Spurn Week 14

This was a very busy week mainly spent trying to catch up on typing up logs. Not the most inspiring job the observatory has to offer but just as important as many others. It does allow me the opportunity to get the nets open though, something to prevent the mind from turning to mush from excessive typing. Without doubt the highlight from the handful of birds that we caught was two more Water Rails, bringing my autumn total for the species up to a very healthy four. Water Rails have an E overlap ringing, which is more tricky to fit, so every time it presents a challenge.

-Water Rail

Since most of my time was spent either typing at Kew or checking the nets in Churchfield I did not really see a great deal. The Kew Tawny Owl was still present on and off during the week. Woodcocks were also seen occasionally, as were Snipe. All in all a fairly steady week, as is expected at this time of year, but still with a few goodies on offer.

Species List:

Spurn: Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Whooper Swan, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Brent Goose, Water Rail, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Dunlin, Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Common Snipe, Woodcock, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Tawny Owl, Ring-necked Parakeet, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, 

Spurn Week 13

Sadly it took until the Thursday before I was able to get out and actually do anything again. Ringing was seriously slow now, and most of my time was spent doing typing in Kew. That said, we still caught a few Blackbirds and a Fieldfare was a nice treat. The Tawny Owl graced the trees at the back of Kew throughout the week, every day becoming more obvious as the number of leaves on the trees drop off.

-Fieldfare

Monday was a day that promised very little. I was heading off with Paul to Patrington to do some jobs, but when Paul came along to pick me up he announced that we had a little detour to Hull to pick up a bird. The bird in question was a European Storm Petrel, only the second one I have ever seen. It stayed with us all afternoon before I ringed it in the evening and released it after dark. The bird was very healthy, and flew off strongly out to sea. Hopefully we will see it again sometime in the near future.

-European Storm Petrel

Tuesday was another day of very little event. But we caught another Water Rail, the second of the autumn, and this time I was able to complete the ring myself. A pretty satisfying experience to say the least. 

Species List:

Spurn: Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Whooper Swan, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Brent Goose, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Pheasant, Little Grebe, European Storm Petrel, Cormorant, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Dunlin, Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Common Snipe, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Tawny Owl, Ring-necked Parakeet, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, 

Spurn Week 12

Wednesday the 8^th was an exceptional day for the time of year. My morning started when Paul tapped on the window of the cabin with a full grown Barn Owl in his hands. It had obviously been roosting in the mouth of the Heligoland trap and had been pushed through when Paul had walked through in the morning. It was extremely docile in the hand, a real pleasure to ring. Beyond unexpected was a Bluethroat that was trapped and ringed at the Warren. I had the privilege of going down to ring the bird. I was surprised by the amount of blue the bird actually showed on its breast, a superbly beautiful bird. The morning continued to give when Jonnie picked a Firecrest out of the Heligoland trap, the only one to be ringed at Spurn this autumn. What a day.

-Barn Owl

-Bluethroat

-Firecrest

The 9^th was also an excellent day. After a steady morning ringing I decided to head up to Beacon Ponds to put some seed down in the hopes of pinning down the large Snow Bunting flock that had been present in the area. I walked down the beach so far as Beacon Ponds and was unable to locate the flock. I was just about to turn around and head back when I spotted movement on the beach in front of me. I raised my bins and was shocked to see a Shore Lark looking back at me. A closer inspection revealed that there were in fact three of them foraging among the rocks. After setting some seed down for them, I headed back and found the Snow Bunting flock right at the top where I had set off from. I put down my remaining seed and left.

-Shore Lark

-Snow Bunting

I had hoped that my seed would entice the birds down and that we would be able to trap and ring both species. As it happened though, fate was not on my side. I was struck down with a severe case of man flu, and the rest of the week was spent in bed with the exception of work and going out to ring a Woodcock. By the time I had recovered the birds had all left.

Species List:

Spurn Bird Obs: Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pink-footed Goose, Brent Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Gannet, Cormorant, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Water Rail, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Snipe, Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Sanderling, Dunlin, Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Greenshank. Common Redshank, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Feral Pigeon, Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, Tawny Owl, Skylark, Shore Lark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Song Thrush, Robin, Bluethroat, Wren, Dunnock, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Starling, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Brambling, Siskin, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Snow Bunting, Red Admiral, Comma, 

Spurn Week 11

Another, although much smaller than the previous, thrush fall during the week was very welcome. This time though there were a lot more Blackbirds, with large numbers of birds coming through Churchfield, in addition to the Redwings which still numbered over 3000. In the end we ringed over 100 Blackbirds in a single day, plus I got to ring my first ever Fieldfare, followed quickly by the second. This is hardly a surprise given that there were 1000 in the area. A Ring Ouzel was also a nice surprise, a stunning male.

Blackbirds and Starlings were seen coming in off throughout the week, and as a result Starling numbers built up to over 10000 birds and the roost movements were extremely impressive. A small flock of Whooper Swans flew over the Churchfield whilst we were ringing, and occasional flocks of Pink-footed Geese could be seen going south.

-Ring Ouzel 

-Fieldfare

Species List:

Spurn Bird Obs: Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pink-footed Goose, Brent Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Gannet, Cormorant, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Water Rail, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Greenshank. Common Redshank, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Feral Pigeon, Short-eared Owl, Tawny Owl, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Stonechat, Blackbird, Ring Ouzel, Fieldfare, Redwing, Song Thrush, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Starling, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Brambling, Siskin, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Snow Bunting, Red Admiral, Comma,