Saturday 10th August 2024

Autumn has started for the willow warblers, at least 12 on site today and quite likely more. The first garden warbler of the autumn paid us a visit, enjoying the blackberries and elderberries that are swiftly ripening on the reserve. 26 sand martin, 3 house martin and 24 swallow moving past the obs was the most significant hirundine passage we've had in a while. Feral barnacle geese have been moving north the last two days, as they do every autumn. 

 

Mint Moth might be common on mint plants in your garden, but they rarely turn up here at Landguard.

Birds Ringed: Garden Warbler 1, Goldfinch 1, Robin 1, Willow Warbler 10.

Friday 9th August 2024

A handful of greenfinch are present most days

A few more waders on the move today, with 2 sanderling, 1 golden plover, 4 dunlin, 2 oystercatcher and a curlew heading south, with a whimbrel moving north. Only a handful of warblers present, a single chiffchaff and willow warbler and 4 lesser whitethroats. Local species are building up into post breeding flocks, over a hundred linnets and 450 starlings out on the reserve most days. Another wheatear (or perhaps the same from 2 days ago) was also out on the grass. 

Oegoconia caradjai is the commonest of its congeners here at Landguard. 

Birds Ringed: Goldfinch 1.

 

Thursday 8th August 2024

A few birds moving today, a new reed warbler and 4 willow warblers fresh in, with a chiffchaff present for a day or two. A new juvenile Cetti's warbler was a pleasant surprise, though we don't know whether all five are from the same or different broods. Lesser whitethroats have been more obvious the last few days, all juveniles so far. 7 sand martin joined a swallow heading south,  6 teal heading south also. 11 little egrets north was a good record, the largest individual egret flock we've had here since the 9 cattle egrets in 2023.

First Flounced Rustic of the autumn, its numbers have been declining over time with us.

Birds Ringed: Cetti's Warbler 1, Lesser Whitethroat 2, Reed Warbler 1, Willow Warbler 2. 

Wednesday 7th August 2024

 

Southbound 37 Swallow, 8 Sand Martin, Grey Heron, House Martin & Swift with northbound 6 Barnacle Geese. On site 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, Pied Fly, Wheatear & Whitethroat. A Peregrine was over the dock cranes.

Formerly a rare migrant Gypsy Moth has been annual in the last five years & may well be breeding here.

Ringing: 3 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Linnet, 1 Wren.

Tuesday 6th August 2024

Another muggy day, quieter on the migrant front. A black redstart was at the observatory pond briefly, and a green woodpecker announced its presence loudly late morning. The Cetti's warbler juveniles (presumably) are teaching themselves to sing at the Butts and in the Observatory compound. 

Jersey Tiger moths are turning up almost daily, and brighten the mornings quite nicely.

Pammene aurita lives on the sycamores in small numbers.

Birds Ringed: Chiffchaff 1, Robin 1, Wren 2. 

Monday 5th August 2024

The pied flycatcher remains in the observatory compound, turning up at about 11am each day behind the kitchen. One of the previous days reed warblers is also still hanging around. Two juvenile sparrowhawks may be new in, as its around this time of the year that we see dispersing youngsters. A few willow warblers and a chiffchaff were also present in the compound and another juvenile male blackbird was good to see.

Double moth helping today. Canary-shouldered Thorn (left) visits roughly one year in 3, whereas Riband Wave is a regular.

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Great Tit 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Starling 1, Willow Warbler 3, Wren 1. 

Sunday 4th August 2024

 

In common with all molluscs, Green Cellar Slug is having a bumper year.

Some migrants with southbound 6 Oyk, 3 Swallow, 2 Spoonbill, Curlew, Fulmar & Swift. 3 Egyptian Geese came out of the river & then north. On site 4 Willow Warbler, Black Red, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Yellow Wag plus the Pied Fly for its third day.

Pima boisduvaliella is a nationally scarce species that is having a very good season, unlike many moth species that are appearing in very low numbers. 

Ringing: 2 Blackbird, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Tit, 1 Willow Warbler