Tuesday 1st July 2025

One for sorrow, two for joy and three for directions to the local ferry terminal.

Calm conditions with a bit of cloud cover ensured July's ringing total got off to a flying start. A young Kestrel appeared today and spent the day being mobbed by Linnets as it explored its new surroundings. 1 Black Redstart also present. Other migrants include 1 Curlew, 1 Lapwing, 6 Sandwich Tern, 2 Swift and 1 Whimbrel. 

Juvenile Siskin ringed in the evening.

Six-belted Clearwing moths are out on the Birds-foot-trefoil. Much easier to find and count when you have a pheromone lure.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 2 Blackcap, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Linnet, 1 Magpie, 1 Robin, 1 Siskin, 1 Woodpigeon, 4 Wren.

JUNE RINGING TOTALS

 

155 birds of 20 species is in many respects a similar year to 2024 albeit 11 birds less. Cetti's Warbler have bred again for a second year running and have seen success on at least 2 broods so far. The Tits both Blue and Great have managed to carry the ringing total this month as we ringed less than half our usual Linnets. Not so many young House Sparrows around either which was expected with less adults being observed. Blackbird is another species which seems to have had an abysmal breeding year but there is still time. 

Species	No. Ringed
Blackbird	4
Blackcap	4
Blue Tit	22
Cetti's Warbler	5
Chiffchaff	9
Coal Tit	2
Dunnock	14
Goldfinch	2
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1
Great Tit	33
Grey Wagtail	2
House Sparrow	3
Lesser Whitethroat	6
Linnet	15
Reed Warbler	6
Robin	6
Starling	2
Whitethroat	5
Woodpigeon	2
Wren	12
Total	155

Monday 30th June 2025

Hot & humid start. A dispersing juvenile Wheatear near the point will have been bred not far away so good to know a pair has churned a brood out somewhere up the coast. An adult Lapwing on the reserve will be a post-breeder coming into the country to moult, probably from the Low Countries. Finally another Great Spot visited. 

In the evening around 250 Starling were feeding not far from the point and a single Shelduck possibly the last of the year yet to depart. 

Gypsonoma minutana is a nationally scarce species living here on the Poplars.

Ringing: 1 Woodpigeon.

Sunday 29th June 2025

 

Plenty of day flying insects in this soporific heat including Six-spot Burnet.

Southbound 36 Sand Martin, 5 Barwit & 5 Swallow. A Reed Warbler was singing along View Point Road. 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker paid a visit together with the number of recent records hopefully suggesting that they have had a reasonable breeding season. A Red-veined Darter was the first for 8 years.

Moth traps fairly busy in this heat & humidity with several infrequent visitors from inland including Suspected, a species we have only had a couple of times previously with worn examples like this easily overlooked.

Ringing: nil.

Saturday 28th June 2025

 

Gatekeeper have started to appear.

Southbound 16 Curlew, 15 Swift, 14 Black-headed Gull, 14 Sand Martin, 6 Swallow, 4 House Martin, 2 Sandwich Tern & Bar-tailed Godwit with northbound 5 Barnacles & 4 Med Gull. Otherwise baby bird time.

Small Ranunculus in the moth trap & larvae on Prickly Lettuce in the moat. The species has colonised this century after being first noted in 1999.

Ringing: 3 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Whitethroat.

Friday 27th June 2025

Overnight rain and a blustery morning but you could soon feel the sun's heat. Another young, wandering Great Spotted Woodpecker present along with a Male Sparrowhawk - both of which manage to bounce out of mist nets. Also worth noting 6 Barnacle Goose, 1 Brent Goose, 10 Curlew, 1 Greenfinch and 9 Swift.

Another tick in the book for Landguard's Moth List! Coming in at only around 4-5mm Caryocolum alsinella is a Nationally Scarce moth.

Ringing: 1 Goldfinch, 2 Wren.

Thursday 26th June 2025

 

Pyramidal Orchid has appeared in the fence at the Butt's pond. Just goes to show what can spring up in areas that don't get all the public footfall. In other news Curlew migration seemed to peak today as 90+ birds went South. Adult Black-headed Gulls also moving South tried to give the Curlew count a run for their money but petered out late morning at around 62 birds. Also of note 4 Barnacle Goose, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Lapwing, 1 Med Gull, 11 Sand Martin, 27 Swift and 2 Whimbrel.

Agate Knot-horn Nyctegretis lineana is a red data book species only noted here on a couple of previous occasions.

Ringing: 1 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, 1 Great Tit, 3 Linnet.

 

Wednesday 25th June 2025

Singing Male Blackcap at first light today being closely watched by a female - or was he chasing her? Also a Juvenile Black Redstart at Manor terrace car park later followed by another seemingly different bird right at the point. A young peregrine perched up on the seafront seemed to be having a break before continuing to wander North. Also of note 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Swallow and 4 Swift.

Acrobasis tumidana is a scarce migrant in the UK first noted here in 2018. It will be attempting to colonise on Oak trees.

Ringing: 2 Blackcap, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 4 Linnet, 3 Whitethroat.  

Tuesday 24th June 2025

 

Pair of Shelduck brought ten ducklings out from under the Mine Station but in the short distance to the river Crows had killed two for breakfast with the remaining eight making it onto the river for a long paddle either past the docks to the mudflats up the River Orwell or over the estuary to the River Stour hopefully avoiding any hungry gulls on the way. Tough start to life.

Windy with a belt of rain for an hour and a half resulted in 437 Swift heading south. Also southbound single Curlew, Oyk & Med Gull with northbound 2 Common Scoter plus 3 more Scoter sat on the sea. Great-spotted Woodpecker only other thing worth a mention.

Lamoria zelleri is a nationally scarce species living here in low numbers.

Ringing: nil.

Monday 23rd June 2025

 

Sexton Beetle burying a dead Starling.

Another windy morning. Southbound 10 Black-headed Gull, 4 Curlew, 3 Common Tern, 2 Swift, Oyk & Whimbrel. 

First seen only three years ago Channel Islands Pug is now the commonest Pug on site. Living on Tamarisk it likes it here.

Ringing: nil.

Sunday 22nd June 2025

 

Strong winds with thunder & lightening offshore early doors got 321 Swift moving south around the weather disturbance no doubt triggered by the hot weather. Also southbound 27 Curlew, 11 Black-headed Gull, 7 Oyk, 5 Sand Martin, 4 Swallow & 2 Sandwich Tern. On site no new migrants. Early evening update - Wheatear towards the point is the first for quite a while.

First site record of Sub-angled Wave which, no doubt, came in on the southerly winds overnight. It is a nationally rare species on the IUCN Red list as "Endangered".

Ringing: 1 Dunnock.

Saturday 21st June 2025

While the Great Tit seems to have had a sterling breeding season so far, others like the Blackbird seem to be struggling a bit. However the first Blackbird fledgling of the year received a colour ring this morning and also the first juvenile Whitethroat ringed too. This morning just 3 Curlew heading South and 4 Barnacle Geese rested with the Shelduck for a while. 1 Harbour Porpoise at the point.

Why go on Safari to see Leopards in Africa when you can bare witness to the Leopard Moth in your own local reserve? While it can feed on a number of trees and shrubs it's still pretty rare here (Roughly every 1 in 3 years).

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Whitethroat.

Friday 20th June 2025

Plenty of fledged Lesser Whitethroats to be heard 'tacking' around the place today. The first Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker also made an appearance. It's been a brilliant year for Broad-bodied Chasers as many have emerged from the pond up on the fort. On site 1 Chiffchaff and 4 Goldfinch whilst offshore 2 Kittiwake, 1 Med gull and 4 Sandwich Tern. 

Lilac Beauty vanished here between 2008 and 2017 but is now back to being more of a regular occurance.

Ringing: 2 Blue Tit, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Robin, 1 Wren. 

