Tuesday 8th September 2026

Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) chasing each other in the late evening sunshine.   

A wet morning, continuing to late evening before clearing up. The rain set in from around 5am with sightings from the observatory peaking on an Arctic Skua chasing Sandwich Terns offshore and 2 Grey-headed Yellow Wagtails feeding on the nature reserve, 1 Wheatear also observed within the conservation cordons. Hirundine migration hit hard with only 5 Swallow South. 

Seawatching produced: South: 28 Teal, 14 Greater Black-backed Gulls, 9 Common Tern, 7 Sandwich Tern, 3 Cormorant, 3 Shelduck, 3 Shoveler, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Grey Plover. Feeding offshore: 7 Sandwich Tern and an Arctic Skua. 

Moth trapping: 37 species between our 3 traps last night. Moth of the morning, the Scarce Bordered Straw is an immigrant species that turns up in variable numbers one year to the next.

 Scarce Bordered Straw (Helicoverpa armigera).

Bird ringing: na 

Monday 7th September 2026

Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) seen on the left, Dunlin (Calidris alpina) on the right. 

A warm and bright morning with most notable migration coming in the form of Hirundines: some 821 Swallows, 22 House Martin and 6 Sand Martin. Over the compound 6 Grey Wagtail and a Chiffchaff singing in front of the observatory. 2 Wheatear out on the nature reserve, a Tree Sparrow out on the Butts and along the beach early morning: a Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover and 2 Sanderling.  

Seawatching produced: South: 53 Cormorant, 6 Teal, 3 Oystercatcher, 3 Wigeon, 2 Shelduck.  North: 14 Sandwich Tern. Towards the port: an Oystercatcher. Feeding offshore: 3 Sandwich Tern, a Common Tern, a Great Black-backed Gull.

Moth trapping: 57 moth species between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning, Small Brindled Tortrix is a nationally scarce species on poplars still appearing this late in its flight period.  

Small Brindled Tortrix (Gypsonoma minutana) 

Bird ringing: 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Robin, 1 Whitethroat.

Sunday 6th September 2026

 

Hard work. Southbound 28 Swallow, 7 Shelduck, 7 Wigeon, 5 Oyk & Teal plus a Gannet north. On site more birds appeared to have left us than arrived with meagre offerings including 5 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser 'throat & 2 Wheatear. Good to see a couple of juvenile Common Tern with adults off the point. Yet another Great Spot turned up - they must have had a bumper breeding season judging by the newbies turning up.

Good to get a Clifden Nonpareil which have been turning up in recent years. The one's here are possibly primary immigrants as opposed to the recent colonists.

Ringing: 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Willow Warbler.

Saturday 5th September 2026

Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra).

A sunny and bright morning but a slightly chilly wind from the W. Quiet within the compound. 211 Swallow south over the nature reserve, 4 Meadow Pipit and a Grey Wagtail. Out on the reserve: a Whinchat, 5 Wheatear, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 17 Pied Wagtail. 3 Ringed Plover on the beach. A Clouded Yellow butterfly also seen near the cottage. 

Seawatching produced: South: 3 Common Scoter, an Oystercatcher. Feeding offshore: 8 Black-headed Gull, 2 Sandwich Tern, a Common Gull and a Common Tern. 

Moth trapping: 27 moths between our 3 Traps. Pick of the bunch is the Old Lady, it wanders into the buildings in the Autumn. 

Old Lady moth (Mormo maura). 

Bird ringing: 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Robin, 1 Sedge Warbler.  

Friday 4th September 2026

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba).

Windy from the get-go with rain forecast late morning producing a quick downpour after 8am. Quiet within the compound with a Garden Warbler mist netted. Hirundine migration slowing with 182 Swallows and 4 House Martin, viewed flying south. Out on the reserve 3 Wheatear. A Peregrine flying along the shore line and a Kestrel.

Seawatching produced: South: 6 Teal, 3 Oystercatcher, an Arctic Skua, a Cormorant, a Common Scoter, a Curlew, a Sandwich Tern, a Whimbrel and a Wigeon. North: 4 Common Scoter. Feeding offshore: 6 Black-headed Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull. 

Moth trapping: 38 moth species recorded between our 3 traps. Straw Underwing is appearing in double figures most mornings recently. 

Straw Underwing (Thalpophila matura).

Bird ringing: 1 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler,  1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler.    

Thursday 3rd September 2026

One of our juvenile Carrion Crows (Corvus corone) reared on site developing well.

A cloudy morning with wind building over the duration of the morning. Migration slow, with around 115 Swallow passing through south. A small mix of warblers within the compound represented by the ringing totals. 5 Wheatear out on the reserve and some 16 Pied Wagtail.  

Seawatching produced: South: 3 Oystercatcher. North: 8 Sandwich Tern, a Common Scoter. Feeding offshore: 15 Black-headed Gull, 8 Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Sandwich Tern, 2 Juvenile Common Tern and a Common Gull

Moth trapping: 41 Species between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning is our second Passenger this Autumn, it is an immigrant species that looks set to colonise over time - with one of the caterpillar food plants being bramble - it will certainly do well at Landguard!. 

Passenger (Dysgonia algira).

Bird ringing: 4 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Robin, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler. 

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.