Late June 2015

June 30th. Birds around included a Grey Heron. On Tennyson's Sands was a Ruff. Flying south were 3 Swift and 17 Curlew.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 19 new birds: 2 Wren, 3 Great Tit, a Goldfinch, a Linnet, 6 Whitethroat, a Chaffinch, a Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, a Song Thrush and a Great Spotted Woodpecker; and 4 retraps: 2 Dunnock and 2 Great Tit.

Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker, ringed 30 June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory
June 29th. Around was a Hobby. On Tennyson's Sands were a Sandwich Tern, 2 Spotted Redshank and 3 Ruff. Going south were a Grey Heron, 9 Curlew and 24 Swift.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 16 new birds: a Wren, a Treecreeper, a Blackcap, 5 Blue Tit, a Whitethroat, a Meadow Pipit, 4 Dunnock and 2 Starling; and 7 retraps: 2 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, 3 Great Tit and a Dunnock.

Spotted Redshank with Redshanks, 29 June 2015.
Photo - Philip Millns
Spotted Redshank with Redshanks, 29 June 2015.
Photo - Philip Millns
Viper's Bugloss, 29 June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory
June 28th. Rainy spells in morning.
 On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Spoonbill. Heading south were a Marsh Harrier, 5 Curlew and 120 Swift,
 Several Little Tern have been feeding in a lagoon east of Mill Hill, for those keen to see this species.
 A rain-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 9 new birds: 6 Wren, a Robin, a Great Tit and a Barn Owl; and 7 retraps: a Dunnock, 2 Great Tit and 4 Whitethroat. It is unusual for a Barn Owl to be caught in a mist net.

Little Tern over lagoon east of Mill Hill, 28 June 2015.
Photo - Philip Millns
Barn Owl, ringed 28 June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory
June 27th. A Nuthatch (rare here) was trapped and ringed in East Dunes. On Tennyson Sands were 3 Spoonbill. Birds around included a Hobby. Flying south were 2 Sand Martin, a Lapwing, 3 Curlew and 4 Swift.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 18 new birds: a Treecreeper, 2 Whitethroat, a Robin, 3 Great Tit, a Linnet, a Nuthatch, a Dunnock, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Starling and a Cuckoo; and 3 retrap Great Tit.
 An adult Sedge Warbler was also trapped, but its legs were swollen by calcification or infection, and therefore it was released unringed.


Nuthatch, ringed 27 June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory
First-summer male Cuckoo showing retained juvenile feathers in wing, ringed 27 June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory
Sedge Warbler with legs swollen by calcification or infection, released unringed 27 June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory
June 26th. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spoonbill and 2 Spotted Redshank. Flying south were 95 Swift.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 4 new birds: a Whitethroat, a Robin and 2 Blackcap; and 4 retraps: a Great Tit, a Dunnock and 2 Whitethroat.
 One of the newly-ringed Blackcap was an adult male, with worn wings and tail, which also had a large brood patch. This feature in adult males is sometimes seen in various species, though, of course, it is generally a feature of brooding adult females.

Large brood patch on adult male Blackcap, 26 June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory
Adult male Blackcap with large brood patch, ringed 26 June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory
June 25th. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Spoonbill and 2 Spotted Redshank. Around were 3 Siskin. Going south were 80 Swift.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Mike Polling, produced 13 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Wren, 2 Linnet, a Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Dunnock and 3 Great Tit; and 14 retraps: a Dunnock, 4 Great Tit, a Whitethroat, 2 Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Great Tit, a Goldfinch and a Wren.
 In the Sanctuary 3 pulli Little Tern were ringed.
 A check of the Barn Owl nest revealed a retrap adult male, and 2 well-fed pulli, at 360g and 320g, which were ringed. The food store consisted of an entire vole and an entire mouse, and remains near the nest included an adult Skylark's wing.

June 24th. On Tennyson's Sands were the 4 Spoonbill and a Kingfisher. Birds around included 4 Siskin, a Green Woodpecker and a Jay. Heading southwest were 20 Swift, and south 7 Siskin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 7 new birds: a Wren, 2 Linnet, 2 Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Great Spotted Woodpecker; and 13 retraps: a Blue Tit, 2 Linnet, 5 Great Tit, 2 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock.
 In the Sanctuary 2 pulli Little Tern were ringed.

Noisy juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker, ringed 24 June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory
June 23rd. The 4 Spoonbill moved to Jackson's Marsh. On Tennyson's Sands was a Spotted Redshank. Around was an unseasonal Fieldfare. Flying northwest were 240 Swift.
 The fifth session of CES was done this morning. The 18 new birds were a Chiffchaff, 2 Wren, 6 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Blackcap, a Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Greenfinch; and 7 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Robin, 2 Willow Warbler, a Wren and a Dunnock.

June 22nd. The 4 Spoonbill were now on Tennyson's Sands. Heading south were 95 Swift.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 2 new birds: a Great Tit and a Linnet; and 7 retraps: a Blue Tit, a Whitethroat, a Linnet, 2 Great Tit, a Wren and a Lesser Whitethroat.
 In the Sanctuary 4 pulli Little Tern and 4 pulli Ringed Plover were ringed.

June 21st. The Summer Solstice - the longest day.
 On Jackson's Marsh were 4 Spoonbill. An unseasonal adult Redwing was trapped and ringed in East Dunes. It had just commenced primary moult in the right wing. Flying south were 50 Swift.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 14 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, a Wren, 3 Robin, a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Linnet, a Chaffinch, a Whitethroat, a Redwing and a Starling; and 5 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Great Tit, a Linnet and a Whitethroat.

Unseasonal adult Redwing, ringed 21 June 2015.
Photo - George Gregory