Not much today.   Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpipers, 4 Snipe, 4 Gannets, Kittiwake, 2 Whimbrels, 44 Curlews, 14 Sanderlings, 25 Dunlin, 8 Bar-tailed Godwits, 80 Sandwich Terns, 5 Common Terns, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler and 4 Kestrels

Roosting terns were 116 Sandwich and 57 Commons.   2 Fulmars and 3 Arctic Skuas flew south.  Waders onshore included 15 Curlew Sandpipers, 8 Whimbrels, 32 Curlews, 12 Sanderlings, 31 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plovers and 4 Bar-tailed Godwits.   On the flashes were 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers and a Ruff.

It was a good count of Curlew Sandpipers (12 juveniles and 3 adults) considering the low numbers of other waders, but they were all in one group .

Nearly all the migrants had departed by today.   All that were left were 5 Common Whitethroats, 3 Willow Warblers and a Whinchat.   Not much else either.   2 Green Sandpipers, Common Buzzard, 5 Kestrels, 23 Curlews, 5 Cormorants, 110 Swallows and 7 House Martins

  7 Willow Warblers, 10 Common Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Common Redstarts, Whinchat and Wheatear.   Other birds included 9 Common Snipe, 5 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 5 Redshanks, 110 Golden Plovers, 13 Teal, 5 Whimbrels, Yellow-legged Gull, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard and 2 Sparrowhawks.

27th


Today at Quad 3 were 20 Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff, 15 Common Whitethroats, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Reed Warblers, 3 Garden Warblers, 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Tree Pipits, 2 Whinchats, 6 Common Redstarts, 3 Kestrels, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Common Buzzards, Marsh Harrier, Water Rail, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe and 550 Golden Plovers.   On the shore were 500 Dunlin, 50 Sanderlings, 40 Ringed Plovers, 33 Curlews, 6 Whimbrels, Bar-tailed Godwit and 9 Sandwich Terns

The sea was very disappointing today.   15 Cormorants, one Gannet, 9 Common Terns, 30 Sandwich Terns,10 Common Scoters, 14 Teal, one Shelduck, 300 Oystercatchers, 41 Curlews, 11 Whimbrels, 518 Dunlin, 54 Sanderlings, 42 Ringed Plovers, 23 Grey Plovers, 5 Knot and a Greenshank.   On the flashes were 4 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Redshanks, 3 Common Snipe, 2 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons.   Migrants on the dunes included 25 Willow Warblers, 25 Common Whitethroats, an Icterine Warbler, a Garden Warbler, 7 Common Redstarts, 9 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Tree Pipits and 5 Whinchats.   Also of note were 2 Common Buzzards, 4 Sparrowhawks and a Hobby.

In addition,  a Wryneck, 2 Garden Warblers, Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Redstarts, 2 Whinchats and a Wheatear were between Stonebridge and Pye's.

Waders were 46 Whimbrels, 6 Curlews, 86 Grey Plovers, 49 Ringed Plovers, 180 Dunlin, 11 Redshanks, Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Little Ringed Plover, 4 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 490 Oystercatchers, 1,300 Golden Plovers, 8 Sanderlings, 15 Knot and 3 Common Snipe.  Ducks were 129 Teal, 35 Wigeon, 4 Mallard, 2Tufted Ducks, 7 Shelducks and 89 Common Scoters.   Moving north at sea were 28 Little Gulls, 317 Common Terns, 5 Arctic Terns, Black Tern, 10 Gannets, 9 Arctic Skuas and a Sooty Shearwater, while to the south were 4 Gannets and 3 Arctic Skuas.   Other waterbirds were 190 Sandwich Terns, 9 Lesser Black-backs, 29 Cormorants, 12 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 4 Little Grebes and a Kingfisher.

 

Migrants were 9 Whinchats, Wheatear, 5 Reed Warblers, 2 Garden Warblers, 5 Common Whitethroats, Chiffchaff, 12 Willow Warblers, 4 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Redstart, Tree Pipit and 22 Yellow Wagtails.   Also of note were 3 Marsh Harriers, 3 Kestrels, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, 2 Common Buzzards,  Great Spotted Woodpecker, 300 Swallows including an all-white bird, 6 House Martins, 60 Goldfinches, 3 Corn Buntings, Tree Sparrow and 350 Starlings.

 

A Wryneck was in a private garden in North Somercotes.   It was first seen yesterday and is performing well and catching ants at close range on their lawn.  

 

It was rather wet and murky for the WeBS count at Quad 3.   Best were 85 Oystercatchers, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshanks, 3 Redshanks, 123 Dunlin, 8 Sanderlings, 6 Ringed Plovers, 6 Curlews, 4 Whimbrels, 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Common Snipe, 89 Teal, 13 Cormorants, 22 Common Terns, 22 Sandwich Terns, 5 Little Egrets, 5 Yellow Wagtails, a Green Woodpecker, 3 Willow Warblers, 3 Common Whitethroats and a Whinchat.

