LBO Home Page

Saturday 4th May 2013

A breezy southwesterly day. Migrants continued to be in low numbers with the only ones of note being a Firecrest, 40 Swallows, 10 Whitethroats, 2 Sand Martins, 3 Hous Martins, a Swift, a Yellow Wagtail and 2 Redpolls. Offshore 24 Whimbrels, 4 Gannets, a Fulmar and 4 Common Terns headed past.

11 birds were ringed; 3 Whitethroats, 2 Linnets and single Song Thrush, Firecrest, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Redpoll and Greenfinch.

Friday 3rd May 2013

A calm sunny day. Few birds were about but viz mig did produce a Buzzard, 2 Jays, 10 Swallows and Swift heading north, along with a Sand Martin, a House Martin and 6 Swallows heading south. Offshore 13 Common Terns 2 Little Terns and a Sandwich Tern were the highlights and 2 Avocets headed up river.

9 birds were ringed; 3 Linnets, 2 Chiffchaffs and single Blackcap, Goldfinch, Blue Tit and Chaffinch.

Thursday 2nd May 2013

Clear skies overnight resulted in a slight ground frost this morning, that and north-northeast winds don't help at this time of year. The only birds of note was a Turtle Dove heading north early morning and a Black Redstart in the moat.

Ringing; 1 Linnet

Wednesday 1st May 2013

Glorious sunny morning. Today's highlights are a male Bullfinch (spring rarity here) & 5 Jays moving through. Hard work on the reserve with 8 Wheatear & a Black Red the highlights. Next to nothing moving offshore, overhead or through the bushes.

Ringing: 1 Willow Warbler & 1 Linnet.

April 2013 Ringing Totals

A total of 548 of 35 species were ringed, this is the highest April total since 1998.

Sparrowhawk2Wren10
Water Rail1Ring Ouzel2
Woodpigeon4Blackbird63
Great Spotted Woodpecker1Song Thrush20
Magpie1Redwing15
Jay2Robin28
Goldcrest28Nightingale1
Firecrest15Black Redstart3
Blue Tit2Redstart3
Great Tit12Wheatear50
Chiffchaff38Tree Pipit1
Willow Warbler88Meadow Pipit2
Blackcap67Chaffinch9
Garden Warbler1Greenfinch17
Lesser Whitethroat4Goldfinch2
Whitethroat35Linnet15
Sedge Warbler2Lesser Redpoll1
Reed Warbler3

Tuesday 30th April 2013

A quiet day with the only birds of note being 2 Firecrests, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 14 Swallows, 2 Reed Warblers, a Garden Warbler and a Redstart and a Black Redstart. Offshore a Little Tern south and 4 Common Terns north.

8 birds were ringed; 2 Firecrests and single Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Redstart and Great Tit.

Goldie Recoveries

We don't get a huge return on the Goldfinchs we ring but the following have just come in. One ringed here 19th October 2011 was retrapped by a ringer 607km away at Coolcush, Tyrone, Northern Ireland on 6th March 2013 & one ringed here on 21st September 2012 was killed by a cat 562km away at Vineuell, Indre, France on 25th March 2013.

Monday 29th April 2013

Cool north-westerlies is not what we want at this time of the year. Saying that a respectable number of migrants knocking about including 10 Willows, 7 Wheatear, 6 Whitethroat, 5 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffs, 3 Lesser 'throats, Robin, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Nightingale & Skylark. On the move offshore not a lot with 5 Golden Plover south the highlight. Going south overhead 28 Swallows, 27 Goldfinch, 2 Sand Martin, 2 Rook, 2 Jackdaw & 2 Yellow Wags. Late news concerns 2 Honey Buzzards north over the dock in the afternoon.

20 birds ringed: 8 Willows, 5 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Linnets, Lesser 'throat & Chiffchaff.

Sunday 28th April 2013

Sharp frost followed by a fine sunny morning. Not to many migrants on site to disturb us with a big clear out of migrants from recent days. A couple of continental Songies new in as well as single Firecrest, Black Red, female Redstart, Blackcap, Whitethroat & Willow Warbler. Just 8 Wheatears this morning. A couple of Whitethroats & Lesser 'throats are now holding territories on the reserve. Offshore deadly quiet & overhead 13 Goldfinch & 6 Swallows went south.

6 birds ringed: 2 Song Thrush, 1 Firecrest, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Greenfinch.