Late October 2016

October 31st. A Waxwing  was at Beach Car Park; a Lapland Bunting and a Snow Bunting on Millennium Ridge; and on the Mere 3 Jack Snipe and 2 Water Pipit. Around were 5 Pintail, a Woodcock, 17 Snipe, 8 Water Rail, 2 Kingfisher, a Green Woodpecker, and 2 Water Pipit.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 11 new birds: a Wren, a Robin, 6 Redwing, a Song Thrush and 2 Blackbird; and 3 retraps; a Blackbird, a Robin and a Redwing. Yesterday's controlled Iceland-ringed Redwing had increased from 56.7g to 61.3g on retrap today.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling yielded 18 new birds: 3 Wren, a Goldcrest, a Brambling, 2 Tree Sparrow, 2 Chaffinch, a Robin, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch and a Blackbird: and 46 retraps; 2 Robin, 4 Chaffinch, 12 Great Tit, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Dunnock, 9 Blue Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tit, a Blackbird, 2 Wren and 3 Greenfinch.

Water Rail on the Mere, 31st October 2016.
Photo - Paul Neale
Jack Snipe on the Mere, 31st October 2016.
Photo - Paul Neale

Water Rail on the Mere, 31st October 2016.
Photo - Paul Neale
October 30th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 1500 Pink-footed Goose, a male Hen Harrier, a Water Rail, 8 Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe, a Green Woodpecker, a Kingfisher, 3 Water Pipit, an Icelandic Redwing, a Tree Pipit and 8 Corn Bunting. Going south were 11 Whooper Swan.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 11 new birds: 4 Goldcrest, a Robin, 2 Blackcap, a Reed Bunting, a Dunnock, a Blackbird and a Water Rail; 4 retraps: 2 Blackbird and 2 Robin; and a control Redwing with a REYKJAVIK ICELAND ring.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent resulted in 55 new birds: 16 Goldfinch, 11 Greenfinch, 8 Goldcrest, 5 Blackbird, 4 Great Tit, 4 Robin, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Tree Sparrow, a Blue Tit and a Wood Pigeon; 35 retraps: 14 Great Tit, 7 Blue Tit, 5 Goldfinch, 4 Dunnock and singles of Goldcrest, Blackbird, Wren, Coal Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Water Rail, ringed 30th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory
Iceland-ringed Redwing, controlled 30th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

Iceland-ringed Redwing, controlled 30th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory
October 29th. Around, including birds trapped, were a Jack Snipe, a Kingfisher, 2 Water Pipit, a Ring Ouzel, a Chiffchaff and a Bullfinch. 1500 Pink-footed Goose went to roost. Heading south were 127 Whooper Swan, 2+ Waxwing, 164 Tree Sparrow, 40 Rock Pipit, 63 Redpoll, 20 Brambling, 80 Chaffinch, 2 Lapland Bunting, 3 Snow Buntingand 4 Grey Wagtail.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 14 new birds: a Wren, a Goldcrest, 3 Robin, a Goldfinch, a Bullfinch, a Reed Bunting, 2 Dunnock, a Redwing, 2 Blackbird and a Ring Ouzel; and 7 retraps: 3 Blackbird, 2 Dunnock, a Great Tit and a Robin.

Water Pipit on Fenland Lagoon, 29th October 2016.
Photo - Philip Milns
Water Pipit on Fenland Lagoon, 29th October 2016.
Photo - Philip Milns

Bullfinch, ringed 29th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

Ring Ouzel, ringed 29th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory
October 28th. Birds around included 545 Pink-footed Goose, 4 Merlin, 5 Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, 2 Ruff, 8 Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe, a Green Woodpecker, a Kingfisher, 3 Chiffchaff, 5 Brambling, 8 Siskin and 8 Corn Bunting, Flying south were 10 Whooper Swan, 41 Siskin, a Hawfinch, 35 Chaffinch, 4 Brambling, a Grey Wagtail, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Rook and 13 Tree Sparrow. In off the sea came a Hen Harrier.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 17 new birds: 4 Goldcrest, 8 Long-tailed Tit, a Reed Bunting, a Tree Sparrow, 2 Blue Tit and a Blackbird; and 5 retraps: 3 Robin, a Blackbird and a Goldcrest.

October 27th. Around were 1000 Pink-footed Goose, a Pintail, a Marsh Harrier, 7 Spotted Redshank,  a Greenshank, 2 Ruff, a Jack Snipe, 14 Snipe, 290 Golden Plover, a Green Woodpecker, 3 Rook, 10 Fieldfare, 20 Redwing, 7 Corn Bunting, a Crossbill and a Brambling. Going north were 5 Bean Goose, and south a Long-tailed Duck, 19 Whooper Swan, a White-fronted Goose, a Swallow, a Redpoll and 6 Siskin.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, provided 8 new birds: a Wren, a Blackcap, a Reed Bunting, a Robin, a Chaffinch and 3 Blackbird; and 8 retraps: 4 Robin, a Wren, a Blackcap and 2 Blackbird.
 Offshore was a Harbour Porpoise.

