The nocmig recorder has been out on a few nights this week on Chislet Marshes where the highlight was a Ringed Plover (121) which was heard early on the 22nd. A Ringed Plover was also heard a few minutes before I collected the recorder this morning. Also recorded this week have been Tawny Owl, Barn Owl and Little Owl which have also been heard most mornings when I'm collecting the recorder as well as Grey Partridge. I spent about 45 minutes looking out on the marsh Tuesday night from 6pm where I noted 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Hobby, c100 Greylag Geese, 2 Snipe, 7 Mallard, 2 Grey Partridge, 7 Cormorant and c150 distant hirundines flying north. The highlight however, has to go to the Lapland Bunting (122) found by Matt Hindle on Wednesday late afternoon out on the marsh. I did spend an hour looking in the area but unfortunately could not re-locate it at all. 

Ringed Plover

A few nights of nocmig recording this week have produced 3 Tawny Owl, 1 Little Owl, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Grey Heron, a few Gadwall calls, 1 Oystercatcher and a Sandwich Tern was heard Tuesday night, a very scarce bird to get here. Putting the recorder out during the evenings has produced 3 Grey Partridge, 1 Grey Heron and 21 Greylag Geese.

Sandwich Tern

I was out of the house at 5am yesterday where a few minutes later, I pulled up at Chislet Marshes for a listen into the darkness. Within a few minutes, I had heard 2 Tawny Owl, 2 Little Owl and 1 Barn Owl and as I walked up the path to collect my recorder, I noted 5 Grey Partridge and could hear 1 Red legged Partridge (very scarce here) calling. There wasn't much on the recorder except for the 3 Owl species calling throughout the night. I then spent a good few hours walking around the Nethergong / Chislet Marshes patch and noted 60 species. Birds noted included c70 Greylag Geese, 4 Mute Swan, 2 Gadwall, 12 Mallard, a record count of 17 Pochard, it seems crazy that a few months ago, I hadn't seen one on the patch. There were 6 Tufted Duck, 3 Pheasant, 44 Woodpigeon, 11 Moorhen, 2 Coot, 2 Little Grebe, 6 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker and 2 Kestrel. There was 1 Hobby, 4 Jay, 2 Raven, 21 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit, 2 Skylark, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Swallow, 17 Chiffchaff, 7 Cetti's Warbler, 13 Long tailed Tit, 7 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 1 singing Firecrest, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, 2 Chaffinch, 14 Linnet, 1 Goldfinch and 7 Reed Bunting. Weather permitting, I can get the recorder out during the week to see if anything good is passing over during the night.   

Spotted Flycatcher