Today, the first Whinchat appeared in the company of 6 Wheatears.   Most birds were down on yesterday due to the fog, hence 30 Common Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, 5 Willow Warblers, Reed Warbler, 2 Cuckoos, 8 Swallows, 2 Sand Martins, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Marsh Harriers, 3 Corn Buntings, 2 Collared Doves, 4 Little Egrets, 24 Tufted Ducks and a Goosander.

29th

Foggy all morning and numbers of most species were rather similar to yesterday.   45 Common Whitethroats, 7 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps, 3 Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff, Grasshopper Warbler, 6 Swallows, Robin, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Cuckoos, 2 Corn Buntings, Marsh Harrier, 5 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 3 Curlews, Whimbrel, 18 Tufted Ducks, Common Sandpiper and Common Snipe. 

 

28th Common Whitethroats had risen slightly to ca.40 along with 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 5 Blackcaps, the first Garden Warbler, 10 Willow Warblers, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Swallows, 2 Cuckoos, Corn Bunting, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 2 Kestrels, Sandwich Tern, Whimbrel, 6 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, 28 Tufted Ducks, 4 Redshanks and a Common Sandpiper.

 

 

Not a great deal of change at Quad 3.    Main migrants were 5 Wheatears, 9 Swallows, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, Common Whitethroat, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, Sedge Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Yellow Wagtails and 2 Whimbrels.   Also noted were 3 Common Buzzards, 2 Merlins, Kestrel, 170 Linnets, 5 Grey Herons, Little Egret, 2 Grey Partridges, Common Snipe, 6 Redshanks, 9 Mallard, 5 Shelducks, 26 Tufted Ducks, 2 Canada Geese, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 3 Cormorants.

Summer migrants were 8 Wheatears, 12 Swallows, House Martin, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 5 White Wagtails, Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, Greenshank and Whimbrel.   Also of note were 45 Brent Geese, 11 Little Egrets, Spoonbill, 2 Corn Buntings, Snow Bunting and 28 Twite.   Commoner birds included 48 Shelducks, 2 Gadwall, 23 Mallard, 2 Tufted Ducks, 39 Oystercatchers, 9 Redshanks, Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrels, 11 Meadow Pipits and 120 Linnets.

17th April

It certainly felt cold on the dunes today.    8 Wheatears were new with 2 Ring Ouzels and a Fieldfare.   Also of note were 4 Swallows, House Martin, Blackcap, Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Corn Buntings, Collared Dove, Common Buzzard, 2 Grey Herons, 6 Little Egrets, 26 Tufted Ducks, 2 Canada Geese, 8 Redshanks, 8 Common Scoters and 8 Gannets.

Rather quiet today although the first 2 singing Lesser Whitethroats had arrived.   Also 6 Swallows, Yellow Wagtail, Grasshopper Warbler, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail, Corn Bunting, 15 Tufted Ducks, 8 Shelducks, 3 Canada Geese, 9 Redshanks, Grey Heron, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Kestrels and a Common Buzzard.

The first Cuckoo in Marsh Lane towards Stonebridge this morning.   At Quad 3 were 22 Tufted Ducks, 4 Shelducks, 2 Canada Geese, 9 Redshanks, Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtail, Brambling, Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Wheatears, Corn Bunting, Long-tailed Tit and 4 Gannets.  

 

 

Quite a thankless slog this morning in the brisk NNW wind.   12 Swallows, 2 Sand Martins, 2 House Martins, Chiffchaff, Wheatear, 3 Kestrels, 20 Tufted Ducks, 8 Redshanks and 3 Gannets were the best I could find.

13th
 Not much birdsong, but the Grasshopper Warbler still reeling.   Also 2 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Wheatear, 13 Swallows, 2 House Martins, Yellow Wagtail, Brambling,  Robin, 170 Linnets, Peregrine, 2 Kestrels, 19 Tufted Ducks, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Cormorants, 8 Curlews, 10 Redshanks and 5 Sanderlings.

12th
Less about in the colder conditions.   Red Kite south, 3 Canada Geese, 5 Shelducks, 12 Mallard, 28 Tufted Ducks, 5 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, Common Snipe, 15 Redshanks, 6 Curlews, 2 Golden Plovers, 65 Common Scoters, 2 Grey Partridges, 2 Pied Wagtails, Corn Bunting, 2 Swallows, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and a reeling Grasshopper Warbler.
Between RAF base and Pye's Hall, CA added Little Ringed Plover, Peregrine, 2 more Swallows, House Martin, Wheatear, 2 Blackcaps, 8 Chiffchaffs and 23 Twite.

11th
Today there were 23 Tufted Ducks, 6 Shelducks, 5 Little Egrets, 15 Redshanks, 19 Curlews, one Whimbrel, Pink-footed Goose, 4 Common Buzzards, 210 Linnets, 2 Siskins, Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, Sand Martin and 2 Swallows.

