September 14th

We spent a glorious early autumn morning ringing on the Marsh south of the railway. Birds we saw included 45 Chiffchaffs, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 14 Linnets, 10 Blackcaps, 6 Sedge Warblers, 12 Reed Warblers,1 Willow Warbler, 1 Snipe, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Reed Buntings, 18 Swallows flying SW, 1 Whitethroat, 13 Magpies, 1 Grey Wagtail, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Little Egret, 13 Corn Buntings, 1 Firecrest, 10 House Martins, 10 Dunnocks and 1 Common Buzzard.

Birds ringed 58: Chiffchaff 17, Willow Warbler 1, Firecrest 1, Blackcap 7, Cetti's Warbler 1, Reed Warbler 10, Robin 3, Sedge Warbler 6, Linnet 1, Reed Bunting 3, Blue Tit 2, Dunnock 6.

Dave Smith was out at 0630 and spent over five hours covering the east end of the recording area. He counted 1 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 30 Ringed Plovers, 2 Curlew, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit in Coldharbour, 2 Snipe, 16 Turnstone, 30 Sanderling, 1 Dunlin, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 16 Sandwich Terns, 5 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Wryneck at Plumpudding Stables, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Kestrels, 1 Merlin flying W, 1 Bearded Tit, 4 Sedge Warblers, 6 Reed Warblers, 24 Swallows, 1 Willow Warbler, 19 Chiffchaffs, 12 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Whitethroats, 18 Starlings W, 1 Spotted Flycatcher at Chamber's Wall, 2 Stonechats, 2 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Tree Pipit and 2 Corn Buntings. Dave also found 2 Firecrests at Shuart.