Monday, 13th April 2015

Todays highlights were the year's first Common Sandpiper and Greenshank, plus a flock of 64 Little Gulls offshore.

Offshore

6 Shelducks east, 18 Common Scoters west, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers west, 6 Red-throated Divers east, 4 Gannets west, 64 Little Gulls west and 6 Sandwich Terns east.

Visible Migration 

1 Grey Heron east, 5 Carrion Crows north-east, 4 Swallows north, 38 Alba Wagtails east, 3 Tree Pipits north-east, 152 Meadow Pipits north-east, 18 Goldfinch east and 44 Linnets east.

Grounded Migrants 

1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 2 Sand Martins, 10 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Willow Warblers, 4 Wheatears and 3 White Wagtails.

 

 Common Sandpiper

Others

2 Whooper swans, 6 Red-breasted mergansers, 1 Little Egret, 47 Black-tailed Godwits and 150 Redshank.

Sunday, 12th April 2015

Offshore 

7 Shelducks east, 113 Common Scoters west, 6 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Red-throated Divers east, 10 Gannets west, 1 Great Crested Grebe east, 9 Little Gulls west and 8 Sandwich Terns east.

 Gannet

Visible Migration

1 Grey Wagtail east, 6 Alba Wagtails north-east, 51 Meadow Pipits north-east, 7 Goldfinch east and 8 Linnets east.

Grounded Migrants:

6 Sand Martins, 15 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Wheatears and 5 White Wagtails.

Others 

2 Whooper Swans, 29 Ringed Plovers, 300 Knot, 63 Sanderlings, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 78 Dunlins, 47 Black-tailed Godwits and 150 Turnstones.

 Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone

Saturday, 11th April 2015

A day of strong onshore winds produced the best seawatch of the spring so far. Birds were on the move as soon as the rain stopped at 7am; Manx Shearwater, Arctic Skua and Common Tern were all new for the year.

Offshore

1 Shelduck east, 95 Common Scoters west, 4 Red-breasted mergansers east, 27 Red-throated Divers east, 6 Fulmars east, 1 Manx Shearwater east, 127 Gannets east, 3,000 Knot west, 2 Arctic Skuas east, 45 Kittiwakes east, 7 Little Gulls east, 7 Sandwich Terns east, 1 Common Tern east, 1 Guillemot east, 8 Razorbills east & 1 on sea and 14 Auk sp. east.

 

 Gannets

 

 Razorbill

Visible Migration

4 Swallows north and 4 Meadow Pipits north.

Grounded migrants

12 Swallows, 3 House Martins, 5 Willow Warblers, 23 Wheatears and 4 White Wagtails.

 

 House Martin

Others 

2 Whooper Swans, 1 Shoveler, 1 Little Egret, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 26 Ringed Plovers, 1,000 Knot, 60 Sanderlings, 55 Dunlins, 155 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Spotted Redshank and 120 Turnstones.

Ringing

2 Willow Warblers.

 

 Willow Warbler

Friday, 10th April 2015

A warm southerly airflow brought some new migrants in today. A pair of Garganey flew east and a male Redstart was found during the morning. A male Ring Ouzel was found on an area of waste ground near the water meadows in the evening and the first Sedge Warbler was singing nearby.

 Ring Ouzel

Offshore

1 Shelduck east, 1 Teal east, 2 Garganeys east, 16 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-breasted Merganser east, 2 Red-throated Divers east, 2 Gannets west, 24 Sandwich Terns east, 4 Guillemots east, 3 Razorbills east  and 8 Auk sp. east.

 Sandwich Tern

Visible Migration

22 Wood Pigeons east, 3 Carrion Crows north-east, 1 Great Tit east, 9 Sand Martins north-east, 11 Swallows north-east, 2 Tree Sparrows east, 27 Alba Wagtails north-east, 6 Tree Pipits north-east, 338 Meadow Pipits north-east, 1 Greenfinch east, 29 Goldfinch east, 1 Chaffinch north, 103 Linnets east and 8 Redpolls east.

Grounded Migrants 

3 Goldcrests, 3 Chiffchaffs, 11 Willow Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Redstart, 14 Wheatears and 2 White Wagtails.

