Monday 12th October 2026

Brent Geese (Branta bernicla) near and far. 7016 our final day count migrating south. 

A sunny morning, clouding over later with some evening drizzle. SSE wind throughout. 1 Brambling inside the compound and a Chiffchaff. The main event of today was the significant movement of Brent Geese, some 7016 over the course of the day until dusk, picking up with 1500 piling through in 35 minutes just after 2pm!. 

Overhead migration: 34 Skylark, 17 Siskin, 14 Meadow Pipit, 5 Goldfinch, 1 Swallow and a Whimbrel south over the nature reserve. 40 Chaffinch in off the sea. 

Seawatching:

South: 7016 Brent Goose, 580 Wigeon, 39 Common Scoter, 26 Pintail, 16 Cormorant, 8 Shoveler, 7 Black-headed Gull, 5 Common Gull, 4 Dunlin, 4 Grey Plover, 3 Golden Plover, 3 Knot, 2 Curlew, 2 Gannet, 2 Red-throated Diver, 1 Cory's Shearwater (15:02), 1 Goldeneye, 1 Mallard, 1 Sabine's Gull (13:45), 1 Shelduck and a Tufted Duck.    

North: 23 Gannet, 6 Common Scoter, 4 Red-throated Diver, 2 Cormorant, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Shelduck and a Sooty Shearwater (15:05).

Feeding offshore: 14 Great Black-backed Gull and 4 Mediterranean Gull.  

Moth trapping: 21 moth species present between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning falls to the Plumed Fan-foot, which first turned up here six years and now occurs in small numbers. 

Plumed Fan-foot (Pechipogo plumigeralis).

Bird ringing: 2 Blackbird, 2 Blackcap, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Redwing.  

 

Sunday 11th October 2026

 

Mediterranean Stick Insect Bacillus rossius was first noted here five years ago and, despite the fact we don't see them very often due to their nocturnal habits, they have undoubtedly colonised. Being parthenogenetic they can rapidly increase in numbers if conditions allow. A couple incarcerated when they were first found are now in plague proportions in their confined spacious terrarium.

Glorious sunny, if windy, morning allowed for some vis mig with southbound 236 Goldfinch, 136 Mipit, 119 Linnet, 27 Swallow, 15 Chaffinch, 12 Skylark, 6 Siskin, 4 Rook, 3 Woodlark, 2 Jackdaw, Heron, House Martin, Redwing & Rock Pipit. Offshore movements pathetic although a Bonxie going north are now very scarce in recent years. Onsite migrant include a couple of Chiffchaff, Blackcap plus a different Ring Ouzel to the one two days ago.

Ringing: 2 Blackcap, 2 Wood Pigeon, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Chiffchaff.

Saturday 10th October 2026

 A clear morning with strong W wind. Quiet within the compound for warblers, with 4 Chiffchaff and single Blackcap, however our first Redpoll of the autumn ringed. Out on the nature reserve: A Black Redstart, a Woodlark near the cottage and a Turnstone on the beach. 

Overhead migration: 67 Goldfinch, 64 Meadow Pipit, 37 Swallow, 14 Skylark, 7 House Martin, 2 Reed Bunting and a Rock Pipit all south. 

Seawatching: 

South: 5 Common Gull, 4 Black-headed Gull, 3 Shelduck, 2 Little Egret, 2 Wigeon, 1 Brent Goose, 1 Common Scoter and an Oystercatcher. 

North: 2 Gannet. 

Feeding offshore: 11 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Sandwich Tern.

Moth trapping: 16 species between our 3 traps. Satellite is a regular Autumnal visitor to the traps in low numbers. 

Satellite (Eupsilia transversa).

Bird ringing: 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Redpoll, 1 Wren. 

Friday 9th October 2026

Spot the Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus).

A threat of showers all morning but not realised with strong winds from the WSW. A juvenile male Barn Owl was caught in the Heligoland trap just at the start of twilight, having been seen out on the reserve last night. A Ring Ouzel was later discovered behind the kitchen (however remaining very skulky). 1 Swallow seen flying south. Out on the reserve 6 Ringed Plover and a Dunlin on the beach.   

Seawatching:   

South: 238 Brent Goose, 223 Wigeon, 31 Teal, 27 Common Scoter, 20 Dunlin, 20 Pintail, 9 Knot, 6 Shelduck, 6 Turnstone, 5 Cormorant, 5 Grey Plover, 4 Common Gull, 3 Gannet, 2 Red-throated Diver, 1 Common Tern, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Sanderling and a Snipe. 

North: 5 Arctic Skua, 4 Red-throated Diver, 3 Common Scoter and a Cormorant north.  

Feeding offshore: 11 Greater Black-backed Gull and a Mediterranean Gull.  

Moth trapping: 17 moths between our 3 traps last night. Brindled Green pays a visit roughly two years out of three. 

Brindled Green (Dryobotodes eremita). 

Bird ringing: 11 Blackcap, 6 Song Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Chaffinch.    

Thursday 8th October 2026

Black Stork (Ciconia nigra).

A bright but windy morning. 1 Reed Warbler seen within the compound. Our first Redwing of the autumn ringed. Early morning a Merlin was being chased by a Peregrine Falcon. Late morning a Black Stork (our second-ever recor) circled over the observatory flying from the north and eventually heading south. 2 Stonechats and a Common Snipe out on the reserve. A Rock Pipit feeding on the beach. 1 Buzzard overhead. 

Overhead migration included 24 Swallow, 23 Meadow Pipit, 5 Skylark, 5 Stock Dove, 2 Goldfinch and 1 Woodlark all south. 2 Skylark west. 

Seawatching: 

North: 3 Gannet and 1 Cormorant.

South: 12 Black-headed Gull, 7 Cormorant, 4 Common Gull, 3 Gannet, 2 Brent Goose, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 Rock Pipit. 

West: 4 Cormorant. 

Feeding offshore: 3 Great Black-backed Gull and 2 Mediterranean Gull. 

Moth trapping: 13 Species between our 3 traps, owing to the cold and wet night. Moth of the morning falls to the Large Wainscot, which is a reedbed species that visits in the autumn. 

  

Large Wainscot (Rhizedra lutosa). 

Bird ringing: 2 Song Thrush, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Tit, 1 Redwing. 

 

Wednesday 7th October 2026

Forecast rain held off for the morning. First Stonechat of the autumn with other migrants in very low numbers including 10 Chiffchaff, 6 Mipit, 4 Song Thrush, 3 Chaffinch, Blackcap, Brambling, Grey Wag, Lesser 'throat & Yellow-browed Warbler. Local visitations from 2 Jay & a Great Spotted Woodpecker had probably not come from far afield. A Sandwich Tern is getting close to the last of the year.

From midday onwards birds started to arrive in off the sea prior to the rain arriving (+ after it started) with at least 678 Chaffinch, 118 Redwing, 94 Song Thrush & a Jack Snipe in off. If one considers that they will be arriving on a broad front the numbers coming in along the coast will be far in excess of this point count.

We have been getting several moths out later in the year than expected. Synaphe punctalis today was last noted this year on 18th August with our latest ever ones previously in early September.

Ringing:  3 Song Thrush, 2 Great Tit, 1 Blue  Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Chiffchaff.

Tuesday 6th October 2026

Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis). 

Overcast with no wind. Mix of warblers inside the compound with a small number Chiffchaff and a Blackcap, one Jay also on site. One continental Blackbird caught in the nets and a Yellow-browed Warbler remaining fairly reliability behind the kitchen. Out on the reserve 2 Shore Lark seen till mid day.  

Flying over the observatory: 8 Meadow Pipit, 5 Skylark and 4 Grey Wagtail all south. 4 Greenfinch north.  

Seawatching

South: 15 Wigeon, 10 Brent Goose, 10 Cormorant, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Knot, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Kittiwake. 

North: 4 Cormorant, 1 Long-tailed Skua. 

Feeding offshore: 7 Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Scoter, 1 Mediterranean Gull.  

Moth trapping: 42 moth species present between the 3 moth traps. Moth of the morning is the Beautiful Marbled, a migrant that failed to appear last year. 

Beautiful Marbled (Eublemma purpurina). 

Bird ringing: 3 Blue Tit, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Robin.