August 2011

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2011 Year List

 Day by Day

Early & Late Dates

Record Counts 

Report sightings

 

 

 

Wednesday 31st:

 

Wader counts over the evening tide included seven Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Stint with 320 Dunlin, 210 Ringed Plover, 96 Sanderling, 74 Knot, six summer plumaged Grey Plover and a Greenshank. Offshore a 30 minute seawatch after 7pm saw three Balearic and 85+ Manx Shearwater heading east with at least five distant unidentified skua.

 

 

Tuesday 30th:

 

The Bonaparte's Gull was again present offshore early morning but not subsequently. Offshore this evening there were three dark-phase Arctic Skua, an Arctic Tern and a juvenile Great-crested Grebe. Wader numbers had increased overnight but constant disturbance on both tides meant counts were impossible, with them were at least two Curlew Sandpiper and two Little Stint. Elsewhere an adult winter Mediterranean Gull was in the estuary, at least 12 Chiffchaff were on site and two Peregrine flew over with three Grey and two Yellow Wagtail.

 

 

Monday 29th:

 

An adult winter Bonaparte's Gull was offshore this evening, the fourth site record, also offshore 3000+ Herring Gull, 200+ Kittiwake, 120+ Common and 70+ Sandwich Tern, at least two Arctic Skua, two Mediterranean Gull (ad & sw) and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. Waders included five Curlew Sandpiper and two Little Stint with 310 Dunlin, 180 Ringed Plover and 77 Sanderling, also in the estuary an Osprey, three Arctic and two Black Tern and three Teal. Elsewhere a Tawny Owl was in the Entrance Bushes, four Yellow and two Grey Wagtail were overhead with grounded migrants including 18 Chiffchaff, 11 Wheatear, 11 Whitethroat and nine Blackcap.

 

Bonaparte's Gull 29/08/11 both © Lee Collins

 

 

Sunday 28th:

 

The morning tide saw five Curlew Sandpiper and two Little Stint with a juvenile Osprey, a late Swift and two Whinchat.

 

Little Stint 27/08/11 © Lee Collins                                                                                                                       Arctic Tern 29/08/11 © Lee Collins

 

 

Saturday 27th:

 

Two juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and a juvenile Little Stint were still present on both tides with 370+ Ringed Plover, 270+ Dunlin, 77 Sanderling, 26 Knot, five Bar-tailed and a Black-tailed Godwit. Offshore a Black Tern was present along with at least six Arctic Tern with single Arctic and Great Skua. Elsewhere two Yellow Wagtail were overhead and the Whinchat remained on the Wryneck Plain.

 

 

Friday 26th:

 

Two juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and a juvenile Little Stint were present on the evening tide with 470 Ringed Plover, 300+ Dunlin, 42+ Sanderling, four Turnstone, two Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank. Also in the estuary 27 Wigeon, the first of autumn, three Teal and an immature Yellow-legged Gull. Elsewhere a Whinchat and 12+ Wheatear were in Greenland Lake and two Yellow Wagtail were in front of the hide.

 

Curlew Sandpiper 26/08/11 © Lee Collins

Little Stint 26/08/11 © Lee Collins

 

 

Thursday 25th:

 

An Aquatic Warbler on Warren Point early afternoon was the ninth site record, two years since the last but only the second since 1987, other migrants included a Whinchat, 23 Whitethroat,16 Chiffchaff, 14 Blackcap, 12+ Wheatear, two White Wagtail, seven Willow, three Reed and a Sedge Warbler.  Overhead there were single Tree Pipit and Yellow Wagtail, with 50+ Swallow, 11 Sand and 10 House Martin. Wader numbers had increased with 464 Ringed Plover and 296 Dunlin, also 51+ Sanderling, eight Turnstone and a Greenshank,  also in the estuary an immature Osprey, an immature Yellow-legged Gull, 10 Common Tern and the Slavonian Grebe.