October 26th. Birds around included a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Tundra Bean Goose, 1700 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Grey Heron, 5 Pintail, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Hen Hatrrier, a Buzzard, a Peregrine, a Merlin, a Purple Sandpiper, 8 Spotted Redshank, 15 Snipe, a Jack Snipe, 3 Ruff, a Skua Sp, 2 Chiffchaff, 55 Fieldfare, 5 Rook, a Treecreeper, a House Sparrow, a Bullfinch, 15 Brambling, a Lapland Bunting and a Green Woodpecker. Heading south were a Goosander, a Sandwich Tern, 4 Waxwing, 20 Siskin, 15 Tree Sparrow and a Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 13 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Robin, a Reed Bunting, a Dunnock, a Redwing, 5 Blackbird and a Sparrowhawk; and 5 retraps: 2 Robin, a Redwing, a Chaffinch and a Goldcrest.

Sparrowhawk, ringed 26th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory
October 25th. A Pallas's Leaf Warbler was discovered at the side of Gibraltar Road north of Aylmer Avenue. In the Orchard was a Yellow-browed Warbler. Heading south were 300 Pink-footed Goose and 2 Swallow. Around were 2000 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Tundra Bean Goose, a Marsh Harrier, a Hen Harrier, 2 Short-eared Owl, 10 Siskin, 2 Brambling, a Firecrest, a Jack Snipe, a Woodcock, 1000 Teal, a drake Scaup, 250 Redshank, 500 Dunlin and a Merlin. Offshore were 15 Gannet, a Fulmar, 10 Kittiwake, an Arctic Skua, 25 Red-throated Diver, 3 Great Crested Grebe and 7 Eider. A Richard's Pipit was seen near the Outer Ridge.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 28 new birds: 3 Wren, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Robin, a Dunnock, a Greenfinch, 2 Redwing, a Fieldfare and 7 Blackbird; and 12 retraps: a Wren, 4 Dunnock, 3 Robin, a Blackbird, a Redwing, a Goldcrest and a Blackcap.

October 24th. On Tennyson's Sands at dawn were 2 Tundra Bean Goose, 8 Pink-footed Goose, 3 Water Rail, 5 Pintail, 144 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Avocet, a Greenshank and 7 Spotted Redshank, Birds around the reserve, including those trapped, were a Long-eared Owl, 200 Pink-footed Goose, a Marsh Harrier, a Green Woodpecker and a Kingfisher.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 31 new birds: 2 Wren, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Robin, 2 Blackcap, 6 Reed Bunting, a Goldfinch, a Greenfinch, a Dunnock, 3 Redwing, a Song Thrush, 7 Blackbird and a Long-eared Owl; and 9 retraps: a Goldcrest, 3 Blackbird, a Blackcap, a Great Tit, 2 Robin and a Redwing.

Bean Goose (1 of 2) on Tennyson's Sands at dawn, 24th October 2016.
Photo - Richard Doan
Long-eared Owl, ringed 24th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory
Long-eared Owl, ringed 24th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory
Long-eared Owl, 24th October 2016
Photo - Chris Tyler
Hen Harrier, 24th October 2016
Photo - Chris Tyler

Hen Harrier, 24th October 2016
Photo - Chris Tyler
October 23rd. In East Dunes were a Long-eared Owl and a Woodcock, early morning. Around were 60+ Pink-footed Goose, 15 Brambling, 100 Fieldfare, 5 Chiffchaff, 4 Spotted Redshank and 150 Golden Plover.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 22 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, 3 Robin, 2 Song Thrush, 9 Redwing, 4 Blackbird and a Fieldfare; and 6 retraps: 2 Robin, a Blackbird, a Blue Tit, a Wren and a Dunnock.

October 22nd. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Cetti's Warbler (on the Mere), a male Scaup (on the estuary), a Peregrine and a Green Woodpecker. Flying south were 200 Pink-footed Goose and 8 Swallow.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with James Siddle, Ian Thompson and Yvonne Benting, resulted in 35 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, a Wren, 6 Robin, a Blackcap, 4 Reed Bunting, a Chaffinch, 2 Dunnock, 4 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 6 Blackbird and 2 Fieldfare; and 16 retraps: 3 Dunnock, 8 Robin, 4 Blackbird and a Green Woodpecker.

Green Woodpecker, retrapped 22nd October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory
October 21st. Rain showers early morning.
 Around were 4 Tree Sparrow, 10 Brambling, a Rook, 11 Redpoll and 2 Woodcock. On the water bodies were 7 Whooper Swan, a Tundra Bean Goose, 238 Pink-footed Goose, 33 Little Grebe, 996 Teal, 60 Mallard, 44 Shoveler, 5 Pintail, 9 Water Rail, 8 Spotted Redshank, 16 Snipe and 2 Kingfisher. Going south were 4 Whooper Swan and 130 Pink-footed Goose.
 A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 41 new birds: 4 Wren, 7 Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Robin, a Blue Tit, 2 Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, 3 Blackcap, a Dunnock, 4 Redwing, 3 Song Thrush and 9 Blackbird; and 7 retraps: a Song Thrush, a Dunnock, a Wren, 3 Robin and a Long-tailed Tit.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling provided 38 new birds: 2 Wren, 12 Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, 8 Robin, a Blackcap, a Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, 4 Song Thrush, 3 Redwing and 4 Blackbird; and 17 retraps: 2 Blackbird, 2 Wren, 6 Robin, 3 Dunnock, 3 Goldcrest and a Long-tailed Tit.