May Litter Pick

Litter pick this Saturday folks 0930hrs start as per usual - further details on http://www.lbo.org.uk/

Wednesday 11th May 2011

A colour-ringed albino Herring Gull stood out from the crowd of gulls & terns by the jetty early onish. A mixed bag of birds noted today including 2 Jays, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Spot Fly and a new Chaffinch & Long-tailed Tit (failed breeder going walkabout ?). On the move going south 72 Swallows, 3 Sand Martin, 1 House Martin, 3 Crossbills, 2 Gadwal, Jackdaw & Rook; going north 2 Swifts & an Arctic Tern plus 2 Whimbrel north 1 south. On the reserve a Wheatear with in the "flava" wagtail department yesterdays bird that has been identified as every race possible by different individuals, 2 Yellows and a claim of a female Blue-headed just to complicate things further. A couple more Orange Tips noted so here's hoping the species might recolonise this year having been absent for the previous five. Also of note were a couple of courting Slow Worms.

Tuesday 10th May 2011

Another lovely warm day with hardly any wind, coming from a southerly direction; the skies had very little cloud early morning before becoming completely clear. Migrants moving through were 3 Shelduck, 1 Knot, 1 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel, 4 Common Tern, 28 Swallow, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Goldfinch and 35 Crossbill. Out on the reserve 1 Wheatear was present. There were 2 Yellow Wagtail seen feeding mid morning on the reserve alongside a very interesting 3rd Yellow Wagtail; this partcular bird maybe the race Motacilla flava cinereocapilla, the italian race of Yellow Wagtail. If it this it maybe the 1st record for Britain! A Spotted Flycatcher (the 2nd record for the year) was found feeding behind the Bird Observatory kitchen. The first record of Reed Warbler for the year was found within the Bird Observatory compound. Birds ringed were 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Linnet, 1 Robin (the first young Robin of the year) and 1 Greenfinch. Butterflies present included our first record of Common Blue, Brimstone and Small Heath for the year. Other species seen were Green Hairstreak, Small Copper and Large White. A Muntjac was sighted as was a Grass Snake.

Monday May 9th 2011

A fairly nice sunny day with a very light southerly wind and some cloud cover. More passage of Swallows today with 126 migrating south; also heading south were 2 Avocet, 1 Curlew, 1 Sanderling, 1 Oystercatcher and 2 Common Tern. 1 Wheatear was found out on the reserve. Warblers present were 6 Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Chiffchaff. Only 6 birds ringed today; 1 female Common Redstart, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 female Common Whitethroat, 1 male Chaffinch, 1 Woodpigeon and a very young Blackbird. Butterflies found included Green Hairstreak, Holly Blue and Small Copper. A Four-spot Chaser was recorded. In the moth traps a White-speck is very notable for this time of the year. Also good for us is a Waved Umber.

Sunday May 8th 2010

This morning brought us a small arrival of new Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs plus a new Robin & Willow Warbler. Vis mig also more interesting today than it has been for days with 122 Swallows, 7 House Martins, 2 Sand Martins, 3 Swifts, 62 Goldfinchs & 4 Yellow Wags south. Offshore 24 Little Terns, 4 Barnacle Geese & a solitary Eider. On the reserve a Skylark but a nil return for Wheatear on the walk round. Amongst the butterflies an Orange Tip is good for us and an Orange Footman in the moth traps was the first of its kind to turn up here for several years. Late pm update - the first Spot Fly of the year turned up late morning & a Muntjac put in an appearance. Off the point on the turning tide in the afternoon a fine mixed group of 22 Little Terns, 18 Common Terns, 80 Black-headed & 2 Common Gulls feeding.

Saturday May 7th 2011

The weather early morning consisted of a slightly gentle south-easterly wind with complete cloud cover. Later in the morning there was a few spots of rain but nothing serious. It was extremely quiet yet again today! The first Swift of the year went south as did a Cormorant, 15 Swallow and a Goldfinch. A Sandwich Tern was seen heading north and 3 Common Tern were also on the move. Only 1 Wheatear was recorded out on the reserve. Only 2 birds ringed today; 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Woodpigeon. A Slow Worm was seen on a path whilst undertaking the morning bird ringing.

PHOTO COMPETITION

For those of you out there of the photographic persuasion you might want to take a look at the competition currently being run by the Landguard Partnership. If you go to the bottom of the home page on the LBO web site a link to the partnership web site will give you further details,