Saturday 8th August 2026

Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)

Sunny and a gentle breeze. Briefly a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the compound. Out on the reserve a nice healthy Greenfinch feeding on a Grasshopper as well as some 21 Pied Wagtails, a Wheatear and a Song Thrush. A concerning morning for our Ring Plovers with our chicks possibly predated... time will tell.

Seawatching produced; 8 Cormorant, 4 Black-headed Gull, 3 Oystercatcher and a Scoter, all South. Feeding offshore: 12 Sandwich Tern and a Common Tern.       

Moth trapping: 72 Moth species recorded this morning between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning is the Marbled Green. This moth is regular with us as it is a coastline species in Suffolk living on Lichens. 

Marbled Green (Nyctobrya muralis)

Bird ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Wren. 

Friday 7th August 2026

Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca curruca).

Colder to start off with but soon becoming warmer with little wind. Not much in the compound. 2 Yellow Wagtail briefly out on the reserve before flying across the river. A Wheatear also present. 2 Sanderling present on the beach.   

Seawatching produced; south movements: 37 Oystercatcher, a Whimbrel and a Redshank. North movements: An Oystercatcher and a Mediterranean Gull. Feeding offshore: 12 Sandwich Tern, 3 Black-headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull and an Oystercatcher.    

Moth trapping: 98 moth species recorded between our 3 traps last night. Moth of the morning is the Gypsy Moth, with single records in 2003 and 2014 but then becoming an annual occurrence since 2020. This species was accidentally introduced into London area in the 1990s, a government eradication program failed to wipe out this 'pest' species. The species gained this pest branding due to the caterpillars ferocious appetite taking foliage off a variety of  trees and shrubs, causing reduced growth and reduced fruit, also caterpillars have bristly hairs that can cause skin irritation in humans and may become airborne, affecting respiratory systems.

Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar dispar).

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

Thursday 6th August 2026

A Juvenile Dunlin (Calidris alpina) on the beach today, Calidris meaning grey coloured from aristotle days and alpina is latin for mountains, referencing their breeding grounds.  

A sunny and bright morning with a strong wind from the west. A Nightingale was a nice surprise on the first net round but on the whole mostly quiet within the compound, bar anouther visit from a Great Spotted Woodpecker and shouty Cetti's Warbler. Out on the beach a juvenile Dunlin and briefly on the grass in front of the observatory our Ring Plover family with both chicks remaining. A Peregrine was also seen on the crane again at the port.  

Seawatching produced: 12 Black-headed gull, 3 Sandwich Tern, a Dunlin, a Gadwall and a Whimbrel, all south. 18 Oystercatcher south west towards the port. A Cormorant West. Feeding offshore: 18 Sandwich Tern.  

Hirundine movement included 14 Swallow, 4 Swift and a Sand Martin south. Later in the evening 84 Swift were seen in one large groups over the nature reserve and observatory. 

Moth trapping: 56 moth species present between our 3 traps. Bulrush Wainscot is the moth of the morning, with it being a wetland wanderer. Occurring infrequently here.     

Bulrush Wainscot (Nonagria typhae). 

Bird ringing: 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nightingale. 

Wednesday 5th August 2026

 

Warm & windy. Southbound 43 Swift, 8 Swallow, 6 Golden Plover , 5 Oyk, 4 Dunlin, 4 Teal, 3 Sand Martin, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Turnstone, Curlew & Whimbrel. 28 Sandwich & 9 Common Tern feeding offshore & in the river. Birding difficult in the wind with migrants including 5 Whitethroat, Lesser 'throat, Wheatear & Willow Warbler. 2 Peregrine were chasing each other.

First site record of Clay Triple-lines which is a common species in areas of Beech Woodland that has not visited before.

Ringing: 6 Linnet, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler.

Tuesday 4th August 2026

Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) are only just starting to loose their summer plumage. Seen here on the beach the past two mornings.

Sunny and humid from the get go, quiet on within the compound again but some excitement out on the reserve with a Budgerigar appearing. Out on the beach a Turnstone, 3 Sanderling and 4 adult Ring Plover with two chicks still!. 1 Yellow Wagtail and a Wheatear in the conservation cordons plus some 20+ Pied Wagtail.   A Peregrine was perched on the nearest dock crane. 

Seawatching produced; 4 Common Tern and an Oystercatcher all South. 32 Sandwich Tern Feeding  just offshore along the beach and along the port side.  

Hirundine movement included 15 Swallows and 2 Sand Martin both South, 2 Swift high over early morning. 

   

Moth Trapping: 98 species recorded between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning is the Striped Hawk-moth, shown below. This individual looks that pristine that chances are it is the offspring of the first influx into southern Britain earlier this year. The moth has only been noted here in five previous years.  

Striped Hawk-moth (Hyles livornica).

Bird Ringing: 1 Blue Tit. 

Monday 3rd August 2026

Sanderling (Calidris alba) out on the beach this morning, there appears to be fishing line around this birds left leg. Judging by the rotation of the leg it's not in the best state to migrate to Mauretania. 

Sunny and a building breeze from the NE. Very quiet within the compound, 2 Collared Dove remain the highlight flying past the observatory. Out on the reserve 2 Sanderling, a Turnstone and our Ringed Plover family remain with 2 Chicks all out on the beach. A Wheatear is present in the conservation cordons. 20 Sandwich Tern and a Common Tern feeding offshore. 

Moth trapping: 38 Species recorded between our 3 traps last night, certainly numbers we would expect to see in October let alone in the middle of summer, mainly due to this extended drought. Moth of the morning has to be this rather bright looking Ruby Tiger, we get around 6 each year, for what is quite a common garden species. 

Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) moth. 
 

Bird ringing: 1 Black Redstart, 1 Reed Warbler.

Sunday 2nd August 2026

 

Southern Hawker.

Migrants include 2 Swallow, Lesser 'throat. Redstart, Whitethroat & Willow Warbler. 2 Skylark south must be dispersing juvs as autumn passage in this species doesn't get going until the end of September. Offshore southbound 9 Teal, Golden Plover & Oyk. At least 29 Sandwich Tern & a Common Tern feeding offshore & in the river. Black Redstart in front of the Fort early morning.

Gymnancyla canella is a Nationally Scarce species living on Prickly Saltwort. Numbers here vary greatly year to year.

Ringing: 2 Linnet,1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Robin, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler.