Tuesday 14th July 2026

Starting cloudy but then clearing late morning. Another brief visit from a Greater Spotted Woodpecker mid morning within the compound. Stinking Goosefoot is now out on the reserve. 

Seawatching produced 2 Sandwich Tern, 2 Black-headed Gull and Whimbrel south. Northbound: 3 Sandwich Tern only. Hirundine movement consisted of 9 Swift north only. 

Moth trapping: 89 moth species identified in our 3 traps last night - a slight increase from the previous night with it being warmer and less windy around the traps. Pick of the bunch will be the second site record of Monochroa lucidella, with the previous one 23 years ago. This moth is a specialist of wetlands and coastal habitat and has fewer than 100 records annually in Suffolk - Suffolk Moths. 

Monochroa lucidella.

Bird ringing: 3 Whitethroat, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Linnet, 1 Blackbird, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Robin.   

Our first dispersing juvenile Reed Warbler of the year today, with its post Juvenile moult coming through. 

Monday 13th July 2026

An overcast and windy morning. A Peregrin over the reserve mid morning and also 3 Greenfinch within the compound. A dull Back Redstart continues to call from the fort. 

Seawatching produced 18 Common Scoter, 10 Gannet, 8 Sandwich Tern, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Common Gull, a Curlew, a Little Tern and an Oystercatcher North. South: 10 Teal. 7 Common Scoter on the sea and 6 Black-headed Gull West. 

Moth trapping: 43 Species between our 3 traps last night - quiet due to the wind and cooler night. Moth of the morning is the Oak Eggar with its impressive size and colour. The moth earns its oak title from the shape of its cocoon, mimicking an acorn despite nor the caterpillar or adult feeding on oak trees. The larvae feed on shrubs including heather. 

Oak Eggar (Lasiocampa quercusare) impressive beasts.

Bird ringing: 4 House Sparrow, 2 Herring Gull, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 1 Linnet.  

Sunday 12th July 2026

Bright n' breezy. With the wind coming off the North Sea it should be chilly but the sea temperatures are several degrees higher than they should be for the time of the year so it feels more like a sirocco wind. Of note 4 Black-tailed Godwit flying north which is a species we failed to record in 2025 despite them being one of the commoner waders on the estuaries behind us. Also worth a mention southbound 20 Teal & northbound 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Scoter & 2 Gannet. Yet another Great Spotted Woodpecker visited suggesting that they have had a decent breeding season locally. Black Red singing on the Fort early morning with it, or another one, on the reserve later.

Athrips mouffatella has only been recorded here on a handful of previous occasions but, living on Honeysuckle, it has no reason to come here.

Ringing: 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Whitethroat.

Saturday 11 July 2026

Starting clear but then turning overcast, giving a nice break from the unrelenting heat for the first day of the countys hose pipe ban. A Juvenile Sedge Warbler ringed 6 days ago here was recaught here today, showing this individual using the site to fatten up. A Greenfinch was seen in the compound and 2 Lesser Whitethroats were heard across the the reserve. 

Seawatching produced 25 Common Scoter, 11 Sandwich Tern, 4 Little Tern, 1 Gannet, 1 Kittiwake and 1 Curlew north. 10 Black-headed Gull and 3 Common Scoter south. 7 Sandwich Tern, 4 Little Tern and a Common Tern feeding on the shorelines. 9 Cormorant flying towards the port and then turned around and heading back out to sea. 

Moth trapping: A quiet morning owing to the strong wind last night. 88 moth species recorded by our 3 moth traps. Pick of the bunch today is the Lamoria zelleri (Sandhill Double-spot), a nationally scarce species on coastal mosses that we have an established population of. 

Lamoria zelleri (Sandhill Double-spot)

Bird ringing: 4 Linnet, 2 Great Tit, 2 House Sparrow, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Starling.  

Friday 10th July

Common Blue (Mythimna straminea).

Warm with a slight SSE breeze. A Black Redstart calling from the fort and an early morning visit from a Greater Spotted Woodpecker. A Lapwing also flew over the reserve first thing. 

Seawatching produced a handful of movements: including 22 Common Scoter, 5 Black-headed Gull, and 2 Sandwich Tern north. South: 4 Oystercatcher and 3 Sandwich Tern. 

Hirundine movement was small with 4 Swift North and 3 South, 2 Swallow North. 

 A mix of insects in flight with Emperor, Southern Hawker and Migrant Hawker dragonflies and butterflies including Brown Argus, Common Blue (pictured above), small white, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Large and Small White, Small Copper and Holly Blue. 

Moth Trapping: 97 species last night caught in our 3 moth traps. Pick of the day is the Southern Wainscot, another species wandering in the heat, from its usual reed bed home. 

Southern Wainscot (Mythimna straminea).

Bird Ringing: 4 House Sparrow, 3 Linnet, 2 Dunnock, 1 Blackbird, 1 Starling. 

Thursday 9th July 2026

 

Jersey Tiger moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria).

Once again warm and sunny with little breeze to start off with. A Peregrine Falcon was calling from near the port and then circled over the observatory. 7 Ringed Plover out on the reserve with our most recently fledged chicks having not been seen for multiple days so likely predated. A Black Redstart appeared in the observatory feeding on spiders, prompting me to keep a few nets open, sure enough it did indeed make a second visit to the ringing room however this time getting a ring!.11 Sandwich Tern were seen feeding near to the beach.     

Seawatching produced 26 Black-headed Gull, 6 Mediterranean Gull, 5 Sand Martin, 3 Curlew and an Oystercatcher, all south. No movement north. 

Moth trapping: 90 species present across our 3 traps last night. Todays pick of the bunch is the Jersey Tiger moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria) - pictured at the top of the page. The moth was first recorded here seven years ago, the moth is now ubiquitous in the Felixstowe area.  

Bird ringing: 3 Linnet,1 Black Redstart, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Woodpigeon. 

Juvenile Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros).

Wednesday 8th July 2026

 Another hot one. Basically baby birds & dispersing juveniles including 3 Song Thrush & Great Spotted Woodpecker. 3 Swallow flew south & the regular Black Red singing on the Fort.

Lots of species wandering in the heat including the nationally scarce Reed Dagger, a species we have less than ten previous records off.

Ringing: 3 Linnet, 3 Song Thrush, 2 House Sparrow, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 1 great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Robin, 1 Wren.