Wednesday 15th November 2017

Cormorant numbers heading out to sea are steadily increasing with 2,527 heading out this morning. They normally go out fairly early on but didn't go out until 0840 hrs which may be due to a combination of the murky conditions plus the tide time. Milder temperatures stimulated some vis mig with southbound 50 Chaffinch, 45 Goldfinch, 32 Siskin, 21 Starling, 8 Mipits, 5 Linnet & 2 Skylark. Slightly more migrants grounded on site with 25 Mipit plus a small handful of thrushes & finches including 2 Mistle Thrush that dropped in briefly. Offshore movements almost non-existent although 2 Eider went south before taking a right hand turn up the river and a Bonxie put in a brief appearance amongst the 4,000+ seagulls following the shipping.

"When I was a lad" White Point was listed in the literature of the time as a migrant. These days it obviously lives here but why it is still appearing this late in the year is open to conjecture.

9 birds ringed: 3 Redwing, 2 Blackbird, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Wood Pigeon, 1 Goldcrest.

Tuesday 14th November 2017

Turnstone on the point.

Early showers grounded migrating thrushes before dawn, which quickly dispersed once the damp weather lifted. Offshore a little Auk went North, a Pomarine Skua went South and eight Goosander went through. Noted on the reserve, 30 Blackbird, 14 Redwing, 8 Fieldfare, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Snipe, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Stonechat & 1 Turnstone. Offshore, 2,500 Herring Gull, 250 Greater Black-backed Gull, 20 Black-headed Gull & 8 Gannet.

Going North, 18 Common Scoter, 2 Brent Goose, 1 Guillemot, 1 Little Auk, 1 Shag & 1 Teal. Going out to sea East, 2393 Cormorant. Going South, 71 Dunlin, 42 Starling, 24 Brent Goose, 24 Common Scoter, 13 Meadow Pipit, 9 Knot, 9 Siskin, 8 Goldfinch, 6 Song Thrush, 5 Goosander, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Red-breast Merganser, 4 Skylark, 3 Teal, 2 Pintail, 1 Pomarine Skua, 1 Shelduck & 1 Turnstone. Coming in off the sea going West, 19 Blackbird, 4 Starling, 3 Goosander & 1 Lapwing.

27 birds ringed: Blackbird 18, Redwing 6, Chaffinch 1, Fieldfare 1, Linnet 1.

Monday 13th November 2017

Common Redpoll at Landguard this morning.

A clear but Northwest breeze this morning, the Cormorant count going out to sea was over 2,000, a  Common Redpoll was the first for Landguard of the autumn and there was also a November Blackcap.
Noted on the reserve, 40 Starling, 35 Blackbird, 12 Robin, 7 Redwing, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Snipe, 1 Blackcap, 1 Brambling, 1 Common Redpoll, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Great Skua, 1 Skylark, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Turnstone & 1 Woodcock.
Movement recorded, going North, 5 Brent Goose, 2 Mute Swan & 1 Mistle Thrush. Going out to sea East, 2290 Cormorant. Going South, 10 Common Scoter, 3 Brent Goose, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Skylark, 1 Gadwall, 1 Gannet, 1 Mallard & 1 Ringed Plover. Coming in off the sea going West, 4 Shelduck.

19 birds ringed: Blackbird 15, Blackcap 1, House Sparrow 1, Lesser Redpoll, Mealy/Common Redpoll 1.

Sunday 12th November 2017

Starting to look & feel like winter - just note the state of the blackberries the few remaining Linnets on site are taking the seeds from. Some vis mig this morning in the shape of southbound 113 Goldfinch, 35 Siskin, 23 Chaffinch, 11 Starling, 7 Mipits, 4 Linnet & a Skylark. Grounded migrants almost non-existent but did include a small handful of winter thrushes and both Snipe & Woodcock. Offshore grim but a solitary Shag did come round the point and up river.

5 birds ringed: 3 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Goldfinch.

Suffolk BINS

Several people have asked me about what has happened to the Suffolk Bins website on line. Please note that you need to delete the shortcut that you may have on your computer and try:

http://suffolkbirding.webs.com

Saturday 11th November 2017

Are the Greylag Geese coming in off the sea and heading inland genuine "wild" birds or just part of the "feral" populations - one will never Know?

Light showers to start the day, brightening up after dawn. A quieter day on the reserve, 12 Robin, 9 Chaffinch, 7 Linnet, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Woodcock, 1 Brambling, 1 Caspian Gull, 1 Chiffchaff (Tristis), 1 Fieldfare & 1 Goldcrest. 

Going North, 1 Brent Goose, going out to sea East, 1914 Cormorant. Going South, 16 Goldfinch, 15 Meadow Pipit, 4 Siskin, 1 Common Gull & 1 Little Egret. Coming in off the sea going West, 21 Greylag Goose.

9 birds ringed: Blackbird 3, Dunnock 2, Meadow Pipit 2, Redwing 1, Song Thrush 1.

Friday 10th November 2017

 Stonechat in the Butts pond area.

A milder morning with an increasing Westerly wind, noted on the reserve, 45 Starling, 8 Linnet, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat, 1 Brambling, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Great Skua, 1 Redwing, 1 Snipe, 1 Snow Bunting & 1 Sparrowhawk. Offshore 12 Gannet & 5 Common Scoter.
Going out to sea East, 1257 Cormorant. Going South, 301 Goldfinch, 52 Chaffinch, 28 Linnet, 21 Starling, 10 Brent Goose, 6 Dunlin, 6 Greenfinch, 6 Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Teal, 2 Reed Bunting & 1 Brambling. Coming in off the sea going West, 5 Siskin, 5 Starling & 1 Mute Swan. Going North, 2 Common Scoter.

Over the years, as a result of climate change, several species are making an appearance at times of the year when traditionally we would not see them. This includes Double-striped Pug which now has three periods of emergence during the year.

7 birds ringed: Singles of Blackbird, Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, Meadow Pipit, Redwing, Starling, Wren.