10th
Generally quieter this morning.   18 Tufted Ducks, 2 Teal, 4 Shelducks, 5 Canada Geese, 4 Little Egrets, 16 Redshanks, 25 Curlews, 230 Linnets, 2 flava wagtails, Swallow, 2 Wheatears, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Corn Buntings, Mistle Thrush, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels, 5 Common Buzzards, 3 Cormorants, 4 Lesser Black-backs, 65 Common Scoters and a Great Skua.

9th
  The star bird this morning was a 2nd cy Rough-legged Buzzard circling over the coastguard cottages before leaving to the south at 1015.   Other birds were the Ring Ouzel, 2 Wheatears, 2 Chiffchaffs, Swallow, Blackcap, probable Mealy Redpoll, Corn Bunting, Red-throated Diver, 9 Shelducks, 13 Tufted Ducks, 2 Canada Geese, 27 Curlews, 11 Redshanks, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Grey Heron and 3 Little Egrets.

8th
 A Red Kite flew south at 0940.   210 Linnets north along the dunes.   Ring Ouzel still present, also Wheatear, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 11 Tufted Ducks, 8 Teal, 2 Canada Geese, 10 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, 4 Kittiwakes, Fulmar and 2 Gannets.

7th
An afternoon visit today as it rained all morning, and evening, too.   The Ring Ouzel and Kingfisher were still present.   Also 2 Goldcrests, Gannet and the first Sandwich Tern.  I have enclosed some more shots of the Ring Ouzel as it is showing just about the maximum amount of white.

The fog was worse than ever to begin with this morning.   Most notable in the difficult conditions were 40 Blackbirds, Redwing, Fieldfare, 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Robins, 4 Lesser Redpolls, 2 Wheatears, Corn Bunting, Woodcock, 180 Linnets, Pied Wagtail, Hen Harrier, 19 Curlews, 2 Ruffs, 10 Redshanks, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 8 Tufted Ducks, 3 Shelducks, 4 Teal, 2 Greylag Geese, 11 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, 6 Oystercatchers and 20 Sanderlings.   At Pye's Hall, GW added the Firecrest, Chiffchaff, 40 Fieldfares, 2 Redwings and 102 Twite.

John Clarkson added 3 Ringed Plovers, Avocet, Brambling and 2 Swallows to the day's tally and between Quad 2 and Pye's Hall, CA also had Red Kite, same Hen Harrier, Peregrine, 2 Short-eared Owls, Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, Swallow, 4 Sand Martins, 2 more Wheatears, 5 Chiffchaffs, 51 Fieldfares, Bullfinch and 3 Corn Buntings.

The fog was not so dense today.   Grounded migrants were 30 Blackbirds, male Ring Ouzel, 7 Fieldfares, 14 Redwings, 3 Song Thrushes, 2 Mistle Thrushes, Wheatear, 2 Goldcrests, and 2 Chiffchaffs.   Also of note were 2 Corn Buntings, 13 Curlews, 16 Tufted Ducks and 3 Little Egrets.   At Pye's Hall and on the realignment area, GW added 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 63 Shelducks, Short-eared Owl, Firecrest, 2 Chiffchaffs and 80 Twite.

2nd

Difficult to see much in the dense fog.   Best were 7 Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaffs, Wheatear, White Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 5 Blackbirds, Sparrowhawk, 3 Little Egrets and 12 Redshanks.

GW at Pye's Hall added Firecrest, 3 Chiffchaffs, 80 Twite and 24 Golden Plovers.

1st
A Siberian Chiffchaff trapped and ringed at Quad 3 this morning.   Also there were 7 Goldcrests, 3 Chiffchaffs, Wheatear, 3 Song Thrushes, 3 Robins, 2 Corn Buntings, 6 Lesser Redpolls, 15 Tufted Ducks and 2 Little Egrets.   In the Pye's Hall area were 80 Twite, 5 Fieldfares, 3 Goldcrests, Firecrest, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Short-eared Owl and Common Buzzard.

31st March

 

A few departing winter visitors apparent at Quad 3.   21 Fieldfares, 37 Redwings, 5 Song Thrushes, 4 Blackbirds, Robin and 4 Bramblings seen, also 5 Chiffchaffs, Wheatear, Corn Bunting, 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Twite, Collared Dove, 18 Tufted Ducks, 36 Teal, 2 Canada Geese,5 Little Egrets, Common Snipe, 18 Redshanks, 2 Kestrels and a Short-eared Owl.

 

 

30th March

 There were a few more birds in evidence at Quad 3 today, though mostly the common species.   Most significant were 12 Tufted Ducks, 16 Mallard, 9 Teal, 2 Canada Geese, 6 Little Egrets, 2 Red-legged Partridges, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Merlin, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Barn Owl, 2 Short-eared Owls, 2 very grey-looking Song Thrushes, Fieldfare, Corn Bunting, Goldcrest, 4 Chiffchaffs, 86 Linnets and 2 White Wagtails.