Thursday 2nd July 2026

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba) seen out on the reserve. 

An overcast morning with the wind picking up and cloud clearing by noon. Quite early in the morning within the compound, but a few young birds emerging with our first juvenile Song Thrush being caught in the Heligoland trap and ringed. Out on the reserserve all 4 of our recently fledge chicks survive. Black Restart calling from the fort late morning.   

Seawatching produced south movements: 30 Bar-tailed Godwit, 23 Swift, 14 Black-headed Gull, 10 Sand Martin, 7 Curlew, 6 Common Scoter, 4 Sandwich Tern. 2 Mediterranean Gull and an Oystercatcher north. 

A mix of insects around with our first Migrant Hawker seen at the front of the observatory, notably early in the summer. Common Blue, Small Copper, Comma, Peacock, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Small White and Painted Lady all out on the wing.    

First Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) of this spring. 

Moth Trapping: 75 moth species across our 3 traps last night. The Gold Triangle is a species that lives on dry vegetable matter, the moth is not annual, appearing roughly two out of every three years at Landguard. 

Gold Triangle (Hypsopygia costalis).

Bird Ringing: 3 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Lesser whitethroat, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Woodpigeon.    

Wednesday 1st July 2026

 

This Ringed Plover youngster is now 5 weeks old, flying, but still being watched over by its parents. Another pair have 4 tiny chicks that were starting to hatch on Saturday so are still very vulnerable.

Migrants include southbound 9 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Swallow, 3 Curlew, 2 Swift & Sand Martin. Mistle Thrush is still here otherwise it's baby bird time with several dispersing juveniles heading off on their own.

First noted in 2004 & annual in small numbers over the last ten years the Coronet has, apparently, shifted its foodplant from Ash to Privet.

Ringing: 2 Blackcap, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 1 Linnet, 1 Pied Wagtail.

June 2026 Ringing Totals

Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)

Blue Tit come out on top this month, with Chiffchaff being knocked down to 5th place - they've held strong from March!. We have to go back to June 2019 with 364 birds to beat this months total of 260 birds ringed, a comparison with these totals and 2023 with 258 birds, reveals a drop in the Linnet abundance with 156 in 2019 and 108 in 2023 respectively. Both years (2019 and 2023) 16 Blue tits were ringed, this year appears to have been good for their young output and therefore contributing to this years increase in birds ringed. It's been a good month ringing here, with interesting highlights including Marsh Tit and Mistle Thrush (shown above) a moulting female, both species infrequently occurring at Landguard. 

We also ringed our first Ringed Plover chick after a spell of no success in the past few years as well as a juvenile Black Redstart - a nice treat showing they have indeed bred locally and maybe our bird singing on the Fort was not in vain!.

Bird Species	Count
Blue Tit	42
Linnet	30
Dunnock	22
Great Tit	22
Chiffchaff	20
Blackcap	17
Goldfinch	12
Whitethroat	12
Coal Tit	11
Cetti's Warbler	10
House sparrow	10
Wren	8
Robin	7
Greater Spotted Woodpecker	5
Reed warbler	5
Woodpigeon	5
Grey Wagtail	4
Black Redstart	3
Blackbird	3
Lesser Whitethroat	3
Sedge Warbler	3
Garden Warbler	1
Marsh Tit	1
Mapie	1
Mistle Thrush	1
Redstart	1
Ringed Plover	1
TOTAL	260

Tuesday 30th June 2026

                                                                     

Blackbird (Turdus merula).

An overcast morning, providing a break from the recent heat. Mostly baby birds within the compound with these accounting for the most part of the ringing totals. A Greater Spotted Woodpecker heard distantly and a Black Redstart calling on the Fort. Our three youngest Ringed Plover chicks survived their first full day out on the reserve, fingers crossed for the coming weeks.  

Seawatching included most passage south with; 107 Black-headed Gull with 1 Juvenile mixed in .... at least one pair has been successful!, 54 Curlew, 19 Oystercatcher, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Cormorant, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Common Tern and a Teal. 1 Sandwich Tern north.    

Moth Trapping: Agate Knot-horn (Nyctegretis lineana) is a red data book species that we have noted on only a handful of previous occasions. The caterpillar larvae feed on Common Restharrow, pupating in a silken tube beneath the host plant. The species is restricted to the east coast of England. - Suffolk Moths. 

