Rough-legged Buzzard.

         Waders on the shore at Stonebridge were 160 Oystercatchers, 64 Curlews, 250 Knot and 100 Dunlin, plus 57 Shelducks.   Waders on the realignment area were disappointing with 50 Redshanks, 4 Greenshanks, one Spotted Redshank, one Lapwing and 700 Golden Plovers.   Other waterbirds were 22 Teal, 10 Mallard, 10 Little Grebes, 7 Cormorants, one Grey Heron and the area's second highest ever count of 57 Little Egrets.

         Raptors were the main feature of the morning, and although 7 Kestrels, 2 Peregrines and a Sparrowhawk were noteworthy, it was the large raptors which were exceptional.   Six Marsh Harriers (one with green wing-tags) were seen and 3 of these eventually departed to the south.   Of at least 10 Common Buzzards recorded, 6 passed inland towards the Wolds.   Between 1240 and 1250 a fine Honey Buzzard was watched hunting the large area of ragworts by Pye's Hall and at 1255 an early Rough-legged Buzzard came in over the dunes and circled ever higher as it continued inland.

         100 Swallows and a party of 4 Common Swifts flew south.   Other birds of note were 4 Pied Wagtails, 33 Meadow Pipits, 240 Linnets, 80 Goldfinches, 9 Lesser Redpolls and singles of Common Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

         Three Marsh Harriers were coasting southwards at 0900 and 4 Common Buzzards were soaring over the fields.   300 Golden Plovers were on the fields with 5 Pied Wagtails and a Wheatear.   Birds on the flashes included 6 Little Egrets, one Grey Heron, 7 Mute Swans, 4 Teal, 30 Redshanks, one Greenshank, one Common Sandpiper, one Green Sandpiper, one Common Snipe and 7 Little Grebes.

         Five Wigeon flew north at sea just after the high tide and 37 Gannets and 5 Sandwich Terns headed south.   On the shore were 27 Cormorants, 310 Oystercatchers, 115 Curlews, 30 Dunlin and a Ruff.

         Before the onset of the rain, MS had a ringing session at the south end where he trapped over 30 birds including 2 Common Redstarts, 3 Common Whitethroats and a Reed Warbler.

         The WeBS count between Stonebridge and Pye's Hall was undertaken in steady rain.   Waders on the shore were 115 Redshanks, one Greenshank, 63 Curlews, 1,400 Dunlin, 520 Oystercatchers, 260 Golden Plovers, 30 Grey Plovers, 2 Ringed Plovers and 30 Knot.   Ducks were 15 Wigeon, 5 Mallard, 10 Teal and 46 Shelducks.   Also seen were 10 Little Egrets, 15 Cormorants, one Kingfisher, one Sandwich Tern, one Merlin, one Osprey, 90 Linnets, 60 Goldfinches, 30 Meadow Pipits, one Common Redstart and one Whinchat.   72 Swallows passed south.

                                                                       Painted Lady.

         Grounded migrants at the south end this morning were 5 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Wheatears, 5 Whinchats, 4 Common Redstarts, 6 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, one Garden Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, one Blackcap, one Robin, one Song Thrush, 2 Siskins and a Yellow Wagtail.

         Eight Common Buzzards were soaring together over the coastal fields and 2 more came in off the sea at 1130.   110 Swallows and 30 House Martins were feeding around the coastguard cottages before eventually departing to the south.

         Birds on the flashes included a Garganey, 19 Teal, 9 Mallard, 4 Little Grebes, 4 Coots, 2 Little Egrets, one Grey Heron, 2 Water Rails, one Greenshank and one Green Sandpiper.   37 Redshanks were on the shore with 38 Curlews and 3 Cormorants, but only 3 Sandwich Terns were seen fishing at sea.

      60 Stock Doves made a good count and a solitary House Sparrow was a scarce sighting.

         Chris Atkin recorded the following highlights between the RAF base and Pye's Hall.   2 Marsh Harriers, (one with green wing-tags), 2 Pied Flycatchers, one Spotted Flycatcher, 8 Common Redstarts, 3 Wheatears, one Garden Warbler, one abietinus type Chiffchaff, 3 Lesser Whitethroats and a Yellow Wagtail.   At 1000, an Osprey came in off the sea and continued to head inland.   It was considered to be a different individual from the bird that has been present recently.

         Waders on the realignment area were 55 Redshanks, one Greenshank, one Common Sandpiper, 130 Dunlin, one Curlew Sandpiper, one Little Stint, 3 Ruffs, one Whimbrel and one Common Snipe.   Other waterbirds were 37 Mallard, 57 Teal, 4 Shelducks, 11 Little Egrets, one Grey Heron, 2 Cormorants and 6 Little Grebes.    Also of note were 4 Common Buzzards, 6 Kestrels, one Yellow Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtails, one Common Redstart, 4 Long-tailed Tits and 45 Swallows.   100 Linnets and 25 Goldfinches were on the ragworts and a further 300 Linnets together with 42 Stock Doves were at the NW corner of the area.

         After closer inspection of last week's Ruddy Shelduck record, I have determined that this bird was a hybrid.   Initial head-on views at distance showed only the buff on the head, but later closer sightings revealed grey on the crown and nape that suggested that Cape Shelduck had contributed to its ancestral line.    At least this would confirm the bird's captive origins.   Whilst researching the hybridization of Shelducks, it was interesting to learn that some authorities still consider Ruddy and Cape Shelducks as conspecific.

                                                                          Little Egret

                                                                               Redshank.


         Despite the easterly wind, the clear skies ensured little in the way of grounded migrants.   All I could find at the south end were 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Common Whitethroats and singles of Common Redstart, Robin and Goldcrest.   1,200 Golden Plovers and 7 Pied Wagtails were on the fields while birds on the flashes included 29 Teal, 14 Redshanks, one Greenshank, one Green Sandpiper and 4 Dunlin.   A Peregrine passed over the dunes and 24 Swallows flew south.

         Between Stonebridge and Pye's Hall, Graham Catley added a Pied Flycatcher and Marsh Harrier and John Clarkson saw a Hobby.