September 20th
At Longis reserve our visiting ringers saw a Jack Snipe, 5 Snipe, several Water Rail, Great White Egret, female Shoveler and a Teal.
There were 8 Ringed Plover, 1 Duniln, 1 Sanderling and 1 Sandwich Tern on Longis beach and a Spotted Flycatcher in Barrackmasters Lane.
Ringing: Nets were deployed at all three of our current sites simultaneously for the first time today. Heavy rain at first light threatened to put a stop to what looked to be a promising day but things soon got underway and though none of the sites were busy each had some interesting birds with a Sparrowhawk at Essex Farm, 2 Common Redstart and our first Lesser Whitethroat of the Autumn at Longis Reserve, and our 2nd ringed Melodious Warbler of the year at Mannez reserve, ringed by the Verons who managed a short session before heading off to work. 70 new birds were ringed from 19 species. Todays birds take us over 8000 birds ringed at the ABO since March 16′.
Melodious Warbler – Mannez Reserve – photo Paul Veron
1st yr Male Sparrowhawk – Essex Farm – photo – ABO