 Redstart

Others

2 Whooper Swans, 1 Goldeneye, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 350 Knot, 45 Dunlins, 5 Snipe, 147 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Spotted Redshank and 1 Glaucous Gull.

 Glaucous Gull

Ringing

2 Willow Warblers and 1 Reed Bunting.

 Reed Bunting

Thursday, 9th April 2015

The weather looked good for some migrants this morning and it started well with two male Ring Ouzels found in the east hedge just after dawn. One bird quickly departed inland but the other individual played hide and seek around a clump of gorse for a while. Apart from a decent number of Wheatears there was little else new around. The first Tree Pipits of the year were recorded this morning and the Glaucous Gull was seen again during the afternoon.

The 'hide & seek' playing male Ring Ouzel!

Offshore

2 Teal east, 2 Common Scoters, 9 Red-breasted Mergansers and 4 Sandwich Terns east.

Visible Migration 

1 Sparrowhawk east, 36 Wood Pigeons east, 6 Jackdaws east, 16 Carrion Crows north-east, 26 Sand Martins north, 6 Swallows north, 17 Alba Wagtails north, 2 Tree Pipits north, 309 Meadow Pipits north, 17 Goldfinch east, 64 Linnets east and 13 Redpolls east.

Grounded Migrants

3 Chiffchaffs, 12 Willow Warblers, 1 Blackcap, 2 Ring Ouzels, 45 Wheatears and 14 White Wagtails.

 

 White Wagtail

Wheatear

Others 

2 Whooper Swans, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Little Egret, 300 Knot, 35 Dunlins, 180 Black-tailed Godwits and 1 Glaucous Gull.

Ringing

1 Great Tit, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Wren and 1 Lesser Redpoll.

 

 Lesser Redpoll

Wednesday, 8th April 2015

A decent visible migration day with the highlights being the years first House Martin and Brambling through. A 2CY Glaucous Gull was found during the afternoon bathing on one of the pools.

Glaucous Gull

Offshore

12 Common Scoters east, 7 Red-breasted Mergansers, 1 Red-throated Diver east, 1 Gannet east and 7 Sandwich Terns east.

Visible Migration

4 Pink-footed Geese north, 1 Buzzard north-east, 158 Wood Pigeons east, 2 Magpies east, 2 Jackdaws east, 17 Carrion Crows north-east, 43 Sand Martins north, 14 Swallows north, 1 House Martin north, 2 Starlings east, 27 Alba Wagtails north, 816 Meadow Pipits north, 3 Chaffinch east, 1 Brambling east, 24 Goldfinch east, 68 Linnets east, 21 Redpolls east and 1 Reed Bunting north.

Meadow Pipit

Grounded Migrants 

15 Goldcrests, 12 Chiffchaffs, 10 Willow Warblers, 5 Wheatears, 2 Redwings, 2 White Wagtails and 6 Lesser Redpolls.

Others

2 Whooper Swans, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Little Egret, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 300 Knot, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 83 Black-tailed Godwits, 240 Turnstones, 1 Glaucous Gull and 2 Sand Martins.

 

 Black-tailed Godwit

Ringing

1 Willow Warbler.

 

 Willow Warbler

Tuesday, 7th April 2015

We finally managed to record our first Willow Warblers and Blackcap today, and another Osprey flew through this afternoon.

Willow Warbler

Offshore 

18 Common Scoters east, 17 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Great Crested Grebes and 7 Sandwich Terns east.

Visible Migration

6 Whooper Swans north, 32 Pink-footed Geese north, 1 Osprey north, 27 Sand Martins north, 4 Swallows north, 21 Alba Wagtails north, 1011 Meadow Pipits north, 1 Chaffinch east, 14 Goldfinch east, 28 Linnets east and 3 Redpolls east.

 

 Osprey

Grounded Migrants

15 Goldcrests, 8 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Blackcap, 1 Redwing, 6 Wheatears and 3 White Wagtails.

Others 

2 Whooper Swans, 22 Ringed Plovers, 21 Grey Plovers, 300 Knot, 70 Sanderlings, 55 Dunlins, 11 Snipe, 77 Black-tailed Godwits and 15 Sand Martins.

 

 Whooper Swans