Agate Knot-horn (Nyctegretis lineana).

Bird Ringing: 7 Linnet, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Robin, 2 Goldfinch, 2 House Sparrow, 1 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Wren, 1 Whitethroat.  

Monday 29th June 2026

 

Juvenile Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), note the lack of any head markings with black and red seen on adults.  

A sunny morning with a moderate NW wind. We had another 3 Ringed Plover chicks hatch over the weekend. 2 Reed Warblers calling from around the compound. A Black Redstart remains calling from the fort. Essex Skipper present near the car park end of the reserve at Manor Road. A Mistle Thrush was seen down on the reserve and then ringed later on in the morning. 

Seawatching produced 3 Black-headed Gull and a Whimbrel south only. 

Moth Trapping: 77 moth species caught in our 3 traps. Today's moth of the day is the Light Crimson, with the second site record of this underwing today, following on from one in 2025. One of the moth's strongholds is in the New Forest, the caterpillar feeds on Oak and the species is considered as Near Threatened on the IUCN red list. 

Light Crimson underwing (Catocala promissa).

Bird Ringing: 5 Dunnock, 2 Blackcap, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Wren.   

Mistle thrushes have been elusive at Landguard and on the most part are recorded as wandering Juveniles, so today's bird, a moulting adult female was quite a surprise when ringed.  

Sunday 28th June 2026

 

Another tropical night followed by an increasingly windy morning. Southbound 45 Swift, 11 Sand Martin, 10 Curlew, 5 Oyk & Sandwich Tern with northbound 4 Sandwich & a Common Tern. Yet more juvenile Chiffchaff turning up suggesting that productivity at sites nearby has been good this year. 2 Black Redstart were on the Fort & 2 Sanderling on the beach. An adult Cuckoo at the top of the observatory will be departing to Africa.

July Highflyer is infrequent here turning up roughly one year in three from its woodland home.

Ringing: 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 House Sparrow

Saturday 27th June 2026

 

The hot conditions continue. Migrants include Chiffchaff, Reed & Sedge Warbler. Tad early for autumn Sedge Warbler passage to start but with the disrupted weather anything can happen. Offshore southbound 9 Curlew & 2 Sandwich Tern with northbound 8 Little Tern. Black Red singing on the Fort most of the morning.

First site record of Pale Shoulder which is a rare immigrant to our shores.

Very busy moth night in the hot humid conditions. Third site record of Scarce Black Arches which is an immigrant species was the pick of the bunch.

Ringing: 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Linnet, 1 Sedge Warbler.

Friday 26th June 2026

Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Humid from the outset with only a slight breeze and a slight haze to make it slightly colder. However an interesting morning of observations with a Spoonbill flying north over the observatory and a pair Little Tern flying along the river towards the port. 1 Lapwing was present on the reserve.

Seawatching produced 4 Black-headed Gull and 1 Curlew south. 2 Sandwich Tern and a Mediterranean Gull north. 1 Oystercatcher south and then towards the port. 

Moth trapping: 126 Species of moths caught in our 3 traps last night, once again a warm night, less wind. Today's moth of the day is the Poplar Lutestring despite all the poplar trees here, the moth has only occurred on a handful of occasions, as the name suggests the caterpillar feeds on poplar. There are three races of this moth in the UK. 

 

Poplar Lutestring (Tethea or)

Bird Ringing: 3 Blue Tit, 2 Linnet, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Redstart. 

First summer male caught today in our mist nets, this individual had commenced its post breeding moult, which is unexpected at this location, suggesting could have bred/attempted to breed in the local area and the bird might possibly hang around the area with a reduced flight capability for the duration or part of its moult. Our first autumn record is the 3rd July onwards. Very few pairs nest in Suffolk with the closest confirmed breeding areas being in the heathland around Woodbridge ministry of defence. 

Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

Thursday 25th June 2026

Linnet (Linaria cannabina) a male individual we have ringed. We are one of only 2 sites in the UK to have an active RAS (retrapping adults survival i.e. monitoring adult survival) in the UK due to our good population size.

A sunny but windy morning, with very few passage birds within the compound or out to sea, with 5 Swift overhead early morning and a group of young Chiffchaff that could have moved down into the area from towards Felixstowe town. 

Seawatching: 3 Black-headed gulls were seen flying north and an Oystercatcher south then towards the port. 