Fewer warblers seen today, although it was more windy. Still 25 Willow Warblers, 10 Common Whitethroats and a Chiffchaff. Other migrants included at least 5 Whinchats, 2 Pied Flycatchers, Yellow Wagtail and a Cuckoo. 10 Common Scoters north at sea and waders of note were 14 Whimbrels, a Little Stint, a Common Sandpiper and 6 Green Sandpipers

A few migrants this morning included 30 Willow Warblers, 25 Common Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 2 Whinchats and a Wheatear. Other birds of note were 9 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 14 Whimbrels, Turtle Dove, Marsh Harrier and 2 Hobbies

Some good raptor passage to the south, hence a juvenile Osprey at 1030, plus a Hobby, 2 Marsh Harriers, a Sparrowhawk and 4 Common Buzzards.   Additional non-moving raptors were another Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine and at least 9 Kestrels.   Swallows coming in from the shore totalled 600 north and 200 south, plus a further 500 feeding over the fields and dunes.   Also heading north were 56 House Martins, 12 Sand Martins and 2 Common Swifts.

 

Other birds of note were 5 Green Sandpipers, Common Sandpiper, 14 Whimbrels, 130 Oystercatchers, 10 Sandwich Terns, 11 Cormorants, 7 Teal, 2 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, 4 Common Whitethroats, 15 Willow Warblers, Turtle Dove and Grey Wagtail.

  550 Swallows feeding over the flashes and northern dunes, plus another 100 north over the beach.   Also 4 House Martins, Sand Martin, Common Swift, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons and a Marsh Harrier.

Generally fairly quiet at the south end this morning. 40 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua north at sea and a Yellow-legged Gull and 8 Whimbrels on the shore. The first Pied Flycatcher of the autumn was on the dunes plus 3 Willow Warblers, 5 Whitethroats, a Cuckoo, Green Woodpecker, Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Marsh Harrier.

     An Osprey arrived from the sea at 1620 and continued south along the outmarsh towards Saltfleet.   At sea and onshore were 61 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common Terns, 15 Gannets, 9 Cormorants, 4 Shelducks, 3 Common Scoters, 3 Wigeon, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Grey Plovers, 5 Redshanks, 34 Dunlin, 24 Sanderlings, 66 Curlews, 69 Whimbrels, Turnstone, 5 Knot and 12 Oystercatchers.   On the dunes were 8 Kestrels, Green Woodpecker, Cuckoo, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Sand Martins, 100 Swallows, 2 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, 200 Golden Plovers, Common Snipe, 2 Common Sandpipers and 3 Green Sandpipers.

Increasing wind and light showers during the morning hardly helped observations. At sea, only 4 Gannets, 65 Sandwich Terns and 29 Common Terns. On the flashes were 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Greenshanks and 3 Common Snipe, while other birds on the dunes included 8 Kestrels, Marsh Harrier, Green Woodpecker and Cuckoo.

Best was a juvenile Temminck's Stint on the flashes down towards Howden's Pullover.  Also seen were 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, 210 Golden Plovers, 5 Teal, 5 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, 15 Whitethroats, Willow Warbler and Cuckoo.   No sea passage noted, but on the shore or feeding over the sea were 200 Sandwich Terns, 59 Common Terns, Arctic Tern, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 2,400 Black-headed Gulls, 7 Cormorants, Shelduck, 26 Common Scoters, 45 Curlews, 23 Whimbrels, Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Knot, 15 Sanderlings and 25 Oystercatchers.

After a nearly full exodus of Common Whitethroats at the end of July, it was pleasing to see a few new warblers on the dunes this morning. Numbers were not large, but 15 Common Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, a Garden Warbler and 12 Willow Warblers were recorded. 340 Swallows, 15 Sand Martins and a Hobby passed to the north. Other birds of note were 5 Kestrels, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, 4 Whimbrels, 3 Common Sandpipers, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover.

Fairly quiet today, hence 260 Swallows in from the sea, most continuing south, also one Common Swift, 4 Willow Warblers, 6 Kestrels, Sparrowhawk, Yellow Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Golden Plovers, 34 Sanderlings, 64 Curlews, 28 Whimbrels, 11 Cormorants, 3 Gannets, 40 Sandwich Terns, Common Tern, 2 Red-throated Divers and 3 Arctic Skuas.

Little change from yesterday. A three hour seawatch  from 0830 (HT 0845) produced northerly passage of 100 Sandwich Terns, 14 Common Terns, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 unidentified distant skuas, one Red-throated Diver, 15 Gannets and 12 Cormorants. To the south were 25 Sandwich Terns, 7 Common Terns, 12 Gannets and 28 Common Scoters, while a Kestrel arrived in off the sea. Apart from 58 Whimbrels, waders on the mudflats were not in good numbers. A Peregrine patrolled the shore and 300 Swallows flew north along the dunes with 6 Sand Martins and 3 Yellow Wagtails. A Marsh Harrier and 3 Kestrels on the dunes and 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Greenshank on the flashes.

