Tuesday 30th June 2026

                                                                     

Blackbird (Turdus merula).

An overcast morning, providing a break from the recent heat. Mostly baby birds within the compound with these accounting for the most part of the ringing totals. A Greater Spotted Woodpecker heard distantly and a Black Redstart calling on the Fort. Our three youngest Ringed Plover chicks survived their first full day out on the reserve, fingers crossed for the coming weeks.  

Seawatching included most passage south with; 107 Black-headed Gull with 1 Juvenile mixed in .... at least one pair has been successful!, 54 Curlew, 19 Oystercatcher, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Cormorant, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Common Tern and a Teal. 1 Sandwich Tern north.    

Moth Trapping: Agate Knot-horn (Nyctegretis lineana) is a red data book species that we have noted on only a handful of previous occasions. The caterpillar larvae feed on Common Restharrow, pupating in a silken tube beneath the host plant. The species is restricted to the east coast of England. - Suffolk Moths. 

Agate Knot-horn (Nyctegretis lineana).

Bird Ringing: 7 Linnet, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Robin, 2 Goldfinch, 2 House Sparrow, 1 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Wren, 1 Whitethroat.  

Monday 29th June 2026

 

Juvenile Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), note the lack of any head markings with black and red seen on adults.  

A sunny morning with a moderate NW wind. We had another 3 Ringed Plover chicks hatch over the weekend. 2 Reed Warblers calling from around the compound. A Black Redstart remains calling from the fort. Essex Skipper present near the car park end of the reserve at Manor Road. A Mistle Thrush was seen down on the reserve and then ringed later on in the morning. 

Seawatching produced 3 Black-headed Gull and a Whimbrel south only. 

Moth Trapping: 77 moth species caught in our 3 traps. Today's moth of the day is the Light Crimson, with the second site record of this underwing today, following on from one in 2025. One of the moth's strongholds is in the New Forest, the caterpillar feeds on Oak and the species is considered as Near Threatened on the IUCN red list. 

Light Crimson underwing (Catocala promissa).

Bird Ringing: 5 Dunnock, 2 Blackcap, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Wren.   

Mistle thrushes have been elusive at Landguard and on the most part are recorded as wandering Juveniles, so today's bird, a moulting adult female was quite a surprise when ringed.  

Sunday 28th June 2026

 

Another tropical night followed by an increasingly windy morning. Southbound 45 Swift, 11 Sand Martin, 10 Curlew, 5 Oyk & Sandwich Tern with northbound 4 Sandwich & a Common Tern. Yet more juvenile Chiffchaff turning up suggesting that productivity at sites nearby has been good this year. 2 Black Redstart were on the Fort & 2 Sanderling on the beach. An adult Cuckoo at the top of the observatory will be departing to Africa.

July Highflyer is infrequent here turning up roughly one year in three from its woodland home.

Ringing: 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 House Sparrow

Saturday 27th June 2026

 

The hot conditions continue. Migrants include Chiffchaff, Reed & Sedge Warbler. Tad early for autumn Sedge Warbler passage to start but with the disrupted weather anything can happen. Offshore southbound 9 Curlew & 2 Sandwich Tern with northbound 8 Little Tern. Black Red singing on the Fort most of the morning.

First site record of Pale Shoulder which is a rare immigrant to our shores.

Very busy moth night in the hot humid conditions. Third site record of Scarce Black Arches which is an immigrant species was the pick of the bunch.

Ringing: 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Linnet, 1 Sedge Warbler.

Friday 26th June 2026

Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Humid from the outset with only a slight breeze and a slight haze to make it slightly colder. However an interesting morning of observations with a Spoonbill flying north over the observatory and a pair Little Tern flying along the river towards the port. 1 Lapwing was present on the reserve.

Seawatching produced 4 Black-headed Gull and 1 Curlew south. 2 Sandwich Tern and a Mediterranean Gull north. 1 Oystercatcher south and then towards the port. 

Moth trapping: 126 Species of moths caught in our 3 traps last night, once again a warm night, less wind. Today's moth of the day is the Poplar Lutestring despite all the poplar trees here, the moth has only occurred on a handful of occasions, as the name suggests the caterpillar feeds on poplar. There are three races of this moth in the UK. 

 

Poplar Lutestring (Tethea or)

Bird Ringing: 3 Blue Tit, 2 Linnet, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Redstart. 

First summer male caught today in our mist nets, this individual had commenced its post breeding moult, which is unexpected at this location, suggesting could have bred/attempted to breed in the local area and the bird might possibly hang around the area with a reduced flight capability for the duration or part of its moult. Our first autumn record is the 3rd July onwards. Very few pairs nest in Suffolk with the closest confirmed breeding areas being in the heathland around Woodbridge ministry of defence. 

Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

Thursday 25th June 2026

Linnet (Linaria cannabina) a male individual we have ringed. We are one of only 2 sites in the UK to have an active RAS (retrapping adults survival i.e. monitoring adult survival) in the UK due to our good population size.

A sunny but windy morning, with very few passage birds within the compound or out to sea, with 5 Swift overhead early morning and a group of young Chiffchaff that could have moved down into the area from towards Felixstowe town. 

Seawatching: 3 Black-headed gulls were seen flying north and an Oystercatcher south then towards the port. 

Moth trapping: 126 species recorded last night between the three traps, despite strong winds in the morning. Pick of the bunch is a small micro, but our first site record, the Thistle Straw (Aethes cnicana). This moth's caterpillar feeds on, as the name suggests, Thistle or plume thistles (Cirsium) to be precise. There are a few of these plants at this location so good chance it might be staying. 

First site record of the Thistle Straw (Aethes cnicana).

Bird ringing: 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Whitethroat.  

Ringing Recoveries

Blue Tit ringed Trimley Marshes 11th October 2025 obviously bred somewhere near LBO as it turned up here as a family party with its partner & offspring on 19th June 2026.

Chiffchaff ringed Viewswood, East Sussex on 8th April 2023 was recaught 135 km away at LBO on 22nd June 2026. This would have been on spring passage in Sussex three years ago, but difficult to know why it was here at this time of the year unless it has attempted breeding somewhere in this part of the country.