Moth trapping: 126 species recorded last night between the three traps, despite strong winds in the morning. Pick of the bunch is a small micro, but our first site record, the Thistle Straw (Aethes cnicana). This moth's caterpillar feeds on, as the name suggests, Thistle or plume thistles (Cirsium) to be precise. There are a few of these plants at this location so good chance it might be staying. 

First site record of the Thistle Straw (Aethes cnicana).

Bird ringing: 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Whitethroat.  

Ringing Recoveries

Blue Tit ringed Trimley Marshes 11th October 2025 obviously bred somewhere near LBO as it turned up here as a family party with its partner & offspring on 19th June 2026.

Chiffchaff ringed Viewswood, East Sussex on 8th April 2023 was recaught 135 km away at LBO on 22nd June 2026. This would have been on spring passage in Sussex three years ago, but difficult to know why it was here at this time of the year unless it has attempted breeding somewhere in this part of the country.

Wednesday 24th June 2026

 

Seem to be getting a turnover of individual Sanderling at the moment as autumn passage is underway. Otherwise visiting juveniles dispersing in search of pastures new included 2 Coal Tit, 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker & Grey Wagtail. Black Red was singing by the museum & the first Sand Martin of the autumn went south.

Second site record of Goat Moth following on from the first one last year.

Ringing: 2 Blue Tit. 2 Coal Tit, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Linnet, 1 Wren.

Tuesday 23rd June 2026

Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), 8 Adults present on the site today and this one chick (shown above) that is now certainly looking adult like, really promising to see this individual get to this stage. 

Starting the day with sporadic showers, then clearing to give a bright sunny morning. 3 Sandwich Tern over east and a Sanderling out on the beach on the reserve. 2 Mediterranean gulls flying around the river mouth. 4 Sanderling on the beach in the evening. 

Seawatching produced 8 Teals south. 3 Common Scoter north. An Oystercatcher south and then flying up the river. 

Moth trapping: 126 species across our 3 traps, a slight increase of recent daily counts, owing to a cloudy night keeping temperatures high.

 Today's moth of the day is the Varied Coronet, a fairly recently colonizing species, since the 1940s, it is classified in the recent Atlas of macro moths in Britain as common, however we haven't seen it in 10 years!, they occur in calcareous grassland and gardens and feed on Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) and Bladder Campion. We are likely seeing dispersal of these more unusual species due to the current good weather for moths on the wing looking for new habitats. 

Varied Coronet  (Hadena compta) - Our first one in 10 years

Bird Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 House Sparrow. 

Monday 22nd June 2026

 

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

A bright and breezy morning with a small number of passage birds within the compound including 2 new Chiffchaff and a Blackcap. Out on the reserve we have our 4 pairs of Ringed Plover with a chick now almost adult sized.

Moth trapping: 92 Species across our 3 Traps. Moth of the day is the Scarce Silver-lines, a first for Landugard, an immaculate looking moth that flies from June to August. Caterpillars feed on Oak and Silver birch - species not present in large numbers at Landguard!. 

Scarce Silver-lines (Bena bicolorana)

 

Bird Ringing: 2 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Linnet, 1 Robin. 

Sunday 21st June 2026

 

Summer solstice at 0924 hrs this morning after which its all downhill - it's being so cheerful that keeps us going. Maybe we need to tap into the Opium Poppies on the reserve !

Very few sightings of Black Redstart recently so 2 together this morning was a bit unexpected as they were both first-summer plumaged males that were having an altercation & are breeding in the adjoining dock area. One a fairly standard "paradoxus" morph with the other a "carii" morph that looked "female-ish" but was a far bigger bird than the other one, with no signs of a brood patch, so must be a male. Males take no part in incubation in this species. Otherwise it's dispersing baby birds including single Great Spotted Woodpecker & Grey Wag.

Moth traps hectic. Celypha rosaceana is today's chosen one as it likes it here down here by the seaside.

Ringing: 2 Black Redstart, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Great Tit, 1 Robin, 1 Wood Pigeon, 1 Wren.

Ringing Recoveries

Chiffchaff ringed LBO 2nd April 2026 retraped Deer Park Croft, nr. Avoch, Highland, Scotland 719 km away on 17th April 2026 will be on spring passage at LBO & possibly on the Black Isle also or near its potential nesting area ?

Blackbird ringed LBO 4th November 2017 with the ring only found with a metal detector 42 km away 11th September 2025 at Heveningham, Suffolk so circumstances of its demise unknown.

