The Lincolnshire Bird Club

A long walk down from South Parade Skegness was worth it as I quickly located the Dartford Warbler not far inland from the Yellow Bouy almost at the Northern Most point of the reserve, in fact at one time I thought it would sit on the reserve signpost. Having a few short sightings of the bird I was joined by Nick Tribe and after a short while we had some good but breif views of it. It was seen eating Buckthorn berries which may explain how it is surviving through the Winter. Also seen a pair of Stonechat.

We then went across to the shoreline near the Yellow Bouy and watched a small flock of Turnstone, Knot and Sanderling feeding. Nick found a Turnstone with coloured rings on and I found a Sanderling with coloured rings on, I will send the sightings in and report back their origin.

We were just about to leave when the Grey Phalarope dropped onto the sea Just in front of us giving great views. Also seen was a large flock of Common Scoters

Russell Hayes with Nick Tribe

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http://birdmanbirds.blogspot.com/

What are peoples feeling on the Dartford Warbler? Is this a very long stayer (e.g. from 2007/08 which seems a very long time??), or is this a new bird?? Has it been possible to age this bird, is it an immature or adult???

BTW, Russ your image of the bird is spot on, well done....

Andrew

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

Hi

I have made two visits - seeing a dingy female type bird in December and again earlier this week. I presume this is the same, although on the last visit I got better views (although still not ideal)and could see it had a fairly extensively pale throat. It certainly is not an adult male (there was one reported in December) but I presume is a female.

I could not confirm the race of the bird.

Very interesting to hear it is taking berries - but I suppose we should not be too surprised as many Sylvia warblers switch to berries even early in the autumn.

This is the third Gib record now - the previous two could even have been the same bird ?? on Rock Ridge over the winter 2004/05 and again 2007/08.

Cheers

Kev

Just check BTO longevity records for Dartford Warbler, and the record is ONLY three years, so I guess it is unlikely this is the same bird... although it could be the offspring of the original bird(s).............

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Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata 3 years 8 month and 8 days

B757023 4M 04.02.1983 Havant Area: 50°50'N 1° 0'W (Hampshire)
RR 12.10.1986 Havant Area: 50°50'N 1° 0'W (Hampshire) 0 km Local

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

Mid-afternoon on Jackson's Marsh, a 10 minute stay by a red head smew (with John Shaughnessy).

Also an adult and immature whooper swan (Tennyson Sands) and 50 corn buntings near the visitor centre (also with JS).

Nick

Kev - do you remember the Dartford Warbler that I had in the area where the present one is being seen - in the early 90's I believe? It should be in the Gib records.

I've just looked at photos of the other two birds mentioned and they all look pretty much similarly plumaged - including the current bird...that could have longevity implications !!

Sorry Ed, I don't recall your bird - if it was outside the Gib recording area you may have just submitted the record to LBC - if you can find a date and details that would be great - although I guess a litltle difficult for you to look up at the mo from your Peruvian residence ?

Smew was on the Mere today - a much rarer species here than Dartford warb in the last 10 years !

Cheers

Kev

An awful day, weather-wise, at Gibraltar Point today and no sign of the Grey Phalarope, despite a few hours searching. We did see the Smew - it was on a very small piece of water on the seaward side of the Mere at about 2.45 p.m. but it flushed before I spotted it and then flew back onto the Mere.
Pleased to have got a photo - for the record.

Roy

Just got some feedback from the coloured ringed Sanderling sighting at Gibralter Point on the 24/1/10

Dear Russell,



Many thanks for your sighting of one of our colour-ringed Sanderlings (O.BL-OM) at Gibraltar Point.

This bird was ringed at Heacham on 5th November 2009 and was in the catch that appeared on the televisoin program "Country File" which you might have seen. At the same time Brett Westwood from the Radio 4 program "World on the Move" was present and there will be an item on this program later in the year.

You are only the second person to see this bird since it was ringed, the previous sighting being on the 17th January 2010 at Holme in Norfolk.

You might have noticed that this bird had a small stalk on its back. The reason is that it had been fitted with a small harness with a data logger that measures dawn and dusk and can be used to determine the location of the bird. Six Sanderlings have been fitted with these as a preliminary study to determine if they are suitable for using on Spoon-billed Sandpipers. There will be more about this on the "World on the Move" program later in the year.


Many thanks again for the sighting




Best wishes

Chris Kelly

I have just checked my photos and the bird does appear to have something on it's back.

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http://birdmanbirds.blogspot.com/

Follow up for the Turnstone


Hi Russell,

Many thanks for the sighting of the colour-ringed turnstone.

These turnstone are all ringed by the Wash Wader Ringing Group (www.wwrg.org.uk) as part of long-term monitoring of waders in the Wash. For a small number of the species we monitor, we also use individual colour-ringing as a way of increasing the number of records we get of each individual which allows us to monitor how well birds survive and increases our understanding of how these birds use the Wash in the non-breeding season. Repeat sightings of the same individuals are therefore very important.



As you can see from the table below we ringed this bird on Xmas day 2004 at Port Sutton Bridge on the river Nene. The turnstone have stopped using this [port in recent years so it is interesting that this bird is now at Gib Point.


L above L below R below Ring no. Obs no. Obs type Obs date Resight site Grid Ref
N WY YR SX55216 1 N 25-Dec-04 Port Sutton Bridge TF485219
2 CR 31-Dec-04 Port Sutton Bridge TF485219
3 CR 16-Jan-05 Port Sutton Bridge TF485219
4 CR 30-Jan-05 Port Sutton Bridge TF485219
5 CR 12-Feb-05 Port Sutton Bridge TF485219
6 CR 18-Dec-05 Port Sutton Bridge TF485220
7 CR 04-Feb-06 Port Sutton Bridge TF485221
8 CR 23-Dec-06 Port Sutton Bridge TF485222
9 CR 13-Jan-08 Port Sutton Bridge TF485223
10 CR 26-Jan-08 Port Sutton Bridge TF485224
11 CR 09-Feb-08 Port Sutton Bridge TF485225
12 CR 11-Jan-09 Port Sutton Bridge TF485226
13 CR 24-Jan-10 Gibraltar Point, Lincs TF568610


Best wishes

Jen

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http://birdmanbirds.blogspot.com/

Red head Smew still on Mere at 1300 today

Nige