Sunday 28th
A cool, overcast, start with only a gentle breeze was a good beginning. Warblers were moving through in big numbers. One-hundred-and-ninety-five were ringed plus there was a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff with rings from elsewhere in the UK. The other birds were also typical of autumn - six Goldcrests and singles of Dunnock, Blackbird, Great Tit and Jay.
Saturday 27th
The KOS Migration day dawned clear and cool with the northerly breeze fortunately not increasing. With a big team in all the nets were up quickly and we also put a pipit triangle up. Sadly, with the clear conditions, the latter was to no avail. There were plenty of migrants in the bushes and 135 were ringed. With the wind from the north the first Blackbirds arrived and five were ringed. Firecrest also continued its good run with another two, plus a Goldcrest ringed. Blackcap numbered 69 and Chiffchaff 53. The other birds were three Robins, a Blue Tit and a Chaffinch. With the cooler conditions there is more variety in the fats scores but there are still plenty of well fed Blackcaps.
Friday 26th
The last two mornings have been windy and at times wet so no ringing has been done.
Here is another colour ring sighting we have learnt of recently. This one involving a Black-headed Gull:
2nd calendar year or older
03/12/2016 Pitsea Landfill Site, Essex.
16/7/20 Den Helder, Noord-Holland, Netherlands.
31/12/20 Rainham Tip, Greater London.
19/9/24 Sandwich Bay, Kent.
Wednesday 25th
With a forecast as bad as it was we took the chance of some extra rest. It soon became clear the forecasts were wrong and a couple of us were able to scoot in and, with the help of a couple of visitors, get some nets up. It was quite apparent that there were warblers everywhere and so only net 6 and net 11 were used. By the time the wind got up mid-afternoon we had ringed 281 birds and retrapped just four (Long-tailed Tits). Chiffchaff led with 162 followed by 114 Blackcaps (visual recording would have predicted the ratio the other way around). There were also three Swallows, a Blue Tit and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
It is interesting to note that there were no controls (birds ringed elsewhere) and there were not many species involved in the fall. The vast majority of the birds were, as usual, birds of the year.
Tuesday 24th
Rain passed through before dawn but was always lurking. This delayed the start and so 35 birds was not a bad return As usual the bulk were Blackcaps (16) and Chiffchaffs (16). The other three were a Willow Warbler, a Great Tit and a Firecrest. The latter seem to be having a good autumn.
An evening attempt for hirundines did not succeed as the majority seem to have moved on. Perhaps they were using the same forecast we have seen which suggests there might not be any ringing activity until the weekend.
Monday 23rd
Not quite sure what conditions to expect the forecasts change hourly. With a small team just a few nets were put up and 23 birds were ringed. It was a nice mix - Blackbird, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Firecrest, eight Blackcaps and ten Chiffchaffs. The Blackcaps continue in great condition.
With plenty of hirundines around we tried for them in the evening but a passing Hobby and Sparrowhawk pushed the flock off and we ringed just one Sand Martin and one Swallow.
Saturday 21st
The strong easterly finally reduced to a very gentle breeze, There were more birds around and 79 new ones were ringed. Blackcap kept top spot with 42 followed by 21 Chiffchaffs. The supporting cast included a Dunnock, four Robins, a Blackbird and a Song Thrush, two Willow Warblers, three Firecrests, three Great Tits and the first Jay of the year. What was good to see as well was the amount of fat migrants were carrying. Blackcaps were regularly fat four or five and weighing just over 20 grams. Most of the Chiffchaffs also had fat two or three.
Friday 20th
The fresh easterly continued to limit the catch. It dropped enough for 28 birds to be ringed. There was clearly a few migrants arriving as top species was Robin with 12 birds. The others were a Wren, nine Blackcaps, five Chiffchaffs and a Great Tit.
Wednesday 18th
At this time of the season, before thrushes and crests arrive, fresh winds between north and east often bring a drop in numbers of migrants and today was no exception. Just 17 birds were ringed including just four Chiffchaffs and three Blackcaps most of which, judging by the healthy fat scores, had been around a day or so. Three Reed Warblers were a bit more unexpected. Four Robins, a Song Thrush and a Blackbird were more expected in these conditions.
Tuesday 17th
It was a breezy, clear, start but a band of cloud blew in on the north-easterly. The strength of the breeze meant we were limited in what nets could be used but we still ringed 27 birds. The highlight was the first Red-breasted Flycatcher since 2012. The supporting cast was a Redstart, two Reed Warblers (caught in the trees in the middle of the Oasis field), a Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Blackcaps and 10 Chiffchaffs.
The bird was aged a bird of the year partly based on the contrast visible between the inner and outer greater coverts.
Monday 16th
A check of the House Martin nest boxes done at the weekend showed that of the three remaining nests one had failed - the chicks had been deserted, one had fledged all the chicks, and one the chicks were still being fed.
