Wednesday 2nd September 2026

 

Southbound 382 Swallow, 41 House Martin, 2 Swift, Little Egret, Sand Martin & Whimbrel. Migrants on site include 6 Wheatear, 6 Willow Warbler, 5 Whitethroat, 4 Lesser 'throat, 2 Reed Warbler, Mipit, Pied Fly & Whinchat. Regular trickle of new Robins in recent days as youngsters get kicked out by their parents to find their own way in the world. Yet another Great Spot visited & a Black Red was noted.

With only a couple of records in the past 12 years good to get a Tawny Speckled Pug although prior to that it turned up a bit more often. It is on the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened. Yet another declining species !

Ringing: 4 Robin, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Reed Warbler.

Tuesday 1st September 2026

Linnets (Linaria cannabina) warming up on the fort roof early morning.

A sunny bright morning with wind dropping late morning. Inside the compound a good mix of migrants with a Garden Warbler, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail and a Tree Pipit over early morning. On the reserve: Pied Flycatcher, 23 Pied Wagtail, 6 Wheatear and a Redstart near the Butts. Lesser Emperor dragonfly seen near the mine station compound. 

Seawatching: South: 11 Golden Plover, 3 Teal, 1 Whimbrel and a Little Egret. Towards the port: A Mediterranean Gull. Feeding offshore: 5 Black-headed Gull 3 Sandwich Tern.

Hirundine migration: 636 Swallow, 10 Sand Martin, 1 House Martin.  

Moth trapping: 59 moth species recorded between our 3 traps this morning. Todays pick of the bunch is Agriphila latistria. Every year at this time, a handful of Agriphila latistria turn up in our traps.  

Agriphila latistria. 
 

Bird ringing: 6 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 3 Robin, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Swallow, 1 Whitethroat.   

August 2026 Ringing Total

Female Juvenile Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus).

175 bird ringed of 30 Species in August is our worst ringing total for August on record since 1983, with 2024 being closest with 194 birds ringed. The numbers of each species are surprisingly similar with 2024 matching 67 Willow Warblers ringed and slightly more Robins (19 in 2024), but fewer Blackbirds than 2024 with just 2 compared to 14... likely linked to the Usutu virus and extreme drought. Interesting from a weather sense as 2024 was not particularly an extreme year for drought with no amber or red warnings issued. 

On the positive side after tallying our Great Spotted Woodpeckers, the number of Juveniles dispersing is the highest on record for our yearly ringed total. 

Willow Warbler	67
Robin	21
Linnet	14
Reed Warbler	10
Lesser Whitethroat	7
Whitethroat	6
Pied Flycatcher	5
Redstart	4
Great Spotted Woodpecker	4
Blackcap	3
Blue Tit	3
Grey Wagtail	3
House Sparrow	3
Woodpigeon	3
Black Redstart	2
Blackbird	2
Dunnock	2
Garden Warbler	2
Sedge Warbler	2
Sparrowhawk	2
Chiffchaff	1
Great Tit	1
Green Woodpecker	1
Goldfinch	1
Meadow Pipit	1
Nightingale	1
Song Thrush	1
Starling	1
Wren	1
Wheatear	1
Total	175

 

Monday 31st August 2026

Wet overnight but bright and breezy all morning dodging all showers. Inside the compound 2 Grey Wagtail. Out on the reserve: 9 Wheatear, a male Redstart and a Tree Pipit. 2 Turnstone out on the beach. Raptors: 1 male Kestrel, 1 Peregrine and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Seawatching produced: South: 25 Redshank, 4 Teal, 4 Turnstone, 3 Black-headed Gull, 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 Shelduck, 2 Mallard, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Marsh Harrier. Feeding offshore: 8 Black-headed Gull and 4 Great Black-backed Gull.      

Hirundine migration included some 542 Swallows, 39 House Martin, 1 Swift all south.     

Moth trapping: 31 moth species recorded between our 3 moth traps this morning. Moth of the morning is Eucosma tripoliana, it is a variable species living on Salt-Marsh, the moth wanders down here late August and September.  

(Eucosma tripoliana) 

Bird ringing: 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Robin, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler.  

Sunday 30th August 2026

Southbound 62 Swallow, 11 Turnstone, 9 Teal, 3 Oyk, 2 Sand Martin, Gannet & Great Crested Grebe. Grounded migrants include 15 Wheatear, 15 Willow Warbler, 7 Whitethroat, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Redstart, Whinchat & the first Spotted Fly of the autumn. Another Great Spotted Woodpecker visited.

Hedge Rustic rarely visits. It's now on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable.

Ringing: 7 Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Wheatear.

Saturday 29th August 2026

WFY and WFZ are the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) youngsters from the museum roof that fledged 12 days ago and are doing fine so far. 

A mostly dull morning with moderate wind. 40 Willow Warbler passing through before rain setting in and 3 Redstart. 8 Wheatear and 14 Pied Wagtail and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, out on the reserve. A Turnstone out on the beach.  

Seawatching produced: south: 20 Teal, 4 Dunlin, 4 Shelduck, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Cormorant, 2 Sandwich Tern, a Cattle Egret, a Grey Plover, a Little Egret and a Mediterranean Gull . North: 5 Sandwich Tern, a Common Tern and a Gannet. Feeding offshore: 14 Black-headed Gull, 9 Sandwich Tern, a Common Gull and a Guillemot.   

Hirundine movement included 222 Swallow and 6 Sand Martin. 

Moth trapping: 36 Moth species recorded between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning is the Antler Moth. A moth very occasionally seen here.  

Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis).

Bird ringing: 26 Willow Warbler, 2 Redstart, 1 Chiffchaff. 

Friday 28th August 2026

Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis).

A sunny morning with wind changing to WSW. A lot of visible hirundines migration. Inside the compound a Garden Warbler, Redstart, a Pied Flycatcher and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. A Reed Warbler inside the compound and one on Iccy ridge. Out on the reserve a Whinchat, a Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatear, 16 Pied Wagtail. A Turnstone on the Jetty.       

Seawatching produced: South: 11 Shelduck, 2 Sandwich Tern, a Cormorant, a Greenshank and a Redshank. North: 1 Cormorant. 

Hirundine migration included some 800 Swallow, 12 House Martin and 10 Sand Martin flying South throughout the morning.  

Moth trapping: 55 moth species recorded this morning between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning is the European Corn-borer, individuals we get here could be immigrants or from resident populations.

European Corn-borer (Ostrinia nubilalis).  

Bird ringing: 3 Robin, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 1 Reed Warbler and 1 Sedge Warbler.  

 Lunar eclipse this morning with the Earth's shadow crossing the moon.