GEDSER - 19th August

A gorgeous late summer’s day, very calm, hot and sunny; the nets were pretty productive in the morning – mostly in the first hour’s rush of birds, as we ended up with 121 new birds including another Wryneck, a Red-backed Shrike and 3 Thrush Nightingales with the pick of the other migrants being 8 Marsh Warblers, an Icterine Warbler, 18 Lesser Whitethroats, 27 Whitethroats, 15 Blackcaps, 18 Garden Warblers and a little influx of 6 new Robins.

                There were a few bits in and around the garden through the day as well with an early Fieldfare, 2 juvenile Red-backed Shrikes, a Whinchat, a Reed Bunting, 60+ Swifts overhead, a Sparrowhawk and hundreds of Yellow Wagtails around now that all the fields have been harvested which included both flava and thunbergi birds.

                A walk north mid-afternoon was highlighted by a Black Kite heading south at 14:50, very high up but this unfortunately didn’t herald anymore raptors on the move but a flock of 28 Pintail offshore was certainly noteworthy.   There were also 15 Common Sandpipers and 2 Whimbrel on the beach and plenty of similar migrants in the gardens and bushes around Birkemose including Red-backed Shrike, Marsh Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit etc.    Also of note was a big insect arrival with thousands upon thousands of Silver Y’s up the coast along with many Painted Ladies.

 

Red-backed Shrike

Black Kite

Marsh Warbler

Icterine Warbler

Goosander on the beach

Despite looking like she's just been hit by a car this Blackbird's just having a sunbathe!