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.