Sunday 15th
Another calm, clear, night but it was a bit warmer. The birds continued to head south in numbers and 230 were ringed. To emphasise the moving on there was only one retrap, a local Song Thrush.
Again there was a nice variety headed by 120 Chiffchaffs and 89 Blackcaps. Two More Firecrests were a highlight. Five Swallows caught first thing must have been part of the large arrival last evening with 10's of thousands heading to roost in the maize.
Saturday 14th
The breeze fell away and we had the surprise of the first frost of the autumn. Despite the frost conditions were great and there was a good spread of warblers. We ringed 205 birds in a hard working but satisfying morning. As one would expect Blackcap (103) and Chiffchaff (88) were most numerous but there was a nice supporting cast. A Goldcrest and two Firecrests were the first for the autumn and there was another Cetti's Warbler, after a few weeks gap. The other new birds were three each of Reed Warbler and Great Tit plus single Great Spotted Woodpecker, Robin, Lesser Whitethroat and Blue Tit.
We also caught a Chiffchaff which had been ringed elsewhere in the UK.
Friday 13th
It was clear overnight but not as cool as the night before despite the northerly breeze persisting. There was a surprisingly small catch of 38 new birds. Not sure why it was so low unless the bright moon helped birds on their way.
The birds were three Robins, a Sedge Warbler, 28 Blackcaps, just three Chiffchaffs, two Chaffinches and a Bullfinch.
Thursday 12th
A return of 54 new birds was respectable especially as a it was a limited team and so nets were restricted to three sets. There were 47 Blackcaps and seven Chiffchaffs plus a retrap of each and a retrap Willow Warbler.
There are still a couple of broods of House Martins which have not fledged despite the big departure the other day.
Wednesday 11th
Despite the cool breeze it was at such an angle to allow the best net sites to be used and 103 birds were ringed. The usual two led the way with 77 Blackcaps and 20 Chiffchaffs. There were also four Willow Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Chaffinch.
Unlike the often portly Blackcaps the Chiffchaffs show a different pattern and are often thinner.
Tuesday 10th
Despite a fresh NW breeze it was a good mornings ringing and 90 birds were ringed. Blackcaps appear to be enjoying the amount of fruit around and most of the 69 ringed had good fat scores. The other birds were a Reed Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, five Willow Warblers and 14 Chiffchaffs.
Monday 9th
As the rain was not forecast to arrive until 8 a couple of us hoped to grab an hour or so ringing first. However, the nets were down by 7 after one round, and gave us 11 Blackcaps, a retrap Chiffchaff, and a retrap Long-tailed Tit. The Blackcaps suggested there were some migrants around and it was good to see most with a healthy fat score.
Sunday 8th
The unsettled weather around us must have stopped night-time migrants moving. Only 13 birds were ringed during an 'off and on' morning before the rain showers joined up.
The new birds were eight Blackcaps, and singles of Wren, Robin, Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff. There was also an unusual species for the heligoland where a Great Spotted Woodpecker was caught.
Saturday 7th
A good calm start was taken advantage of by a small team and 31 birds were ringed. Blackcap set the standard with 16 followed by five Willow Warblers, three Reed Warblers, two each of Robin, Whitethroat and chiffchaff plus a Lesser Whitethroat.
Hirundines showed brief interest but quickly moved on.
Friday 6th
Things conspired to prevent any ringing but we can give the details of this colour ringed Herring Gull seen on Restharrow Scrape on September 1st. It was ringed at Pitsea Landfill Essex on March 21st 2015 and has been seen at Sandwich in 2017, 18 and 19.
Wednesday 4th
A lovely calm start ahead of the threatened unsettled weather. One-hundred-and-twenty-four birds were ringed. This time Blackcap was most frequent with 56. Sand Martins came in again and 49 were ringed before a Hobby passed by and the Sand Martins moved on. Warblers included three Reed Warblers, four Chiffchaffs, four Willow Warblers and singles of Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat and Garden Warbler.
Although there were lots of Robins ticking from bushes and hedges they seem to be setting up their own territories and only two were ringed.
Tuesday 3rd
Early showers went by first thing and although there was a bit more breeze than expected Sand Martins responded again and another 112 were ringed. Maybe after such a poor year they are just late?
All the birds were juveniles as is usually the case. Adults tending to leave earlier and avoid stopping off.
Other birds were very thin on the ground with six Blackcaps, two Whitethroats and singles of Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Great Tit.
Monday 2nd
The morning started overcast and calm but there was no overnight arrival. New warblers were seven Blackcaps, two Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat. Fortunately there were lots of hirundines feeding over the nearby golf course and although the majority appeared to be Swallows we actually caught 49 Sand Martins. A sad reflection on changing times is that this is more Sand Martins than we ringed in the previous two years.
Great Spotted Woodpeckers appear to have had a good breeding season and two more juveniles were ringed.