnet, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Reed Bunting, a Skylark and a Dunnock; and 7 retraps: 3 Dunnock, 2 Wren, a Blue Tit and a Linnet.

Fledgling Lesser Whitethroat, ringed 16 July 2014.
Photo - George Gregory
Adult Skylark, ringed 16 July 2015.
Photo - George Gregory
July 15th. Birds around included 2 Hobby, a Marsh Harrier, a juvenile Cuckoo, a Grey Wagtail, 2 Whimbrel, a Green Sandpiper, 14 Greenshank and 2 Common Sandpiper. South went 15 Whimbrel, 2000 Swallow, 8 Sand Martin, 6 House Martin and 11 Swift.
 The eighth session of CES was done this morning, but the results were disappointing. The 9 new birds were 3 Chiffchaff, a Treecreeper, a Wren, a Blackcap and 3 Whitethroat. The 4 retraps were 2 Dunnock, a Treecreeper and a Chiffchaff.

July 14th. A Black-winged Pratincole was discovered on Tennyson Sands. After flying off once and returning, it eventually flew off south towards the Wash. Also on Tennyson Sands were a Spoonbill, 4 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and a Mediterranean Gull. Around was a juvenile Cuckoo. Going south were 300 Swallow, 25 Sand Martin and 4 House Martin.
 A late morning ringing session in East Dunes was not productive. The news were 2 Wren and a Blue Tit; and the only retrap was a Whitethroat.

Black-winged Pratincole, 14 July 2014.
Videograb - Kevin Wilson

July 13th. Around were a Stone Curlew, a Spoonbill, 18 Common Sandpiper, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, a Whimbrel, 16 Greenshank, 40 Sandwich Tern, an Arctic Skua and a juvenile Cuckoo. Flying south were 4 Spoonbill, 12 Sand Martin and 35 Swallow.
 A brief morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 12 new birds: 2 Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Sedge Warbler, a Blackcap, 6 Linnet and a Dunnock; and 6 retraps: singles of Whitethroat, Blackcap, Linnet, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Dunnock.

July 12th. Damp morning mist gradually cleared.
 Around were 3 Whimbrel, a Siskin, 3 Grasshopper Warbler, a juvenile Cuckoo, a Marsh Harrier, 211 Shelduck and 1600 Starling. On the water bodies were a Kingfisher, 2 Little Ringed Plover and 16 Greenshank.
 A delayed morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 6 new birds: a Wren, a Reed Bunting, 2 Linnet, a Meadow Pipit and a Whitethroat; and 6 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat, a Wren, a Dunnock, 2 Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler.

July 11th. Around was a Whimbrel. On or by Roadside Pond were a Kingfisher, a Greenshank and a Green Sandpiper. South went 4 Swift and north a Fulmar.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 10 new birds: a Wren, 5 Linnet, 2 Whitethroat, a Goldfinch and a Reed Bunting; and 6 retraps: a Wren, 3 Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Great Tit.
 A nest-box check revealed a late brood of Great Tit in a box where a previous brood was present over two months before, and a Stock Dove nest with an egg, the beginning of an apparent second brood.