 

 

Wednesday 24th:

 

Counts over the high tide included 1500 Oystercatcher, 220 Ringed Plover, 100+ Dunlin, 90 Sanderling, 48 Sandwich and a Common Tern, 25 Knot, 10 Little Egret, six Whimbrel, four Turnstone and three Mediterranean Gull. Two Coal Tit were still present with a Garden Warbler, double figures of Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Whitethroat, five Wheatear and overhead three Yellow Wagtail.  Elsewhere an Arctic Skua was in the estuary this afternoon, 25 Common Scoter were offshore and two juvenile Peregrine were around the site. The colour-ringed Great Black-backed Gull seen two days ago was ringed as breeding adult on Brecqhou, Sark in the Channel Islands in May 2009. It was next seen on the Warren on 3 October 2010 and this is the first sighting since. Thanks to Paul Veron for this information. http://www.guernseygulls.blogspot.com/

 

 

Tuesday 23rd:

 

Two Coal Tit were in the Entrance Bushes with at least 23 Long-tailed Tit early morning with a Yellow Wagtail overhead.  Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary, 208 Great Black-backed Gull were on Bull Hill.

 

 

Monday 22nd:

 

The first Tawny Owl of the year was in the Entrance Bushes along with a Coal Tit and some more familiar migrants including a Spotted Flycatcher. Also on site 11 Willow Warbler, 10 Chiffchaff, seven Blackcap and five Whitethroat. Elsewhere a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was offshore, a Grey Wagtail flew over, waders in the Bight included three Golden Plover,190 Ringed Plover, 128 Dunlin, 26 Sanderling, eight Knot and five Bar-tailed Godwit, with a Peregrine and 121 Great Black-backed Gull also present. Of further interest 2 colour ringed gulls were present, a Herring and a Great Black-backed Gull.

 

 

Sunday 21st:

 

A single Ruff, the first of the year, was the highlight dropping briefly into the Bight late morning before heading south, although it or another was with 187 Redshank on the evening tide. Other counts included 230 Dunlin, 225 Ringed Plover, 25 Sanderling, 19 Knot, two Turnstone and a Greenshank, with the Slavonian Grebe and the first Teal of the autumn in the estuary. Elsewhere a Shoveler dropped in offshore with a flock of 359 Shag, two Little Tern were also offshore briefly and overhead a flock of  100+ House Martin headed high north.

 

 

Saturday 20th:

 

A juvenile Spotted Redshank was briefly in the Bight mid morning with 176 Ringed Plover, 165 Dunlin, 141 Redshank, 85 Sandwich Tern, 26 Sanderling, 15 Knot,  seven Whimbrel, six Bar-tailed Godwit and a Turnstone. Migrants included a Tree Pipit by the Main Pond, a Yellow Wagtail, 45 Swallow and four Sand Martin overhead, with two Wheatear, two Willow and a Garden Warbler on site. Elsewhere a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was offshore with four Little Tern (2 ad & 2 juv) and an adult Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe in the estuary.

 

 

Friday 19th:

 

Five Little Tern (2 ad & 3 juv) were in front of the hide this morning with 37 Sandwich and three Common Tern. Counts included 1594 Oystercatcher, 506 Curlew, 206 Ringed Plover, 146 Dunlin, 80+ Redshank, 43 Sanderling, 16 Bar-tailed Godwit, five Whimbrel, five Knot, two Turnstone, a Greenshank, a first winter Yellow-legged Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Yellow Wagtail and a Swift flew over, four Wheatear were on site and a Coal Tit was in the entrance bushes.

 

 

Thursday 18th:

 

No news was received.

 

 

Wednesday 17th:

 

Seawatching today saw singles of Pomarine, two Arctic and a Great Skua, 200+ Manx Shearwater, 100+ Kittiwake, 40 Common Scoter and three Common Tern. Counts over the morning tide (again much disturbed) included 700 Oystercatcher, 205 Ringed Plover, 93 Redshank, 23 Sanderling, four Bar-tailed Godwit, three Turnstone, one Knot and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Yellow Wagtail flew over and six Wheatear were on site.

 

Dunlin 17/08/11 © Colin Scott

Bar-tailed Godwit & Knot 17/08/11 © Colin Scott

Whitethroat 17/08/11 © Colin Scott

Wheatear 17/08/11© Colin Scott

 

 

Tuesday 16th:

 

Counts over the evening tide included 203+ Ringed Plover, 187 Redshank, 80+ Dunlin, 20+ Whimbrel, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit, nine Knot, three Sanderling and a Turnstone. However for the third night running there was a large amount of disturbance along the beach. Also present 12+ Common Tern, a first winter Yellow-legged Gull and an adult Mediterranean Gull.