Saturday 20th June 2026

 

Baby bird time of the year with dispersing youngsters visiting on their juvenile wanderings. Chiffchaff have never bred here but do so as close as Langer Park. Other youngsters visiting included 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker & a Grey Wag. Going past southbound 4 Curlew & an Oyk in limited observation time. 3 Sanderling were on the beach at high tide pm.

First site record of Portland Ribbon Wave. which is a species first noted in Suffolk only a couple of years ago & may well be contemplating colonisation.

Busy moth traps with several species originating in coniferous woodland turning up that we don't get down here very often including the first Rhyacionia buoliana for nine years & only the third this century.

Ringing: 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Great Tit, 2 Wren, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock.

Friday 19th June 2026

Carrion Crow with chick, right, (Corvus corone) almost as big as the adult. 

A clear day, with little wind, a mix of species present with a Greater Spotted Woodpecker once again visiting.. and fully exploring the reserve right to point on the sea brake!. 1 Reed Warbler also out on the reserve. Essex Skipper have now been seen yesterday afternoon and this morning near the manor road car park. 

Seawatching produced 2 Curlew south, 1 Cormorant west. 

Moth trapping: 104 Species across our 3 traps. Pick of the moths is the Lilac Beauty, formerly an infrequent visitor, it has now more recently become annual, occurring in small numbers. The adult folds its upper wing tips in an interesting way to mimic a leaf (shown in the picture - not seen in many moth species. The caterpillar feeds on honeysuckle (Lonicera) and privet (Ligustrum).  

Lilac Beauty (Apeira syringaria)

Bird Ringing: 7 Blue Tit, 2 House Sparrow, 1 Linnet, 1 Whitethroat.   

Thursday 18th June 2026

Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), all juveniles, with one of individuals we ringed in the cottage box, seen in the middle of the group, coping well with independent living. 

Starting clear but then clouding over and then breaking late morning again, quite humid and not too much wind. 66 Swift south over the reserve early in the morning with a Swallow and House Martin also heading south. Inside the compound a Greater Spotted Woodpecker was seen and heard flying around as well as two Coal Tit. A male Black redstart was once again calling from the fort.

Seawatching produced: 22 Black- headed gull and 11 Curlew, 4 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Tern, all south.  

Moth trapping: 107 Species across our moth traps, owing to the calm and warm night. Today's moth of the day is the Pine Hawk-moth - an occasional visitor to our site considering it lives less than 1km away as the crow flies at the Customs House on pine trees, adults feed on Honeysuckle.      

Pine Hawk moth (Sphinx pinastri)

Bird ringing: 4 Blue Tit, 2 Blackcap, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Linnet, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Robin.  

Wednesday 17th June 2026

 

Curlew passage picking up with at least 26 south. Also southbound 11 Swift, 2 Common Scoter & 2 Tufted Duck. 2 Lapwing were on the reserve plus 2 Chiffchaff & 2 Reed Warbler in the bushes. The first dispersing juvenile Blackcap of the summer turned up plus a well developed young Whitethroat which may have wandered down from the Butts. A Coal Tit was at the north end.

First site record of what looks like Elachista triatomella was nearly overlooked. Obsidentify misidentified it (but this may be due to the poor quality photo taken on an antique mobile) & thought it looked like a similar Elachista that we get here so just as well a better photo was taken with the camera so it could be re-identified.

We have very few records of Ingrailed Clay so good to get the first one for nine years of this declining species.

Ringing: 2 Linnet, 1 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Great Tit, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Ringed Plover (pulli), 1 Whitethroat.

Tuesday 16th June 2026

 

4 Coal Tit (Periparus ater) ringed today is on par with the sites ringed record set on 20/09/1996, with 6 ringed this year it appears to be a good year for them, alongside other Tits. 

A weird morning with a random shower at half 4 in the morning producing a double rainbow seen across Felixstowe, followed by a group of 7 Swift moving south. Late morning becoming warm with a nice sea breeze. All quiet within the compound except for a Coal Tit and a Whitethroat. Mostly quiet on the reserve, with our Ringed Plover chick still surviving.

Seawatching produced a Curlew south and a Mediterranean Gull north. Evening: 2 Sandwich Tern east, 2 Kittiwake and 2 Black-headed Gull and an Oystercatcher south.  

