Wednesday 27th May 2026

 

A Swallow has been regularly singing & displaying to passing females.

A fair north-easterly built up throughout the morning. Cuckoo & Grey Wagtail flew south, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Reed Warbler & Blackcap on site, Little Tern & Sanderling along the riverbank & a Lapwing on the reserve. This Lapwing might well be the start of autumn passage for this species as failed breeders start moving to moulting grounds as early as the end of May. A Ring-necked Parakeet also paid a visit.

Pale Tussock is one of those species that is apparently common but only visits us roughly one year in three.

Ringing: 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Linnet, 1 Robin.

Tuesday 26th May 2026

Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola), an not so common visitor to the site this morning. 

Another glorious morning (mostly weather wise) at Landguard, most notable bird was a Grey Plover that joined a flock of Sanderling on the beach early morning. A Greenfinch was caught, a now less regular visitor to the site, however this individual had Trichomonosis, so not ringed and released.  

General migration: Brent: 33 north and 14 East. 1 Oystercatcher West, 2 North, and 4 South. 2 Swallow South. 

 Moth trapping: Many moths emerging in the heat, with 78 Species recorded today. Todays photographed moth below, the Marbled Clover, feeds on wasteland plants as larvae and adult moths feed on flowers such as viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare).   

Marbled Clover (Heliothis viriplaca) is a nationally scarce species seen in most years since 2014 but only once prior to 2005.

Bird ringing: 1 House Sparrow, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Linnet. 

Monday 25th May 2026

 

Decidedly hot for May. Another 100 Brent went out then north, 10 Sanderling were on the beach & the first Little Tern of the year went past. On site 3 Chiffchaff & 2 Chaffinch (including a male singing briefly). Otherwise its baby bird time of the year.

Clouded-bordered Brindle puts in an appearance here about one year in three.

Ringing: 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldfinch, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Linnet, 1 Robin. 

Sunday 24th May 2026

 

Another 127 Brent headed out towards the far north. In the good old days they mostly left earlier in the spring & stopped at staging grounds on the way, but over the past 40 odd years or so many wait until the end of May before departing on the long flight to the high Arctic. Other migrants hard to come by included 2 Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler & Wheatear. An Avocet over the obs heading up river always worth a mention as we don't see many this close despite plenty of them in nearby locales. 5 Sanderling were on the beach & a single Barnacle flew south along the shore.

First Rosy Wave since 2012 although we have very few records at all prior to that. It's a Nationally Scarce species that lives on Sea-beet with this one looking a bit faded & tatty already.

Ringing: 4 Great Tit.

Saturday 23rd May 2026

 

Summer has definitely arrived with hot, sunny, sticky, humid conditions. 159 Brents departed out over the obs heading out to northern Russia. Few other migrants included 22 Swallow heading south, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler & a Wheatear. Otherwise more baby birds appearing by the day.

More species coming out including Burnished Brass which is noted in most years with just the occasional absence.

Ringing: 3 Goldfinch, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Linnet, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Friday 22nd May 2026

A sunny morning with temperatures finally feeling like summer, highlight of the morning was the sighting of a male Western Subalpine Warbler, briefly in front of the observatory, but not seen again as of 14:15. Small number of other migrants in the compound; including Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler and a Garden Warbler ringed on monday this week. A Jackdaw briefly landed on our Motus tower, a somewhat unusual visitor to the point, although common in the town of Felixstowe.       

Sea-watching produced 4 Oystercatcher north, 3 south and 1 towards the port. 3 Black-headed Gull south. 

moth trapping: 53 species present across our 3 traps, with 15 species new for the year, many of them micros. 

Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi), our most common hawk moth. 

Bird ringing: 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Linnet, 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Reed Warbler. 

 

Thursday 21st May 2026

              

Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) adds to the variety in the moth trap this morning, this species has got scarcer at this location over the years.  

A clear start to the day with an increasing southerly, brought a good number of late spring migrants including 4 Reed Warbler, 4 Spot Fly 3 Blackcap & 2 Chiffchaff in the compound and a new female Wheatear out on the reserve. 65 Brent headed east, 5 Sanderling on the beach & the usual Black Red was on the Fort.  

Sea-watching produced 5 Black-Headed Gull, Oystercatcher and a Little Egret south.

Overland migration limited to 5 Swallow & 4 House Martin south.   

Moth trapping: Getting milder so a few more micro's including several Notocelia cynosbatella.

Notocelia cynosbatella

Bird ringing: 5 Linnet, 4 Reed Warbler, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Great tit, 1 House Sparrow.