 

 

Monday 15th:

 

A juvenile Little Ringed Plover was in the Bight early morning with at least two present on the evening tide. Due to disturbance it was not possible to get accurate counts but there were 200+ Ringed Plover on the beach with 50+ Dunlin, 11 Knot, 10+ Sanderling and two Turnstone.  Also in the estuary two adult Mediterranean Gull, a Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe with two Bar-headed Geese and a Black Swan. Elsewhere 17 Common Tern were offshore, a Yellow Wagtail was overhead and other migrants included 15+ Whitethroat, four Willow, two Reed, two Sedge and two Garden Warbler.

 

 

Sunday 14th:

 

Offshore a feeding flock of 526 Shag was a new county record, the previous site record was 414 in October 2007, also present 41 Common Scoter, single Great and Arctic Skua and an Osprey flew SW. Counts from the estuary included 155 Ringed Plover, 54 Dunlin, 13 Sanderling, five Whimbrel, four Turnstone, two Bar-tailed Godwit and the Slavonian Grebe. Migrants included five Willow Warbler, two Wheatear and on Warren Point a Sedge Warbler with two Coal Tit and a Treecreeper on site.

 

 

Saturday 13th:

 

No news was received.

 

 

Friday 12th:

 

Counts from the estuary included 370 Curlew, 167 Ringed Plover, 135 Redshank, 47 Dunlin, 11 Whimbrel, two Turnstone and single Knot, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit and the Slavonian Grebe. Offshore three Great Skua flew south early morning with 260 Kittiwake, six Common Tern, at least three first winter Yellow-legged Gull, two Mediterranean Gull and a dark phase Arctic Skua present in the evening.

 

 

Thursday 11th:

 

Wader counts over evening high tide show that numbers are now starting to grow, with counts of 137 Redshank, 133 Ringed Plover, including some very dark individuals, c50 Dunlin,18 Sanderling and three Turnstone. Elsewhere 250 Black-headed Gull on beach, a Mediterranean Gull in Shutterton Creek and just 15 Sandwich Tern on site. 

 

 

Wednesday 10th:

 

The Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood but no other news was received.

 

 

Tuesday 9th:

 

The Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood with 41 Ringed Plover, five Common Tern, two Common Sandpiper, a Brent Goose, a Knot and a Turnstone also in the estuary.

 

 

Monday 8th:

 

A juvenile Little Ringed Plover was in the Bight with a Knot.

 

 

Sunday 7th:

 

The Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood but no other news was received.

 

 

Saturday 6th:

 

A juvenile Little Ringed Plover was in the Bight with other records from the estuary including 850 Oystercatcher, 523 Curlew, 89 Redshank, 80+ Sandwich Tern, 39 Dunlin, 24 Ringed Plover, four Bar-tailed Godwit, three Mediterranean Gull (ad & 2 juv), two Whimbrel, two Turnstone and single juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Knot, Sanderling, Common Tern and Snipe. Elsewhere migrants included a juvenile Redstart in the Back Meadow, two Wheatear, six Willow, two Garden and a single Sedge Warbler. Other counts included 13 Whitethroat, 10 Blackcap, seven Reed Warbler and three Chiffchaff.

 

Little Ringed Plover 06/08/11 © Lee Collins

 

 

Friday 5th:

 

A Roseate Tern was present around the site all day but no other news was received.

 

Roseate Tern 05/08/11 © Lee Collins

 

 

Thursday 4th:

 

No news was received.

 

 

Wednesday 3rd:

 

Waders reported included two summer plumaged Grey Plover, a Greenshank and a Turnstone.

 

Greenshank 03/08/11 © Colin Scott

Sandwich Tern 03/08/11 © Colin Scott

 

Turnstone 03/08/11 © Colin Scott

Ringed Plover 03/08/11 © Colin Scott

 

 

Tuesday 2nd:

 

The highlight was a brief juvenile Kentish Plover in the Bight early evening-the first of they year. Offshore there were c115 Common Scoter and five Common Tern, with wader counts including 98 Dunlin, 87 Ringed Plover and single Sanderling and Knot. Migrants included a juvenile Cuckoo in the Back Meadow and a juvenile Willow Warbler on Warren Point.
 

 

Monday 1st:

 

Wader counts included 695 Oystercatcher, 88 Dunlin, 86 Ringed Plover, 50 Redshank, 38 Sanderling, 20 Whimbrel, a Knot and a Common Sandpiper. Elsewhere 400+ Black-headed and four Mediterranean Gull ( 2 ad, ss & juv) were on the beach and the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood.

 

 

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