Monday 24th September 2018

Spotted Flycatcher at the Observatory this morning

Clear sky and Northwesterly breeze, a chilly start but it was warm by mid morning. This morning eighteen Buzzard were seen from Landguard, having come in off the sea to the North of the reserve they circled and gained height over the dock until lost from view. There are 47 site records for Buzzard, the previous highest day count of these records was three. A Woodlark was the first of the autumn.

Noted on the reserve, 750 Starling, 18 Buzzard, 12 Carrion Crow, 7 Blackcap, 6 Chaffinch, 4 Wheatear, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 House Martin, 2 Sandwich Tern, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Common Tern, 1 Mute Swan, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Swallow, 1 Turnstone & 1 Willow Warbler.

Going North, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker. Coming in of the sea going West, 18 Shelduck. Going South, 178 Meadow Pipit, 58 Black-headed Gull, 41 Swallow, 26 Cormorant, 22 Teal, 9 Common Gull, 8 Siskin, 7 Chaffinch, 6 Sand Martin, 2 Avocet, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Turnstone & 1 Yellow Wagtail.

35 birds ringed: Meadow Pipit 16, Great Tit 5, Blackcap 4, Blue Tit 4, Chaffinch 2, Chiffchaff 1, Dunnock 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Willow Warbler 1.

Sunday 23rd September 2018

The rain started not long after dawn and it has evolved into a thoroughly miserable morning. The weather has dropped in at least 30 Blackcap but there may be considerably more skulking away. A group of roughly 500 House Martin, 40 Swallow & a Sand Martin came in off the sea. Also noted 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Wheatear, Grey Wag & yesterdays Spot Fly still with us. Despite observers staring out to sea, as there was no enthusiasm to do anything else in the pouring rain, the rewards were pathetic with southbound 11 Sandwich Tern, an Oyk plus a couple of Cormorants doing nothing in particular.

Black Rustic has finally started to appear in the moth traps as it is late on parade this autumn.

Ringing: 10 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Robin.

Saturday 22nd September 2018

 A half decent push of Mipits with 830 south, 51 in off the sea & 60 on the reserve. Also heading south 30 Siskin, 24 Goldfinch, 18 Swallow, 11 Grey Wags, 8 Sand Martin, 6 Sandwich Tern, 6 Spoonbill, 5 Chaffinch, 4 Oyk, 4 Common Tern,  4 Med Gull, 3 Arctic Skua, 3 Little Egret, 3 Grey Plover, 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Canada Geese, 2 Dunlin, 2 Pied Wags, Kestrel, House Martin, Pintail & Turnstone. On site 28 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 4 Wheatear, 4 Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Sedge Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher plus a couple of new Dunnock. The Spoonbill flock is our largest day count and only the 13th ever site record, unfortunately another slightly larger flock coming south down the Suffolk coast later in the morning just north of us we somehow managed to miss going past !

Clancy's Rustic is a migrant first noted in the UK in 2002 and at Landguard in 2006 which is a species that is obviously slowly attempting colonisation of Suffolk.

81 birds ringed: 47 Mipit, 19 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Friday 21st September 2018

Spotted Flycatcher at Landguard.

Overnight rain and Westerly gusts of force 9 had at least subsided to gusts of force 7 and clear with patchy cloud by the morning. The first Reed Bunting of the autumn at Landguard went South over the Observatory, there were two Spotted Flycatcher, one was at the Observatory and the other was on the Ickie Ridge, vismig started soon after dawn with House Martin, Meadow Pipit and Swallow going South but offshore movement was quiet.

Noted on the reserve, 20 Meadow Pipit, 19 Goldfinch, 12 Pied Wagtail, 7 Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Lesser Whitethroat & 1 Whinchat. Going South, 132 Meadow Pipit, 128 Swallow, 91 House Martin, 12 Cormorant, 8 Siskin, 2 Sand Martin, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Hobby & 1 Reed Bunting.

2 bird ringed: Blackcap 1, Woodpigeon 1.

Thursday 20th September 2018

A strong Southwesterly wind and cloudy following overnight rain. Offshore movement and vismig were very quite this morning. A juvenile Golden Plover was on the reserve towards the point during the earlier part of the morning, a Whinchat was around the seawatch hide and two Yellow Wagtail were on the vegetated shingle above the beach.

Noted on the reserve, 1,100 Starling, 10 Pied Wagtail, 6 Wheatear, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Med Gull, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Sparrowhawk & 1 Whinchat. Going South, 73 House Martin, 32 Swallow, 8 Meadow Pipit, 6 Black-headed Gull, 5 Shelduck, 3 Teal, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Sand Martin & 1 Turnstone.

Wax Moth, the larval stage is found in bee hives and has a preference for older combs.

0 birds ringed:

Wednesday 19th September 2018

An increasing south-westerly warm wind gusting force 8 as the day has progressed does not make comfortable birding although it didn't stop a push of hirundines even if offshore movements were very poor. Southbound 575 House Martin, 370 Swallow, 20 Cormorant, 14 Wigeon, 13 Teal, 11 Sand Martin, 8 Shelduck, 3 Meadow Pipit, Barwit, Greenshank, Grey Plover, Hobby & Swift with northbound 3 Gannet. On site records included 8 Wheatear, single Blackcap, Golden Plover, Willow Warbler & Wryneck although others may well be skulking from the wind.

Burnished Brass is common throughout the UK although only infrequent in our traps.

Ringing: 2 Goldfinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Great Tit, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Tuesday 18th September 2018

Shearwater were not recorded here in 2017 and it might be a struggle to see the one in the picture, it is behind the rolling ground buoy. This was the second Manx Shearwater seen during the morning, both were going South.

A warm night and strong Southwesterly wind, clear sky at dawn but then becoming overcast. A Wryneck was seen on the Ickie Ridge this morning and six Wheatear were around the seawatch hide. Vismig was a mix of hirundines going South over the reserve. Offshore passage was slightly busier, Dunlin and Ringed Plover were going South and small flocks of Common Scoter, Shelduck, Shoveler, Teal and Wigeon were also going South.

Noted on the reserve, 650 Starling, 22 Pied Wagtail, 7 Med Gull, 6 Wheatear, 1 Common Gull, 1 Knot, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler & 1 Wryneck. Going North, 2 Sandwich Tern, 1 Cormorant, 1 Gannet, 1 Little Egret & 1 Oystercatcher. Coming in off the sea going West, 1 Meadow Pipit. Going South, 265 Swallow, 224 House Martin, 77 Dunlin, 22 Ringed Plover, 13 Knot, 11 Shelduck, 7 Common Scoter, 7 Shoveler, 7 Wigeon, 6 Teal, 5 Sand Martin, 3 Grey Plover, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Manx Shearwater, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Sanderling, 1 Snipe, 1 Swift & 1 Tufted Duck.

1 bird ringed: Blue Tit 1.