Thursday 19th June 2025

Some more success stories to report today. The first juvenile Cetti's warbler have appeared, one of our Robins has managed to turf out a second brood and up to 9 juvenile Pied Wagtails feeding out on the reserve. They do say good things come in threes. What is not ideal for baby birds however, is this Grey Squirrel spotted right at the point of all places. Migrants include 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Curlew, 2 Sand Martin and 3 Swift. Peregrine up in the docks around first light.

Moth trap produced another rare migrant. Small Marbled is only our second record the first being 10 years ago.

Ringing: 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great tit, 2 Robin.

Wednesday 18th June 2025

 A few Swift feeding up in the morning but they soon pushed off which didn't leave us much else out of the norm except a singing Chiffchaff and 3 Swallow. Young Goldfinch have been out and about a couple weeks now. Starling numbers dwindling out on the reserve lately but a second brood of two ringed today just shows the new boxes on the cottage are being effective. Sparrowhawk in the compound later in the evening.

Aproaerema polychromella is a rare and pretty little moth to our shores. It's a first site record here and no surprise as the food plant is native to the Canary islands! (Tenerife).

Ringing: 1 Blackcap, 1 Blue tit, 3 Great tit, 2 Starling and 1 Wren.

Tuesday 17th June 2025

 

Dramatic scenes early morning serve as a reminder just how tough nature can be. Some of the adult Herring Gulls have learned to cast aside their scavenging behaviour and actively hunt the youngest of Rabbits as they emerge from their warrens. Mother's instinct is strong enough to try protect the kits but unfortunately sometimes it's just not enough. Very thin on the ground for migrant birds - 3 Curlew, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Swallow and 2 Swift. Still new Great Tits turning up!

Small yet stunning Orange Pine Tortrix must of wondered here from somewhere else considering it's a Scots Pine specialist.

Ringing: 1 Dunnock, 1 Goldfinch, 4 Great Tit, 1 Woodpigeon.

Monday 16th June 2025

 

Yesterday's Large Skipper.

Migrants - Wot migrants ! Baby bird time of the year with the first juvenile Chiffchaffs turning up. Chiffchaff don't nest here but do as near as along the railway line at Langer Park so the nearest ones haven't got far to get here.

Dingy Shears have only been noted here in three previous years this century so pleasing to see this one this morning.

Ringing: 5 Great Tit, 2 Chiffchaff.

Sunday 15th June 2025

 

Southbound 35 Wood Pigeon (where are they going in June ?), 13 Black-headed Gull, 6 Curlew, 5 Swift, 4 Gadwal, 3 Swallow, 2 Common Gull, Canada Goose, Sand Martin, Tufted Duck & Whimbrel with northbound 4 Sandwich Tern. A Blackcap will be a failed breeder wandering with a Black Redstart on the reserve just a tad distant to see whether it's an adult or a youngster going off on it's own. First baby Lesser 'throats of the year have come out to play.

First Clouded Yellow of the year was on the reserve with a Large Skipper in the Fort moat also well worth a mention as we failed to see one in 2024.

Acleris ferrugana shows two tufts of scales a quarter back from the head which, according to some literature is diagnostic, but in others is not. More confusion reigns as published photos of this & A.notana have been labelled incorrectly !

Ringing: 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Great Tit, 1 Wren.
 

Saturday 14th June 2025

 

This Ringo is on 5 eggs - 4 is the norm & only once in over 40 years of monitoring here has a clutch of five been noted before. Egg dumping by another female ? or just an ambitious pair ?

Southbound 30 Curlew & 5 Whimbrel exemplifies the fact that autumn passage is well under way for these species, whereas a Sanderling on the beach at high tide is probably still battling it's way north to breed. A Grey Heron south will be juvenile dispersal. Also on the move northbound 11 Sandwich Tern, 4 Med Gull & 3 Common Scoter. A visiting Jay was a bit unexpected as we have only eight previous June records, with several of them in the same season suggesting the same individual. A juvenile Grey Wagtail surely hasn't come from far away to get here - but from where ? One thing that is apparent from the ringing studies this summer is that Tits have churned out plenty of offspring that are now wandering off widely on their own.