 A morning seawatch produced 169 Sandwich Terns, 23 Common Terns, 2 Arctic Skuas, Pomarine Skua, 2,200 Black-headed Gulls, 6 Common Scoters, 10 Cormorants, 13 Gannets, 26 Dunlin, 14 Sanderlings, 10 Oystercatchers, 16 Curlews and 42 Whimbrels.   On the landward side were 6 Kestrels, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, 4 Teal, 2 Common Sandpipers, Green Sandpiper, 33 Golden Plovers, 4 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons and a Willow Warbler.

9th

aN evening visit to Quad 3, but still only modest numbers of terns in two hours on the high tide.   156 Common Terns, one Arctic Tern, 31 Sandwich Terns, one Arctic Skua, 5 Shelducks, 12 Common Scoters, 8 Gannets, 4 Cormorants, 1,300 Black-headed Gulls, one Mediterranean Gull, 4 Ruffs, 59 Curlews, 27 Whimbrels, 250 Oystercatchers, 70 Sanderlings, 15 Dunlin, one Curlew Sandpiper, 10 Ringed Plovers, 4 Turnstones, 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Grey Herons and 4 Kestrels.

A Hobby was noted before it headed towards Quad 3.   A Hummingbird Hawk Moth was also recorded.

Between Stonebridge and Pye's Hall today were 280 Swallows, 6 House Martins and 11 Swifts NW, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Whimbrel, 10 Redshanks, 16 Golden Plovers, 34 Mallard, 4 Teal, 2 Tufted Ducks, Little Egret and Mediterranean Gull.

A seawatch in the fresh SW wind was quiet, hence 20 Sandwich Terns, 27 Common Terns, 2 Arctic Terns, 5 Little Terns, Fulmar, 5 Gannets, 6 Common Scoters, 3 Cormorants, 2 skuas sp., 31 Sanderlings, 8 Dunlin, 4 Turnstones, 22 Whimbrels, 3 Curlews, 10 Oystercatchers and a Knot.  Also noted on the landward side were 2 Green Sandpipers, Common Sandpiper, Golden Plover (heard), Redshank, 400 Swallows, 13 Sand Martins, 5 Common Swifts, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Grey Herons, Common Buzzard and 6 Kestrels.

 

31^st

Stonebridge to Pye's Hall today.   510 Oystercatchers, 125 Whimbrels, 4 Curlews, 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, 32 Dunlin, 30 Knot, 26 Redshanks, 2 Greenshanks, 10 Teal, 3 Tufted Ducks, one Little Egret, one Grey Heron, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common Terns, Willow Warbler, Kestrel and Marsh Harrier.

 

28^th

    A 3rd cy Pomarine Skua flew north close inshore.  An Arctic Tern also headed north.   South were 37 Sandwich Terns, 12 Common Terns, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, one Little Gull, 2 Arctic Skuas, 3 Gannets, 3 Cormorants and 15 Common Scoters.   Arriving from the sea and continuing SW inland were 50 Swallows, 10 Sand Martins, 84 Common Swifts and 2 Black Terns.   The last fed over the flashes for a few minutes before leaving overland.

 

Waders included 660 Dunlin, 220 Sanderlings, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 95 Curlews, 87 Whimbrels, (the highest daily count since 1990), 3 Ringed Plovers, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 32 Knot, 6 Redshanks and 14 Grey Plovers.   On the dunes were 2 Teal and singles of Kestrel, Barn Owl, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo and Grey Heron.

 

27th

A Black Tern and 2 Arctic Skuas north during a two hour seawatch around high tide, while to the south were 70 Sandwich Terns, 25 Common Terns, 3 Arctic Terns, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Gannets, 14 Cormorants, 6 Guillemots, 4 Common Scoters and 10 Shelducks.   Waders were 132 Sanderlings, 79 Dunlin, Turnstone, 19 Curlews, 12 Whimbrels, 32 Oystercatchers, Bar-tailed Godwit, 20 Knot and a Ruff.   The only other birds of note were 200 Swallows, 6 Sand Martins, 10 House Martins, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Kestrels and a juvenile Cuckoo.

 

26^th

   It was certainly hot at Quad 3 this morning.   Best birds were 11 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Sand Martins, a juvenile Cuckoo, 3 Red-legged Partridges, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Kestrels, 3 Little Egrets, 80 Common Scoters, 17 Sandwich Terns, 3 Arctic Skuas, 3 Cormorants, 35 Curlews, 8 Redshanks, 4 Golden Plovers and 10 Dunlin.