Monday 26th September 2016

Thick and heavy cloud throughout the morning produced a decent array of birds on-site.

Migrants comprised of 165+ Meadow Pipit, 70 Swallow, 7 Chaffinch, 7 Blackcap, 7 Grey Wagtail, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Reed Bunting, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Jackdaw, 2 House Martin, 1 Stonechat, 1 Wheatear, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Peregrine Falcon.

Sea watching produced 13 Golden Plover, 6 Wigeon, 6 Teal, 6 Sandwich Tern, 4 Cormorant, 2 Common Tern, 2 Knot, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Gannet, 1 Grey Plover and 1 Oystercatcher.

The first Scarce Bordered Straw of the Autumn this morning. Also in the traps was another migrant in the form of Palpita vitrealis. 

Ringing: 22 birds ringed this morning including 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 4 Goldfinch, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Dunnock, 1 Wren, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Robin.

Sunday 25th September 2016

What was presumably yesterdays Wryneck was taken for breakfast by a young male Sparrowhawk. A Manx Shearwater heading south offshore is always a good Landguard bird. Other offshore movements were limited but included southbound 19 Brent, 13 Dunlin, 12 Cormorant, 12 Sandwich Tern, 11 Grey Plover, 6 Shelduck, 6 Wigeon, 5 Gannet, 4 Teal, 2 Oyk, Kestrel, Turnstone & Common Tern. Visible migration came in the form of southbound 220 House Martin, 155 Swallow, 4 Grey & 1 Yellow Wag. In the bushes and on the reserve just small numbers of the expected late September fare including Stonechat & Whitethroat. Around the cottage 3 Tree Sparrows loiter. Clouded Yellow on the point is worth a mention.

7 birds ringed: 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Grey Wagtail.

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Saturday 24th September 2016

Strong south westerly winds, clear blue skies and a warm feel to the day. A lovely autumnal day for observatory work.

A few new arrivals today but starting with the best of the rest which was a Wryneck which was found mid morning and showed briefly for a lucky few.

Other arrivals consisted of 209 House Martin, 126 Swallow, 15 Meadow Pipit, 8 Chiffchaff, 5 Grey Wagtail, 3 Blackcap, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Tree Sparrow (above), 3 Wheatear, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Jackdaw.

The sea was a little quiet but a few birds moving with 15 Teal, 9 Brent Geese, 9 Wigeon, 7 Grey Plover, 7 Sandwich Tern, 7 Cormorant, 4 Pintail, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Dunlin, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Curlew, 1 Common Scoter and 1 Common Tern.

Late news concerned a Yellow-browed Warbler that worked its way along the Fort side of the observatory compound calling as it went.

Ringing: 14 birds ringed this morning including 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 3 Robin, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Wren and 1 Grey Wagtail.

Friday 23rd September 2016

A rather cold start to the morning but brightening up in the afternoon. Clear skies overnight meant that many of our migrants from the previous day had moved on but there seemed to be a still left over, with a few new additions.

Warbler numbers comprised of 15 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat and 1 Reed Warbler. Interesting new arrivals were 300+ Swallow, 100+ House Martin, 93 Meadow Pipit, 6 Grey Wagtail, 5 Goldfinch, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Wheatear, 3 Tree Sparrow, 2 Common Redstart, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Firecrest, 1 Siskin, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Stonechat, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Seawatching produced 61 Wigeon, 5 Black-headed Gull, 3 Mute Swan, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Common Tern, 1 Common Gull and 1 Whimbrel.

Ringing: 30 birds ringed this morning including 9 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 3 Grey Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Tree Sparrow, 1 Goldcrest, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Wren, 1 Robin, 1 Dunnock and 1 Reed Warbler.

Thursday 22nd September 2016

Clear skies overnight leading to a morning with heavy cloud produced a decent morning at the observatory. A good array on offer today and no sign of the Arctic Warbler.

Migrants on the nature reserve and at the observatory and passing over include 500+ Swallow, 297 House Martin, 273 Meadow Pipit, 17 Chaffinch, 11 Song Thrush, 9 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 5 Tree Sparrow, 5 Wheatear, 4 Grey Wagtail, 4 Sand Martin, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Common Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 White Wagtail, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Tree Pipit, 1 Common Redstart and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Sea watching wasn't too bad with totals of 422 Wigeon, 74 Brent Geese, 60 Teal, 26 Pintail, 10 Sandwich Tern, 9 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Ringed Plover, 5 Golden Plover, 4 Oystercatcher, 4 Common Scoter, 3 Cormorant, 2 Knot, 2 Dunlin, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Gannet and 1 Mediterranean Gull.

Ringing: 33 birds ringed this morning which include 9 Blackcap, 9 Meadow Pipit, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Robin, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Woodpigeon, 1 Goldfinch and 1 Blackbird.

Wednesday 21st September 2016

This Common Marbled Carpet is a beautiful but variably marked species that is now appearing again in reasonable numbers on its second emergence of the year.

A late start to today due to the heavy rain early on, but the wind is in a very good direction for migrants as it proved once the weather brightened up. The Arctic Warbler is still here and showing well at times and there has been another small fall of 20 Chiffchaffs with smaller numbers of Blackcaps with 12, half a dozen Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Redstart, a Kingfisher and a Lapland Bunting that flew over calling just after mid-day. Offshore 451 Wigeon, 372 Brent Goose and small numbers of Teal and Common Scoter all south.

23 birds ringed:  11 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap, 2 Grey Wagtail and 1 each of Kingfisher, Reed Warbler and Goldcrest.