 

Moth Trapping: 72 Species across our 3 traps last night owing to the warm and overcast night and less wind. Moth of the day is the L-album Wainscot, a moth first recorded in Suffolk at Landguard in 2000. This moth is now well established in Suffolk, with plenty of coastline grass species for the larvae to feed on. 

L-album Wainscot (Mythimna l-album)

Bird Ringing: 4 Coal Tit, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 1 Linnet.

Monday 15th June 2026

A Juvenile Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris), 7th site record with 5 of the previous from 16th to 22nd June. 

A clear morning, later becoming hazy and then drizzly with slight N wind. A few more young birds around including a group of Lesser Whitethroat. At least one coal tit calling within the compound. Out on the reserve the Ring Plovers have one chick still and 2 families of Cetti's Warblers. Seawatching produced an Oystercatcher towards the port and a Curlew South.  

Moth trapping: 76 Species across our three traps.  Moth of the day, although not caught in any of our moth traps, has to be the Hornet Moth that looks to have just emerged underneath one of our Black Poplar trees. The Hornet Moth larvae overwinter for 1 or 2 winters and then as a fully grown larvae in cocoons made of silk for the second or third winters, emerging then as an adult. The Larvae bore into the trunk of Poplar trees and are believed to be at least contributing to a large dieback of Poplar trees across Europe. 

Hornet Moth (Sesia apiformis)

Bird Ringing: 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Great Tit, 1 Linnet, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Robin.     

Sunday 14th June 2026

 

A juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker is a tad early as they don't normally start wandering & turning up until the later third of the month (we only have two earlier June sightings than today's individual on record). Migrants were 2 Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Reed Warbler. Otherwise it's what lives here.

Bordered Sallow lives on Restharrow so does well with us on the coast. Also worth a mention is the second Obscure Wainscot of the year having waited 30 years since the only previous one. This years previous is on the blog for 29th May.

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

Saturday 13th June 2026

 

Pyramidal Orchids in the Butts Pond enclosure.

Breezy morning. Migrants were 2 Blackcaps & a Reed Warbler singing plus a single Lapwing. The first juvenile Chiffchaff of the year will have wandered down here from a location nearby (Langer Park?) as they have never bred on site. The pair of Crows have three young out which are totally dependent on mum & dad but will have to learn to forage for themselves pretty soon.

Two Spurge Hawk-moth are almost certainly bred on site rather than immigrants.

Ringing: 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Great Tit, 1 Wren.

Friday 12th June 2026

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

A cloudy morning with a moderate breeze from the W. 14 Swift flying south low over the observatory early morning and 3 Swallow also south. Inside the compound 2 Collared Dove, a young Coal Tit that visited our nets eventually and a Blackcap singing. 3 young Crows seen in our on site nest. Out on the reserve the Ringed Plover have one chick remaining and one nest appears to have been abandoned, 6 Adults total. 

Seawatching produced: 7 Black-headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull and a Curlew, all south. 2 Cormorant and a Gannet north. 

Moth trapping: 33 moth species across our 3 traps. Today's moth of the day is the Archer's Dart, a moth that regularly occurs along the Suffolk coast and in the Brecks. This moth can be abundant at this location as the summer progresses with adults on the wing from now till september as a single generation. The larvae feed on Ragwort and Heathers.  

Archer's Dart (Agrotis vestigialis)

Bird ringing: 3 Blue Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Robin, 1 House Sparrow.  

Thursday 11th June 2026

Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) sitting next to some Narrow-leaved Ragwort, which is an invasive weed from South Africa. 

Starting sunny but later clouding over and raining for the rest of today. Few additions to the compound with 2 Blackcaps arriving new. Lesser Whitethroat and Whitethroat present also and the Ring Plover were still present on the reserve with a chick. 

Seawatching produced a small number of movements with 5 Black-headed gulls flying south and 2 east. 1 Cormorant was also seen flying south. 

Moth trapping: A colder night, so once again a smaller catch with 21 species present across our 3 traps. Todays moth of the day is the Heart and Club, a moth now classified as nationally common with the moth preferring sand dune habitat in the south east. Once not recorded here in the previous century, it is now a regular visitor to our traps in summer. 

Heart and Club (Agrotis clavis).

Bird ringing: 3 Linnet,  3 Blue Tit, 2 Blackcap, 2 Dunnock, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 House Sparrow.