GBBG Sightings

Spotted these to Great-Black backs on the tip last session, great to see there still going strong.

TK7T

Rung 13/12/12 4th Calendar yr or older (Pitsea)

Sighted 28/09/13 (Pitsea)

Sighted 05/12/15 (Pitsea)

W5AT

Rung 06/12/14 4th Calendar yr or older (Pitsea)

Sighted 19/09/2015 (Pitsea)

Sighted 05/12/15 (Pitsea)

Always encounter a few foxes up on the tip, this one was in rather good condition.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

Ringing 29/12/15

Nice mixed bag in today's ringing session with nine Lesser Redpoll being the highlights including a control baring a UK ring, be interesting to see how far it has travelled.

Three Yellowhammers all males were next best.

Both Great spot & Nuthatch were rattraps from earlier in the year.

Woodpigeons don't often get caught in miss nets here, so two in one session was a bonus, though probably a waste of a ring with so many shoots nearby!

Smart birds close up, and much better condition then town birds to.

60 birds processed today with 38 new, best of the rest were several Coal tit.

Ducking & Diving

First day out since all the festive malarkey, started of at Mollands lane South Ockendon, With it still being unseasonably mild wasn't expecting to much in the way of winter wildfowl, but did manage to find a single red head Goosander.

Very little else duck wise but two Corn bunts and a flock of fourteen Siskin were noteworthy.

Fairlop Waters Great Northern diver is still present and sure to see out the new year.

Rainham was very busy, So decided to head home to bank some browny points.

1W Caspian Gull, Pitsea tip 5/12/15

Very challenging Gull ringing session today in 100mph winds!!  We did manage one catch consisting of 172 New birds & 5 rattrap's.  Despite us being on site early doors we had to wait till mid morning before a dust cart with appropriate food waste on board for us to lure our quarry into the catch area.

With Aron on the controls & a few new faces, it went pretty well despite todays weather conditions. We did score with about 30 GBB's which is a lot better than previous recent attempts.

I picked up this 1w Caspian Gull whilst we were setting up.

East Tilbury 3/12/15

A good mix of birds seen on yesterdays survey at East Tilbury, the highlights being two Short-eared owls and several Marsh Harrier, the latter certainly on the increase here.

Singles of both Green Sand & Jack Snipe were best on the wader front.

A pair of Bearded Reedlings are still giving great views along the seawall.

Several Corn Bunting were on the saltings.