Saturday 21st May 2022

A few more brent geese moved north today, with a scattering of hirundines and swifts moving south in the south westerly breeze. Several more juvenile starlings noted today, though perhaps not as many as one would expect but it is still early. A couple of grey wagtails out on the common were a notable record, though they didn't stay long. 

Painted ladies are still abundant along with a host of other butterflies. An emerging dragonfly at the cottage pond (at this stage they're known as teneral) looks to be a broad bodied chaser.

Rain and low temperatures meant low diversity of moths, but there are plenty of Carnation Tortrix about at the moment, a day flying moth.

Ringed Birds: 0

 

Friday 20th May 2022

Similar to yesterday, a dry start deteriorated by about 10. Brent geese were on the move, with several flocks moving across the peninsula and heading north. Another little tern was spotted heading south during the rain shower. 3 birds were ringed, only one being a migrant, a lesser whitethroat.

Orange Footman is a lichen feeder that has become annual in recent years.

Ringed Birds: Lesser Whitethroat 1, Linnet 2

Thursday 19th May 2022

A wet and windy day today, though it started relatively calm. As expected bird migrant numbers were low. 1 grey and 3 yellow wagtails and a scattering of warblers were the most notable.

In the afternoon, warmer conditions prevailed, which made butterfly seeking very easy. 9 species were recorded in the compound, including several Painted Ladies and a couple of Brown Argus.

Rusty-Dot Pearl is a immigrant that turns up in numbers most autumns but only in low numbers in the spring.

Ringed Birds: Blackcap 1, Reed Warbler1, Robin 1, Whitethroat 1.

Wednesday 18th May 2022

 

First site record of Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth on Green Alkanet in the moat.

A "rarity" this morning in the form of a Turtle Dove as we barely get any these days. Other migrants were 7 Wheatear, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, White Wagtail, Yellow Wag & an unseasonal Grey Wag. Heading south 21 Swallow, 10 Jackdaw, 2 Little Egret & Sandwich Tern. Another 43 Brent went out then northwards towards Siberia. 7 Sanderling & 2 Turnstone were sitting on the jetty with a solitary Canada Goose floating past on the sea an incongruous sight.

With the site moff list now at 1,000+ species to get three newbies in a morning is very notable. This Lunar Double-stripe is a migrant with only three previous Suffolk records. The other site addition was a worn Grey Arches.

Ringing: 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Whitethroat.

Tuesday 17th May 2022

An incredibly quiet day today, with very few migrants. Some late leaving brent geese and the first peregrines for a couple of days were of note. The first fledged starling was a bit of a surprise, especially as it was alone. Painted ladies are here in significant number, by far and away the most numerous butterfly species today, hopefully we'll see an invasion this year, if we're not already seeing one.

The moth traps were far more productive, with several firsts for the year and one first for me, a small elephant hawkmoth. This Coronet is a species that has been increasingly recorded over the years but as its foodplant is privet, its perhaps not a surprise. 

Ringed Birds: 0

 

Monday 16th May 2022

 

Orange Tip is only present in very low numbers with none at all some years.

Fewer migrants again this morning with 7 Wheatear & 2 Spot Fly on site plus southbound 36 Swallow & 9 House Martin. Offshore southbound 17 Kitts, 2 Oyk & 2 Mallard with northbound 7 Common Tern. A couple of Painted Ladies butterflies arrived with, hopefully, more to come.

Seraphim has only been noted here on a couple of previous occasions.

Ringing: 1 Robin, 1 Starling.

Sunday 15th May 2022

 

With the wind going around to the north a lot less migrants today but they did include the long awaited first Little Tern of the year. Worth a mention are 10 Wheatear, 7 Swallow, 5 Whitethroat, 3 Yellow Wag, 2 Lesser 'throat & Chaffinch. Offshore southbound 20 Barnacles, 8 Kitts, 2 Pochard, Oyk & Whimbrel with northbound 3 Kitts & 2 Sandwich Tern.

Only our second site record of Great Prominent with the first in 2020.

Ringing: 1 Greenfinch, 1 Whitethroat.