The Red-backed Shrike remain in situ on long Hedge, while waders at the Dams today included twos of Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Common Sadnpiper and Redshank, with another two Blackwits, two Curlew and 37 Lapwing at East Lea. Two Garden Warblers were trapped in Top Scrub and 23 Sandwich Terns were on the Brigg.
Another relatively busy few days, with lots of variety and quality on offer as early autumn migration continues to entertain. The unseasonal female Red-backed Shrike remains faithful to the eastern end of Long Hedge and has been present for a week now, while the season’s first Tree Pipit and 150 Swifts went south at the
A pleasingly busy week in the recording area, culminating in the finding of an unseasonal and unexpected adult female Red-backed Shrike this morning (MJP et al.) towards the eastern end of Long Hedge. Passage through the Gap included a Little Gull, 132 Knot, 16 Dunlin, 21 Redshank, a Bonxie, two Shovelers and 125 Puffins (all
A busy day of early autumn passage, particularly concerning Whimbrels, with a total of 244 recorded heading south through the area during the day. Other highlights included a Blue Fulmar south over Carr Naze (MJP), totals of 652 Common Scoters north and 96 south, 119 Manx Shearwaters south and two north, 31 Sanderlings south (among
32 juvenile Lapwings were an encouraging sight at the Dams today, with wader passage generally becoming slowly more prevalent of late; other records have included a Black-tailed Godwit at East Lea and the Dams from 14th to today, the first two returning Sanderlings south on 15th, and 22 Dunlins south on the same day –
The season’s first Minke Whale (BP) was reported off the Brigg today, while Little Egrets were at the Dams yesterday and south at the Gap (two) on 8th. Wader passage was heavy at sea on 6th, when 141 Redshanks and 93 Dunlin were the most numerous of a decent cast; Whimbrels, Curlews and others are
A quiet few days dominated by strong Puffin passage, with 601 south and 288 north on 1st and 542 south and 245 north on 3rd. Two Bonxies and 15 Manx Shearwaters also went north on 3rd, while two Little Egrets north and seven Black-tailed Godwits south were additional seawatch records on 1st. Today, a Velvet
The petrel catching season got off to a flying start on 23rd, with a preliminary test session resulting in the trapping of a Leach’s Storm-petrel and three (European) Storm-petrels (FBOG ringing team), the latter including ’67’ – a bird which has toured the east coast for ten years and which spent much of last year’s
An unexpectedly productive afternoon session on the Brigg produced a Garganey (around the Brigg and then eventually south), an adult summer Mediterranean Gull south, a summer plumage Red-throated Diver north and 31 Oystercatchers, six Turnstones and a single Knot (MJP).
A check of our East Lea reserve this afternoon revealed a minimum of four male Red-veined Darters (MJP) – the first of the year, maintaining a recently annual run of ecords for this scarce species in our recording area.