Only the second site record of Marbled White Spot with the only previous one in 2017. It's not a rare species but probably is just not prone to wandering.

Ringing: 9 Great Tit, 5 Blue Tit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Linnet, 1 Wren.

Friday 13th June 2025

A humid start as Landguard was covered in a layer of dew which soon evaporated off in the Summer heat. 5 Swift were feeding out the back of the compound early morning and a Sparrowhawk was sending the Starling flocks in to chaos. Meanwhile Ornate Tailed Digger Wasps have been really active in their holes outside the office. They seem to have a preference for the digging in the hardest substrate they can find. 

Other migrants include 1 Common Tern, 9 Curlew, 4 Sandwich Tern and 5 Swallow. 1 Buzzard high over the docks.

A wanderer to our shores - the foodplant of Scotia adelphella, White Willow, isn't found on site.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 4 Blue tit, 1 Dunnock, 2 Great Tit, 1 House Sparrow.

Thursday 12th June 2025

 

Few migrants include 2 Sandwich Tern, 1 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow and 1 Swift so naturally some of the focus shifted towards inverts. Essex Skipper started to appear yesterday and was seen again in today's sunshine. Early afternoon a couple Green-eyed Hawkers also appeared. An abundance too of Meadow Brown and Small Heath.

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix is another moth that suddenly appeared here in the year 2000 despite being common all over Suffolk.

Ringing: 1 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Wren.

Wednesday 11th June 2025

A struggle today to spot any migrants but we are course moving further in to June. Out of the ordinary 1 Coal Tit, 3 Collared Dove and 1 Greenfinch. Offshore the usual Med Gull and Kittiwake passing and 3 Curlew South. All eyes today were in the moth trap as we claimed another first site record.

Goat Moth is a BAP priority species and is scarce in Suffolk. The larvae can feed on wood up to 5 years before leaving their holes to pupate.

Ringing: Coal Tit 1, Great Tit 2, 1 Wren.

Tuesday 10th June 2025

 Strong South-westerlies today - seems to be a running theme which has played out far too long but thankfully that's due to change tomorrow! 1 Grey Wagtail flushed off the top this morning. Offshore 2 Tufted Ducks heading South don't often make the day list and a late Brent Goose heading North looking a bit worse for wear. Also 4 Curlew, 1 House Martin, 4 Pied Wag and 7 Swallow.

The odd Dark Sword-grass has been a bit of a saving grace from the absence of many migrant moth species this year. Hopefully due to change with tomorrows' Easterlies.

Ringing: 1 Blue tit, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 1 Great tit, 1 Robin, 1 Wren. 

Monday 9th June 2025

 

Someone's aviary didn't stand up to yesterday's gale as this Laughing Dove turned up. The only previous site record was a brief visitor on 26th May 2001.

Grounded migrants were 3 Reed Warbler & a Chiffchaff with southbound 5 Swallow, House Martin & Swift. Otherwise it's baby bird time. Some Lesser Whitethroat & Whitethroat are busy feeding young whereas others are singing there heads off.

Shore Wainscott is a nationally scarce species that has increased here due to its foodplant, Marram Grass, increasing in quantity.

Ringing: 2 Great Tit, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Wren, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Linnet.
  

Sunday 8th June 2025

 

Strong, cool WNW wind not pleasant for the time of the year. 12 Swift went north with southbound 5 House Martin & 4 Swallow. Offshore equally tedious with southbound 4 Black-headed Gull, 3 Oyk, 2 Med Gull, Little Egret & Sandwich Tern with northbound 8 Common Scoter & Sandwich Tern + 2 Little Tern fishing offshore for a brief while. No migrants noted on site apart from those settled into breed.

Paltry selection of moths this morning, as predicted in these chilly, windy conditions did include this Lackey, which is a a declining species categorised as "vulnerable" on the Red List.

Ringing: nil.